Try this list of fun summer activities for kids

How’s everyone’s summer shaping up? Do you have weeks of camp scheduled? Or are you or a caregiver free-wheeling and planning on some DIY with your kids?

In our house we usually mix it up: a few weeks of summer camps and a few weeks with nothing planned so we can enjoy the slow pace of summer. I love to let my kids lead the way in terms of our daily activities and usually don’t plan big outings or adventures. We love outdoor activities, like nature walks and the splash pad at the park. We set up the sprinkler, ride bikes, and eat snacks on the front porch.

If, like our family, you have some downtime planned this summer, or if, like a good friend of mine, you’re planning to alternate with a few other parents and each take a small group of kids for a week of home camp, it does sometimes help to have a few structured activities in your back pocket.

That’s where our list of summer activities for kids comes in with weekly themes — like rock and roll, exploring, and nature lovers, for example. For eight weeks, we have suggestions for simple, fun ideas, activities, and outings that can be the adults’ go-to when the kids are ready for some structured fun.

How you use it is up to you; steal one activity or embrace the weekly themes, add in your own twists, or let the kids pick what they want to do. You can even print it out [PDF] and hang the printable on the fridge so that everyone can have a say.

Here are some of our best ideas:

Week 1: Oh Canada!

• build an inukshuk
• juggle red and white balloons
• play ball hockey
• toss water balloons
• use sidewalk chalk to draw a maple leaf
• go strawberry picking

Week 2: Under the sea

• visit a local pond, creek, lake or ocean and throw stones into the water
• go to the beach and build a sandcastle
• do a crab walk
• keep cool at your local water park

Week 3: Nature lovers

• camp in the backyard
• climb a tree
• meditate
• collect bugs in a jar and take a closer look through a magnifying glass
• paint using items like tree bark, flower petals, pinecones

Week 4: On the farm

• play duck, duck, goose
• visit a petting zoo
• plant late-summer veggies
• gallop like a horse
• visit a farm

Week 5: Staycation

• build a fort
• go to your local farmer’s market
• visit a splash pad
• build an obstacle course
• water fight
• have a picnic
• make mud pies in the backyard

Week 6: Animal friends

• go to your local zoo or petting zoo
• bear crawl
• create animal-inspired art
• hop like a kangaroo
• run like a cheetah

Week 7: Exploring

• scavenger hunt
• bike ride
• geocaching
• nature walk
• play hide and seek
• explore your neighborhood on a bike, scooter, rollerblades or skateboard
• discover your local library or local park

Week 8: Rock and roll

• make homemade instruments
• freeze dance
• roll down a hill
• dance party

If your kids do try any of the activities, please let us know how it goes! We’d love to hear from you!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on June 23, 2014.