My kids watch too much TV. Technically it’s Netflix on the iPad but it’s the same problem. Working from home during the summer is a tricky place for many parents, myself included, we need to get stuff done, but we can only use screens so much each day, and hopefully none at all some days. I needed a cheat sheet for SIMPLE activities I can set up or gather the materials for in a pinch. I need things that I can have my kids do while I take a quick business call, things we can squeak in after a trip to the beach, or after dinner when it’s still light out. I don’t ban screens at all, but I don’t want school being out to be used as an excuse for MORE TV. These 99 TV Free Summer Activities are a huge mix of outdoor, indoor, quiet and boisterous play ideas. I hope you find something your kids LOVE.
Add Fun Things To Regular Play Doh
Alphabet Slime
Backyard Safari
Backyard Target Practice
Bake Cookies
Become A Code Breaker
Become A Paleontologist
Become Color Scientists
Birdwatch
Blow ( and catch) Some Bubbles
Build with Loose Parts
Catch Fireflies
Collect and Sort Shells
Connect The Dots
Cook In The Sink
Dance Party
Decorate Your Driveway with Sidewalk Chalk
Do A Little Kitchen Science
Do A Word Search
Draw with the help of some catalogs
Driveway Graffiti
Explore with A Water Table
Find Your Way Around A Maze
Flag Hunt
Go For A Bike Ride
Go On A Book Hunt
Go On A Sound Safari
Go To An Art Museum ( click for tips)
Go To The Library
Go To The Playground
Go To The Pool
Go To The Zoo
Have An Art Show
Have a Toy Car Wash
Have An Ice Cream Taste Test
Hex Bug Races
Hose Down Letters & Numbers
Hunt For Bugs
Hunt For Colors Outside
Lego Challenge
Make A Bird Bath
Make A Marshmallow Shooter
Make an Outdoor Book Nook
Make Cloud Dough
Make Flower Place Mats
Make Mud Soup
Make Paperbag Jelly Fish
Make Some Bracelets
Make Some Muck
Make Some Princess Slime
Make Superhero Cuffs
Make Uncle Sam
Make Your Own Obstacle Course
Melt Some Crayons In The Sun
Mix Colors With Play Clay
Nerf Gun Math
Outdoor Sight Word Hunt
Paint Like Jackson Pollack
Paint Like Monet
Paint with Broccoli
Paint with Bugs
Paint with Flowers and Rocks
Paint with Fly Swatters
Paint With Trains
Paint with Water
Paper Plate Butterflies
Play Angry Birds – in real life!
Play Cards
Play Catch
Play Candyland
Play Connect Four
Play Dominoes
Play Hide & Seek
Play I Spy
Play In The Arctic
Play Rhyming Tag
Play “Usual” Tag
Play This Game ( Print it out for free! )
Play With Lego
Play with Paper Dolls
Play with Play-Doh
Play with Water Balloons
Pretend Play Camping
Print Out Our Summer Reading Bucket List and Read!
Read A Banned Book
Read & Draw Picnic
Read In A Blanket Fort
Run Through A Sprinkler
Shaving Cream Fireworks!
Stir Up Some Bubbles!
Trim Your Grass with Scissors
Twizzler Necklaces
Use a squirt gun for some science!
Use Kitchen Whisks To Make Bubbles
Use Sidewalk Chalk To Play With Letters
Walk Your Dog ( or your neighbor’s dog )
Washi Tape Lego!
Watch a movie and make a matching craft
Water Fight!
Asheli Godfrey says
I just love this! Full of great ideas – will definitely be implementing these over this summer
BJ says
Watching a great grand this summer and needed some ideas to use that allowed her to have fun and learning each day. Great post.
Allison McDonald says
Glad to help!
Rebecca Sobczak says
I am a 28-year retired veteran of the elementary classroom, and I find ALL these activities educational and fun. The writing you could pull out! The science questions you could generate! Math! You are definitely not the typical blog for parents. You are very carefully thought out. I will be recommend your site to families I will be tutoring.