Screen-Free Summer Fun: 100 Engaging Activities for Kids

Imagine a summer filled with imaginative play, outdoor adventures, and the satisfying crunch of grass between little toes. Envision children building forts, discovering hidden treasures in the backyard, and unleashing their creativity through art and hands-on projects. When you embrace a screen-free summer for your kids, you can find delight in intentional learning, creativity, summer reading, and more. Beyond simply reducing screen time, engaging in unplugged activities fosters crucial developmental skills, strengthens family bonds, and creates lasting memories.

This blog lists 100+ ideas to keep your kids entertained and off of screens this summer.

In this blog post:

Simple nature study activities for summer fun
Critical thinking & creativity: Summer activities to enhance kids’ brain power
Summer art adventures: Inspiring projects for kids of all ages
Outdoor adventures: Fun summer activities to encourage exercise for kids
Magical nighttime summer fun for families
Kid-friendly cooking projects featuring seasonal ingredients
Summer science fun: Engaging experiments for curious kids
Homegrown fun: Favorite backyard things to do for kids
Summer resources from Treehouse Schoolhouse

Simple nature study activities for summer fun

Fishing – Go catch-and-release fishing at a lake or river nearby.
Build a seashell collection – Collect seashells at the beach. At home, research the names of each type of shell and write a few facts about each one.
Grow sunflowers – Plant sunflowers and measure how high they grow.
Go bird watching – Grab a bird watching guide and identify birds in your backyard or neighborhood throughout the summer. Keep track of your results in a nature journal, listing the birds and the dates you see them, with illustrations or pictures.
Grow an herb garden – Plant a container herb garden in your backyard or patio. Bonus points if you recycle containers to use for pots.
Visit a u-pick farm – Find a local farm with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sunflowers, or vegetables.
Plant a butterfly garden – Research the butterflies native to your area and plant flowers that attract them. Bonus points if you visit a local nursery and consult on the best way to plant your butterfly garden.
Visit a local arboretum – Head to your local arboretum and explore the local plants and trees in your community.
Paint rocks – Collect rocks and paint designs on them to decorate your patio or garden.
Go cloudwatching – Lay outside on a clear day and spot the different types of clouds in the sky.
Build forts – Build a fort outside with sticks and tree limbs, or whatever you can find.
Build a sandcastle – Head to the beach to design and build a sandcastle!
Take a hike – Wander a trail in your area and see what the woods are like in the summertime.
Make a flower crown – Collect flowers and leaves and use them to create a crown to wear.

Critical thinking & creativity: Summer activities to enhance kids’ brain power

Keep a journal – Set aside 20 minutes a day to have your child write in a journal and practice creative writing. As a bonus, it’s a great exercise for mental health. If your child has trouble deciding what to write, include a list of 10-20 writing prompts to get them started.
Create a Mood List for rainy days – Make a “Stormy Day Mood List” filled with ideas of what to do at home on a stormy day using the project from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Play math games – Grab a math-focused board game or a math workbook and have children practice math skills throughout the summertime.
Make a Summer Bucket List – Write down all the things you want to do this summer on this bucket list from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer.
Practice memorization skills – Challenge kids with a memory assignment like reciting a chapter of Scripture, a historical speech, or a passage of literature. Once they have learned it, have them practice reciting the passage in front of friends or family.
Read together daily – Cultivate a practice of reading aloud during the summer, whether that is by reading through a big stack of picture books, reading a chapter book aloud, or doing a fun book study.
Visit museums and science centers – Spend a day at a local museum or science center and learn something new.
Try learning a new language – Challenge yourself and your children to learn words in a new language. Practice learning new vocabulary and speaking in a new language to expand your child’s knowledge. Start with counting or the names of colors, and see how much you can learn.
Research summer travel destinations – Traveling this summer? Ask your child to research 10 facts about a city you are visiting to learn what to expect. After you travel, compare what you learned online with what it was like when you visited.
Build with LEGOs – Spend the day building an ambitious LEGO sculpture.
Do a puzzle – Set up a puzzle and see how quickly you can complete it. Challenge your children with a puzzle with more pieces they can work on over several days.
Listen to podcasts – Find a story podcast or explore a topic your children love on a long road trip or a day you are spending indoors to escape the heat.
Write a travel brochure – Create a brochure explaining the fun things to do in your community during summertime.
Write letters to a pen pal – Write letters with a friend or grandparent throughout the summer.
Visit the library – Load up on new books from the library for fun summer reading.

Summer art adventures: Inspiring projects for kids of all ages

Straw painting the sun – Replicate the dynamic motion of the sun with this straw painting activity from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Artist study – Do an artist study and learn about the style and famous works of art of an artist. Then, have your child replicate the artist’s style.
Seashell windchime – Make a windchime with seashells using the instructions from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Sun art paper – Use sun art paper to create a fun print of items your children find in nature.
Create a nature mask – Use items from nature like sticks, leaves, and flowers, and attach them to a blank eye mask to create nature masks they can wear outdoors.
Wildflower shadow painting – In this project from Little Pine Learners, find a shadow of wildflowers and sketch or paint the silhouette on paper.
Go plein air painting – Grab your paints and head outdoors to paint what you see in nature.
Take a pottery class – For older children, enroll in a pottery class and practice creating pottery out of clay. For smaller children, try using air-dry clay to make small trinkets at home.
Make a suncatcher – Create a suncatcher from beads or tissue paper with these ideas from Wonderful DIY.
DIY Kite – Build a kite and fly it outside on a windy day.
Paint a large piece of art – Buy a large canvas and let your child’s creativity fly. If children aren’t pleased with their results, paint over it and let them try again.
Host an art show – Create art over the summer and display it in an area of your home. Invite friends and family over to see the art and enjoy a refreshment.

Outdoor adventures: Fun summer activities to encourage exercise for kids

Plan a field day – Plan a day of games and competition for your family or friends. Celebrate with prizes for the winning team.
Make an obstacle course – Make an obstacle course in your backyard and time who can complete it the fastest.
Learn a new sport – Encourage physical activity by trying out a new individual or team sport.
Plan a camping trip – Spend a weekend with your family outdoors and away from screens by going on a family camping trip.
Try out yoga – Find a kid-friendly yoga class and test your children’s physical abilities and mental concentration.
Do a ropes course – Challenge your children with a day at an outdoor ropes course to test their abilities, grit, and bond together.
Animal races – Get some movement in with fun by having children pretend to be different animals – frogs, dogs, kangaroos – and race one another. Set a timer and see which “animal” races the fastest.
Play musical chairs – Turn on your stereo and play a classic game of musical chairs.
Jump rope – Get in movement by jumping rope. Once kids have basic jump rope skills, try learning new ways to jump rope.
Ride bikes – Get to know your neighborhood by going on bike rides together.
Do a fun run or 5K race – Do a fun-spirited competition together by walking or running in a community race.
Go bowling – Bowling is a perfect activity for a hot, summer day when you want to escape the heat.
Visit a pool, river, lake, or beach – Hot summer days are the best time to enjoy swimming in a pool, river, or lake.
Try kayaking or canoeing – Have your children been on a kayak or canoe? Grab a life jacket and head to the water. Small children can ride along, and bigger kids can test out their paddling skills.
Go rollerblading – Grab skates or rollerblades and explore your neighborhood or a local roller rink.

Magical nighttime summer fun for families

Catch fireflies – Look for fireflies as the sun sets on a summer day.
Roast s’mores – Build a fire and roast s’mores together as a family. Bonus points if you use multiple types of candy to try out different flavors.
Look for constellations – Take a look at your summer nighttime sky and see what constellations you can spot.
Tell stories by the fire – Sit around the campfire and tell stories together.
Backyard camping – You don’t have to go far to enjoy the outdoors. Pitch a tent in your backyard and let children sleep outside.
Flashlight tag – Play this version of freeze tag but with flashlights. One person with a flashlight chases everyone. They tag people by shining their light at them. Then, that person is frozen.
Glow-in-the-dark toys – Play an outdoor game with glow-in-the-dark toys like ring toss or capture the flag.
Full moon hike – Go on a walk one night when the moon is full and see what you can find in nature.

Kid-friendly cooking projects featuring seasonal ingredients

Kids’ dinner night – Let your kids create a menu and make dinner from start to finish.
Ice Cream in a Bag – Make homemade ice cream with a few simple ingredients and a chemical reaction with this recipe from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Make bread from scratch – Teach kids how to make bread from scratch with a simple recipe, including kneading dough and waiting for it to rise.
Shrimp Tacos – Make shrimp tacos using the recipe from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Lemonade stand – Did you ever have a lemonade stand as a kid? Have your children make the lemonade, set up a stand, and make some extra cash on a summer day.
Chocolate-dipped bananas – Make a cool, summer treat with this recipe from Sugar Hero!
Agua fresca – Make a refreshing beverage from summer fruits like watermelon, cucumbers, or pineapple.
Veggie Faces Pizzas – Practice eating a balanced diet or trying new vegetables by making these “veggie faces pizzas” that kids of all ages will enjoy making.
Fruit salad – Let kids practice chopping skills by cutting fruit to prepare a fruit salad.
Try a new recipe – Let children brainstorm and select a new recipe for the family to try.

Summer science fun: Engaging experiments for curious kids

Compost in a Bottle – Observe how organic matter becomes compost with this experiment from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer.
Map bodies of water – Learn about the bodies of water in your state and create a map of them with this project from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Chart ocean zones – Draw a chart replicating the ocean zones and add illustrations of each marine mammal that lives in each zone with this project from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Summer.
Tornado in a Bottle – Make your own Tornado in a Bottle and explore how a tornado moves with this project from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer.
Weather charting – Track the daily high temperature or inches of rain on a graph. At the end of summer, note the highest temperature or the amount of rainfall received.
DIY Sundial – Learn how to tell time with this fun DIY Sundial.
Bottle Rocket – Test your science skills with this bottle rocket science project.
Sunflower Anatomy – Use the Sunflower Anatomy Dissection unit study to dissect and identify the flower parts. (Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer)
Parachute Egg Drop Experiment – Learn the law of gravity by building a parachute for an egg and seeing if it will fly.
Domino Chain Reaction – Explore the Domino Effect by engineering a domino chain reaction with dominoes and other household items.
DIY Water Wall – Practice engineering skills by building a DIY Water Wall in your backyard.
Watermelon Volcano Experiment – Experiment with acid-base reactions with this STEAM project for kids.
Build a bird feeder – Make a bird feeder for your backyard and see what feathered friends come to play.
Solar Oven S’mores – Make s’mores in a solar-powered oven with this fun and tasty project.
Potato Maze Experiment – See what lengths plants will go to grow in the direction of sunlight with this experiment.
Measure a Whale activity – Research the length of whales, the largest animals on earth. Then, go outside with a measuring tape and measure the same length. (Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer)
Octopus and Crustacean Sensory Experience – Use magnifying glasses, dissection tools, and your hands to explore real octopuses, crabs, or lobsters in a sensory bin. (Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer)
Flowers Identification – Identify common summer flowers with the guide from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer.

Homegrown fun: Favorite backyard things to do for kids

Scavenger Hunt – Look for signs of summer with this scavenger hunt from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Summer.
Hide-and-Seek – Play a classic game of hide and seek in the backyard.
Corn Hole – Have a healthy competition with the classic game of corn hole.
Water Balloons – Get a break from the heat by filling up water balloons and letting kids go wild.
Sidewalk Chalk – Grab some chalk and practice art, or play a game of hopscotch or tic-tac-toe.
Paper Airplanes – Fold a paper airplane and head outdoors to see how it flys.
I Spy – Kids of all ages can enjoy a fun and simple game of I Spy.
Bubbles – Grab a bubble kit or make your own and blow bubbles in your backyard.
Tug of War – Divide kids into two teams and use a rope to see who can win a game of Tug of War.
Hula Hoop – Kids can learn to hula hoop or practice chasing a hula hoop around the yard.

Summer resources from Treehouse Schoolhouse

If you are looking for ways to intentionally learn with your children this summer, you will love Treehouse Nature Study. Treehouse Nature Study is a year-long seasonal nature study curriculum designed with family-style learning in mind. It is a gentle guide meant to invite various ages to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, and beauty subjects such as poetry, picture study, and folk songs. Available in both Primary and Intermediate Years, Treehouse Nature Study will provide years of rich education for the whole family.

Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years

Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years is a seasonal nature study curriculum designed with family-style learning in mind. It is a gentle guide meant to invite various ages to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, and beauty subjects such as poetry, picture study, and folk songs.

From preschool through upper middle school, it appeals to every age and is easily used with multiple ages at the same time.

It would be a great fit for your preschool or kindergartener’s core curriculum or your whole family’s home education Morning Time and Nature Study. It also provides supplemental work for your children’s language arts through poetry memorization, recitation, copywork, and notebooking.

Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years

Introducing Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years geared towards grades 4th-8th. Experience a seasonal study that invites your older children to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, poetry, and picture study. Deepen your child’s learning through advanced language arts and scientific experiments.

It would be a great fit for your upper elementary or middle schooler’s science curriculum or your whole family’s home education Morning Time and Nature Study. It also provides supplemental work for your children’s language arts through poetry copywork, creating an Illustrated Science Dictionary, creative writing prompts, notebooking, and internet research.

Treehouse Book Studies

Treehouse Book Studies are digital download book studies of classic children’s literature for ages 6-12. Use in your homeschool as literature curriculum or as book study with a small group. Create lasting connections through rich stories while you study themes such as science, nature, geography, history, and language arts. Each download includes: Book Study with weekly lesson plans, recipes, Book Report Template, Extension Book List, Multimedia Reference Materials links, and Book Club Meet-up Guide.

What are your favorite things to do with kids in the summer? Share your thoughts in the comments below.