Summer can be daunting. I miss my kids when they are at school, but I can appreciate having that time already filled with activities for their learning. Even though, for me, it’s only two days a week, those are two days that I don’t have to worry about activities. I don’t have to worry about what they’re learning. I don’t have to worry about their development or whether I’m doing things that are challenging how they see the world. I have the confidence that they already have those things built into their curriculum and their wonderful teachers are helping them!
And then summer comes. And there is the sudden realization that I have more days to plan. I need lists of activities and crafts. I need ideas for excursions. I need fun ideas for my children to explore, grow, and develop.
You can go on Pinterest and find a BILLION different ideas. In a moms group on Facebook, I even saw a “Summer Fun Bucket List” once for our local area. It was intensive and complete. It was almost overwhelming.
So instead of overwhelming you with a million ideas of things to do this summer, I’m splitting this summer activities guide into three parts – Water Fun, Excursions, and Education. Take the guide as a basis for information that you can pick and choose throughout the weeks of summer. I’ll even throw in some activities to help prevent the summer slide and encourage learning through fun.
So let’s start with water fun! This is the most obvious category for summer activities as it is so hot. I mentioned in my traditions post about how much time we spend in the pool, but there is so much more than just a pool! Here are my top water activities beyond the pool…
Splash Pads
Splash Pads are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to pools, especially for little ones. If you’ve never been, splash pads are a little like water playgrounds with a variety of structures that spray, dump, and bubble water for kiddos to play in.
Little ones can find a nice place to sit and splash in the water while older kids can run around, exploring the different structures. No two splash pads are alike, so finding one that has equipment that is age appropriate can make for quite the adventure.
When I was little, my dad would put me in the seat on the back of his back and we would explore the different playgrounds in the city for the playground for the best slide. I like to take this idea and use it for splash pads. Explore the splash pad with the best water bucket feature. Try to find the splash pad with a water feature that is best for sitting babies or young toddlers. What feature on a splash pad is your child’s favorite?
Additionally, you can use the features to talk about how the water flows. Is there a water feature that will make a fountain higher if you step on an adjoining feature? Why do they think that happens? Even if they answer isn’t perfectly accurate, allowing them to think, explore how the water works, and test their different ideas will encourage learning through discovery.
Water Tables
When Little Mister had first figured out how to stand, we bought him a water table. There are a ton of different options for water tables online, but even well into his preschool years, he loves that water table. It’s a simple toy – a plastic table that you fill with water and some toys – but it has provided hours of entertainment.
We personally bought this Step2 water table because it seemed like one that would grow as he grew. It would start as just a table for him to splash in, but as his curiosity developed, he would be able to rearrange the pieces to discover cause and effect and how the water would travel through the pipe, turbines, and more. Some water tables will even have a separate section for sand.
Beyond just letting kids play with the water in the water table, you can create experiments with the table and sensory experiences. These activities will reinforce discovery learning as well as make learning fun! You can also check out the dollar section at your local Target for some fun toys and activities to do in the water. Everything from different shapes of containers to toys to add to the water can be found in this section!
One such idea is to use the table to do a float or sink experiment. Go around your house and gather as many different waterproof objects as you see fit. My favorites are plastic animal toys such as these from Terra Toys and LEGOs. Just make sure that the items you are gathering are waterproof and can dry completely. It is best to ensure that they do not have any holes where water can get in and cause mold to grow. Next, depending on the age of your kiddo, you can either keep a tally of whether something sinks or floats and what your child’s guess was or just ask them before they toss the item in. Either way, you are sure to be surprised by some of the results!
Another activity to do with the water table is to make it into a sensory table. You can fill it with things like water beads, marbles, or bubbles from soap (which can be especially handy if it needs a good cleaning) and let kids feel how water changes how items feel. What feels one way when it’s dry may feel completely different in the water.
Bubble Fun
Okay, I’ll admit that bubbles are a bit of a stretch in the water department, but seeing as you need to add water to create a bubble solution, I think it counts. There are so many ways to use bubbles throughout the summer. You can find different types of bubble containers – from tubs to wands to a yarn with two sticks – and practice all of the different ways to produce bubbles.
Or you can spend some time creating bubble solutions. For older kids, find a generic bubble solution online but remove the measurements. Have your kiddo experiment with different measurements to find the perfect amounts for the perfect bubbles. Do they think it needs more soap or water? What if they tried different kinds of soaps? What do they think all of the ingredients do to create the bubbles? The possible questions are endless with using bubble solutions as an experiment.
Another opportunity is to practice motor skills with bubbles. Both with blowing bubbles as well as waving something like a bubble wand takes practiced skill. What happens when they wave a bubble wand faster? Does it work better with large movements or smaller? What about if they blow bubbles – should they blow harder or softer? Experimenting and talking through what they find is all part of learning the process, even on a basic level. This also encourages them to think through the possibilities and cause and effect relationships.
Water Balloon Baseball
Water balloons are fun on their own, but water balloon baseball involves a bit of gross motor practice as well. Whether it’s using a tee to hit the balloons off of or you are soft tossing the water balloons, it takes patience, practice, aim, and a willingness to get a little wet.
Last year we used a tee to create the game and the kids took turns hitting the water balloons. More often than not they missed the balloon, but they had fun practicing and having the water splash on their feet and ankles.
I really liked purchasing one of the sets of hundreds of balloons because it gave us plenty of opportunities to practice. They are even easy to fill now – no tying off with your finger required!
Sprinkler Fun
Sprinklers are just good ol’ plain water fun. Running through a sprinkler, jumping over it as it passes by, is a tradition linked with summer for as long back as sprinklers existed! Now they have attachments you can hook up to your hose that will create all kinds of weird and wacky patterns or you can just use a traditional sprinkler. Either way, it’s guaranteed fun and a way to water your lawn at the same time!
Water fun is synonymous with summer. There is no better way to beat the heat than with water games outside. Hopefully you can take advantage of some of these water activities this summer with your little ones!