Introduction
Summer vacations and summer outdoor activities go hand-in-hand. Not just from the perspective of giving children a chance to enjoy their summer break, but also from the perspective of science. Don’t believe us? Let’s talk about some facts then!
According to research published by the National Library of Medicine, outdoor games are more than just a dose of physical fitness for children. They are also needed for:
Developing cognitive skills
Reinforcing social and emotional well-being
Teaching children the importance of teamwork and cooperation
Building a problem-solving attitude in life
In fact, according to WHO, children under the age of 5 need at least 180 minutes of physical exercise to ensure they do not become overweight and get proper sleep.
There's no better time than summer vacations to introduce fun outdoor activities to your child's routine. Here's our list of 20+ summer outdoor activities that will ensure your child isn't missing out on anything. Tag along!
Creative Arts and DIY Projects
Summer vacations are the time of year when children are neither bound by a school timetable nor by homework. Hence, a perfect mix of some DIY projects will be a great start to their vacation! The best thing? All the summer outdoor activities we have enlisted in this section can be easily organized by you at home without breaking your bank.
1. Painting with Frozen Paint and DIY Chalk
Assist your little ones in preparing frozen paint by filling ice cube trays with watercolor mixes and inserting popsicle sticks before freezing.
To make DIY chalk, combine Plaster of Paris with paint and pour into molds to set. This homemade chalk is ideal for vibrant sidewalk masterpieces.
Here are some classic benefits of this simple DIY activity.
It refines motor skills and sensory development
Using different mediums like ice and chalk stimulates creativity and exploration in young children
To complement these physical and cognitive benefits with academic growth, Vedantu offers a range of summer camp courses that can be a perfect blend for your child's comprehensive development.
2. Crafting Homemade Bird Feeders and Water Blobs
Engage your kids in making bird feeders using recycled materials like old milk cartons or plastic bottles.
Supply them with recycled materials such as old milk cartons or plastic bottles to make bird feeders
Hang them in your garden, and let your little ones watch your local wildlife visit for a snack
Water blobs provide a unique play area. They are made by sealing water inside heavy-duty plastic sheeting with duct tape. You can simply prepare one at home.
Benefits
Using recycled material makes children environmentally aware and responsible at a very young age
Water blobs offer a sensory play experience that promotes physical activity and understanding of materials science
3. Creating a Fairy Garden and Pressing Flowers
Help your kids construct a fairy garden in a corner of your yard using small plants, pebbles, imaginative decorations, or large pots.
Pressing flowers is another great activity. Kids can simply place fresh flowers between parchment paper and heavy books.
Children learn the rare value of patience as both these summer outdoor activities take time
It also increases their focus and concentration power
You can use this opportunity to talk about the scientific process of preservation and teach them about some basics of botany
4. Making Ice Cream in a Bag and Homemade Popsicles
Engaging kids in making their favorite ice cream at home is very simple.
Fill a small ziplock bag with cream, sugar, and vanilla
Seal the ziplock bag inside a larger bag with ice and rock salt
Let your kids shake the bag for about five minutes until the mixture turns into ice cream
For popsicles, blend fruits, pour into molds, and freeze.
Benefits
Teach children basic principles of chemistry through temperature changes and mixing ingredients
These summer outdoor activities can also inspire kids to develop healthy eating habits by choosing natural ingredients for popsicles
5. Recycling and Melting Old Crayons Under the Sun
This is a great fun activity that takes creativity to a whole new level – children get to recycle materials to make new art supplies!
Help them collect some broken crayons and peel off the paper. Then, place the pieces in silicone molds.
Set the molds outside under the sun
Let the heat naturally melt the crayons into new, fun shapes
Benefits
There's no better way to teach children about solar energy and recycling
It makes children environmentally conscious
Nature and Exploration
You can't miss out on fun in the wild when incorporating summer outdoor activities into your child's summer vacation routine. Besides, the activities listed in this section also have educational value.
6. Engaging in Nature Scavenger Hunts
Design a scavenger hunt list with items for your children to find. Name simple items such as a feather, a round stone, a leaf of a specific shape, or a pinecone.
Provide your tiny tots with a bag or a small basket to collect their finds.
Benefits
It improves observational skills
It's a great way to boost their knowledge of flora
Scavenger hunt makes kids better at solving problems
It incorporates the much-needed physical exercises in your child's lazing summer routine
7. Building Mud Kitchens and Fairy Houses
In a designated outdoor area, set up a mud kitchen using old pots, pans, and utensils. Your kids can 'cook' using soil, water, and leaves.
For fairy houses, provide materials like bark, leaves, twigs, and stones to construct small, imaginative shelters in secluded parts of your garden.
Benefits
These are highly creative games that make children think outside the box
Children learn to utilize natural materials creatively
These summer outdoor activities are excellent in refining their motor skills
8. Having Fun with Bug Hunts and Insect Exploration
Equip your kids with magnifying glasses and containers to explore and collect insects in different habitats around your home or in parks. You must guide them carefully in observing and releasing the insects back into their habitat without harming them.
Benefits
It's a great outdoor activity to spike your child's interest in science
It's the most practical way to teach them about entomology and develop respect for even the smallest creatures
Also Read: Top 9 Summer Science Camp Activities for Children
9. Collecting Rocks and Leaves for Creative Projects
You can take your children on nature walks and prompt them to collect various rocks and leaves that can be used later for art projects such as leaf rubbings or rock painting.
Benefits
The materials they collect can be used to teach them the basics of geology and botany
These summer outdoor activities also develop artistic skills
10. Planting a Garden and Learning About Local Flora and Fauna
You can help your kids grow various plants, flowers, and vegetables. Discuss the types of plants suitable for your local climate and the wildlife they attract.
Benefits
Since children take care of the plants they seed, they learn how to be patient and responsible
Gardening is also an extremely practical introduction to botany, ecology, and the importance of biodiversity
It can also inspire kids to develop healthy eating habits and quit eating junk food
Water-based Activities
Indian summer = scorchy heat! Hence, including fun water games in your child's routine summer outdoor activities is important. Here's a breakdown of all the activities you can plan for your little ones at home. These engaging and refreshing summer outdoor activities and games will keep your children active and entertained.
11. Organizing Water Balloon Fights and Sponge Tag
Fill up several water balloons and set up a 'battlefield' for a water balloon fight, just as you do for Holi. Ensure it's in a safe, open space.
For a game of sponge tag, give your kids a large sponge soaked in water. The player who is 'it' tags others by squeezing the sponge over them.
Benefits
These summer outdoor activities are great for physical exercise and help in cooling down during hot days
They teach kids about teamwork and strategic thinking as they plan their moves in the balloon fight or work to evade the tagger
Also Read: 30+ Summer Camp Activities for Teens
12. Creating Homemade Slip and Slides
Use long, heavy-duty plastic sheeting and lay it on a sloped, grassy area. Secure it with stakes.
Next, wet the plastic with a hose and add a few drops of baby shampoo for extra slipperiness. And voila! That's a slip-n-slide right in your backyard!
Benefits
Slip and slide is a great game to improve your child's coordination and balance
It's a great activity to get those little bodies moving and burn some calories
13. Pool Noodle Games and Ice Block Treasure Hunts
For pool noodle games, you can use noodles as bats for water balloons or cut them into rings for a tossing game.
For ice block treasure hunts, you can freeze small toys inside large blocks of ice and give kids tools to 'excavate' their frozen treasures.
Benefits
Pool noodle games refine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
Ice block treasure hunts teach patience and problem-solving
Amid these refreshing water games, keep your child's learning afloat with Vedantu's Super Kids Program designed to make education enjoyable and effective.
Games and Sports
Encourage your children to embrace active play with various games and summer outdoor activities that keep them moving and build essential skills. Here's a section on how you can turn your backyard into a playground of fun and learning.
14. Obstacle Courses and Relay Races
You can easily design an obstacle course in your backyard using simple items like cones, ropes for limbo, and makeshift hurdles.
You can also organize relay races by setting up a course where kids can compete in teams, passing a baton or an object from one to another.
Benefits
These games improve physical fitness, coordination, and agility
They also teach children about teamwork and strategy
These are great summer outdoor activities that improve social and cognitive skills
15. Classic Outdoor Games
Draw a hopscotch grid with chalk on a safe pavement area. Then, teach your kids the rules of tag. You can also have a simple frisbee tossing session in an open area.
Benefits
These timeless games are excellent for physical conditioning
They help in developing motor skills
Games like frisbee improve hand-eye coordination, while hopscotch can improve balance and spatial awareness
16. Setting Up Mini Sports Days
Set up small, informal matches or skills challenges for sports like football between family members using makeshift or portable goals.
You can also create a miniature golf course in your backyard using household objects as obstacles.
Benefits
Playing team sports develops teamwork and sportsmanship
Miniature golf teaches children focus and precision
These summer outdoor activities also encourage healthy competition
17. Hula Hoops and Kite Flying
Have a hula hoop contest in your backyard. When things go a little windy, take out a kite to teach your children how to get it airborne and control it in the sky.
Benefits
Hula-hooping is excellent for improving core strength and coordination
Kite flying can be used as an opportunity to teach children basic aerodynamics and enhance their problem-solving skills as they learn to control the kite in varying winds
Relaxation and Leisure
Summer outdoor activities don't have to always involve running. We have compiled a list of some low-energy but super-engaging activities that can balance everything out.
18. Outdoor Movie Night
Setting up an outdoor movie night at night can turn your backyard into a cinematic experience for your little ones.
With a simple projector and a white sheet or a portable screen, your entire family can enjoy their favorite films in the comfort of nature. You can make it interactive by involving your children in picking relevant movies.
You can also use this activity to improve your child's communication and storytelling skills.
Spot any special moments that you can use to engage your little ones – it could be a catchphrase, a dialogue that a character uses often, or even a theme song
Pause during those key moments and prompt your kids to recall the dialogue
If a theme song pops up, all kids can get up and dance
19. Book Reading
On quieter afternoons, encourage your children to grab a book and find a cozy spot in a hammock or under the shade of a large tree.
Reading can enrich your child's vocabulary, expand the horizons of their imagination, and improve their communication skills too.
Want to take things one notch higher? Enroll your little one into Vedantu’s English Superstar Program. Our interactive sessions will help your child write, read, and speak confidently.
20. Stargazing
It might not sound educational, but stargazing is an amazing outdoor activity that teaches children extensively about astronomy.
You can help them identify and spot constellations in the night sky
Equip them with a telescope or guide them into making one at home and spot planets in the sky
Use the opportunity to talk about fascinating scientific phenomena and facts – why does it rain, the light we see from stars today was released millions of years ago, and much more
Also Read: Different Ways to Make Your Own Telescope At Home
21. Community and Social Activities
Summer provides a splendid opportunity for children to engage with their community and learn the value of social responsibility. Getting involved in different charity activities makes kids empathetic.
Help them set up a lemonade or a dole whip stand to give them a taste of entrepreneurship. Earning their own money and then donating it to an orphanage or elder home can teach kids about the value of using money wisely
Organize or participate in community picnics and potlucks. These gatherings enable children to play and interact with others in a relaxed setting. It's a fantastic way for them to make new friends
Encouraging them to donate will teach them about the value of giving to those in need and will also help them appreciate how fortunate they are and how they can use what they have to make life better for others
Conclusion
Summer outdoor activities allow you to plan your child's vacation to be fulfilling.
Sports and backyard games keep children physically fit, solidify their strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities
DIY arts and crafts help them express their emotions better, challenge their imagination and creativity, and refine their motor skills
Charity and social activities teach them how to appreciate what they have and help others
To ensure they're not left behind in their studies, club these summer outdoor activities with class camp courses offered by Vedantu. Our exclusive range of affordable summer camp courses can improve your child's math and science skills while keeping things light and fun. Explore our core offerings today.
