28 Ideas to Try Right Now
⚡ Filter by Time & Constraints
Showing 28 of 28 ideas for Kids during summer
⏱️ Duration
🎯 Requirements & Effort
🪨
#1·⏱️ 20–30 minno materialsmess freeno preplow effort
Painted Rock Garden
🛒Materials: Rocks, acrylic paint
- 1Collect smooth rocks from outside.
- 2Paint them with bright colours and patterns.
- 3Arrange them in the garden when dry.
🧊
#2·⏱️ 15 min prep + 20 min playno materialslow effortno prepmess free
Frozen Treasure Dig
🛒Materials: Large container, water, small toys, salt, warm water squirt bottle
- 1Freeze small toys inside a large block of ice overnight.
- 2Give your child salt, warm water, and spoons to excavate.
- 3Race to free all the toys from the ice.
🎨
#3·⏱️ 30–45 minno materialslow effortmess free
Sidewalk Chalk Mural
🛒Materials: Pavement chalk
- 1Choose a big section of pavement or driveway.
- 2Plan a theme: underwater scene, space, jungle, city.
- 3Each person works on one section — connect them all into a giant mural.
🧘
#4·⏱️ 10–15 minno materialsmess freeno preplow effort
Living Room Yoga
🛒Materials: None — optional yoga mat or towel
- 1Pick 5 simple poses: tree, cat, cobra, butterfly, mountain.
- 2Name each pose after an animal and act it out.
- 3Hold each pose for 5 slow breaths.
🏐
#5·⏱️ 10–20 minno prepmess freelow effort
Balloon Volleyball
🛒Materials: 1 balloon, string or tape for a 'net'
- 1Stretch string or tape across the room at waist height.
- 2Each player stays on their side.
- 3Hit the balloon over — if it touches the floor on your side, other team scores.
🥁
#6·⏱️ 15 minno prepno materialsmess freelow effort
Kitchen Band
🛒Materials: Pots, wooden spoons, plastic containers, dry rice in a sealed bottle
- 1Gather 'instruments': pots as drums, rice shaker, spoons as sticks.
- 2Play a favourite song and let everyone jam along.
- 3Take turns being the 'conductor' who starts and stops the band.
👁️
#7·⏱️ 5–10 minno prepno materialsmess freelow effort
I Spy
🛒Materials: None
- 1One person says 'I spy with my little eye, something...' and gives a clue.
- 2Others guess what it is.
- 3Whoever guesses correctly goes next.
💃
#8·⏱️ 5–10 minno prepno materialsmess freelow effort
Dance Party
🛒Materials: None (just music)
- 1Play your child's favorite upbeat song.
- 2Dance together in the living room.
- 3Pause the music randomly and yell 'Freeze!'
🧦
#9·⏱️ 10 minno preplow effortno materialsmess free
Sock Basketball
🛒Materials: Rolled-up socks, laundry basket
- 1Roll socks into balls.
- 2Place a laundry basket 2 metres away.
- 3Take turns shooting — 3 points from far, 1 point from close.
📖
#10·⏱️ 10 minno prepmess freeno materialslow effort
Storytelling Chain
🛒Materials: None
- 1First person starts a story with one sentence.
- 2Each person adds one more sentence.
- 3See how wild it gets!
🎈
#11·⏱️ 10 minno prepmess freelow effort
Balloon Keep-Up
🛒Materials: 1 balloon
- 1Blow up a balloon.
- 2Rule: it cannot touch the floor.
- 3Count how many hits before it drops.
🕺
#12·⏱️ 10 minno preplow effortmess free
Freeze Dance
🛒Materials: Phone/speaker
- 1Play music and dance freely.
- 2When music stops, everyone freezes.
- 3Last to freeze is out!
👑
#13·⏱️ 10 minno materialsno prepmess freelow effort
Simon Says
🛒Materials: None
- 1One person is Simon.
- 2Simon gives instructions: 'Simon says jump!'
- 3Only follow if it starts with 'Simon says' — catch everyone out!
🐺
#14·⏱️ 10–15 minno materialsmess freelow effort
Shadow Puppets
🛒Materials: A lamp (or phone torch)
- 1Darken the room and point a lamp at the wall.
- 2Use your hands to make animal shadows.
- 3Tell a story with shadow characters.
🐞
#15·⏱️ 30 minlow effortmess free
Bug Hotel Builder
🛒Materials: Sticks, leaves, pinecones, an old pot or brick pile
- 1Stack bricks or pots to create 'rooms'.
- 2Fill gaps with sticks, pinecones, bark, and dry leaves.
- 3Place in a shady garden spot and check back daily for guests.
💡
Genuinely educational — you'll attract beetles, woodlice, and spiders within days.
⛺
#16·⏱️ 30+ minmess freelow effortno prep
Indoor Camping
🛒Materials: Blankets, pillows, torchlight, snacks
- 1Build a blanket fort using chairs and draped blankets.
- 2Add pillows, books, and a torchlight inside.
- 3Have a pretend campfire snack picnic inside the fort.
💡
Turn off the main lights for the full 'camping at night' effect.
🕯️
#17·⏱️ 15–20 minmess freelow effort
Shadow Drawing
🛒Materials: Paper, pencils, toys, a lamp
- 1Place a sheet of paper under a lamp.
- 2Line up small toys to cast shadows on the paper.
- 3Trace the outlines of the shadows and color them in.
🗣️
#18·⏱️ 10–15 minno prepno materialsmess freelow effort
Interactive Storytelling
🛒Materials: None
- 1Start telling a story about a character.
- 2Pause at key moments and ask your child to make the decision.
- 3Continue the story based on their choices!
🏅
#19·⏱️ 30–60 minmess freelow effort
Backyard Water Olympics
🛒Materials: Buckets, sponges, hose
- 1Set up 3 events: sponge relay, bucket carry, water balloon toss.
- 2Award points for each event.
- 3Grand prize: a popsicle!
💦
#20·⏱️ 20+ minmess freeno preplow effort
DIY Sprinkler Run
🛒Materials: Garden hose or plastic bottle with holes
- 1Poke holes in a large plastic bottle and attach it to a hose.
- 2Turn on the water and lay it on the lawn.
- 3Run, jump, and dance through the sprinkler spray.
💡
Works just as well with a regular hose on a fan-spray setting.
🎳
#21·⏱️ 10–15 minmess freeno preplow effortno materials
Hallway Bowling
🛒Materials: Empty bottles or cups, a soft ball
- 1Line up 6–10 empty bottles at one end of the hallway.
- 2Roll the ball from the other end to knock them down.
- 3Keep score — best of 3 rounds!
💡
Fill bottles with a little water if they tip too easily.
📚
#22·⏱️ 20+ minlow effortmess free
Book Club for One
🛒Materials: Books
- 1Let your child pick 3 books.
- 2They read (or look at pictures) independently.
- 3Later, ask them: 'Which was your favourite and why?'
🧠
#23·⏱️ 10 minno prepno materialsmess freelow effort
Verbal Memory Game
🛒Materials: None
- 1Start with 'I went shopping and bought...'
- 2Take turns repeating the list and adding one new item.
- 3See who can remember the longest list!
🦢
#24·⏱️ 15 minno prepmess freelow effortno materials
Paper Origami
🛒Materials: Square paper
- 1Search 'easy origami for kids' and pick one design together.
- 2Follow along step by step — pause and check at each fold.
- 3Make a few different designs and display them.
😂
#25·⏱️ 10–15 minno materialsmess freelow effortno prep
Mad Libs Story
🛒Materials: Paper, pencil
- 1Write a short story leaving blanks: 'The ___[animal] ran to the ___[place].'
- 2Without showing the story, ask for random words to fill the blanks.
- 3Read the finished (hilarious) story aloud.
🎨
#26·⏱️ 10–15 minlow effortmess free
Sorting Game
🛒Materials: Mixed safe household items (colored socks, cups, blocks)
- 1Mix together safe items like colored socks, cups, and building blocks.
- 2Sort by colour, then size, then shape.
- 3Celebrate each sorted group!
🔍
#27·⏱️ 15–20 minno materialsmess freelow effort
Scavenger Hunt
🛒Materials: Paper, pencil
- 1Write a list of 10 things to find around the house or garden.
- 2Include colours, textures, shapes, and specific objects.
- 3First to find everything wins — or race your own best time.
❓
#28·⏱️ 10 minno prepno materialsmess freelow effort
20 Questions
🛒Materials: None
- 1One person thinks of an animal, object, or person.
- 2Others ask yes/no questions to guess.
- 3Maximum 20 questions allowed.
