20 + summer outdoor activities for kids

Summer is right around the corner and soon it will be warm enough to spend substantial amounts of time outdoors again. Especially with young children and toddlers, this is such a relief, as it is so much easier to entertain children outdoors than to think of new things to do indoors over and over. But even in nature, sometimes we run out of ideas for outdoor summer activities, so maybe with this article, we can give you some inspiration. We almost can’t contain our excitement, so here comes the list of our favorite summer outdoor activities for kids.

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Outdoor activities for summer – play forest bingo

One of our favorite outdoor summer activities with kids is spending time in the forest and playing forest bingo. This way, even our local forest which we get to explore almost every week becomes interesting, because my daughter has to look for new things and is super excited to get to check things she sees on her Bingo Card. And if she can bring a friend, even better!

Get our FREE Printable Forest Bingo Card here

Start a garden with your kids

Gardening with kids opens so many possibilities for amazing outdoor activities. Summer is the best time, as you will love to spend time with your plants while they grow quicker than ever. If your kids have their own section in the garden where they can plant whatever they want, even better. We have made amazing experiences with vegetables – they do not only grow quickly but also produce something tangible which makes it even more fun for kids to watch them grow.

Related: Gardening with kids – Growing a green thumb

Go canoeing with your kids

Canoeing is one of our favorite summer outdoor activities with kids! When you explore an area from the water, it gives you a completely different perspective. When I hit the water, I am instantly relaxed and calm – it’s just my happy place. The same goes for my daughter, the moment she kicks off her shoes and takes up her paddle, she is in a vacation mood. No matter if you go canoeing with your kids on a river, a lake, or even on the shore – you will have so much fun with this as part of your outdoor activities in summer.

Related: Canoeing with kids – Fun on the water

Paint rocks and hide them

Rock painting is a great way to do something productive with the things you collect along the way. You just have to collect flat and smooth rocks. You can paint them at home with acrylic paint so it does not wash off so quickly.

A friend of mine paints those rocks with her kids and writes her email on the back. They hide some of them on every hike they do, and sometimes they get an email from someone who was super happy to find one of those. You cannot imagine how happy her kids are, whenever they get a “rock letter”.

Outdoor activities in summer – a scavenger hunt

A scavenger hunt is so much fun and you don’t have to wait for a birthday party to plan one. Sometimes ours are hours long, sometimes it’s only a short trip, but there is nothing quite like a treasure hunt filled with summer outdoor activities for kids that makes my daughters’ eyes sparkle. Her favorite scavenger hunt games are the ones involving water, by the way…

Related: Six great ideas for scavenger hunt games with kids

Build an insect hotel

Insects like bees, butterflies, and all other critters are increasingly under pressure as they do not find enough space to build their nests anymore. Building an insect hotel during summer is a great way to do something useful for the environment, have fun building something, and learn something at the same time. There are some sets, but you can also build your own insect hotels with a unique design. This is a set we really like, and it’s fairly simple to build.

Go camping

Summer is not summer without a camping trip. It does not have to be a long one, but at least a couple of nights in the garden have to be part of a fun summer. We just got a new tent last month and can´t wait to get started!

Our favorite summer outdoor activities for kids – play in a creek

In summer, water is key! Playing in a small creek is so much fun for kids and adults alike, and when the sun is out, it doesn’t matter if you trip and fall into the water or get splashed. A small creek gives you inventive possibilities for outdoor activities in summer. You can build a dam, collect stones, float boats, sit in the water, balance on trees – and make sure you go with your kids at least a couple of times!

Outdoor activities for summer – sleeping under the stars

Sleeping under the stars is something really special, particularly for kids. You can make a camp on the porch, in the garden, or on the balcony on a clear night and watch the moon and stars above you. If you don’t have any of these, maybe you can ask family or friends who do if you can use their porch for a slumber party. Get some nice snacks and count the stars – this surely will be a night your kids will remember.

Go birdwatching with your kids

Birdwatching with kids is a great way to introduce them to biology, spend time in nature, and have an amazing time. Even young kids can start birdwatching with the “easy” ones like pigeons, sparrows, or ducks. You can take binoculars, a field journal, and a bird guide to identify them and spend hours outside this way. You will be surprised how much you will learn – and not only your kids. One of our favorite outdoor activities with kids in summer!

Related: Birdwatching with kids

Build a bird box

Building a bird box together is a great way to spend an afternoon. There are some pre-made sets that you can paint, but you can also follow instructions and just use some old wood. Hand it somewhere close where you can see it, and you will be able to see birds moving in and out all the time. This way, you do something good for the environment while also engaging your children in a meaningful way – and you get to spend time outdoors together all at the same time.

Eat smores around a campfire

Sitting around a campfire must be the favorite outdoor summer activity of all for many kids. Even better if there is a delicious snack to be had at the same time. If you have the infrastructure to light a fire in your backyard, take advantage of that this summer – your kids will thank you!

Outdoor summer activities – go hiking

Hiking does not really sound like a fun outdoor activity for summer with kids, right? Can you already hear your kids whining in your head and feel the stress of having to motivate them constantly? Well, it does not have to be that way! If you play games while hiking and chose a great destination for your hike, they can be so much fun! Actually, hiking is one of our all-time favorite outdoor summer activities with kids.

Related: Five tips for hiking with kids

Build a mudslide

Have you seen that video going around recently of kids sliding down a mudslide next to a river? It was so amazing to hear the squeals of joy from them! Try this as one of your summer outdoor activities for kids this year and make your children happy! You just need to find a muddy incline, a couple of buckets of water, and a set of old clothes that you don’t mind breaking and getting dirty – and you will have a bunch of happy kids on your hands!

Climb a tree

Every child should climb trees – it´s great exercise while at the same time a true teaching experience. They learn responsible risk-taking, their own boundaries, and their own fitness level. Make it your goal to include climbing trees as much as possible in this summer’s outdoor activities for your family.

Pick fruit or berries

Picking fruit or berries is a great way to create positive outdoor experiences for your children. They get to spend time outside and bring something delicious home. If you are an expert, you can go into the forest and pick fruit and berries from wild trees, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, there are great alternatives. Many farmers offer self-picking services for strawberries, raspberries, or apples. This experience can be combined with a small hike or biking trip and makes for an amazing day spent outdoors in summer (and autumn).

Read a book under a tree

When I was a child, I used to take my bed covers to the garden and build a little cozy camp where I spent hours reading my favorite books! This is such a great way to combine outdoor time with reading, and summer is the perfect time of year for this. Even better if you have a hammock or a treehouse where your kids can take their books – and you will be happy that reading and outdoor time will increase at the same time.

Play with water

Playing with water must be among the all-time favorite summer outdoor activities for kids! It is so much fun to play in a creek, hose people down when you are supposed to water the plants, or just splash your friends and run around in your bathing suits. Make as many opportunities for your kids to play with water this summer – of course without wasting the precious resource. Kids and water mix very well!

Make a picnic

Everybody has to eat – but how about making it a bit more special this summer by taking your food outside? You don’t have to go far, but you will notice how much more exciting it is for kids to eat while sitting on a blanket outside and how much more they enjoy those healthy snacks! Bring a thermos full of coffee for yourself and then let them play – you will only hear happy voices.

Play hide and seek

Kids play hide and seek all the time, but when is the last time you have played? I have a hard time playing with my daughter (I don’t mean spending time, but really playing…), but outdoor hide and seek is something I can do. I don’t have to hide behind the kitchen counter, but can use rocks, trees, and bushes to hide – and I have fun as well. Your kids will love it and you collect good parent points.

Dance in the rain

No summer should pass without at least one dance in the rain. We don’t see rain as something that will stop our outdoor fun, but actually as an accelerator. As long as it is not too cold, just kick off your shoes and have a dance-off in the rain – your kids will love it!

Build a den

Building a den in the forest is such a great way to keep the kids entertained and to create amazing memories. They can be small and simple or huge and sophisticated – whatever fits your schedule. I remember I spent a week when I was 10 building a structure with my father at the beach – still one of our most beloved family memories.

These are some of our favorite outdoor summer activities with kids. Do you agree with our picks? What do you love to do? We will extend the list constantly, so if you think we are missing something, please let us know!