Looking for some crazy fun summer activities at home for the kiddos? I mean, I don’t know about you but we’re adjusting our summer to keep us at home more than usual. And trust me, we are NOT homebodies so we have to find ways to reallyyyy keep ourselves entertained to still have a great summer.
This list of fun things to do with kids at home this summer is not your typical list. Instead of just listing out hundreds of activities, I have carefully selected the best and the ones that are practically guaranteed to help you have the best summer at home ever!
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19 Family Fun Summer Activities at Home
That’s right. Here are 19 exciting and fun things to do with kids at home this summer that will make you forget you’re at home more than usual. Plus, these are all family friendly so can be enjoyed by everyone, with some allowing kids to be self-entertained so you can take a break. ?
1) Make your own ice cream sandwiches
What better way to start the summer than by indulging in some tasty summer treats? But what’s the fun in just eating them when you could make your own ice cream sandwich. I mean, it’s incredibly easy to make and your kids will probably enjoy it even more once it’s done.
All you need is two of your favorite cookies which you could also bake yourself or buy from the store. Then, you get a scoop of your favorite ice cream and plaster it in between the two cookies and voila! You have yourself a super delicious ice cream sandwich!
2) Slip N Slide in the backyard
And now time for some water summer fun for kids (and maybe adults too)! Since we’ve been at home more than usual, we decided to get a few things to make our backyard more entertainable for our son. And one of these includes a Slip N Slide that both father and son can enjoy (because this mama is too scared haha).
And yup, this has been a great addition because not only is it cheap, it also keeps my son entertained for quite a while. Plus it’s our way of turning our backyard into a mini water park since we won’t be going this summer. Check out this Slip N Slide here and try this super fun things to do at home with kids.
3) Celebrate with an indoor scavenger hunt
You know what’s something super cool that we starting doing this year? Yup, it’s indoor scavenger hunts. It all started with Easter by hiding our son’s Easter basket and since we had to celebrate my son’s quarantine birthday, we also did a birthday scavenger hunt.
This time, instead of hiding an Easter basket, we were hiding birthday presents as clues! It was a much more fun way of giving our son his presents. So if you are also celebrating a summer birthday, you can find out how you can have your own indoor birthday scavenger hunt for kids here.
Related Post: Quarantine Scavenger Hunt for Kids
4) Turn your trampoline into a splash pad
Another cool thing we did in our backyard to give it a water park feel was add a sprinkler to the top of our trampoline. This sprinkler here is specifically for trampolines to not only help keep them cool in the summer, but splash water on the kids as they jump! An alternative for the sprinkler is to continuously throw a bucket of water at them while they jump but who has the energy for that haha!
Actually, we did that for a day and then immediately decided a trampoline sprinkler would be a better idea. And OMG the first day we set this up, my son had so much fun (by himself) for over an hour! We of course joined him but we don’t have nearly as much energy as he does LOL! So as parents of a single child, we have to find ways to keep him entertained while alone. ? Now imagine more than one kid… whoa, they will LOVE YOU! Check out this trampoline sprinkler here.
5) Have a backyard picnic
This one is super simple and is one you could do multiple times throughout the summer. There’s just something about eating somewhere different than your dinner table that makes this one exciting for kids.
But look, summers are hot, I get it. I’m in Texas where the heat is just mad crazy so I definitely recommend a dinner picnic so that you can at least get a little breeze (hopefully). The sun won’t be burning so hot so you can actually enjoy your dinner picnic.
6) Play family board games
Of course you should still have game nights in the summer! It’s one of those fun things to do with kids at home that will never grow old. We used to have one game night each week but since social distancing has increased to about 2-3 haha.
Thankfully, we have a fair share of board games so that it doesn’t feel so repetitive. Some of our favorite family games to play are Uno (we have three different versions), Sonic Monopoly, Mario Monopoly (this one is my favorite since I win a lot lol), Sorry and Trouble. So yeah, this is probably one summer activity you’ll be repeating quite a bit haha.
Related Post: Crazy Fun Things to Do at Home for Competitive Families
7) Create kindness rocks
Now here’s one you don’t hear everyday. Rachel with Mindful Parenting says it’s “a great activity for all ages, one that embraces that creativity” and can be done “using art supplies you will have at home.”
All you need to do is “collect your rocks from beach or park trips and then spend a lovely afternoon turning them into little works of art. The bonus is finding suitable words, ones that really work for your child. The younger kids can decorate their stone with an picture. You can make these for your home, garden or even leave at a place you visit for others to find. The options are endless!”
Related Post: Kindness Activities in this Gratitude Challenge for Kids
8) Have a water gun fight
Oh man, this one is so much fun for kids and adults. It really is one of the most fun summer activities at home for the entire family. You could get a duo set of water guns like these here or get this mega blaster here for yourself to really take down your kids haha!
I mean, who said the best water gun had to be for them? It’s called a water gun fight so it’s only fair that the hard working parents get the biggest and best one, isn’t it?? ? Okay, fine, maybe you can be a bit more fair and each get a similar size. Check out the variety of water guns here and plan a day of fun in the sun!
9) Make chalk creations on driveway or patio
Do you know how many chalk creations you can make on your driveway for under $10?? With only one pack of chalk like this one here, the only limitation you have is your imagination. And even then, not really because there’s always Google and Pinterest LOL!
You could create games on the driveway like Hop Scotch and Giant Tic Tac Toe or you could use it as a gigantic sketch pad and create a beautiful masterpiece. So grab your chalk kit here and let your imagination run wild (on your driveway haha).
10) Watch movies together for movie night
Okay c’mon. You can never go wrong with having a family movie night, not even in the summer. Sometimes the outdoors can be way too hot or maybe you just want a day of relaxation. That’s when movie night (or day) comes in.
So log onto Netflix or Prime Video and scroll through to see which movies you can watch this summer and add them to your Watch List. And by the way, the $3.99 movies for rent on Prime are totally worth it!
Related Post: Crazy Fun Stay at Home Date Ideas for Couples with Kids
11) Make a backyard volcano
Have you ever tried making a backyard volcano? I for sure haven’t but it’s now on my list of cheap summer fun things to do. And thankfully, Ashley from The Labouring Mom explains exactly how to do it below.
“Make paper mache glue by mixing 1 part water to 2 parts flour and whisk until smooth. Then, take a 2-litre pop bottle and secure it to a flat piece of cardboard with tape. Crumble newspaper up and put it around the base of your pop bottle and tape into place. Keep adding newspaper balled up to form the shape of your volcano using tape to hold in place. Once formed, take shreds of newspaper and dip into paper mache glue. Put the strip over your volcano and onto the cardboard using as many strips as necessary until it is completely covered.
Be sure to smooth strips after applying and allow it to dry 24 hours. You can paint it if desired. Then, mix 1 tbsp of warm water, a few drops of dish soap and 2 tbsp baking soda. Pour mixture into volcano (pop bottle). Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with a few drops of food coloring. Lastly, pour this into volcano and watch it erupt!”
12) Pretend to be a magician
Okay so if you would have asked me a year ago, this would have probably never made it onto my list. But this year, my son got a kid’s magic set just like this one here and absolutely loved it! It comes with over 100 tricks that are easy for kids to learn and even includes their magical props.
So yeah, our son spent an entire afternoon giving our entire family a magic show with all the tricks he learned. And with tons more tricks to learn, I’m sure we’ll be having quite a few magic shows this summer LOL! Check out this awesome magic set here so you can be entertained with your own kind of magic. It truly a one-of-a-kind and ones of the most fun things to do with kids at home.
13) Have a water balloon toss or fight
Okay so remember, these are fun summer activities at home so what’s more fun than having a water balloon fight in your own backyard?? Don’t knock it until your try it LOL!
This summer fun idea is great for kids and adults to not only feel refreshed in the heat, but have fun while you’re at it. All you need is water hose, a bucket and water balloons like these rapid fill water balloons here to get your water fight started. Then, you know what to do from there haha!
And seriously, check out these water balloons that make it super easy for you to fill up. You can fill and tie 100 water balloons in 60 seconds just by using these rapid-fill water balloons here.
14) Play with play dough on special mats
The kids are out of school but that doesn’t mean that their creativity should end. Play-Doh is a great way to keep their big imaginations going by creating figurines, pretend food or just about anything. It’s one of the super fun things to do with kids at home as you are not always sure what to expect LOL!
Oh and to be able to play with Play-Doh a bit longer, Crystal says “Play-Doh mats are a great way to extend play time with dough. The general concept is to extend creativity and learning while playing with dough. You can get 3 free printable mats to spark your child’s imagination from Simply Full of Delight.”
15) Enjoy a little family pool party
Obviously another one of the fun summer activities at home for kids is to have a little pool party in your backyard. And no, you don’t have to have an actual gigantic underground pool at home. An inflatable pool like this one here will work just fine for your pool party.
So put on your bathing suit, set up some balloons outside, cut up some watermelon triangles, order some pizza and have your own little family pool party outside. And don’t forget to blast up the music to enjoy while relaxing inside your inflatable pool.
16) Wash the cars
Yayyy! Finally something that benefits us parents! ? Has your kids ever helped you wash the car? They think it’s sooo much fun! And you can make it even more fun by letting them help you wash the car in their bathing suits so they can expect to get wet.
So not only do you have little helpers cleaning your car, but they’re actually not complaining while they’re doing it LOL! And yeah, they will probably miss a few spots but it’s better than not cleaning your car at all! So fill up some water buckets, add a bit of soap, get these gigantic car wash sponges and start the splashing and cleaning fun with your kiddos.
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17) Learn some new dance moves
I gotta say, this one is one of my son’s favorite fun summer activities to do at home. He found a YouTube Choreographer, Mihran K, who teaches hip hop dance moves that he can easily learn and follow on with.
And let me tell you, he was NOT a dancer before the pandemic happened. But ever since he started following Mihran’s YouTube channel, he’s been totally hooked. It helps him get in some exercise to release all his energy plus he’s learning how to be a better dancer in the mix. So if your kids love to dance, this is a great way to get them to move and shake a little indoors at home. And who knows, maybe you’ll want to join them in this super fun thing to do with kids at home.
18) Learn how to draw
Okay so you probably want some time where your kids can be self-entertained quietly (yes, I said quietly). One way you can achieve this is by getting them a How To Draw eBook like the one in this Stay at Home bundle here and shown above.
It’s honestly been a life-saver since it comes with over 100+ how-to drawing for just about anything a kid could want to draw. And the best part is that you get 20 more resources for the price of the How To Draw eBook! So for some piece and quiet while your child learns how to draw, it’s totally worth it. Check out the full Stay at Home bundle here.
Related Post: 21 Resources for the Mama Who’s Stuck at Home
19) Make fresh lemonade
Last on the list for fun summer activities at home for kids is to make fresh lemonade together. Everyone knows that lemonade is such a refreshing drink, especially when it’s 90 degrees outside like it is here in Texas every summer.
So instead of buying some from the store, why not teach your kids how to make fresh lemonade. It not only will teach them how drinks and juices are made, but you’ll have a nice refreshing drink to serve at lunch once you’re done. And if you’re feeling a bit wild, you could add in some fresh strawberries to turn it into strawberry lemonade haha.
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Have a Great Fun-Filled Summer at Home!
Ohh yeahh! Isn’t this list awesome?? I already know quite a few that we will be doing this weekend in our home. While there are others that we have been doing for quite some time now and can still not get enough. So add save this for later so you can come back and reference this throughout this entire summer to enjoy in some family fun!
Which fun summer activities at home will you for sure be adding to your list? Are there any on here you have already tried? Please share your thoughts below as I would love to hear from you!
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Thanks for these ideas. My kids are a bit older but I can see them having quite a bit of fun with some of these and its a good excuse to get them up in the morning and away from their screens!
Oh yeahhh, kids can’t spend an entire summer in front of screens. They need to stay active. Glad to know these work for older kids as well!
What great ideas to keep the kiddos busy this summer! YES please on the Ice cream sandwiches! LOL
hahaha right! We’ll be doing that one this weekend ?
What great ideas! We just bought a trampoline so we’ve got to try the trampoline sprinkler! And Lemonade is on our list too! Thanks for easy and fun ideas!
Oh man, yall are going to have sooo much fun on the trampoline!! And the sprinkler is perfect for the summertime when it gets a bit hot ?
I love how these ideas are so simple and cheap! Plus, speaking from experience, they’re all things kids love to do!
Yes they are! My son’s favorite are any that involve him getting wet lol even if it’s with a water hose ?
Backyard volcano sounds great especially for my 14yr old. Thanks for the tip!!
Doesn’t it? I can’t wait to try it this summer!
Great list I’m going to try ice cream and magic one!!
Awesome, I hope you enjoy it!
These are wonderful ideas! We have done and are doing quite a few of these. Water Balloon fight is on my list here soon since it has finally warmed up.
Yes same here! We haven’t came around to the water balloons just yet but for sure as it’s starting to get HOT!I hope your family has fun!
This was such a great list! I can’t wait to try the backyard volcano! We love to bake together…I can’t believe I never thought of make your own ice cream sandwiches! We love being outside and the boys live to get wet with the summer heat so we’ve done a lot of those activities. I can definitely vouch for the slip-n-slide! So cheap and has provided so many hours of fun for the boys…and the hubby ? Thank you for sharing! Hope you have a great summer!
hahaha sounds like we have lots of things in common! I don’t do the slip n slide but daddy does ? and thank you, I hope you enjoy yours as well!
We love trying new things and finding fun things to do at home. My boys are going to love attempting the backyard volcano! Thanks for some great ideas that I haven’t thought of.
Right?! I’m so glad Ashley was able to share that idea because I definitely wouldn’t have thought about it myself LOL! Hope your family enjoys the summer ?
Such great ideas! I am desperate for some ways to get my kids away from the screens and doing something else. We’ll have to try these ideas!
I know right! Especially in the summer when they’re home all day. My son was like yayyy it’s summer for us and I’m like .. for you baby not me ?
I love this list. My 2-year old is in love with playdough. And now she’s bringing out her dance skills.
Will be trying some more things out.
aw that’s super cute! 2-year olds dancing is the best show ever haha
Love these! Super easy and cheap way to keep kids busy
Yes! Cheap is always good ?
Great ideas and activities for kids. My kiddos would love to do all of these (esp. make ice cream sandwiches).
haha right?! bake some cookies and then add a scoop or two of ice for the whole family for less than what it would cost you going out lol! ?
Thanks for sharing! We will definitely be using some of these ideas this summer!
hope you have a super awesome summer! ?
Hahahaha, These are super fun! I don’t have kids at home… they are all grown. I think most of these can be perfect fun for grownups too! You had me at ice-cream sandwiches! 😀
hahaha I can’t believe we had never thought about ice cream sandwiches before either ? and you’re right, these can be done by adults too!