This summer in quarantine has likely looked very different for most of us than past summers, especially for all of the mamas out there! With no summer camps, fewer sleepovers, and little (if any) family outings/vacations I can imagine both kids and parents are probably going stir crazy right about now. If you’ve got kiddos at home and you’re running out of ideas and ways to entertain your children for the remainder of the summer, this post is for YOU.
While I don’t have children of my own, I was a full-time nanny for over 7 years, so I know a thing or two about how to entertain kiddos! That’s why I’ve created the ultimate summer bucket list tailored specifically to our current covid-19 reality. It’s definitely coming a little later than I would have liked, but there’s still plenty of time to finish the summer off strong and get a few fun family activities in the books before it officially comes to an end!
1. Camp out in the backyard.
Set up a tent in the backyard and let your kids “camp out” under the stars. Help them round up their sleeping bags, flashlights (for flashlight tag, duh), and favorite stuffed animals. You can take it one step further by joining your kids for camping activities that require adult supervision (like mini bonfires and making s’mores). PRO TIP: You can always make s’mores in the oven if you don’t have a firepit.
2. Go on a hike.
Find some hiking trails near your home and take your kids for a fun all-day hiking excursion. Pack a picnic, lots of water, and whatever you do don’t forget your camera! Even if a trail is totally flat your kids will have a blast if you find a way to make it fun for them. Try printing out a nature scavenger hunt and offering them a brown bag to collect all of their nature “finds”.
3. Plan a “water activities” day.
I’ve done this with the kids I used to nanny for and they’ve always had a blast. My recommendation: set up each water activity during nap time or while your children are busy with something else – because it can take a WHILE. The kinds of activities you include are endless but here are a few of my favorite ideas: water balloon fights (order these self-sealing balloon bunches first, TRUST ME), water balloon toss, fill a plastic trash bag with water and let them swing at it like a pinata (you can also tie up individual water balloons with string and let them swing at those), fill up squirt guns and take aim at different “targets” around the backyard, and lastly, if your kids are still quite little, fill up a water table (or just a large plastic tub) with water, food coloring, and some of their favorite toys and let them go to town!
4. Plant something.
Whether it’s a full vegetable garden, a few flower boxes, or just one solo tree, let your child help you plant something. If they’re old enough, let them be responsible for the watering each day as well.
5. Make cardboard creations.
You can buy cardboard moving boxes at Home Depot, or just save all of the cardboard from your online package deliveries. Then, set aside some time to help your child create their own magical cardboard castle, rocketship, race car, boat, ice cream stand, etc. The possibilities are endless! Leave the painting/decorating up to them!
6. Create gifts or care packages to send to family, friends, or neighbors.
If your child has friends or family they can’t see in person right now, consider letting them put together care packages to send them. They can draw or paint a pretty picture to put in the care package or bake something yummy, etc.
7. Buy a caterpillar to butterfly kit.
Let your kids “grow their own butterflies” with this caterpillar to butterfly life cycle kit from Amazon. They will LOVE it.
8. Let them engage a pen pal.
Kids LOVE receiving mail, am I right? Whether it’s a grandparent, friend from school, etc., let your child send letters or pictures back and forth to someone they can’t see in person right now. (It’s also a GREAT way for them to get some writing practice in.)
9. Go for a bike ride.
This is pretty self-explanatory, but you can make it even more fun for your child if you round up the whole family for a ride.
10. Set up a “potion station”.
If you have a little scientist on your hands, set up a spot for them to mix their little hearts out. You can include different ingredients like corn starch, flour, food coloring, glitter, water, paint, etc. And YES, they will make a huge mess, so be prepared to help with clean up.
11. Create sidewalk chalk masterpieces.
Challenge your kids to make a giant chalk art gallery and cover every inch of your driveway (or some other designated area) with their masterpieces.
12. Have an over-the-top picnic.
This can be fun for kids and parents alike! You can plan your over-the-top picnic all by yourself using blankets, large pillows, umbrellas, etc., from around your home OR if you live in a larger city, find a company that you can pay to set up the picnic FOR you! I live in Denver and have used Denver Picnic Co. to do this in the past and it was seriously the best day! They took care of all the setup and clean up, provided all the food and drinks, and even set up a game of bags for us to play. SO fun.
13. Go on a road trip in an RV.
Since this seems to be the only relatively safe vacation to take right now, consider renting an RV for a few days, and setting out for a specific destination. How fun would it be to spontaneously drive to the Grand Canyon with your kiddos?!
14. Make your own ice cream, snow cones, or popsicles.
I couldn’t choose just one of these three yummy treats, so I included all three of them! Make them as healthy or as unhealthy as your heart desires. Here are a few fun and delicious recipes to get you started: Rainbow Frozen Fruit Popsicles, No-Churn Mermaid Ice Cream, and Easy Kool-Aid Sherbet.
15. Subscribe to a kids magazine or kids subscription box service.
Once again, kids love to receive mail. The children I used to nanny for used to get Kiwi Crates in the mail every month and it was such a fun activity that we looked forward to doing together! Each box is curated with specific age-appropriate activities and crafts that they loved!
16. Upgrade your backyard kiddie pool/slip-n-slide situation.
Go all out with a giant blow-up water park, or an aesthetically pleasing inflatable pool like this one from Urban Outfitters or one from Minnidip. Another backyard activity I’ve always thought looked SO fun was to make one of these water blobs – now you can even purchase a pre-made water blob, like this cool rainbow one.
17. Set up an elaborate obstacle course.
This works indoors or outdoors so it’s perfect for a rainy day activity. You can literally use anything and everything you find around your house to create tunnels and specific challenges or tasks your kids have to complete. Have them race against each other or try and beat their own personal best time. PRO TIP: The more elaborate the setup the more fun your kids will probably have with it.
18. Tie-dye something.
Tie-dyeing became SO popular this summer, so if you haven’t tie-dyed anything with your kids yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Here’s a great tie-dye kit to get you started: Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit.
19. Go to the drive-in theater.
While indoor movie theaters might not be the safest place to take your kids right now, there’s always the drive-in theater! Honestly, your kids will probably actually enjoy it more if they’ve never been to one before. I know some parks in Denver also host “Movies in the Park” nights that are fun to attend as well. Check your local events and see what you can find!
20. Host a “show” night.
This is seriously my favorite activity ever because it’s SO cute and SO absolutely comical at the same time! Let your kids put on a “show” for you (and any other adults in your home). It can be a magic show, dance competition, comedy show, or even a full-on “play”. Give them all day to plan and then make a big event of it in the evening with a makeshift stage and concession stands, etc.
21. Have a family game night.
Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned family game night? Here are some of my absolute favorite games to play with kids: What Do You Meme? Family Edition, Color Brain, and Trivial Pursuit Family Edition.
22. Run through the sprinklers
One of my absolute favorite things to do in the summer when I was a kid was to play in the sprinklers. If you have a trampoline put the sprinkler underneath of it and it’s GAME OVER. Your kids will be having such a blast they won’t “bother you” all afternoon!
23. “Vacation” to a different room in your house.
Let your kids choose a different room in the house that they want to “vacation to” for the night. I know it sounds stupid but blowing up the air mattress and letting your kids have a slumber party right smack in the middle of the kitchen or living room will be thrilling to them.
24. Have a movie day.
There’s nothing better than an all day movie marathon on a rainy day. Whatever you do, don’t forget to set up a giant fort, pop some popcorn and turn off all the lights for the full experience!
25. Host a cooking (or baking) competition.
If your kids like to cook or bake, help supervise them in the kitchen while they each make their own delicious concoctions. Once everyone has finished making their “dishes” you be the judge and decide who had the tastiest recipe!
26. Exercise together as a family.
Choose one day of the week to exercise together as a family. You could do some family yoga exercises or go running together outside, it’s totally up to you! Trust me, your kids will love it and will look forward to spending that time together.
27. Sign them up for an online class.
If it’s not too late, sign your kids up for an online class to learn something new they’re interested in. Do they want to learn how to sing or speak a different language or maybe they’d love to take a cool online art class? Ask them and see.
28. Make a fairy garden.
A fairy garden is the perfect kid-friendly garden project. To get your creative juices flowing I’ve linked some cute fairy garden ideas here and here.
29. Do an art project or two.
I wouldn’t even know where to begin suggesting one specific art project over another because there are SO many awesome ones. Instead, I’ll just link my “Kid Stuff” Pinterest board for you here. Check it out for all the art project inspiration you’ll ever need.
30. Put together a large puzzle.
Choose an age-appropriate puzzle that will still challenge your kiddos. Turn on some music or a movie in the background and work on putting the puzzle together as a family.
31. Watch the sunrise or sunset (or both)!
This can be such a fun, magical thing to experience with your kids. Wake them up early to watch the sunrise or gather everyone together after dinner to sit outside and watch it set (or do both on the same day)!
32. Play with fireworks or sparklers.
Another favorite activity of mine when I was a kid was playing with sparklers and watching fireworks. If you live somewhere where fireworks are allowed have dad put on a display for the whole family or just let your kids play with sparklers in the evening, they’ll love it.
33. Go on a treasure hunt.
Treasure hunts are so much fun. Create a map for your kids to follow to find “X marks the spot” – where you’ve hidden their “treasure”. The treasure can be anything, but something I’ve done in the past was to fill up water balloons with water and food coloring then freeze them overnight. Once they’ve frozen you can peel off the balloon and you’ve got yourself the perfect “gems” or “jewels” to hide as your treasure.
34. Spend a day at the lake (or at the beach).
If you’re lucky enough to live near a beach or a lake, pack a picnic lunch, beach towels, and pool floaties and spend your afternoon by the water. If your kids are old enough you could let them lounge on inner tubes or rent kayaks, canoes or even paddle boats for them to play with.
35. Go for a drive.
If you find yourself and your kids going stir-crazy, sometimes just getting out of the house for a drive can do wonders. Take a drive through the mountains or find a scenic overlook to check out. Maybe even pick up some ice cream on the way home. It beats cabin fever every time.
36. Have a spa day at home.
The little girls I used to nanny for LOVED having at-home spa days. We’d set up their foot spas in the backyard, turn on some relaxing spa music and paint each other’s nails and toenails. I saw this adorable kid spa set-up on Pinterest and had to share it with you guys. It would be so fun to do with kids.
37. Go to a fun park or playground.
Whatever your kid’s favorite park or playground is, pack a lunch and plan to spend the afternoon there. PRO TIP: The best parks are the ones that have splash pads or fountains – so bring their swimsuits!
38. Make giant bubbles.
Ever seen those giant bubbles at children’s museums? Well, you can make them in your own backyard as well! Try this idea or this one.
39. Build (or purchase) a tree house or outdoor playhouse.
This doesn’t have to be elaborate. If you CAN build a full-on treehouse or playhouse that’s awesome! But one made out of PVC pipes and blankets works just as well! Your kids will simply love to have a space outside that feels like their own private clubhouse where they can go hang out and play their electronic games, read, color, or WHATEVER!
40. Blindfolded taste/touch/smell activities.
Blindfold your kids and have them guess what foods they’re eating or smelling or what things they think they’re touching. You can give them slime to touch or salt to taste. Literally whatever you want (just don’t make it gross). It’ll be super fun for them.
41. Wash the cars.
Let your kids put on their suits and wash your cars or any of their outdoor toys.
42. Create a cozy reading nook or corner.
If you want to get your kids excited about “quiet time” each day, create a cool, cozy corner for them either in their room or a playroom where they can go to read or play quiet activities. Jazz it up with things like: fairy lights, a teepee, a sheer canopy, large bean bags or floor pillows, etc. The more blankets and pillows you include the more likely they’ll end up falling asleep in there for naptime!
43. DIY jewelry-making.
Let your kids pick out some pretty beads or yarn to make their own jewelry or friendship bracelets or necklaces for their friends. You can totally join in on the fun as well!
44. Clean out/declutter or redecorate their bedrooms.
It’s always a good idea to clean out and de-clutter kids’ rooms and closets at the end of the summer to get ready for school in the fall. I know this isn’t necessarily a “fun” activity for children, but perhaps they can be bribed with a reward like new school clothes or a new decoration or two for their freshly-cleaned bedroom.
45. Make homemade play dough or slime.
Okay, I LOVE making slime. Idk why, but guess what? Kids love it too! Here are a few fun slime and playdough recipes to try out: Unicorn Fluffy Slime, Easy Glitter Slime, Best Playdough Recipe, and Cloud Dough.
BONUS: If it rains, let them play in it. They’ll have a BLAST.
Okay, that’s all I’ve got for you, folks! I reeeeally hope you guys will find this list helpful and most importantly, FUN! I tried to include activities that maybe you wouldn’t have thought of before, so PLEASE, let me know if you end up doing any of these ideas in the comments section below! Thanks for reading!
XOXO,
Kenzie
