5 Creative Ways to Keep Kids Busy in the Summer

It can be overwhelming to think of activities to keep your kids busy during summer months when school isn’t in session. There might be camps or swimming lessons to fill some of the gaps, but what about all the days in between? If you want to have a quick reply to “I’m bored,” keep reading to learn about creative ideas for kids’ summer fun.

Hunt for treasure in the backyard

You may think that since your kids have covered every inch of your yard over the years that there isn’t anything new for them to discover. On the contrary, there might be buried treasure right under their feet. A fun activity for children of all ages is looking for lost wonders with a metal detector. Depending on how old your home is, these devices can provide hours of enjoyment searching for vintage finds hidden beneath the grass and dirt.

Add an extra layer of challenge by making a list of things to find, kind of like a scavenger hunt. For example, toy cars, coins, keys and lost jewelry are items that often go missing and end up being excavated years later. You can give fun prizes to the person who finds the oldest coin or the most unusual artifact. Who knows, something valuable might be lurking just below the surface waiting to be found!

Plan a neighborhood parade

For a young kid, a rideable toy is the ticket to roaming the neighborhood with their friends. Which is why a vehicle parade is a fun event where all the children on the block can participate. First, schedule a date and time for the parade to be held and invite the neighbors to watch along the planned parade route.

Then, let the children get creative by decorating their own trikes, bikes and kick scooters with streamers and other accessories to make them stand out from the crowd. To kick the entertainment value up a notch, consider putting together an upbeat playlist to add music to the parade. Have a parent connect their phone to a portable speaker that can be attached to one of the rideables. After the parade is over, celebrate with homemade ice cream or another popular treat.

Host an outdoor art show

Encourage kids to take a break from screen time by hosting an outdoor art show. Gather arts and crafts supplies, such as paper, markers and paint, and let their imaginations run wild. Whether children want to draw masterpieces with markers or go high tech and design a sculpture using a 3-D printer, they can display their works of art on folding tables set up on the sidewalk. For a twist on the traditional lemonade stand, kids can choose to offer their artwork for sale, just like in a gallery. If you are feeling ambitious, you can present awards for their efforts at the end of the show.

Cool off with a water-filled obstacle course

No summer is complete without water fun. Get kids moving by setting up their own backyard obstacle course with outdoor toys and playsets. For each obstacle they come up with, have them think of cool ways to incorporate water features. Fill up a kids’ pool to have them run through on their way to their next challenge. Hook up a sprinkler or have a garden hose run down the slide on a piece of play equipment. After they’ve arranged their setup, challenge them to time how long it takes to get through the course. This is an activity that not only burns up energy, but also creates lots of laughs and memories from hot summer days.

Hold a family-friendly competition

One way to keep the whole family moving this summer is with a friendly movement competition. Thanks to fitness trackers designed for all ages, you can compete for the most steps in a day, or miles in a week. A fun way to get your daily goal is to divide into teams and play an elimination game with blasters; if you get hit five times, you’re out and the last person remaining is the winner. You can play multiple rounds if there are only a few people playing or depending on the amount of energy left in everyone’s tanks. Another option for healthy competition spending a sunny day having a lawn game tournament. Choose whether you want to play cornhole, washers, horseshoes or another popular game, then create a bracket of matchups that eventually lead to a final championship game.

When all else fails

Even with the best of intentions, sometimes things don’t go according to your plans. Which is why having backup activities at your disposal is a good idea. If rainy days try to thwart your efforts, you can still help your kids find ways to have fun. There are plenty of toys that can keep children mesmerized for hours. From board games and puzzles to building sets and blocks, these classics are guaranteed to occupy their time.