102 Awesome Summer Activities for Toddlers
The toddler years are so much fun, and summertime with a toddler makes for some especially memorable summer activities!
Toddlers are so curious about everything and have the most beautiful ability to find joy in the smallest things.
Want to channel that never-ending supply of energy into exploration and discovery? What better time to do that than summer?
As your sweet baby develops into a walking, talking, opinionated little human, treasure these moments of learning and curiosity with a TODDLER FRIENDLY summer bucket list!
This summer bucket list for toddlers is filled with carefully selected, toddler-safe activities that will provide you and your little human with some good educational fun all summer long!
Want to print your Toddler Summer Bucket List? You can find a free printable version at the bottom of this post!
Toddler Summer Bucket List
Many of these toddler summer activities link to instructions, so be sure to pin this post so you can come back to it when you are ready for the next activity!
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Outdoor Summer Activities for Toddlers
- Make homemade popsicles and eat them outside. Watch them melt in the hot sun!
- Run through a sprinkler.
- Go swimming!
- Play at the water table (if you don’t have one you can make your own water table!)
- Color in the driveway with non-toxic sidewalk chalk.
- Build a sand castle at the beach (or in a sandbox!).
- Make an ice sensory bin and play with it outside
- Blow giant bubbles using a hoola hoop
- Watch fireworks on the Fourth of July
- Make homemade ice cream in a bag
- Fly a kite
- Raise caterpillars into butterflies then set them free!
- Buy a treat from the ice cream truck
- Make an outdoor water obstacle course
- Visit a splash pad
- Catch lightning bugs in a jar
- Have a picnic
- Create a backyard play garden
- Plant flowers and water them
- Go for a tricycle ride
- Make DIY toddler-safe sidewalk chalk paint and paint the sidewalk or rocks
- Practice kicking a ball back and forth to develop gross motor skills
- Pick flowers
- Go for a nature walk
- Find seashells at the beach (or pretty rocks on a walk!)
- Feed the ducks at the pond
- Stay up late to gaze at the stars
- Dance to live music outside
- Play in a summer rain shower
- Make easy “less mess” tie dyed shirts using a non-toxic squeeze bottle kit
- Play hide & seek
- Kiddie pool fishing
- Play parachute outside
- Read books outside
- Use paint brushes and plain old water for mess free “painting” in the driveway
- Soda bottle glow stick bowling at night
- Make colored ice blocks and build an ice tower outside, then watch it melt!
- Wash the car together
- Plan an outing with a toddler friend
- Attend an outdoor movie
- Grow your own veggies and eat them
- Ride in the car with the windows down
- Have a summer photo shoot
- Catch a frog
- Lay in a hammock together
- Ride a ferry
- Wish on a dandelion
- Find a starfish
- Meet a new friend
- Splash in the ocean
- Make spray bottle graffiti paintings outside
- Eat breakfast outside and watch the sun rise
- Go for a sunset walk on the beach
- Create a sticky nature mural outside
- Visit the farmer’s market
- Go strawberry picking
- Feed the animals at the petting zoo
- Go on a ride at the fair
- Visit a new playground
- Go to the zoo
- Watch a parade
- Explore a new town
Indoor Summer Activities for Toddlers
- Take a first day of summer and last day of summer picture
- Choose a toddler friendly father’s day craft and make it for dad
- Make homemade taste safe play-dough
- Create a summer scene using summer play dough mats
- Do a 4th of July craft
- Make toddler safe cloud dough
- Do a fine motor wall activity
- Make a summer themed sensory bin
- Have a nighttime bubble dance party complete with a light-up bubble machine
- Complete a mommy & me workout video
- Make busy bags to bring on a road trip
- Cook an easy toddler friendly recipe together
- Make summer themed sensory bottles like these ocean themed sensory bottles
- Build a “tent” and pretend to go camping inside
- Finger paint using DIY taste safe finger paint
- Eat snow cones
- Grow sponge animals
- Make lemonade together
- Grow Lima beans
- Have a boat race in your kiddie pool
- Make yummy hidden veggie smoothies
- Make suncatchers to hang in the window
- Do a summer handprint craft
- Make easy rainbow bubble foam
- Make a summer scrapbook
- Bake and decorate cookies together
- Make a bird feeder together and hang it near a window to watch the birds
- Eat watermelon
- Make homemade musical instruments using household items
- Make s’mores
- Have a rainy day tea party
- Make a ball pit at home
- Make a homemade pizza
- Visit a toddler friendly children’s museum
- Attend storytime at a new library
- Go to a Gymboree class or a toddler yoga class
- Visit relatives (or at least FaceTime them!)
- Take a trip to the aquarium
- Explore hot & cold temperatures by making these sensory water bottles
- Make fireworks in a jar
What’s on your toddler’s summer bucket list? If you have a great activity idea, comment below so I can add it to the list!
As you complete these fun summer activities with your toddler, be sure to share them on Instagram and tag @happytoddlerclub using the hashtag #happytoddlerclub!
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