80 Summer Activities for Preschool & Kindergarten Ages
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Well friends, summer is quickly approaching! So that means I’ve been putting my list together for ideas to keep my two little ones occupied in the coming months. And not just occupied, but learning, thriving, and making fun memories along the way. I created this list of summer activities for preschool & kindergarten ages with the parents of young ones in mind, but it’s fitting for older ages as well!
I know in the past I have looked at summer bucket lists for kids and gotten completely overwhelmed at the very idea of doing some of the suggestions with my young children. With that being said, I have made a real effort to make this list a highly attainable summer activity list! Right now, we have a five and two-year-old at home, and these are all activities that would be manageable for them (and let’s be honest – me, too!)
80 GREAT SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN:
1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt (make a list of things you might see and check them off as you go!)
2. Take a family outing for ice cream.
3. Visit a new park.
4. Go to a local splash pad.
5. Visit the beach (If you are like us here in the Midwest, there isn’t a real beach nearby. So this is anywhere that has a sandy/rocky area and water! Get creative!)
6. Pack a picnic (or pick up lunch) and go somewhere that the kids can run around.
7. Make homemade jam (and maybe even some fresh bread!). Have the kiddos make cards to go with it, and do front porch drop-offs for friends/family/neighbors!
8. Visit a local garden and see how many plants you can identify. Bring a sketchbook and crayons and try to draw some of your favorite flowers! (The Botanical Gardens is a great option here in the STL area).
9. Make your own popsicles. We make them with this mold!
10. Make homemade play dough or cloud dough.
11. Make a kid-friendly craft from pinterest. Or simply get out the craft tub and come up with something together with what you have on hand!
12. Attend a local festival, carnival, or fair.
13. Head to the zoo!
14. Wash the car (it might need a real wash afterwards, but you’ll make lots of memories!)
15. Set up a lemonade stand in the front yard.
16. Visit a local Farmer’s Market and let your kiddos pick out some fruits/veggies.
17. Plant flowers (in pots or in the yard).
18. Go strawberry picking.
19. Make a homemade pie of out fresh berries!
20. Go pedal boating. These are often for rent at parks!
21. Host a garage sale and let the kids run a drink station.
22. Make a tire swing for the backyard.
24. Head to the local swimming pool!
25. Make chocolate chip banana bread muffins. This recipe is our favorite of all time and is easy enough for the kids to help with.
26. Go camping!
27. Make and decorate a cake.
28. Go pick up trash at a local park.
29. Take a walk in the rain and do some puddle jumping!
30. Have a “water day” in the backyard with the sprinkler and/or a water activity table.
31. Go bike riding.
32. Create pressed flower art with flowers you find outside.
33. Give the kiddos $3 each and head to the dollar store.
34. Visit a local creek and take lunch or dinner.
35. Go see a movie.
36. Pick blueberries at a local farm and make homemade blueberry muffins. We love this recipe!!
37. Host a playdate. Ask the other moms to bring one food item and make it a potlunch brunch!
38. Paint cheap planter pots and pot plants for the house or yard.
39. Take items that need donating to the thrift store, and then have a look around! My kids love looking at the toys and debating their one purchase.
40. Participate in your library’s local summer reading challenge!
41. Visit a science center.
42. Go fishing!
43. Make homemade cinnamon rolls.
44. Leave gifts on the front porch for your delivery drivers. Helps the kids make thank you signs!
45. Make homemade ice cream.
46. Visit an aquarium.
47. Go for a walk and identify all the different noises you hear. Make a list as you go!
48. Build a birdhouse. OR purchase this one from amazon that you can stick to a window (we own it and love it!!), and enjoy all the bird watching!
49. Rent a cabin out in nature for the weekend, or even just one night. If there’s no cabin rental nearby, stay the night in a nearby hotel with a pool!
50. Have a homemade pizza night and let the kids pick their toppings.
51. Visit a local museum.
52. Make tie-dye shirts.
53. Visit a farm.
54. Go out for dessert at a restaurant.
55. Go bird watching and try to identify any that you see!
56. Have a bonfire in the backyard with s’mores. We actually just use our fire column and it works great!
57. Put a sprinkler under the trampoline for a DIY splash pad.
58. Bring mom or dad lunch at their work and enjoy a picnic outside.
59. Take a nature walk and give the kids disposable cameras for capturing the beauty. Getting the pictures back is GOLD!
60. Try a kid-friendly science experiment.
61. Make a fruit pizza! This is a perfect summer dessert.
62. Have a toy clean-up and donation day. Talk to your kids about the importance of giving back.
63. Go to a baseball game.
64. Go mini-golfing.
65. Make and send cards to friends and family.
66. Go get snow cones!
67. Go out for a kid-friendly lunch somewhere new.
68. Let the kids paint rocks in the backyard.
69. Play a board game, or even just play “pretend” with your kids.
70. Make cookies and deliver them to friends, family, and neighbors.
71. Have a popcorn and movie night!
72. Decorate the driveway or back patio with colorful chalk.
73. Take books to the park and sit under a shady tree.
74. Take a trip on a local ferry.
75. Go fly a kite!
76. Download a free kid-friendly scavenger hunt and head out on a grand adventure!
77. Have some of your kids’ friends over for a backyard crafting party.
78. Attend a local VBS. This is always a fun-filled week for us.
79. Make an obstacle course in the backyard.
80. Visit a new, local bakery and let the kids pick a dessert!
I hope this list of 80 summer activities for preschool & kindergarten ages has given you some great inspiration to get out there and keep those little ones thriving this summer! I know we will be checking things off this very list in the months to come!
Have an amazing summer!
You may also want to check out these posts!
Easy & Budget-Friendly Summer Porch
Turning an Old Hutch into a Kid Craft Cabinet
