35 Fun & Engaging Summer Enrichment Activities For Kids

I fervently believe that learning doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be!) boring. This summer, keep your kids’ brains engaged and growing – while also tapping into their natural desire for discovery and play – with these fun summer enrichment activities!

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Want your kids to avoid the dreaded “summer slide”? If you’ve been a Merry Momma reader for long, you know I’m ALL about keeping kids’ brains engaged and learning all year long – including throughout the summer.

But I’m also all about keeping them playing, exploring, and having fun! I am not a fan of forcing worksheets on kids during the summer (unless they’re into that, which some are!). It’s akin to throwing a soaking wet blanket over their natural fire for learning.

The good news is, there are tons of ways to keep kids learning and developing throughout the summer that are actually FUN and spark their natural curiosities and interests. Check out the following summer enrichment activities you can do with your kids to fan the flames of learning all summer long.

35 Fun & Engaging Summer Enrichment Activities to Do With Your Kids

**This is a list of ideas, only! They are not prescriptive. Not every summer enrichment activity in this list will appeal to every kid, so pick and choose the ones that excite and delight YOUR child.

1. Participate in your public library’s summer reading program.

2. Set up an “inventor’s workshop.”

Fill a box with random household items, broken gadgets, and miscellaneous parts, and see what your kids can make with them!

Related Recommendations:
(For younger kids) The Most Magnificent Thing picture book AND board game
(For older kids) The Toothpaste Millionaire (It’s SO good! We loved it as a family!)

3. Visit a museum, zoo, science center, nature preserve, etc.

4. Attend an outdoor concert.

5. Get a book of lateral thinking puzzles.

6. Plant a garden.

7. Design and work on a research project.

The beauty of this idea is that it can be anything they want it to be! My 10-year-old LOVES researching various historical topics and creating Google Docs for them.

8. Conduct at-home science experiments

We have this book and this book, and we love them.

9. Hike a nearby state park.

10. Work your way through a summer reading list.

And keep your kids reading all summer long with this super spectacular summer reading challenge! These 25 challenges can be tailored to any age, interest, and reading level. See how many your kids can check off before the summer ends!

11. Construct a STEM building project for kids.

Here’s a list of 15 Superb STEM Building Challenges For Kids

12. Embark on a nature scavenger hunt.

Try these bestselling scavenger hunt cards for kids!

13. Get some of these STEM toys and activities.

14. Read a book as a family.

Here are some of our past favorite family read-alouds!

15. Make some edible science experiments.

Google “edible science experiments for kids,” and you’ll find tons of them!

16. Volunteer in your neighborhood, church, community, etc. as a family.

17. Take an online class.

Outschool, Udemy, Khan Academy, and Activity Hero are just a few of the places you can find online classes for kids.

18. Take a family field trip.

See if there are any nearby factories, farms, businesses, or government buildings you could tour.

19. Do some word or number puzzles.

20. Play board games.

Here are some of our favorite brain-boosting games:

Trekking the National Parks
The World Game
History Channel Trivia Game (though Trekking Through History also looks like a winner!)
Scrabble
Bananagrams
Proof!

21. Start a micro business.

Possible ideas include a lemonade stand, pop-up shop, farmer’s market, or babysitting/pet-sitting business.

22. Learn about a foreign country/time period/culture/etc.

23. Plan a dream vacation.

Invite your kids to:

Choose a destination.
Calculate costs for travel, food, lodging, etc.
Research attractions, including things to do, admission costs, days and hours of operation, etc.
Create an itinerary

24. Swap books with a friend.

25. Design and create an art project.

26. Sign up for a local class or club.

Parks and recreation departments, gyms/fitness centers, zoos, museums, nature centers, public libraries, continuing education centers, and even home improvement stores are all great places to look for summer classes for kids.

27. Keep a journal.

Possible journaling themes could include:

28. Memorize Scripture together.

29. Write letters or postcards to family and friends.

30. Write and illustrate a book.

We go through so many of these blank books, I buy them in bulk! The kids just love writing and illustrating their own books.

Related Post: 20 Creative Writing Prompts For Kids

31. Design a math treasure hunt.

32. Watch a documentary.

33. Create stories using Story Cubes or story cards.

34. Put on a play or act out a story.

35. Listen to educational (and engaging!) kids’ podcasts.

Here’s a list of some of our favorite podcasts for kids.

Get More Summer Enrichment Activities and Keep School Skills Sharp With the Super Summer Learning Kit!

Want more summer enrichment activities and ways to keep your kids learning all summer long?

The Super Summer Learning Kit is a handy resource to keep kids’ school skills sharp while having fun throughout the summer. Packed with tools, strategies, and practical ideas, it provides everything parents need to engage their kids’ brains, develop their skills, and avoid the “summer slide” in organic (and dynamic!) ways.

This toolkit covers all the major subject areas, including reading and writing, math, science, social studies, art and music, and even health/exercise, as well as general tips and strategies for summer learning. Each section includes a list of practical ways to cultivate those specific skills, plus activities and tools for further brain-building fun.

Want an inside peek? Here are just a few of the resources included in the Super Summer Learning Kit:

10 Ways to Keep Kids Learning All Summer Long
Screen-Free Educational Activities
Questions to Ask Kids About the Books They’re Reading (+ fun reading games!)
Over 50 different writing prompts and activities
Activities to Build Math Skills At Home
Easy Experiments You Can Do At Home
A scientific method template
Social studies projects & book recommendations
10 Tips For Cultivating Creativity
25 Ways to Get Kids Moving
Healthy lunch & snack ideas
And so, SO much more!

If you’re ready to make this a summer of learning, click here to get your own Super Summer Learning Kit downloadable resource!

35 Fun & Engaging Summer Enrichment Activities to Do With Your Kids

Get More Summer Enrichment Activities and Keep School Skills Sharp With the Super Summer Learning Kit!

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