50+ Screen-Free Summer Activities for Kids

Inside: 50+ screen-free summer activities for kids that will get them outside and foster their imagination and creativity.

It’s so tempting for kids to turn to technology when they’re bored. (And let’s be honest – so tempting for parents to use the electronic babysitter!)

But getting kids to explore interests, get outside, and stretch their imagination and creativity over the summer can do so much more for kids than a video game or TV show ever can.

Here are a few ways kids can have a great summer while keeping the tablets and TVs off:

Screen-Free Fun Outdoors

Kids are inside for most of the day during the school year so summer is the perfect time for kids to connect with nature and take in the fresh air. And did you know experts recommend kids get three hours outside every day? Here are a few ways kids can connect with nature and spend time outside this summer:

Build a fort out of sticks
Begin and cultivate a garden
Lay a blanket on the ground, have a picnic and read a book
Go for a hike
Have fun geocaching
Gather frogs, butterflies or other bugs (and then set them free)
Try to identify bird songs
Go for a swim in a local lake
Have a water balloon fight (try these eco-friendly ones)
Go camping – either at a campground or in the backyard
Go fishing
Set up sprinklers and a slip and slide
Climb a tree
Play an outdoor sport
Ride bikes – check out local bike trails near you
Try out canoeing or kayaking
Play hide-and-go-seek
Take part in a scavenger hunt
Go berry or fruit picking at a local farm
Visit a National or State Park

Screen-Free Art for Kids

Summer is the perfect time to let kids use their creativity and be artistic. Here are a few ways kids can get involved in arts and crafts over the summer:

Create chalk creations on a sidewalk or driveway
Get messy finger painting, oil painting or watercolors outside
Use a squirt gun to make some unique art
Create necklaces and earrings with beads
Create friendship bracelets
Learn to sew
Use aluminum foil to mold into sculptures
Try out photography
Have fun creating with clay
See what you can create from a cardboard box (see the book Not a Box)
Gather a few things from the recycling and see what you can make
Sit down outside and draw what you see – tree, flower, etc.
Dig into one of these arts and crafts subscription boxes especially for kids

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Screen-Free Imaginative Play for Kids

The benefits of imaginative play for kids are well documented –it helps kids’ social/emotional skills, language skills, and problem-solving skills. Kids have a great opportunity to engage in deep imaginative play with all the free time summer has to offer. Here are a few suggestions for how kids can use their imaginations:

Related: 25 Easy Pretend Play Ideas

Play dress-up
Put on a play
Build a fort with sticks and fabric
Build fairy houses outside
Build creations with Legos or blocks
Create an obstacle course for friends and family members

Screen-Free Educational Activities for Kids

Sure kids get a break from academics during the summer but that doesn’t mean we can’t sneak in a few learning activities every now and then. It’s especially beneficial to have kids continue to read and practice math over the summer to avoid summer slide.

After building a fort, gather books and read inside
Take a tour of neighboring libraries
Visit an art museum
Visit a science museum
Learn about history in your city or town
Visit historical sites
Play counting games
Play addition and subtraction games
Have kids begin a business – see: How to Make Money as a Kid
Have kids take a cooking course
Make your own musical instruments
Begin a summer book club with friends
Play board games that enhance literacy skills: Scrabble, Boggle, or Super Sleuth.
Play games that deepen math knowledge: Math War, Tri-Facta, or Equate
Dig into one of these twenty educational subscription boxes for kids

Tired of hearing your kids say “There’s nothing to do!”? These printable 101+ Boredom Buster Cards can help. Each card contains a suggested activity that kids ages 6+ can do with little or no guidance from you. The activities listed on these cards only use materials frequently found in most family homes. So there’s usually no need to buy special supplies. Click here to learn more about my boredom busters cards.