Below See Tips, Ideas & Suggestions for Summer Activities for Kids and Grandkids
Summertime is an exciting time to spend with your kids and grandkids. There are SO many summer activities for kids and grandkids you can enjoy together.
This Post is About Fun Summer Activities for Kids and Grandkids.
Summer weather is the perfect time for outside activities. Honestly, this list is only a small fraction of summer activities for kids and grandkids. Use your imagination and inspirations to add multiple activities for your kids. Your vision and creative ideas are endless!
Boating
Go Boating! I absolutely LOVE boating and being on the water. I know gas is expensive these days, but there are a lot of boats that don’t require gas, such as, rowboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and sailboats.
Additionally, since those types of boats are not powered by gas, kids get the benefit of exercise when using those boats. Double bonus!! Especially paddle boats. Paddle boating is like bike riding in the water!! It looks very easy, but it’s kinda hard!! Haha!
Swimming
Water is also very calming for me. So, I feel at peace being on the water or in the water swimming. Swimming is one of the best summer activities for kids and grandkids. With warm summer weather and sunshine, jumping into a pool, lake or ocean is wonderfully refreshing!
Backyard Sprinklers
If you don’t have an opportunity to go to a pool or lake or the ocean, running through a backyard sprinkler or slide can feel just as energizing! Sprinklers are inexpensive and can be used any time, even in between trips to the pool or other swimming locations.
Waterparks
Another place you can cool off during the summer is a waterpark. Depending on where you live or where you like to travel, waterparks are fun, fantastic summer activities for kids and grandkids, and all family members! Check out your area for a waterpark near you.
FYI, there are LOTS of indoor waterpark facilities around the country (United States). Indoor waterpark offers exciting water activities for kids and grandkids throughout the year.
It’s a blast to swim and tube in a warm waterpark even when it’s cold and snowy outside. Honestly, the kids will get a kick out of going to a waterpark in the winter….TRY IT!!
Fishing/Crabbing
Other summer activities for kids and grandkids include fishing or crabbing. Of course, both fishing and crabbing involve being in or on the water, so it can really be a relaxing adventure for families.
Generally, you can fish in any body of water; lakes, creeks, ponds, bays, oceans, etc., etc. Depending on the age of the child, it’s very easy to drop a fishing line into the water and wait for a tug.
Typically, an adult or older sibling will need to put a worm or food on the fishing hook, but young children are capable of holding the rod until a fish pulls. Naturally, it’s an exciting feeling for kids (and adults) to catch a fish. Especially their first fish!! Get ready to take LOTS of pictures!!
I honestly don’t know a lot about crabbing, but I know those who go crabbing love it! Crabbing is done in the bay or in the ocean, which requires boating to a specific location. However, you can also drop crab cages off the edge of the waterway and patiently wait for results.
Both fishing and crabbing take time and patience, so it’s a great opportunity for kids to understand the importance of being patient!
Water Sports
Water Tubing, Water Skiing, & Wake Boarding
Additionally, if motor boating is available, more fun water summer activities for kids and grandkids are water tubing, wake boarding, and water skiing. All of these exhilarating water activities require the use of a motor boat. If you do not have a boat available, most resorts rent boats for use by the hour.
Some water sports are advanced, but water tubing is usually easy enough for young children. Obviously with caution! And, water tubing can include more than one person at a time. So, several children can ride together on a large tube or with a parent.
Water tubing is an excellent alternative to other types of advanced water sporting, like wakeboarding and water skiing. Although children can begin learning wakeboarding and water skiing at a young age, both sports typically take quite a while to learn. But, once you’ve mastered wakeboarding and water skiing, it’s an incredible summer activity. You should give it a try!!
Now that I talked about so many water summer activities for kids and grandkids, let’s talk about some activities you can enjoy on land!
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Lemonade Stand for Kids
For many summers, my children loved making and selling lemonade, iced tea, cookies, and rice Krispy treats. Setting up a “lemonade stand & more is one of the great summer activities for kids and grandkids AND provides summer income for them.
Yes, I realize they usually need money to supply the “lemonade stand & more…but, after earning some money they are able to purchase their own supplies.
Helping your kids understand the value of selling something for a profit is a beneficial lesson for them to learn. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll become a successful entrepreneur!!
Check out Amazon to find great decanters!
Flying Kites
Picnicking and flying kites are also a great outdoor summer activities for kids and grandkids.
Kites can be very inexpensive and provide hours of action for all age children. Kite flying can be done in a park or on the beach. Kids love the adventure of flying a kite and they learn to calculate the wind to keep the kite in the air. Flying kites are a fun and easy summer activity for kids!
Picnics
Picnics can be very simple with easy sandwiches and drinks. Throwing a blanket on the grass and enjoying the fresh air can be almost anywhere. But picnics can also be very elaborate with lots of fancy foods, picnic baskets and specialties items.
All picnics are a great summer activity for kids and grandkids to get outside and appreciate the warm weather!
Camping, Campfires & Movie Nights
Other outdoor summer activities for kids and grandkids are camping, campfires, and movie night. Many families, including ours, set up a tent in our backyard for our kids to “camp”. Camping close to home gives kids the security of knowing they can come indoors if they are too scared or become frightened throughout the night.
Our family typically schedules outdoor movie nights on camping & campfire nights. That way the kids can enjoy a full family activity before settling down in their tent with friends or family members.
With today’s technology, outdoor movie nights are easy to set up with a large TV or large screen for viewing. Kids really feel a sense of adventure watching movies outside.
Make some popcorn and spread out some blankets and they’ll be set for hours. If you haven’t done outdoor movie nights before, you gotta try it!
Gardening
One of my favorite summer activities for kids and grandkids is gardening. Gardening is easy for all children. Planting flowers in a flower bed or creating a vegetable garden are simple tasks for kids to do on their own. Also, gardening can be very rewarding for children as they watch their flowers or vegetables grow.
Before planting flowers or vegetables outdoors, kids can bury tiny seeds in a starter garden in the house. Once the weather is warm enough kids can transfer their sprouting seedling into a garden outdoors.
Plants & vegetables can be found at a good price at Home Depot.
Watching a seed become a green sprout, then become a beautiful flower or a vegetable they can eat is a remarkable lesson. Understanding how plants and food is produced through soil, water, sunshine and some TLC (tender loving care) is an amazing realization. Even if you have never gardened before, it’s a fantastic summer activity for kids and grandkids!!
Parades
Adding to the list of outdoor summer activities for kids and grandkids are parades and fireworks. For me it seems like every town in America has parades when the weather gets nice. Little towns and big cities want to celebrate with a parade every chance they get!
Fireworks
Of course, the 4th of July, Independence Day in the United States, is an extra special holiday with multiple parades followed by fireworks. Although the 4th of July is known for fanciful fireworks, many summertime events are celebrated with fireworks.
Fireworks are especially enjoyed at ballparks, outdoor concerts, or outdoor weddings. Fireworks are a frequent summertime occurrence and are often displayed in local areas.
Besides outdoor summer activities for kids and grandkids, there are several indoor activities that bring families together for fun. Our family loves to sing to karaoke! Again, if you haven’t tried it, karaoke can be really fun with your family and friends.
Karaoke
Karaoke can be an outdoor activity. But, with our large family and the loud volume of our singing, we prefer to keep our karaoke inside! Obviously, you can enjoy karaoke anywhere you’d like. Regardless, of where you choose to sign karaoke, it’s always a fun and funny time!
By the way, if you are looking to purchase a karaoke machine, don’t go crazy looking for an expensive one. Sometimes the bigger the machine the more confusing they are! Lol! I find the simpler the karaoke machine is, the better! Have fun!!
Bowling
Another fun indoor activity for kids and grandkids is bowling. Most bowling lanes are equipped with gutter protectors so even young children can bowl. Gutter protectors ensure your ball will not continue to go into the gutter. Even older kids or inexperienced adults can enjoy bowling with gutter protectors!
Additionally, many bowling alleys have kid friendly ball ramps. Ball ramps allow children to place their bowling ball at the top of the ramp and simply push the ball down the slide into the bowling lane.
Fortunately, bowling alleys also provide lightweight balls that make it easy for children to push the ball down the ramp toward the pins. Using both the gutter protectors and ball ramp guarantees the child will knock over some bowling pins. Clearly, knocking over the pins makes the game much more exciting for everyone!!
Board Games, Painting, Coloring, Drawing, Reading, Writing Stories, Cooking, Arts & Crafts
More indoor summer activities for kids and grandkids include board games, painting, coloring, drawing, reading and writing stories, cooking, arts and crafts, and many other interactive undertakings you can do throughout the summer.
Now is the perfect time to make a list of your own and start planning how you will enjoy your summer activities with your kids and grandkids.
For more information about activities with kids and grandkids, see DETERMINING THE BEST EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS.
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Tips, Ideas & Suggestions for Summer Activities for Kids and Grandkids
- Making plans for summer activities is a great idea, BUT, don’t get too upset if your plans don’t go exactly how you planned or thought they would go! They NEVER do!
- Setting too many “perfect” expectations may leave you upset and frustrated. Set plans, but be 100% willing to go with the flow. Be Flexible! You’ll be much happier in the end!!
- If a particular activity requires tickets or admission, contact your local municipal office to inquire about discount opportunities. Many facilities offer discounts for families and/or individuals.
- Take you time! Don’t rush or push through the activities. Make the most of the time you have and truly enjoy the experience with your kids and grandkids.
