Some of our most cherished childhood memories come from seemingly endless summer vacations.
For kids, the school break means a chance to spend time with friends and the whole family, enjoying (hopefully) great weather and free time. Increasingly, little ones want more and more screen time, which may not be great for their physical or mental well-being.
This guide is full of hacks to help parents and caretakers fill summer days with entertainment. You’ll find plenty of fun ideas, from free activities to day trips to DIY projects that are guaranteed to keep kiddos busy inside and outside the home.
And don’t forget to collaborate with people in your neighborhood. Sharing the load will give everyone a break as well as keep the kids entertained with other children.
Easy and Fun Summer Activities for Kids
The first thing to remember about entertaining children is that, to them, almost anywhere is perfect for kids’ activities. Children will play or get creative almost anywhere — in the living room, yard, garden, or local park. That may be why lots of kids draw on walls and think the dining room should be a sand pit.
The key to a great summer is to have a variety of fun things lined up so you can adjust to changes in the weather and even their mood. Be prepared for rainy days and also plan outdoor activities so you can enjoy family fun no matter what the day brings.
What Are Fab and Free Summer Activities for Kids?
Children don’t need lots of money spent on them to have a good time. Spending time with children is much more valuable than the latest toy and an excellent way for the whole family to bond.
The first step is to think about what you already have in the house and make it more exciting. Take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.
Board Games, Not Bored Games
Dust off those board games and play! You can add a fun spin by making the “loser” perform a silly activity, like impersonating Grandpa. Another fun activity is to see who can make the craziest shape out of Legos or play dough. Play charades, make paper airplanes, move the furniture and build a fort — kids will love it!
Movie Night Makeover
Movie nights are always popular. To make it more exciting, have everyone dress up like the characters in the movie, or set up the TV outside to give it that drive-in feel with blankets, cushions, and throws. (And don’t forget the snacks.)
DIY Popsicles and Printables
Texan summers are usually hot, so what better way to cool down than to make your own popsicles? You may have many ingredients already in the kitchen. You can make them healthy with these popsicle suggestions, from raspberry to vegan to peanut butter.
If you have a printer, there are lots of free printable online puzzles and games, from mazes to pictures to color. Check out PrintActivities for mazes or Education World for downloadable PDFs that require kids to find pictures within a picture. All Kids Network has a bundle of color-by-number worksheets, too.
The Great Outdoors
Outdoor play ideas include building an obstacle course in your yard or local park. If you don’t have hoops or skipping ropes, get inventive. The obstacle course could consist of having to move tins from point to point, balancing a strawberry on your nose, or throwing some pebbles into a pot or pan. You could also have a relay race with each person carrying a full laundry basket along the grass. The possibilities are endless.
It’s amazing how rarely humans look up. Cloud and star gazing are fantastic ways to entertain kids, especially while listening to audiobooks. Does your child like writing? They could interview a family member and write up their life history.
Or why not see who can blow the biggest bubble in your own neighborhood with a bubble gum blowing contest? You could also spend the summer waiting to see who can grow the biggest squash in their backyard garden.
What Are Good Outdoor Activities for Kids?
Some of these outdoor activities are free but also depend on what you have at home and the space available to you with a yard or garden.
A water balloon fight in your garden or local park is a great way to cool off when it’s warm. Use water balloons instead of a baseball for an exciting (and soggy) baseball game. Watering the garden? Put the sprinkler on, and kiddos will spend hours jumping through the water jets.
Sidewalk chalk — which washes off with water — offers several possibilities. Children can get creative and draw on the sidewalk, writing messages or drawing pictures and murals. They could mark out a hopscotch board or chutes and ladders for a game.
Older kids can play a game of hide-and-seek with sidewalk chalk. One person hides and leaves a trail of arrow marks on the sidewalk, eventually leading to their position. Each marked point needs to give at least two options — the true one and a false one. It’s good to leave at least five different marks to throw the pursuers off the trail.
Another seeking game is the scavenger hunt or treasure hunt. Hide miscellaneous objects over an extensive outdoor area like the local park or your garden. Make the rewards incentivizing (such as candy or snacks) or crazy (like silly string or a pet rock).
Why not bring summer camp to your backyard? Kids love camping and even if they don’t sleep out there, combine it with a barbecue for that outdoor feel. Rainy day? Make the camping base inside.
Kids will love toasting marshmallows if you can safely have a small outdoor fire or backyard bonfire. You could make s’mores with toasted marshmallows and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers. Delicious!
Bike rides are another great way to tire the kids out. You could also head out for a picnic, play soccer, decorate rocks, or build a fairy garden in your plant pots, yard, or garden.
And if it does happen to rain, why not let the kids go out and play in the cooling downpour? Splashing in puddles and mud is a great way to burn off energy, then bring them in to dry and watch a movie.
What Are the Best DIY Summer Activities for Kids?
Despite some predictable groans, many children love mental stimuli when they’re out of school.
An American classic is to get them to use their entrepreneurial skills and set up a lemonade stand. You can take this one as far as you wish. It could simply be that they make lemonade and a small sign and sell their wares. They’ll need to budget, shop, make the lemonade, and then sell it.
The next step is making an actual lemonade stand with a simple frame the whole family can help make. Let their creativity run wild. The youngsters may make enough money to buy a new toy or snacks for the family!
Science experiments can capture their imagination, too. Building a backyard water rocket may help uncover a budding astronaut. Making bird feeders is a popular pastime, from bird feeders smaller kids can make to more complex constructions.
It might not be strictly DIY, but letting the kids assist in the kitchen and learn how to cook helps teach them vital life skills. Choose from brownies to ice cream to more complicated recipes, but make sure it’s something they will enjoy eating at the end of the process.
What Are the Best Day Trips and Road Trips for Kids in Texas?
Many people don’t explore their own neighborhoods as much as possible.
Look up local parks and gardens as well as nature walks. Most of these will be free to enjoy, and you could even bike to the location with the whole family. There might also be canoe or kayak rentals at parks with lakes, so be sure to do your research before heading out.
Forest walks, beaches, lakes, and public swimming holes are always fun ideas that can keep you occupied for hours. Find a natural park nearby, take a picnic lunch, and enjoy the great outdoors for an entire day.
Summertime is prime time for free community concerts and festivals. There could be a puppet show, a book reading, crafting, or a dance class. Many areas have county shows or carnivals.
Flea markets and garage sales will pique kids’ interest for an hour or two, especially if they can get ice cream while there. There are also volunteer days, like litter pickups, to mix education with activity.
Picking your own fruit is fun, while movie theaters may have cheap matinee showings, especially useful if the outside temperature is high.
Road Trips and Days Out Around Texas
Here are some classic road trips around Texas if you have the budget.
The Space Center at Houston is home to NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and Mission Control. There’s plenty for adults and children alike, from donning an astronaut suit to a space simulator, making it a great family day out.
Fans of water activities and adrenaline rides? The Six Flags Fiesta has a plethora of exciting rides, from rollercoasters to its water park. There are rides for all ages, from thrill-seekers to calmer options for younger children. (Note: Rides are best for those three years old and older.)
The Children’s Museum of Houston is perfect if it’s all about the youngsters. Their imaginations will be inspired by more than 90,000 square feet of exhibits, hands-on workshops, and education-led science demonstrations.
Keep cool and burn off energy at Lake Travis Waterpark in Leander, Austin. The entry includes a boat ride to an island, plus an hour to enjoy its famed 600-feet floating obstacle course. After all the action, you can relax in hammocks and loungers and enjoy a picnic along the lakefront. Plus, there’s beer and wine for the adults!
Dinosaur World in Glen Rose features hundreds of life-sized dinosaurs in natural settings, with a playground and interactive exhibitions to inspire the wee ones.
KidZania in Dallas has more than 100 role-playing zones across a city, which they say is “built for kids and run by kids.” Children can use their imagination while playing out the professions of their dreams. Firefighters are always popular, along with podcasters, veterinarians, and news anchors. Just be sure to buy your tickets in advance as this place is hugely popular.
Readers and artists will love the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in Abilene. The finest artwork from children’s literature resides here, and there are free family art activities every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Finally, the Cave Without a Name in Boerne offers dramatic stalagmites and stalactites across six caverns. It’s a steady 66 degrees Fahrenheit below ground, perfect for those hot days. And children under six years old go free!
Family Fun for All With Summer Activities for Kids
The key to a great summer vacation is a little bit of pre-planning. Bored kids can easily entertain themselves with a bit of direction.
Some background work, backup plans, and imagination go a long way. Setting up some of these summer activities for kids will take a little effort, but we think it will pay off. What’s great about many of these ideas is that they’re as much fun for adults as they are for children.
Unleash your inner youth and start planning some great activities for the whole family to enjoy. Remember: the best experiences don’t need to cost a fortune. Spending time with friends, neighbors, extended family, or just together with your immediate household will ensure you’re creating wonderful childhood memories that last a lifetime.
Brought to you by amigoenergy
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