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
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Summer Vacation Crafts] Not just make-and-done! A collection of practical ideas you can use every day
- [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 Games, Recreational Activities, and Experiences (31–40)
Making jelly
Jelly is a classic kids’ snack! Here’s a simple homemade jelly recipe.
Prepare your favorite juice, pour it into a heatproof container, and warm it at 600W for 30 seconds.
Meanwhile, bloom powdered gelatin in water and warm that for 30 seconds as well.
Add the gelatin to the warmed juice and stir, then pour into molds or containers and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
With just three steps—heat, mix, and chill—it’s perfect for cooking time with your child.
barbecue
Eating outside can be such a refreshing change of pace, right? So how about planning a barbecue to make some summer memories? When you grill meat, vegetables, or rice balls on a hotplate, even everyday foods taste especially delicious.
That said, preparing ingredients and starting the fire can be unexpectedly challenging when you have kids.
In that case, book a plan where everything is prepared for you! All you have to do is go, grill, and eat—so even families with little kids can enjoy a barbecue with ease.
Hot plate rice
If you want to enjoy a quick touch of the extraordinary, how about “hot plate meals”? When it comes to hot plate menus, yakisoba and okonomiyaki are classics, but you can actually make a surprising variety of dishes like pizza, bibimbap, and paella.
Try gathering around the hot plate to cook together and enjoy your meal.
Just be careful of burns since the hot plate gets very hot, and have fun cooking with your kids.
ball pit
https://www.tiktok.com/@shinbaby.tok/video/7371628843251158290Get kids excited! Here are some ball pit ideas.
Children love colorful balls, don’t they? Gather about 500 color balls in one spot and enjoy a ball pit.
Even the cool sensation of the balls against their skin is stimulating, and you can almost hear their adorable voices.
You can also sort the balls by color to play, or throw them like a snowball fight—there are so many ways to have fun.
Give it a try!
Making a Sand Vessel
Here’s a game I’ve always wanted to try: making a sand bowl! You can’t actually use the bowl, but it looks like a lot of fun.
First, make a mound of sand and poke a hole in the top with your finger.
Pour water from a plastic bottle into the hole.
Be careful not to let the water overflow, and don’t add too much! When you’re done adding water, gently remove the surrounding sand.
You’ll end up with a bowl-shaped form made of sand that’s been moistened and hardened by the water.
Give it a try on a beach with fine, dry sand!
Kids Will Love It! Summer Vacation Activities, Recreation, and Experiences (41–50)
Sand mound pole-toppling
When it comes to classic games you can play on the beach, “sand mountain stick topple” is a favorite.
Build a large mound of sand and stick a thin rod into the center.
Use a rod thin enough and long enough to poke all the way through the bottom of the mound and still protrude.
Decide the order with rock-paper-scissors, then everyone takes turns removing a little bit of sand by hand from around the stick.
Whoever causes the stick to fall loses.
The tension between risking it by removing a lot of sand or playing it safe with just a little is what makes the game fun.
It’s best with two to three players.
astronomical observation
Would you like to try nighttime stargazing? You can observe with binoculars from home, or head to a place with fewer buildings and less artificial light and use a telescope.
Seeing stars and the movement of the night sky—things we don’t usually notice—can be a fresh experience for children.
Just being able to go outside at night is sure to excite them.
Start with something close at hand, like observing the phases of the moon.
If you put your findings into a report, it could even become an independent study project.