50 Healthy Summer Activities

Summer is upon us, and as usual, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Many of our childhood memories are tied to a warm breeze, hot sun, and plenty of outdoor fun. Now that school is officially over, most of us face the challenges that come with embracing the summer season on the heels of a pandemic. Many typical children’s activities like camps and travel plans may be paused, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t make the most of summer, even under quarantine. Sure, some of our traditional activities have been canceled, but the outdoors, spending time with family, and having fun are still ready for us to dive into.  

It is more important than ever that we try to make the most of this challenging situation by enjoying each other’s company and staying as healthy as possible. Physical activity is a critical part of our well-being and, even more so, when we need to keep our spirits up and our immune systems robust.

We’ve compiled a list of 50 Healthy Summer Activities you can do with your family to help you beat this lull and make it a memorable season. Think of this as a sort of bucket list of things to do before the summer ends.

The Summer Bucket List of Fun

• Take a day trip: A road trip to a nearby town could be a much-needed change of scenery! Don’t forget you can access your 24/7 telemedicine service, while you’re on the road, if needed.  
• Family bike ride: Bicycling is a healthy activity and is a great way to get out of the house and get some fresh air!  
• Backyard water park: Include sprinklers, slip and slide, or even a baby pool to stay cool in your own backyard! Don’t forget the sunscreen!  
• Play kickball: Kickball is a fun sport that’s easy to learn, and you can adjust the rules so that even the youngest member of your family can join in. 
• Make fruit popsicles: Popsicles are an easy to make summer staple. By making them with fruit, you can make them tasty and healthy.  
• Fly a kite: Flying a kite is the perfect way to get your days worth of Vitamin C. 
• Going camping in your backyard: Backyard camping is a safe, simple and entertaining way to spend time with the whole family. 
• Go for a hike: Being close to nature is essential and necessary for an optimal summer experience. 
• Plan an outdoor scavenger hunt: Scavenger hunts are a great way to challenge little brains and promote the outdoors.  
• Start a vegetable garden: Being able to grow herbs is a vital skill we should pass down to our little ones. 
• Start a book club with friends: A book club can help keep kids’ minds sharp while school is out.  
• Do a penny hike: Flip a penny at each corner if it lands on heads go right, tails go left. 
• Have an outdoor painting day: Painting is a great way to be creative and at one with nature, while keeping the mess out of the house. 
• Sidewalk chalk art project: A sidewalk chalk mural is a fun and wholesome project you and your kids can enjoy.  
• Bake together: Substitute white sugar with healthier sweeteners. Add ground flaxseed to recipes to boost nutrition!  
• Take a picnic lunch: If you work from home, taking a picnic lunch with your family is a great way to reset before you return to work.  
• Jump rope contest: Physical contests promote healthy habits and will keep your little ones on their toes. 
• Climb trees: Tree climbing under supervision can be tons of fun and a great way to get in some exercise.  
• Host neighborhood car wash: Promote entrepreneurship in your home! Neighborhood car washes are a great way to teach your children about business and help out your neighbors.  
• Set up a putt-putt course in your backyard: A handmade putt-putt course can be challenging and tons of fun! 
• Water balloon fight: What better way to cool off on a hot day than by having a water balloon fight! These are what summer memories are made of! 
• Make giant bubbles: Making giant bubbles are a fun DIY activity you can enjoy doing together.  
• Kayak: Kayaking can be an excellent form of exercise and make for a change of scenery.  
• Make a miniature peace garden: Miniature peace gardens are easy DIY projects that your kids can enjoy the rest of the summer on rainy days. 
• Make an activity music playlist: Put together everyone’s favorite active songs and play them during outdoor fun.  
• Backyard obstacle course: Obstacle courses are entertaining and promote tons of bodyweight movements that are critical to staying fit.  
• Make a bird feeder: Making a bird feeder is a fun DIY project that you can do together. Kids can also learn about and observe birds who come to feed.  
• Go fishing: Fishing can be a lot of fun and is a great way to be outdoors and near the water. 
• Decorate rocks: Collect unusual stones on your next hike and bring them home for a painting project. 
• Watch movies outdoors: Set up an outdoor movie theater and make some popcorn! 
• Outdoor paper airplane contest: Paper airplane contests can be fun and challenging to do outdoors. 
• Play hopscotch: Hopscotch is an easy game anyone can play, promoting movement, and being outdoors. 
• Play charades: Playing charades is a great way to spend a rainy day. 
• Try geocaching: Geocaching is like a giant scavenger hunt that you play out in the real world. What a great way to pass the time!  
• Have a BBQ: BBQ and grilling are essential during the summer months. 
• Go stargazing: Drive out to a spot outside of the city and enjoy seeing the stars. 
• Play water balloon baseball: Water balloon baseball is a fun spin on an all American sport. You stay cool and are sure to laugh.  
• Outdoor science experiment: Keep their brains engaged with some outdoor science experiments. 
• Make homemade playdough: Homemade playdough is easy to make and a great way to keep them entertained for hours. 
• Make milk carton boats: Build projects are fun and engaging. Take the boats out on your next water adventure.  
• Play balloon tennis: Balloon tennis is a fun activity you can do almost anywhere. It’s also great for the younger members of the family. 
• Make a glow in the dark mason jar: Check out this awesome DIY project.
• Feed ducks at a nearby park: Before you throw away that end piece of bread, consider a trip down to a pond or park where you can enjoy feeding ducks. 
• Cornhole competition in the backyard: Cornhole is a fun and easy game that anyone can play. 
• Rock stacking on a nature trail: On your next hike, see how many rocks you can stack on top of each other! This is a picture-perfect moment!  
• Tie-dye T-shirts: Kids love tie-dye! Make a day of it.  
• Start a family summer scrapbook: This can be an ongoing craft project of all of the fun activities you did over the summer.  
• Make a bucket list of parks you want to visit: Make a list and go to each one before the summer ends. 
• Go on a bug hunt: Challenge them while teaching them to appreciate all animals. 
• Play catch: Catch is easy, fun, and a great way to get some sun. 

Make it a great summer!

We hope this list keeps you and your family happy, healthy, and entertained all summer long!