Printable Summer Activities List of Easy Boredom Busters

Our summer activities list is full of classic kids’ activities! Put this printable list of boredom busters up on the fridge for inspiration.

Somehow the same thing happens every year at my house. We spend the last days of school counting down to summer, so ready for a break from our routine! But it doesn’t take long before the kids are bored and ask me to find something for them to do.

Most summers, we come up with a routine that balances the things we need to do with some fun. But an organized summer schedule can only go so far.

Some days, I need the kids to entertain themselves while I get work or household tasks done. Some days, the kids want to do things on their own without me.

Those days, this list of boredom busters really comes in handy!

Boredom busters for kids

Our favorite boredom busters have a few requirements:

• No prep is needed. – Or at least not much more than collecting craft supplies or putting on shoes.
• Kids can do them on their own. – This depends on age, of course, so use your own judgment and family rules here.
• Free or inexpensive. – We try to make most days no-spend so that we can budget for fun snacks, movie nights, or a trip to the zoo.

Summer activities list

Here are our favorite fun and easy ideas!

1. Jump rope

Pick up a jump rope from the dollar store if you don’t already have one. Jumping rope is a great classic kids’ activity that can be done with one, two, or a whole group of kids. Learn some classic jump rope songs and play jump rope games.

2. Read a book

Head to your local library or check to see if they have an online ebook program. When it comes to summer reading, there are no rules! Now is the perfect time to encourage your child to explore something new. Find a biography about a historic figure for your sports-loving kid. Explore graphic novels with your tween fantasy reader. Or pick up a cookbook and test out some new recipes together.

3. Throw a ball

There’s something simple and relaxing about tossing a ball in the backyard. If you don’t have the space, head to a local park. At any age, throwing a ball is an essential skill that helps kids practice gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and a mix of other abilities.

4. Draw a picture

As adults, we tend to say people are either creative… or not. But that’s not really true. Everyone can create art! Pick a specific artist to imitate, make some abstract art, or just get out the art supplies and make a bit of a mess. For kids of all ages, try a few of these simple beginner drawing ideas.

5. Make homemade popsicles

Cooking is a fun learning activity that encourages kids to pay attention to details, measure ingredients, and follow step-by-step instructions. Popsicles are an easy recipe to make at home and most don’t require any cooking – just a lot of patience while you wait for them to freeze!

6. Write a letter

We don’t send as much snail mail anymore, but everyone loves getting personal mail. Write a letter, color a picture, or snap a few photos to send to someone special. Be sure to ask the recipient to send a letter back, then watch how excited your child gets when they get a real letter with their name on it.

7. Visit a park

Sometimes all you need to have fun is a change of scenery. Visit your favorite park to get out of the house for an hour on a sunny day – or a rainy day! For even more adventure, find a neighborhood park you’ve never visited before.

8. Make handprint art

Handprint art is one of those things that you could make every year and it would never get old. Pick a few of the handprint crafts from our list to make this year, then come back and do another next year. This makes a great keepsake and it’s fun to see how much your child changes from one summer to the next.

9. Play charades

Charades is one of my family’s favorite no-prep games. Keep it simple: Each player chooses a word and acts it out without saying anything. The first person to guess the word gets a point. Play this game when you have downtime that you need to fill or make it a part of a weekly family game night.

10. Solve a puzzle

Your child can solve a small puzzle on their own, but big puzzles make a great family activity. Find a place where you can set up the puzzle and leave it for a few days. We have a puzzle board that we can move around the house, but fabric puzzle mats are a budget-friendly option.

Work together on and off to complete the puzzle over a week or more. Looking at the puzzle with fresh eyes each day is surprisingly helpful and spreading it out over time can be less frustrating for kids who don’t sit still for a long time.

This summer activities list is sure to add hours of fun to your summer plans. Get a printable version you can tack up on a bulletin board or the refrigerator door.

For more easy ideas and a free printable, subscribe and get our list of 101 boredom busters for kids. It includes even more simple and classic summer fun.

More fun ideas from Backyard Summer Camp:

• How to Plan a Family Summer Camp at Home
• 33 Indoor Summer Activities to Beat Boredom