Best Summer Activities for Kids and Parents

There's no doubt that summer is one of the best times of year to slow down and enjoy some quality family time. With the sun out, days running longer, and more chances to be outside, it naturally becomes a season full of memories.

For families with toddlers, it's also a great time to break out of the usual routine and let little ones explore in new ways, because as you probably know all too well, toddlers are full of curiosity and energy.

Thankfully, summer gives them more space to move, play, and learn. Whether it's splashing in a kiddie pool, running barefoot in the grass, or helping you water the garden, these summer fun activities for kids also support your child's physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

This is because outdoor play encourages movement and coordination, new environments stimulate their senses, and social interactions help build communication skills and confidence.

Of course, keeping a toddler entertained all day is no small task, especially when it's super hot, they're skipping naps, or you're running low on ideas.

That's why we've put together a list of toddler-friendly summer activities that are pretty simple to set up and can be as enjoyable for parents as they are for kids.

Summer Schedule for Kids: Fun Things to Do With Toddlers in the Summer 

Thinking back to your own childhood, summer likely stands out as the backdrop for some of your most treasured memories. Now, it's the perfect opportunity to create those same kinds of moments with your own children.

In today's world of constant screens, phones, tablets, and TVs, it's more important than ever to carve out time for hands-on, intentional activities that engage your child's senses and spark their curiosity.

As a study in the Porto Biomedical Journal explains, "As a natural and compelling activity, play promotes cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being, offering the necessary conditions for children to thrive and learn. Through play, the child can experiment, solve problems, think creatively, cooperate with others… gaining a deeper knowledge about his/herself and the world."

Summer's long, sun-soaked days naturally support these developmental opportunities, offering endless chances for exploration, creativity, movement, and connection.

Whether you're keeping things low-key at home or heading out for some summertime adventures, there are so many ways to keep toddlers engaged while nurturing their growth, so why not make a summer to-do list for kids this year?

Below, you'll find a full lineup of summer activities, both indoors and out, that are not only fun and easy but rooted in science-backed benefits for your little one's development!

Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids

Outdoor activities in the summer are not just plentiful but also highly accessible and affordable. While toys, playgrounds, and structured materials offer benefits, studies also highlight how natural spaces provide unique play opportunities that can enhance children's health, foster a deep appreciation for nature, and encourage pro-environmental behaviours throughout their lives.

So, it is a good idea to plan a healthy mix of outdoor summer activities for toddlers.

1. Active Adventures: Outdoor Play Ideas for Children

Getting your body moving is important at any age, and creating those habits young means your child is more likely to continue on that healthy path through life.

The study above, and many others, emphasize the benefits of "risky play", as it has "been associated with positive health and development outcomes including improved self-esteem, self-regulation and resilience, as well as increased motor skills, agility and environmental competence".

When children are given the freedom to explore with an element of risk, they also build essential decision-making skills.

They learn to assess situations, gauge consequences, and make judgments in real time, abilities that form the foundation of responsible independence later in life. Risky play can take many forms, such as climbing trees or play structures, balancing on logs or rocks, or swinging high into the air.

With that in mind, here are some active activities to add to your summer toddler activities list:

• Obstacle Courses: Set up a simple backyard course using pool noodles, cones, hula hoops, or cardboard boxes. Include tunnels to crawl through, objects to jump over, and lines to balance on.

• Nature Hikes (Toddler-Style): Even a short, slow-paced walk through a wooded trail or city park gives your child the opportunity to move their body and explore a constantly changing environment. Stomping on leaves, climbing over roots, or spotting insects can help develop both physical stamina and sensory awareness.

• Ball Play: Rolling, throwing, catching, or kicking balls of different sizes strengthens hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

• Splash Pad: Running through water jets, stomping in puddles, or playing with water toys encourages physical movement and is also fantastic sensory play. It cools kids down while keeping them active and engaged.

• Jumping Games: Draw chalk hopscotch, encourage jumping from low platforms, or set up pillows or mats to leap onto. Jumping is a key motor skill and helps build leg strength and body awareness.

2. Making Memories: Social Games and Group Play in the Sun

Summer is also a great time for toddlers to interact with other kids in casual, unstructured ways. These early social interactions aren't just adorable, they're incredibly important. Positive peer engagement in the toddler years can directly impact mental health, emotional intelligence, cognitive development, and overall confidence.

When toddlers learn to take turns, express themselves, and read social cues, they're laying the foundation for more complex social skills down the road. 

According to research conducted by members of the Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, "the development of social skills enables children to create successful relationships with others, helps with school readiness, and improves adaptation to the formal school setting as well as academic performance."

In other words, giving toddlers opportunities to play and interact with others now pays off well into their school years and beyond.

Here are some social activities to add to your list:

• Simple Group Games: Games like Duck, Duck, Goose, Ring Around the Rosie, or London Bridge encourage group participation, listening, turn-taking, and physical movement.

• Picnic Playdates: Set up a relaxed park picnic and invite a few families with similarly aged kids. Even if the toddlers engage in parallel play (playing near, not with each other), they're still picking up on social cues and learning how to share space and toys.

• Bubble Time with Friends: Bring extra bubble wands and a big tub of solution to a public park or your yard. Toddlers love chasing bubbles together, and it's a natural way for them to laugh, connect, and take turns.

• Sensory Play Stations: Create stations such as a water table, sand pit, or a bin filled with rice or oats, complete with scoops and toys. When toddlers engage in sensory play alongside others, it offers plenty of opportunities for gentle interaction, observation, and imitation.

When engaging in outdoor activities with your little one, it's important to take certain precautions, such as bringing water to stay hydrated, protecting yourself and your child from the sun with a hat, and using age-appropriate sunscreen when necessary.

3. Mini Camp Vibes: Backyard Summer Camp Activities for Kids

To combine the social interaction with physical activity, step it up a notch by turning your backyard into a mini summer camp. This would be great for long weekends, birthday parties, or group hangouts.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Set up a picnic

• Have group story time

• Set up a nature scavenger hunt

• Sing campfire songs

4. Community Fun: Local Summer Programs and Events for Kids

When in doubt, don't hesitate to lean on the support of local summer programs and events happening in your area for a list of things to do in the summer with kids. Many communities offer a wide variety of toddler-friendly activities that are not only engaging but also budget-friendly, or even free.

Local community centers, libraries, museums, and farmers' markets are excellent places to start.

These spaces are often designed with families in mind, offering structured and unstructured opportunities for toddlers to socialize, learn, and explore new environments.

Here are some community-based events and programs to keep an eye out for this summer:

• Toddler storytime or music classes

• Family movie nights in the park

• Outdoor puppet shows or kids' concerts

• Farmer's market exploration

• Outdoor yoga or movement classes for parents and kids

• Cultural festivals and community celebrations

• Community garden days or nature walks

Attending local events builds a sense of belonging and introduces your child to community culture and diversity.

5. Game On: Outdoor Summer Sports for Kids

Depending on your child's age, they may be too young for organized sports just yet, but that doesn't mean you can't introduce them to a variety of fun games like:

• Mini soccer games

• Simple relay races

• Bean bag tosses or ring tosses

• Balloon volleyball

• Bowling with plastic pins

6. Splish Splash Fun: Water Play and Cool-Down Activities

Those extra hot summer days are perfect for water play, and luckily, toddlers are almost always happy to oblige. Not only does water play provide much-needed relief from the heat, but it also offers a sensory-rich experience that supports early brain development.

While having a pool is great, there are plenty of water activities that don't require one. If you and your toddler need a quick cool-down, try the following:

• Splash pads or sprinklers

• Sensory bins with ice cubes, scoops, and cups

• Washing toys or dolls outside in a bucket

• Bubble baths outdoors

• Mini water slide or slip 'n slide

7. Summer Gardening Activities: Grow Fruits and Veggies with Children

Gardening is a wonderful way to teach toddlers patience, responsibility, and curiosity about the world.

If you've got a green thumb and enjoy gardening in the summer, you can involve them by:

• Letting them dig holes or water plants

• Growing fast-sprouting seeds like radishes or beans

• Talk to them about the colours, smells, and textures of each plant

• Make nourishing meals with your harvest

8. Pedal Power: Fun Summer Bike Rides with the Toddlers

Another easy summer activity for kids is biking. Whether your toddler is on a tricycle, balance bike, or just riding along in a bike trailer, bike outings are a great way to explore new sights while building gross motor skills and spatial awareness.

It's even better if you can talk to them about what you see along the way to encourage language development.

9. Movie Magic Under the Stars: Outdoor Cinema Fun for Kids

A great summer fun idea is to set up a simple outdoor movie night with a blanket, projector, and snacks. Watching a short, toddler-friendly movie outdoors provides a family bonding experience and is a way to use screens and technology mindfully. Plus, it's a great way for parents and kids to wind down after a busy day.

10. Furry Friends & Fun: Animal and Pet Activities

Animals captivate toddlers and provide endless learning moments.

To involve these furry friends in your summer fun, you can try:

• Visit a petting zoo

• Go on a nature walk

• Bring your pet for a walk

• Set up a pretend vet station for stuffed animals

Interacting with animals teaches empathy, responsibility, and how to care for others.

11. Little Explorers: Nature Walks, Bug Hunts, and Outdoor Discovery

You can also encourage curiosity with nature-based activities like:

• Collecting leaves, rocks, or flowers

• Looking for bugs with a magnifying glass

• Identify and listen to birds and other nature sounds

Indoor Summer Activities for Kids

Not every summer day will be perfect for outdoor fun. Whether it's too hot, too rainy, or you just need a quiet break, these indoor activities will keep toddlers engaged and learning, while still encouraging healthy development.

12. Creative Summer Crafts to Keep Little Hands Busy

Summer crafts for toddlers support fine motor development, creativity, and problem-solving.

You can do the following summer crafts for kids:

• Finger painting

• Making paper plate animals

• Gluing collage materials onto cardboard

• Popsicle stick crafts

Use this time making summer art activities for kids, to talk about shapes, colours, and textures, boosting both sensory and language development.

13. Fun and Educational Indoor Games

Rainy day? Too hot to go outside? Indoor time doesn't have to mean screen time.

With a little creativity, you can turn everyday objects into engaging and educational games that support your toddler's cognitive growth, problem-solving skills, and early understanding of numbers, patterns, and logic.

• Sorting games

• Memory matching cards

• Simple puzzles

• Color hunt around the house

• Pretend store or kitchen

14. DIY Science Experiments for Hot Summer Days

Summer is the perfect time to introduce simple, hands-on experiments that teach foundational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts in a way that feels like play.

Here are some easy DIY science experiments you can try with your toddler on a hot summer day:

• Baking soda volcano

• Homemade lava lamp

• Make slime

• Sink or float experiment

15. Cooking and Baking with Your Little Chef

Toddlers love to help in the kitchen, and while it might take a little longer and get a bit messier, involving them in safe, simple cooking tasks is incredibly rewarding.

Here are some fun, toddler-friendly ways to get your little one involved in the kitchen:

• Stirring, pouring, and sprinkling

• Rolling out dough

• Washing Produce

• Scooping and transferring ingredients

• Cutting soft foods with a toddler knife

• Taste testing and smell exploration

16. Summer Soundtrack: Fun Indoor Music and Dance Ideas for Toddlers

Not only is it a great outlet for big emotions, but music also stimulates all areas of a child's development, including language, motor skills, memory, coordination, and emotional expression.

Here are some simple and enriching ways to incorporate music and movement into your summer days:

• Dance parties

• Making homemade instruments

• Playing freeze dance or musical chairs

• Rhythm clapping games

• Lullaby and quiet time music

• Musical storytelling

Family Time: Enjoying Summer Vacation with Kids

Sometimes, it's not the big outings or perfectly planned days your child will remember; it's how you laughed with them, how you listened, and how you invited them into your world.

Here are a few ways to build connection during everyday summer moments:

• Snuggle during books

• Let them get messy and explore

• Share snack time on a blanket outside

• Tell stories about when you were little

• Make a family "adventure journal"

• Cook something together once a week

• Build a fort and hang out inside

It doesn't have to be perfect. The goal is connection, not productivity. Toddlers will remember how you made them feel more than what you planned.

Conclusion: Kids Summer Activities

Summer is more than just a break from routine; it's a time of growth, exploration, and connection. Every activity is a chance for your toddler to build skills, try something new, and make meaningful memories with you.

To make the most of the season, consider putting together a summer bucket list for kids and checking off each activity as you go. Just keep in mind that every child develops at their own pace, so not all summer activities for toddlers will be the right fit for your child's age or stage. Feel free to adapt or skip what doesn't suit your little one, and focus on what brings them joy and engagement.

So go ahead: get a little messy, stay up a little late, and soak up the joy of summer together.