Who doesn’t love making happy summer memories with their little ones? And there are loads of exciting things you can do on a hot day to cool off, or when you just want to make sure your toddlers and preschoolers are making the most of the outdoor time they have.
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When all the local parks are packed with kids, and you’ve sent the older siblings off to their summer camps, then enjoy these great outdoor activities during the summer months that are the perfect fun way to pass the time.
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Fun summer activities for toddlers and preschoolers:
Frozen Pom Poms
If you’re looking for a fun way to help the kids keep cool during the summer months then this frozen pom pom activity is a great shout. They get to work on their fine motor skills as they handle the ice cubes, learning all about melting – and there’s a reward at the end too. Depending on just how hot the day is, this activity could keep them busy for ages.
What you’ll need:
- Pom poms
- An ice cube tray
Colored Ice Cubes
Another fun activity for young children when the sun is particularly warm is to play with colored ice cubes. Give them a large bowl or storage box filled with water and let them experiment with how the colors mix as the ice begins to melt – educational, but most importantly exciting and interesting too.
What you’ll need:
- An ice cube tray
- Food coloring
- A large bowl or storage box
Fun with Water Balloons
There are so many different ways that you can have fun with water balloons with younger kids. You might instantly assume water fight – and that’s as good an activity as any. But toddlers and preschoolers also just love the sensation of how water balloons slip and slide out of hands and can be squished together. It’s as much a sensory experience as anything else.
What you’ll need:
- Water balloons
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Break Out the Kiddie Pool
Again, a kiddie pool is a surprisingly versatile toy that doesn’t have to cost a lot, and you don’t need to spend ages filling it high when you’re playing with toddlers.
Let them have fun splashing around, or throw in some floating toys and challenge them to pick out the right one. Preschoolers can have fun jumping in too, if the sides are shallow, making some epic splashes.
Make an Outdoor Sensory Bin
A sensory bin is a great way to encourage little hands to explore, pick things up and experience a variety of sensations. Great for refining those fine motor skills, you can fill an outdoor sensory bin with all kinds of materials. If you do go for something like bird seed, make sure you pack it away once done, otherwise there’ll be more than just the kids wanting to play.
What you’ll need:
- A large storage tub or table
- Anything else! Just vary the textures
Tent Den
Making a den or a fort is always great for younger children and their imagination. If you set up a pop-up tent then they can enjoy this same creative play outdoors, and you don’t need to spend hours building an actual den from sticks. Let them fill it with cozy blankets and pillows, add a couple of snacks, and they’ll love it.
What you’ll need:
- A pop-up or small tent
- Blankets and cushions
- Toys and snacks
DIY Sandpit
You don’t need to spend a lot to make your own sandpit at home. In fact, a smaller storage box and lesser amount of sand is often better for toddlers and preschoolers – they don’t need a lot of space, and small boxes are portable enough to be hidden away in a garage once the day is finished.
What you’ll need:
- A large bowl or storage box
- Sand
- Toys
DIY Mudpit
Similar to the sandpit but a whole lot messier – mud play is so much fun for kids who like to squelch and squeeze things with their hands. It’s a total sensory experience with interesting smells and fun sounds as the mud is squashed and compacted between little fingers. Just have a hosepipe handy to wash hands down once play time is over.
What you’ll need:
- A large bowl or storage box
- Soil
- Water
Chalk Drawings
One of the more fun ideas you can suggest to your younger children on a nice day is to try a bit of outdoor art. And what’s more exciting that drawing on the sidewalk or driveway with chalk? They’ll love making simple drawings and scribbles that can be washed away by ‘magic’ with a bucket of water when they’re ready to start again.
What you’ll need:
- Chalk
Chalk Maze
Expanding on the chalk art ideas, why not create a fun chalk maze for your preschoolers to explore? You could even rope the older children in your family in, and set them the challenge of making the maze, that their younger siblings have to try to navigate. Simpler ideas for toddlers are to draw lines that they have to walk along that bend and twist – easy, but super fun.
What you’ll need:
- Chalk
Bubble Fun
Bubbles are an absolute staple of play for younger children, and playing with bubbles is one of the most fun things for toddlers and preschoolers to do. You can make your own bubble mix and bubble wands too – it’s surprisingly easy to do, and they’ll have tons of fun creating bubbles of all sizes that they can chase and pop.
What you’ll need:
- Bubble mixture or dish soap and water
- Bubble wands or the materials to make your own
Bug Hunt
Whether it’s getting amongst the soil and bushes of your own garden or taking a woodland walk nearby, a bug hunt is a fantastic way of introducing your younger children to nature (and making sure they don’t get scared of insects too). A simple checklist of the most common bugs in your area can turn a walk into a true adventure.
What you’ll need:
Shell Art
This is a great two-part activity, since it involves a day finding shells at the beach, and then a day at home making nice art by sticking them down in fun patterns. If you don’t live anywhere near a beach, you can still do the craft with shells you buy online.
What you’ll need:
- Shells
- Glue
- Paper or card
- Optional googly eyes and paint
Wheelbarrow Fairy Garden
A wheelbarrow is the perfect planter for your toddlers to experiment with gardening. It’s at a good height and is a good size for them to understand digging and placing flowers, and if you add a small house then you’ve got a fairy garden – magical for the little ones.
What you’ll need:
- A wheelbarrow
- Soil
- Plants and flowers
- Pebbles
- A fairy house
Make Your Own Popsicles
This is a partially outdoor activity, but one that the kids can definitely enjoy the benefits of when they’re outside. Making popsicles is easy at home, and they can pick their own flavors and anything you want to add it. Once they’ve frozen, let them enjoy their frozen treat outside – it’s the ideal way to cool off.
What you’ll need:
- A popsicle tray or mold
- Juices
- Fruit
DIY Bowling Alley
Outdoor bowling is great fun, but why not make it a craft and get the kids to create their own pins first? The easiest option for toddlers is to use empty soda or water bottles that they can paint. There’s no complicated cutting or sticking, and once dried you can just line them up and let your little one loose with a ball.
What you’ll need:
- Water or soda bottles
- Paints
- A ball (a soccer ball or beach ball works well)
Clear Sheet Painting
Art outdoors is always fun, and instead of the chalk drawing idea a fun way to make it more interesting is to hang up a clear plastic sheet and let your kids paint both sides. They’ll enjoy seeing their creations from each side and looking at how their patterns mix, and if you use water colors then a simple wash down with the hose will get it ready for next time there’s a hot day.
What you’ll need:
- A plastic sheet
- Pegs to hang it up
- Paints and brushes
THINGS TO DO WITH TODDLERS IN SUMMER
There are so many amazing outdoor activities for your preschooler or toddler that can help you avoid the crowds at the beach or the local parks on those hot days. Before you know it, you’ll have filled their summer with fun things to do, but more importantly you’ll have filled their hearts and minds with happy memories.
MORE SUMMER FUN IDEAS:
77 Fun and Cheap Summer Activities for Kids {beat the summer boredom}
The Best Summer Crafts for Toddlers
Easy Summer Kids Crafts You Can Do At Home
15 Rainy Day Crafts for Toddlers
15+ Simple Rainbow Crafts for Toddlers!
