Summer vacations are the happiest months of a child’s life. Kids get to play all day long without worrying about finishing schoolwork or learning lessons. However, two-month-long vacations often make parents wonder what to do during summer vacation. How can I keep my kids engaged at home and help them learn new life skills, too?”
To help parents address these questions, we’ve curated a list of fun activities they can try with their kids during summer break.
We know that long breaks may end up boring kids, and they may resort to watching too much TV or playing games on the phone. To help you entertain the kids, here are a few summer vacation activities that you can try at home:
Benefits of summer camp activities for kids
An active and involved childhood is crucial to nourishing a child’s growth. As parents, we often feel guilty about not spending enough time with our kids, but we don’t realise that even a little time spent with them doing the things they love can go a long way in building a strong relationship with them and boosting their confidence. The most important thing we must do as parents is to model good behaviour.
When our kids have free time during their summer vacation, we must encourage them to try out new activities and acquire new life skills. We must try to get involved in these activities with them, even if it means for a short while in a day, so that they build a sense of self-worth, confidence, and independence.
It's important to allow children to explore summer holiday activities that interest them so that they put their best foot forward in trying them out. Such activities are important for children's personality development and allow them to gain practical knowledge, experience, and life skills.
Even though practising specific skill sets is essential, brain development occurs more when free play is allowed during preschool and elementary school. Allowing children to engage in safe and fun free play daily will promote the development of their creativity, resulting in improved brain function.
List of things to do on summer vacation for kids
Check out this list of summer kids activities that you can try out with your kids at home and make their vacations memorable. Join in the fun and watch your kid beam with pride.
This list of things to do in summer vacation can serve as a summer bucket list, or you can pick a few of your favourite activities from it.
Take time out of your busy schedules to play with your kids and get the rest of your family involved, too. Rest assured, when it’s time to return to school, you’ll feel stronger as a family and will thank us for our fun suggestions.
ggestions.
1. Keep your child engaged in physical activities.
A break from school results in less physical activity for children. However, every child must spend at least 60 minutes engaged in physical activity. Therefore, enrolling your little angels in swimming classes, karate, yoga, or other sports is a good way to keep them busy and engaged. A healthy child is a happy child.
2. Encourage your child to read
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. If engaging in physical activities keeps a child healthy, then reading keeps his mind busy and active. Encourage your child in vacation activities where they spend at least an hour reading every day because there is no better way to increase vocabulary, grammar, speech, and writing skills and develop imagination and empathy than by reading books. Let your child pick up a book of his choice, then make a reading nook for him. You can even check out these cute lamps online to create a cosy reading environment and watch him dive deep into magical and fantastic worlds.
3. Take your kid on a trip
There is no better way to push your children out of their comfort zone than by taking them on an adventure. Plan a trip with your children during the summer vacation and let them discover the world around them. Encourage them to try out new foods, talk to new people, and adapt their culture to appreciate the diversity of the world they live in. You will create memories for a lifetime on this trip, and your kids will fondly look back on these days even after growing up.
4. Go stargazing
You can go stargazing during the summer season when the stars come out at night in their full splendour. It is a wonderful way to teach children how to appreciate our natural world. You can enjoy the night sky while snuggling under a blanket with your family on your rooftop or book a public park that allows one to stargaze on the grass.
5. Teach them gardening.
Gardening allows kids to come closer to nature. When they plant seeds in the soil, water them, and watch the saplings grow, they appreciate the process of nature and also acknowledge the hard work that farmers do to bring food to our plates.
6. Organise a cooking session
Cooking is an essential life skill that everyone must learn in their lives. So start your kids early. Engage your kids in the kitchen with yourself when you cook. Guide them through the process of simple, fire-free cooking and watch them squeal with delight as they put together a meal for everyone.
7. Motivate your children to learn arts and crafts
Learning new things through art and craft will improve your children's creative skills. Using single materials to create different objects will fuel their imagination and teach them how to use resources judiciously.
8. Room cleaning race
Turn a boring task into a fun game. Set a time limit for each chore, and challenge your kids to complete their tasks within that period.
For example, challenge them to fold all the clothes lying on the chair in under 10 minutes, or ask them to put back their toys in the basket in two minutes. You can later reward the winner to motivate them for the future.
9. General knowledge quiz
Prepare questions from geography, history, or any other subject your kids have recently been taught in school. Turn it into a competition and reward the winner. This is a great way to revise before the schools open.
10. Organize a Treasure Hunt in your home
Treasure Hunt is another fun activity that the entire family can come together to play. Divide your family into teams and ask them to decode clues, one after the other, to find the hidden treasure before the other team does. To make the evening even more fun, you could ask the losing team to cook dinner for everybody.
11. Visit the library
Many libraries organise programs or camps for students during the summer vacation that focus on developing various skills. These programs could focus on personality development, or they could be art and craft workshops or even spell bee competitions. Get your child involved in them and watch him learn something new every day.
12. Play with science
While schools do conduct science experiments in their labs, there are many other cool and fun experiments that children can safely conduct at home themselves during their summer break. Simply Google an age-appropriate list of fun science activities for your kids to do. It is a must-have plan in your vacation activities list.
13. Take extracurricular classes
Summer vacations are a good time for kids to indulge themselves in exploring and developing new hobbies and interests. Based on their preferences, you could send your child to drawing classes or enrol him in dance/music classes. If he is linguistically gifted, you could teach him a new language too.
14. Go for swimming sessions
The most fun activity to do in summer vacation is swimming. Beat the scorching heat with fun swimming sessions. Go to a nearby swimming pool with your friends and have a relaxed time in the pool. You can also play fun water activities with everyone.
15. Maintain a journal every day.
Encourage your kids to maintain a journal. Ask them to write about their day in it—what they did, what they ate, who they met, and how they felt. It is important to teach them about introspection and about letting their feelings out on paper.
16. Have movie nights
Use your home theatre and create a fun playlist of movies to watch with your kids. Get their friends along, and it's a party!
17. Go to nearby parks
Take your kids to parks near your home and let them enjoy the fun slides and swings. It is also a good way for kids to socialise. They can meet other kids at the park and make new friends.
18. Tell kids about their family
Summer vacation is the perfect time for kids to learn about their families. Inform them about their relationship with other relatives and family members whom they don’t know or have not met. To make this session more interesting, they can make a family tree on paper or on the computer.
19. Grandparents’ bonding time
Let your child grow up listening to the many stories their grandparents have in store for them. From life lessons to funny incidents, grandparents will keep your little ones entertained, and children, in turn, will learn to respect their elders for the struggle and patience they’ve shown in their lives.
20. Visit the local farmers' market
Take your children to a local farmers' market and show them the different coloured fruits and veggies on display. You could even take them on a farm and show them how farming is done or how cattle are kept. Make them interact with some farmers for a more educational session.
21. Go on a picnic
Pack your favourite food, put on your best dress, and take your little ones on a picnic. Organise some games like hopscotch or hide and seek and revel in an evening of pure fun. Make sure your kids wear cool and comfortable outfits for their day out. They can get boys’ and girls’ shorts along with some cool caps.
22. Play in the dirt
Even though this activity is messy, it is fun and will bring a big, wide smile to your kids’ faces. Moreover, it will benefit them physically, as it will boost their immune system and help with an influx of vitamin D.
23. Make a bird feeder
You can make a kid-friendly bird feeder by spreading peanut butter on toilet paper rolls and rolling birdseed in them. Then, you can hang it on a branch so that your kids are able to watch the birds feed on it all day.
24. Paint rocks
Create funny faces and designs with paint on the rock. Make a collection of these rocks and use them as decor items or as paperweights!
25. Record your vacation
Use your camera and record the kids doing fun activities and enjoying themselves during their summer vacations. You can watch these videos when they are older and laugh together!
26. Water Fun
Playing with water will help you beat the heat! You can run through sprinklers in your backyard, swim in pools, and splash around at the beach. It's an incredible way to enjoy summertime with your children.
27. Visit Museums and Zoos
Explore interesting places like museums, zoos, or aquariums. Children can see cool things like dinosaur bones, exotic animals, or colourful fish. It's a fun way to learn new things and have adventures.
28. Music and Dance
Listen to music and dance around. Have dance parties in your living room or even teach children how to play musical instruments like drums or the piano. It's a fun way to groove to their favourite tunes and express themselves through music.
29. Volunteering
Teach children the importance of helping others and making a difference in the community. Ask them to do small acts of kindness like picking up trash at the park, donating toys to charity, or helping your neighbours.
30. Creative Writing
Encourage kids to unleash their creativity through writing stories, poems, or journals. Provide prompts or themes to inspire their imagination and help them develop their writing skills.
31. Outdoor Yoga and Meditation
Practice yoga and meditation outdoors to connect with nature and promote relaxation and mindfulness. Find a quiet spot in the garden or park and encourage your child to stretch, breathe, and unwind surrounded by nature.
32. Starlit Camping
Set up a tent in the backyard and spend a night camping under the stars. Listen to the sounds of nature, tell stories around the campfire, and gaze at the stars before falling asleep, surrounded by the beauty of the night sky.
33. Nature Crafts
Collect natural materials like leaves, flowers, and sticks and use them to make crafts like leaf rubbings, flower crowns, and twig sculptures. It's a fun way to get creative with materials found in the great outdoors.
34. Create a Summer Scrapbook
Encourage your child to document their summer adventures by creating a scrapbook filled with photos, drawings, tickets, and other mementoes. It's a creative way to preserve memories and reflect on fun times.
35. Build a Fort with Natural Materials
Use branches, leaves, and other natural materials to build a fort or shelter in the backyard. It's a fun way to encourage creativity and outdoor exploration.
36. Outdoor Concerts and Performances
Attend outdoor concerts, theatre productions, or dance performances in local parks or community venues. It's a fun way to enjoy live entertainment while soaking up the summer atmosphere.
37. Nature Walks
Enjoy relaxing walks through nature reserves or wooded areas to watch wildlife, including birds and insects. Bring along binoculars and guidebooks to identify different species and learn about their habitats.
38. Day Trips to Nearby Attractions
Explore nearby attractions like amusement parks, water parks, zoos, or historical landmarks for a day of adventure and excitement. Plan and pack snacks and supplies for a memorable day trip.
39. Bike or Scooter Adventure
Explore new neighbourhoods or trails on bikes or scooters. Pack a picnic and make a day of discovering hidden gems along the way.
40. Make Homemade Ice Cream
Whip up a batch of homemade ice cream using simple ingredients like cream, sugar, and flavourings. Kids can take turns churning the mixture and enjoy the sweet rewards afterwards.
FAQS
What to do on summer vacation at home for kids?
You can get help from our 23+ Activities to Do During Summer Vacation guide can help you find the best activities for your kids during summer vacation at home.
How do I plan a summer vacation for my child?
Plan a trip or do some fun activities to make summer vacation enjoyable, or ask your child what they want to do during their summer vacation and make plans accordingly.
How can I entertain my child at home during vacations?
Make a list of things to do at home during summer vacation and ask your child what they want to do to have a fun vacation. You can also try arts and crafts, cooking challenges, or other fun activities at home.
Which is the most fun activity to do with my kids during the break?
The most fun activity to do with your kids during the break can vary depending on their interests and preferences. You can involve them in the decision-making process by asking what they enjoy the most, whether it's playing board games, exploring nature, cooking, or engaging in creative projects.
What are some fun educational activities for kids?
Science experiments, nature walks, cooking and baking, puzzle solving, and board games are educational activities for kids to do during summer vacation.
