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June 10, 2013

Summer Activities for Kids

Kids Activities for Summer - Fun in the Sun

85+ summer activities for kids including art, water play, sensory activities and much more!

I love summer.  It is hands down my favorite season, probably because my kids and I enjoy water play so much.  While I always have a running list of activities to try in the back of my head I have never written out a summer bucket list.  This year I actually wrote one out, because as I have experienced in summers past, time flies.  I want to be sure to get to all of these summer activities this year, so I decided that writing out a bucket list would help.  


Sidewalk Chalk Art

Make sidewalk chalk paint.  This recipe takes two minutes to prep and is made from common household ingredients.


How to make gorgeous sidewalk chalk paint in rainbow colors


Scented sidewalk chalk paint is another summer fun favorite!

Paint with ice chalk and oil.

Crush sidewalk chalk and make it into paint.

Paint with frozen popsicle chalk.  I think I had even more fun than my boys painting with the popsicle chalk.  The best part was that when we were done painting I put the popsicle chalk back into the molds and in the freezer for another day.



Playing with Water Balloons

Do science experiments with water balloons.

Play basketball with water balloons and other fun water balloon games.


Explore color theory in the play pool with water balloons.


Blow up balloons with soda.  Seriously, this is too cool!

The coolest science experiment for kids ever!  How to blow up a balloon using soda - this is amazing fun for kids of all ages.


Backyard Summer Games


Have another newspaper snowball fight, this time with wet newspaper.

Play games with pool noodles and make another obstacle course with them.



Play tic tac toe games with my older boys.  Whether on paper, with sidewalk chalk, or on my iPad this is one of their favorite games.  I also plan to play color mixing tic tac toe this summer.





Kool Aid Play


Make textured sand paint that is scented.


Freeze Kool Aid and water to make scented ice.

Make scented puffy paint with this three ingredient recipe.


Shaving Cream Fun


Make a rainbow in shaving cream and turn it into a slip and slide.

Fill up the play pool with shaving cream for some sensory play from head to toe!


Mix shaving cream and watercolors for gorgeous sensory art and play.


Frozen Play Ideas

Paint with frozen watercolors.

Study color theory with ice.


Hands on color theory demonstration for kids with colored ice

Freeze jello for a whole new sensory experience.

Make icy fizzing letters for multisensory learning.

Eat homemade, dairy free ice cream.

Go ice bowling.  The perfect game for gross motor fun while staying cool in the sun.


Explore with colored ice and watch the colors mix as the ice melts.  For even more fun, make it a rainbow of ice!


Freeze watermelons then turn them into Oobleck.



Play with sensory pudding paint with colored ice.

Make snow cones with fresh fruit.  No sugar or icky sweeteners necessary!



Freeze water beads for sensory play.

Paint with ice.


Make frozen lemon Oobleck for some chilly sensory play and science.

Fill water balloons with water beads then freeze them to extend the play.


Cool Eruptions

Surprise your little ones with these color surprise eruptions.

Create art that erupts.

Erupting art for kids - Art and science come together in this fun a beautiful experiment!

Experiment with different liquids and solids to see which mix and which react with each other.

Make giant, vinegar free eruptions.

Ice volcanoes are the perfect way to stay cool with a little science.



Make beautiful rainbow eruptions with baking soda and vinegar - exciting for kids and grown ups alike!

Summer Sensory Play

Make rainbow sand slime.

Make watermelon rice.

Mix up a new batch of colored and scented cloud dough.


Make a jello sensory bin.

Cut open a watermelon and set up an invitation to explore.

Play with edible water beads, so Tank and Peanut (23 months) can enjoy the sensory experience without the risk.


Whip up a batch of rainbow slime.

Rainbow slime recipe for play - how to make this gorgeous recipe that lasts for many months!

Playing with Bubbles



Play with rainbow soap foam.


Turn the play pool into a bubble pool.

Summer Art Projects

Make textured sand paint and experiment with other textures to add to paint.


Make homemade paint brushes to create big art.

Making yarn prints - Make giant homemade paint brushes in just minutes!


Mix tempura paint in the play pool.  This year we will experiment with different colors and shades.

Make a body paint slip and slide.

Paint with funnels.

Create art masterpieces with erupting paint.


Homemade sparkly finger paint recipe, because let's face it, everything is more fun when it sparkles.

Water Play and Exploration



Put together a simple water sensory bin and add recycled containers to it for scooping and pouring.

Design a foil river.

Teach my boys how to play Marco Polo.





For more summer activities for kids follow me on Pinterest.

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The best summer activities for kids - Over 85 ways to have fun in the sun!

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The ultimate list of homemade paint recipes - 45 awesome ideas!     

2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for including my Icy, Fizzy Letters in this amazing list! :) My son and I are going to have to refer to this list when we're figuring out what we want to do this summer.

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