Summer Activities for Kids: Toddler & Preschooler Edition

Last Updated on June 5, 2026 by Jordyn Koveleski Gorman

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There’s something magical about summertime for kids. And as a parent, there’s always the desire to make each year better than the last. The good news? Making summer special doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive!

Most of summer’s magic for toddlers and preschoolers is found in the simple things: water play, a cold sweet treat, and an audience to “watch this!” But summer days are long, and there’s a lot of time to pass. Not to mention that summer childcare is even more expensive than normal, and sometimes you just have to make the best out of a tough situation. Whether you’re trying to stay cool in a heat wave or need a little break inside, we’ve got summer activities for every kind of day!

Fun summer activities for kids

1. Take a kid-friendly hike

A walk or hike can be easily adapted based on your crew’s skill level! If your little one is a new walker, a simple walk through grass is an excellent challenge. Standing and walking in grass is much harder than navigating indoor surfaces like carpet and tile.

Older toddlers and preschoolers might even be able to handle some incline, if you’re hoping to get a workout in. Whatever terrain you’re on, try making it a game! Challenge your little one to collect leaves or rocks (if they’re out of the mouthing stage), look for different bugs, or just watch the clouds go by! Try modeling language like “The leaf is green!” or “The tree is tall!” Functional language like “Whoooosh!” for the wind and “Crunch crunch!” is great, too.

Activities that help your child build strength and balance include: bending/squatting to pick up rocks or look for bugs, stepping and jumping over sticks and in puddles, running from one tree to another, and using the curb as a balance beam. There is even a cool scavenger hunt game for kids that is perfect for taking hikes outside! We have the indoor scavenger hunt version, too, which is great for rainy days. 

2. Water games

There are a million ways to incorporate water play into your summer break! Whether you have water toys, a kiddie pool, or just a good old fashioned water hose, kids can have fun with water for hours!

Water play can be as simple as monitoring while your child splashes through a sprinkler or explores their water table. For more structured play time, consider games that help littles learn new skills!

A few of our favorite water games are:

• Scoop and pour. Fill a bucket/bowl with water or use a water table to build important skills! Young toddlers love practicing scooping and pouring water from one bowl to another. Add some bath toys for extra fun. You can also make an easy toy washing station for all ages.
• Water the garden! Do you have flowers or plants that need to be watered? Let your little one help! Fill a watering can or a cup with water and model how to water the plants. Let them carry the water and practice pouring slowly. Don’t have plants? Let your toddler/preschooler water the grass or the “wash” the sidewalk.
• Car wash. Let your little one wash their bikes and ride-on toys outside. Give them a bucket of soapy water and a sponge and let them wash those bikes and cars! Then they can help you rinse them with the hose or a spray bottle with clean water! They may even help out with washing your car, while you’re at it. Washing the car is a great activity to work on reaching overhead, getting on tiptoes, squatting, and side stepping.
• Water relay race! Set up two buckets 10–20 feet apart (one full of water and one empty). Grab a sponge (the kind used for washing cars are the best because they hold a lot of water), or even a towel or bath loofa. Have your little one try to transfer as much water as they can from the full bucket to the empty one using only the sponge! Run, run!

3. Find your local hotspots

Maybe your town has the coolest splash pad, an amazing playground, or the best zoo in the state! Check out nearby state parks, summer festivals, or local orchards for seasonal events.

We love using Playground Buddy when we travel to find local parks. It’s a great resource and who knows, there may be a hidden gem near you! You can download their app for free! 

4. Go camping

Okay, so this one can be indoors or outdoors. Camping can be such a special treat for littles that they’ll remember for years to come! If you’re not ready to commit to a full overnight outdoors, then camping at home is a great midpoint. You can set up a tent outside and see how long everyone lasts before moving in for the night. Or you can camp in the living room! Our camping play theme list is perfect for this activity!

Keep playtime fresh year-round with our 52 Play Themes freebie! Easily rotate toys, boys, and activities and never run out of ideas for learning and play!

Free summer activities for kids

Summer activities do not need to be expensive! In fact, there are several activities you can do at home or in your local community that cost $0. We listed out free activities and low-cost activities below:

1. Summer reading programs

Your local library likely has a summer reading program for littles. The library is one of our favorite places. You can read books while you’re there, check some out to take home, and explore an environment built just for kids! Go on a scavenger hunt to look for books about specific topics or interests. See our favorites here for ages 0–4!

2. Put on a show

Get creative with this one! Help your little one put on a puppet show or their own musical. Grab some snacks (it’s safest to avoid popcorn for littles under 5) and build a pallet on the floor for the audience (stuffies are great guests!). You can use play furniture to make a stage. Then, take turns putting on a show, reading books to the classroom, singing songs, etc. You can keep this set up all day long and turn this into a movie theater for a special evening activity!

3. Visit a museum, indoor play space, or the hardware store

You read that list right!

Find a local children’s museum here or head to an indoor play place to burn some energy! Similar to the library, bookstores are one of our favorite places. They often have the best kids’ sections to explore and play.

And don’t underestimate the power of hardware stores. They’re giant, indoor/outdoor, you’re allowed to be a little loud, and they’re surprisingly kid-friendly! For example: Home Depot does free children’s activities on the first Saturday of every month. Lowe’s hosts free activities for kids monthly, too! Check your local stores for event schedules.

4. Summer arts and crafts

Summer-themed crafts are one of our favorite activities! In addition to being fun, crafts support skill development in so many ways! Littles as young as 6 months old can meaningfully participate in craft time with simple adaptations.

We put our favorite summer crafts together in one place—download your Summer Crafts freebie here!

More activities for toddlers and preschoolers

Looking for more activities? We’ve got you!

Check out our play activities blog archive for more seasonal and age-based fun! And if you need help figuring out what to feed your toddler(s) after a day of play, take a peek at our quick toddler meals!

Our most in-depth play support has more than 100 age-appropriate activities using only what you have at home: Playbooks! We created the Playbooks to help reduce playtime stress for parents. After all, play is meant to be fun!