List of Summer Activities for Preschoolers

It’s Memorial Day weekend the time I always think of as the start of summer. Typically pools open over the holiday weekend and other summer attractions open around the same time. We are so excited for summer and all the fun summer activities we get to do and the memories we get to make.

At the bottom of the post get your free printable list of 30+ Summer Activities for Preschoolers and their family to enjoy together. The activity ideas included on the list are focused on families with younger children.

Summer Activities for Preschoolers

Go Swimming

We loving going to swim at the community pool and water parks. Sometimes it’s nice to stay at home and let the kids play in the kiddie pool.

Related Post: How to Heat the Kiddie Pool Quick and Easy

Blow Bubbles

Blowing bubbles is always a lot of fun, our kids are pros at dumping bubbles so we have loved using a bubble machine to avoid so many spills. We also just got some Glove-A-Bubbles and the kids love them!

Play at the Park

Playing at the park is such a fun way to spend summer mornings and evenings. The kids love it when daddy comes to the park with us. It’s always fun to discover new parks, the Wizard of Oz park in Maryland was one of our best discoveries.

Fly a Kite

Flying a Kite at the park or at the beach is a fun activity for the whole family. Plus getting your kites at the dollar store is a great way to keep this activity inexpensive.

Related Post: 40+ Things You Should Always Buy at the Dollar Store

Draw with Chalk

Drawing with Chalk all over the sidewalk is something I remember doing as a kid and it’s now something my kids love to do. It’s always fun to see what kind of things kids will create with the driveway as the canvas.

Make Mud Pies

Playing in the mud was one of my favorite things to do in the summer. Since we have lived in apartments and town-homes there haven’t been many opportunities for our kids to play in the mud.

So whenever we get the chance to get dirty at the park, on the farm or when visiting grandparents the kids love it.

Play with Water

We recently got a water table and it is amazing! My kids are entertained for hours and it’s a great way to keep cool when it gets so hot!

Go for a Walk

Heading out for a family walk around the park, the neighborhood or on a trail is a great way to get outside as a family.

Bake Something

My kids love helping in the kitchen so we spend time almost every week cooking up something. Here are some kid-friendly baking recipes you might like to try.

Go on a Hike

Finding a fun hiking trail and going on an adventure as our kids say is one of our favorite family activities. Hiking to waterfalls is probably our favorite.

Make Ice Cream in a Bag

There are so many fun Ice Cream in a bag recipes on Pinterest we want to try them all!

Play with Water Balloons

Playing games and having water fights with water balloons is such a fun way to spend a hot summer day.

Bunch O Balloons now makes it so easy to fill a lot of water balloons quickly so you can spend more time playing and less time filling balloons.

Explore a State Park

Depending on where you live State Parks can offer a lot of different activities and some fun special events.

Go to the Zoo

Each time we visit the zoo my kids love it! If your planning on visiting the National Zoo or the San Diego Zoo we share some tips from our trips to these zoo’s in the posts about them.

Watch a Parade

Many communities often have 4th of July parades and sometimes there are other parades for different events throughout the summer.

Catch Fireflies

Fireflies or Lightning Bugs depending on where you are from aren’t easily found everywhere.

If you are lucky enough to live in an area with fireflies spend some time one summer evening enjoying watching the fireflies and letting the kids chase them around.

Make Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice Cream Sandwiches are such a fun summer treat. Making your own custom Ice Cream Sandwiches is even better than the boxed treats. Pick 2 of your favorite cookie add a scoop of ice cream and enjoy.

Watch Fireworks

There is just something magical about warm nights and fireworks. I love watching firework shows during the summer and it’s one of my favorite parts of any trip to Disney.

Have a Picnic

Pack up a homemade meal or stop and grab something at your favorite restaurant and enjoy eating outside. Just watch out for wildlife visitors.

Read Stories Outside

Grab some of your favorite books and head outside for some sun and stories. Need some new books to read this summer? Check out some of our Favorite Picture Books.

Pick Dandelions and other “Flowers”

Dandelions are the flowers of childhood. I love it when my kids pick a handful of weeds and bring me the prized flowers like they are a treasure.

Do a Craft

Summer is the perfect time for crafting. The kids and I love to do fun and simple crafts together.

Build a Fort

We love to grab the kitchen chairs and some blankets and build a fort. Our forts are the perfect place to read together, draw or cuddle up and watch a movie.

Have a Dance Party

Turing on our Prime Music Disney Favorites playlist and dancing around the house is always a favorite family activity.

Go to Storytime

Storytime is one of our favorite weekly activities. In most communities, there are a number of different storytime options that are free!

Plan a Play Date

Talk to some of your fellow moms and plan a play date at someones house or at the park to let the kids play and the mom’s visit.

Ride a Train

Just a couple of weeks ago we were able to spend A Day Out with Thomas. The little man loved it, I can’t wait to find some more train rides for our family to take.

Visit Grandparents

Planning a day trip or an extended trip to visit the grandparents is a fun way to spend some time during the summer.

Visit the Beach

We love visiting the beach anytime of year but the summer is extra fun since we can actually enjoy the water.

Even if you don’t live near the ocean heading to a lake you can still get some of the same beach experiences.

Make Giant Bubbles

Grab a few Big Bubble wands and have fun making Giant bubbles.

Go Star Gazing

Looking up at the stars on dark summer nights is a fun summer activity that the whole family can easily do.

Visit a Museum

Check your local museums for free museum days and have some fun learning and exploring some local museums.

Find a Waterfall

Last summer we hiked to Cunningham Falls and the little man talked about it for weeks after. He wanted to go back every day.

Visit a National Park

See if there is a National Park in your area that you can go visit. We love doing the Jr. Ranger Programs when we visit National Parks and Monuments.

Make Popsicles

Making popsicles together is almost as fun as eating them. One of our favorite ways to make popsicles is using Coconut Water.

Try Something New

Try something new, be it a new food, a new hotel or a new park. Get outside your comfort zone just a little bit this summer.

This list includes so many fun things we are excited to do this summer. What Summer activities are you looking forward to?

Don’t forget to get your Free Printable Summer Activities List!

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