Family Summer Activity Ideas

Are you looking for some wholesome family summer activity ideas that don’t involve movies and video games? See below for some of our favorite summer activities we do as a family!

#1 Play with water!

Playing with water is always a hit with my kids! Here are some ideas of different summer water activities:

Water balloons
Puddle jumping
Slip n’ slide
Pool (even a small pool is loads of fun!)
Water beads
Squirt guns
Visit a lake
Play in a creek
Visit.and relax in a hot spring
Go rafting
Visit a splash pad
Run through the Sprinkler
Put a sprinkler under the trampoline
Put water balloons on the trampoline
Pour Station – (large bin filled with water and other containers for imaginative play)

#2 Go on a walk or hike

Walking around the neighborhood or hiking on a trail is a great way to spend some time outdoors!

While on your walk you can ask your children some questions to spark conversation. Here are some question ideas:

What do you see?
What do you hear?
What do you smell?
Do you feel the breeze? Which way is it blowing?
What kind of animals do you think live in this area?
What do you think we look like from a birds-eye view?
Do you think you’d like to come back here someday?

#3 Visit somewhere local

This depends on your location, some of the ideas on the list below aren’t available to us in dry rural Northern Nevada, but we still have plenty of places to visit!

An orchard
A lake or reservoir
Your local museum
A ghost town
A park
A state park
A neighbor
The library
A nearby canyon or valley
Local public pool
A walking/hiking trail
Bowling Alley
Skating Rink
Aracade
Trampoline Park
Caves
Water Park
A farm

#4 Have a picnic

Choose one of the places above and have a picnic! Here are some ideas of different foods you can pack on your picnic:

Charcuterie Board
Tuna Sandwhich
Ham/Turkey and Cheese
Dip and Chips or Crackers
Cold Wrap
Fresh Fruit
Veggies and Dip

Don’t forget to pack a light blanket to sit on and some water to drink!

#5 Invite friends or family over!

Have a get together with friends or neighbors, here are some entertainment ideas:

Set up a slip n’ slide
Play in a pool or hot tub
Have a BBQ
Have a bon fire
Have a pot luck
Host a themed party
Play “field” games

#6 Go on a trip

We love to visit places we’ve been as well as places that are new to us! How far from home definitely depends on your budget. Here are some questions that might help you decide where to go:

Do you want to travel near or far?
Drive or fly?
How long will you be gone?
Somewhere new, or somewhere you’ve been before?
What activities do you want to do while on your trip?
What will it look like there? (Desert? Forest? Valley? Mountains? etc.)
Will you be visiting any landmarks? (Lady Liberty? Mount Rushmore? etc.)
Where will you stay? (Hotel, B&B, camper, family members house, etc.)
What are you hoping to get out of this experience? (bonding time, relaxation, adventure, etc.)

# 7 Give back

Giving back is such a wonderful thing to show and teach your children. Giving back teaches compassion and selflessness. Here are a few ideas of how you can do this:

Volunteer at a local non-profit, (soup kitchen, food bank, disability center, etc.).
Make and hand out toiletry kits for the homeless.
Donate things in the house you don’t need or use anymore.
Make a meal for someone in need, (struggling family, family with a new baby, grandparents, etc.).
Clean up your neighborhood.
Clean up a local beach
Raise money and donate it to charity, (lemonade stand, yard work, bake sale, etc.).
Write a heartfelt letter to a friend or family member.

#8 Go metal detecting

Metal detecting can be a fun family activity. Who knows, maybe you could find some treasure! Here are some location ideas on where to go metal detecting:

The beach
Old trail
Hiking Trail
Around your property
City Park
Near rivers
Near a lake
An old homestead

You could even turn this into a scavenger hunt. Bury a treasure somewhere and have the kids look for it! Don’t forget to bring a small shovel with you in case you detect something buried!

#9 Go camping

There are different types of camping, find which one suites your family and go for it! Here are a few different types of camping:

Tent Camping

Just like it sounds, you’ll need to bring a tent, food in a cooler, firewood, utensils, and all the things. This is a cheaper, more labor intensive option. But there is also a lot of reward that comes with all the work put in.

5th wheel camping trailer

Tow a 5th wheel camping trailer to your destination and have the luxury of sleeping indoors, having a fridge to keep your food cold and a stove to cook it. Also, gotta love having a private bathroom!

RV Camping

This option is great if you don’t have a truck to tow a camping trailer.

Similar to a 5th wheel expect you drive your shelter and often tow a small car behind the RV.

Cabin Camping

This one is sometimes called “Glamping”. Find a cabin for rent in nature or wilderness and have a relaxed stress-free glamping trip!

Truck bed camping

Instead of using a tent or 5th wheel, you can set up a mattress in the back of a truck bed and camp right under the stars! Get a “camper” bed cover for more protection.