12 Fun Activities to Do This Summer

Summer is a time for fun, playing outdoors, and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. And the best part is that there is NO SCHOOL! Although summer is the best time of the year, it always seems to go by so quickly. Creating a "Summer Bucket List" is a great way to make sure that the family does activities together during the craziness that this season brings. So we created a few fun activities for your kiddos to do outside, inside, and around Rochester! Happy Summer!

1. Water Balloon Baseball

Want to cool down on a hot summer day? Water Balloon Baseball will do just that! It is the perfect combination of having fun and getting wet. Plus it is SUPER simple! All you need is a baseball bat, water balloons, and friends. 

2. Paint Rocks

Painting rocks is an easy and fun project. First, gather rocks from the backyard. Then paint! Your children can let their creativeness come to life by creating bugs, flowers, or their own creation to keep for a long time. 

3. Color Scavenger Hunt

Use your own backyard to create a scavenger hunt! Who doesn't love these? This is great for younger children. Start off by creating a color palette from markers or crayons. Then your child will have to find things in nature that match those colors. Not only is it a fun activity, but it works on developing important skills. For the older kids, you can do the same concept, but a "nature scavenger hunt" so they can get out and explore!

4. Tic Tac Toe Frisbee

Duct tape (or chalk) and frisbees are all you need. Then follow the beloved game of tic tac toe.  (If you don't have many frisbees, you can use one to throw and use another object to distinguish whose boxes are whose).

5. Drip Drip Drop

Do you know how to play Duck duck goose? If you do, then you know how to play Drip drip drop! First, you gather in a circle and have one person tap heads on the outside of the circle. The TWIST is instead of just simply saying "goose" for the person who has to chase the counter, they have to dump a bucket of water on them! 

6. Taco in a bag

When I think of summer, I think of nighttime bonfires with delicious s'mores. Before you break out the s'mores, why don't you have tacos for dinner at the bonfire!? You heard me right... tacos. How do you make tacos over a bonfire? Great Question! All you need is aluminum foil, meat, taco seasoning, and the toppings that you enjoy the most. Put the taco meat in the foil with cheese and other toppings then you wrap it up and stick it in the fire. Wait for the meat to fully cook, then it is ready to eat! You can even do it with a twist by doing taco in a bag (recipe here).

Things to do on a rainy day:

7. Homemade play dough

Kids love play dough! So why not make it from scratch? Two activities in one will keep the fun going for a long time. It is SO simple and I love to add vanilla or cinnamon (or both) to make it smell good. (recipe here)

8. Balloon Tennis

Have you ever played the famous game of "don't let the balloon touch the ground"? Now you can take it a step further by playing balloon tennis. It is such a blast, plus it allows you to get the energy out when it is rainy outside. (You can also use fly swatters if you don't have the materials).

9. Make a Bird Feeder

Simple ingredients and your family can enjoy the benefits. Making a bird feeder is something for the whole family to enjoy. You can also be creative with it by changing the shape so that everyone can add their special touch (recipe here).

Don't forget the things to do in Rochester!

10. Altitude/ Sky Zone

Who does not want to visit a trampoline park? Better yet, what parent doesn't want to get all their children's energy out during the summertime? This is a perfect place for kids to play, jump, and have fun. It is always a hit for everyone in the family. 

11. Red Wings Game

Put on your baseball cap and buy some peanuts and cracker jacks with the family. Make sure to be on the look out for special promotions such as fireworks nights, Batman night, $1 hot dog Wednesdays and much more!. Get tickets here.

12. The Strong Museum

This is a great place to spend a day of fun as a family. They have a variety of exhibits such as a Toys Hall of Fame, Wegman's Super Kids Market, the DanceLab, and a Butterfly Conservatory.

**Special thanks to Rachel Daellenbach for writing this post! Rachel has been working as an intern with Kids Min this Summer and will resume her final year at Roberts Wesleyan College this fall. Be on the lookout for chances to connect with her before her summer at Northridge is complete!