Kids will love it! Summer vacation games, recreation, and hands-on activities
Summer vacation feels really long, doesn’t it? Even kids who are happy to have every day off may start to feel their playtime getting a bit monotonous when the break goes on and on.
When they say things like, “I’m tired of going to the pool every day!” or “I’m bored—there’s nothing to do!” it can leave you wondering what to do next.
In this article, we’ve gathered summertime play ideas and activities that kids will love.
If you’re a parent thinking, “What should we do tomorrow…?” please use this as a reference.
From everyday play to activities perfect for special days like during trips, there are plenty of recommendations!
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for summer
- [List] A roundup of games and recreational activities kids love
- [For Kids] Today's Recommended Recreation Idea Collection
- Liven up your children’s club event! A collection of ideas everyone can enjoy
- Games that liven up festivals. Ideas that children can enjoy.
- [Make with Kids] Handmade Outdoor Play Toy Special
- [For Kids] Exciting Class-vs-Class Games: Team Competition Activities
- A big hit at after-school childcare! A special feature on group games and activities you can play without any equipment
- Fun! Spring activities for children: recreation and hands-on play
- [Summer Vacation Crafts] Not just make-and-done! A collection of practical ideas you can use every day
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Enjoy Summer to the Fullest] A Roundup of Games and Recreational Activities at the Sea and on the Beach
Kids Will Love It! Summer Vacation Activities, Recreation, and Experiences (11–20)
fireworks
Fireworks are a quintessential symbol of summer.
Going to a fireworks festival is fun, but if you want something easy to enjoy with your kids, handheld fireworks are the way to go! These days there are many types of handheld fireworks: in addition to classics like “Susuki fireworks” and “senko hanabi” (sparkler-style fireworks), there are powerful “tezutsu” fireworks with strong flames, color-changing fireworks, and “snake” fireworks that are fun to watch.
Rocket fireworks and spinning “nezumi” fireworks require consideration of age and location, but most handheld fireworks can be enjoyed in your own yard.
They’ll make wonderful summer memories for your children, so give them a try!
Watermelon splitting
When it comes to classic summer activities, this is the one—suikawari, or watermelon splitting! You’re blindfolded, handed a stick, and guided by the voices around you toward the watermelon.
When you think you’ve found the spot, bring the stick down—if the watermelon cracks, you’ve succeeded.
Watermelons are tougher than you’d expect, so swing with confidence.
If you want to make it easier to split or get a cleaner break, score the rind with some hidden cuts beforehand.
It’s a classic for a reason—beloved for years and a surefire way to get kids excited!
Shaved ice making
When the temperature rises in summer, you can’t help but crave something cold, right? As a fun activity to enjoy chilly treats, making shaved ice is highly recommended.
If you prepare plenty of syrups, everyone can sample different flavors like at a buffet, which really livens things up.
Shaved ice you make with your own hands offers a special thrill that’s a bit different from what you usually eat, so kids are sure to love it.
fireworks water gun
https://www.tiktok.com/@my.living.home4/video/7513079713909263617You can splash around to your heart’s content outside—and even enjoy fireworks too! How about making the most of summer with a “firework water gun”? You can buy firework water guns from online shops and the like.
Unlike regular water guns that shoot a straight stream, a firework water gun sprays thin streams in a circular pattern, making it look like fireworks bursting overhead.
You can have fun with different shapes by shaking or spinning it, but since it’s basically used pointed upward, make sure to wear clothes that can get wet.
Also, be careful to ensure there’s no one nearby.
Making Mysterious Slime
https://www.tiktok.com/@sachimama_asobi/video/7387381736503627026Let’s make and play with slime, a popular children’s toy.
The slime we’re introducing here is different from ordinary slime: although it’s gooey and liquid-like, it turns firm when you hit or squeeze it—mysterious, right? To make it, just mix 200 grams of potato starch with about 120 cc of water.
You might wonder, “Can it really be that easy?” It can! By the way, this phenomenon—where it solidifies when gripped and becomes liquid when released—is called the dilatancy phenomenon.
Enjoy this new kind of tactile play with a slime that feels totally different from the usual.
Find the Snacks! Treasure Hunt Game
Work together with your teammates to crack the codes and find the snacks! Introducing a treasure-hunt game that’s perfect for building teamwork and deduction skills.
Everyone puts their heads together to solve the ciphers, and the journey to finally uncover the treats is thrilling.
Even in tense moments, players learn to stay calm and interpret clues, and by cooperating toward a shared goal, they naturally develop coordination and communication skills for group activities.
With clever cipher designs, the fun of puzzle-solving doubles!
Field Bingo
Bingo is a classic recreation game, but have you heard of field bingo, which you can enjoy in nature? You fill the blank squares with things, sounds, and phenomena you can find outdoors.
For example, you might write down bird calls, insects like ants or grasshoppers, something with a fragrance, nuts or fruit showing signs that animals have eaten them, or spiderwebs.
Then, take the card with you on a nature walk—whenever you find an item, mark it, and just like regular bingo, you complete the game when you get a line vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
After you’re done, share your thoughts—what you noticed, what you found fun—and get everyone excited talking about it.
Playing in the mud in the rice field
Mud play that’s hard to do once you’re an adult—something only kids can truly enjoy! Rice paddies are the perfect place for muddy fun.
When you sink your feet into the mud, you feel a softness unlike anything you usually experience, and it’s strangely delightful.
That slightly stuck feeling as you try to pull your feet out is fun too and gets you excited.
You can also encounter tiny insects you don’t usually see, letting you feel close to nature.
Just be sure to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty when you play in the mud!
flowing somen (nagashi-somen)
Somen is probably the number-one dish to appear on summer dining tables.
But just eating it plain isn’t much fun, so how about trying nagashi-somen to make some summer vacation memories? The familiar style is to split a bamboo stalk in half and send the noodles down it with running water.
That’s usually done outdoors, but if the heat puts you off, there are nagashi-somen kits you can use at home! There are lots of options, from ones shaped like a pool waterslide to models where the noodles swirl around like conveyor-belt sushi.
fishing
Fishing is usually something only Dad goes off to do.
But it’s summer vacation—why not try going fishing with him for a change? Put bait on the rod, and when the bobber goes under, reel in quickly…
Even if you’ve done it in a game, real-life fishing can be pretty tricky.
Still, by asking Dad, Mom, or others around you and actually giving it a try, you’ll make some great memories.