Summer Holiday Activities for Kids to Try This Summer

If you’re looking for things to do with the kids this summer holiday, here are some activities we’ve been enjoying lately, and - most importantly, they’re activities my kids haven’t immediately got bored of!

We’ve mixed up a few easy kids' craft activities with getting outside, exploring nature and making the most of what summer has to offer. Nothing too complicated, just simple ideas to keep little hands busy and get them away from the screens for a while.

Monster Veg Printing

A bit messy, very easy and always a winner. We used vegetables to make prints and then turned them into funny little monsters.

It’s a great summer craft for kids, and you can use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. It’s also a good one for a rainy afternoon when everyone needs something creative to do at home.

Make a Frog Hotel

We’ve been making the most of the garden and creating a little frog hotel.

It’s a lovely and a good excuse to get outside and have a look at what wildlife you can find in your garden. Use natural materials such as stones, sticks, leaves and logs to create a little sheltered spot for frogs and other garden visitors.

And, of course, checking back to see if anyone has moved in is part of the fun!

Sunflower Picking

There’s something about a field full of sunflowers that makes summer feel like summer.

We headed out to pick our own and brought some home to brighten up the house. If you have a sunflower field near you, it’s a lovely way to spend a summer morning or afternoon - and a great excuse to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Nature Noughts & Crosses

A simple game with a nature-inspired twist.

Collect sticks, leaves, stones or anything else you can find and use them to create your own game of Noughts & Crosses. You can make the board from sticks on the ground or simply draw one on a piece of cardboard.

It’s such an easy outdoor activity for kids, costs very little and turns a walk or garden afternoon into a game.

Build a Hedgehog House

Another one for the garden!

The kids helped make a little hedgehog house and we found a quiet, sheltered spot for it outside. It’s a fun way to combine making with learning a little more about the wildlife that lives around us.

Building a hedgehog house is also a great wildlife activity for kids, giving them a reason to spend time outside and think about how we can make our gardens more welcoming for wildlife.

Make It Move Kits

For a craft activity that doesn't just end when the making is finished, our Make It Move Kits have been a favourite.

Kids can build their own moving character before bringing it to life so there’s plenty of making and playing involved. We love a craft that gives children something to do once they've finished making it, rather than something that simply ends up on the shelf!

Wildflower Hunting

Grab a little basket and head outside to see how many different wildflowers you can spot.

We’ve been looking out for everything from buttercups to daisies and seeing how many we can identify. You could make a simple checklist before you head out, take photographs of anything you don't recognise or simply see how many different colours you can find.

It’s a lovely summer activity for kids that turns an ordinary walk into a little adventure.

Make a Nature Picture

And finally, bring some of those summer finds into a craft project.

We’ve been adding wildflowers to a cardboard base to create our own little nature pictures, including this butterfly. It’s a really simple nature craft for kids, and I love that it combines getting outside with something creative to do when you get home.

You could make a butterfly, flower, rainbow or anything else you spot along the way. There’s no right or wrong way to do it!

More Things to Do With Kids This Summer

The summer holidays don't need to be packed with expensive days out and elaborate activities. Some of our favourite things to do with kids in the summer holidays are the simplest, getting outside, making something, collecting things from nature and seeing where their imaginations take them.

Whether you’re looking for summer crafts for kids, outdoor adventures, nature activities or simple screen-free ideas to keep little hands busy, hopefully these give you a few things to add to your list before the holidays are over.

And if you’re looking for a ready-to-go creative activity for a rainy day, you can find our full collection of craft kits for kids over at Let’s Make & Do.