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Things seem to be slowly trending back toward normal, but with Covid-19 still a concerning issue, those looking for socially distanced activities to do with children this summer need to look no further! With the abounding resources available on the internet, the sunny days of summer, and a little creativity, your kids will have a summer filled with fun memories.

The following list of summer activities will help your family take full advantage of summer learning fun and help spark your creativity to make the summer all that it should be!  Kids can choose any activity they are interested in and complete them in any order they like (most children enjoy checking them off as they complete them). Some items require parental permission but others are suitable for kids to complete on their own. Some can even be done with the entire family!

Take a moment to review the list, and see which activities best suit your family. With these 102 things for your summer bucket list, you may just escape the “I’m bored” doldrums this summer!

1. Make a “smash book” of everything you do this summer – Smash books are great for children to use to document creatively because there are no rules! Find inspiration for your book here!
2. Have a picnic – Nothing screams “Summer!” quite like a nice shade tree, a blanket on the ground, and food from a basket. Here are 24 picnic ideas kids will love!
3. Write a letter to a Pen Pal – This is almost a lost art, and many of our children may not even know what a Pen Pal is. Help your child find a Pen Pal and get great tips on writing here!
4. Build a Fairy Garden – Whether you want to get fancy and go shopping, or just use items you have on hand, this list will definitely provide inspiration for you and your child to build your own little fairy garden!
5. Join the Workforce – If you have a teenager looking to make a little extra money this summer, ask friends and family for a “bob-a-job” list. They can work through the odd jobs and make some cash.
6. Become a photographer – Photography has become such a popular hobby and is a skill that can even potentially be used to build a career. If this is something that may interest your child, https://clickitupanotch.com/photography-for-kids/
7. Make dinner for your family – There may be extra mess involved, but letting your kids join you in the kitchen makes for some great childhood memories. If you have older children, let them choose a recipe that requires minimal parental involvement so you can kick back and let them take the reins!
8. Write a poem – Unsure where to begin? Take the challenge and let these 30 poetry prompts get you started!
9. Take a virtual tour – Dreaming of far-away places? Explore the hidden worlds of some of our National Parks here!
10. Bake some cookies – Let your little ones help whip up some dessert with some basic cookies. There is nothing like a warm Anzac biscuit!
11. Take a boat ride – Do some research and find a place where you can hire a boat, paddle board or Canoe.It will be a day they never forget.
12. Sketch a picture of your house from the outside – Learn about perspective drawing here!
13. Visit a farm – Visiting a working farm can be a wonderful family activity. Visit this website to find a farm near you – https://www.visitmyfarm.com.au/
14. Hold your own soccer camp – Do you have a budding soccer player? Get some of their friends together for drills and skills
15. Visit another country…online – With all the limitations of pandemic living, travel may not be possible…or is it? With Lonely Planet Destination Guides, your child can choose a country, learn facts, and take a tour!
16. Cut up an old greeting card picture and make a puzzle – Do you have any old greeting cards lying around? Watch this short video that shows your child how to use them to make puzzles!
17. Make a new kind of sandwich – Here is another great way to get your kids in the kitchen for a memorable lunch! Grab some bread and ingredients, and invent a new sandwich! It may taste great…or it may not. Either way, it will be fun
18. Go backpacking – Getting outside and wandering around in the mountains or the wilderness may sound amazing, but it may also sound daunting if you aren’t sure where to begin. Find out everything you need to know for a successful and safe trip here!
19. Go outside and find 10 different kinds of flowers – There are so many different kinds of plants, and most of us can’t immediately identify them all. Thanks to smartphones, now we can. Here are the 9 best free plant identification apps!
20. Go camping – Looking to hit the road this summer? Even just having the kids set up the tent in the backyard can be a load of fun.
21. Invent a new dance – If dancing or choreography is something your child is interested in, check out the Elements of Dance for tips on creating their own dance!
22. Help an elderly person with house or yard work – Is there someone in your community who could use a helping hand? Could your children pitch in and help?
23. Make an obstacle course in your backyard – Instantly become the coolest family by building a Ninja warrior obstacle course in your own yard. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest.
24. Make a scavenger hunt – The great thing about scavenger hunts is that they can be tailored to any age. Whether you have little ones or older children, you can make a hunt for everyone!
25. Read a story to someone – Sometimes our children don’t want to stop playing to read a story. When that happens, suggest some interesting outdoor locations for afternoon reading!
26. Create an art project using recycled materials – Teach your children about the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), and create some art using those recycled materials!
27. Build a treehouse – A great way to spend some time this summer is building a treehouse your children can enjoy for years to come! You could look online for inspiration or tap into your own childhood and leave materials for them to create themselves (depending on age of course)
28. Take a Dive – Experience the ocean from the comfort of your own home! Thanks to our National Marine Sanctuaries, you can explore these underwater areas on a virtual dive!
29. Have a family game night – Spending an evening with the whole family together learning a new game are nights that can become happy childhood memories. 
30. Make a movie – Do you have a child who loves movies and dreams of Hollywood? Let this guide teach them how to make their own movies and start chasing their dreams!!
31. Make a collage from magazine words and pictures – Remember that big stack of magazines on a shelf you keep meaning to recycle? Pull some out on a rainy day and get creative! 
32. Create a terrarium – It’s one thing to hear about or read books on the water cycle, but building a terrarium is a great way for your children to see and experience it for themselves! 
33. Go canoeing – Getting out on the lake can be an exciting experience for your family, but only if done safely.
34. Tour a virtual museum – There are so many museums in the world filled with amazing pieces of art from our history. Though it may not be feasible for your family to visit the Palace at Versailles in France, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, or the MoMA in New York, you can visit all of them and more with a click of a button!
35. Make a fire safety plan – With all the fun activities of summer, don’t forget some necessary safety measures. Go online for info on how to protect your home and family should the unthinkable occur.
36. Make your own bubble solution – Kids of all ages love bubbles. Even if you have cool, older children, they can join in the fun by having a contest to see who can make the biggest bubble! Get a recipe for giant bubbles here!
37. Plant something – Some people are blessed with green thumbs, while some of our thumbs tend toward brown, but no matter! Playing in the dirt has excellent benefits for our little ones.
38. Visit a tourist spot near your home – Many of us tend to avoid tourist attractions in our area because of crowds, but they draw crowds for a reason!
39. Build a sandcastle – Whether you’re on a beach or in a sandbox, learn tips for building a sandcastle to be proud of here!
40. Build a time capsule – This last year was definitely a year to remember…or forget, depending on your take, but it’s safe to say anytime is a good time to store our children’s memories for the future. Take an afternoon and put together a time capsule!
41. Act in a play – Do you have a budding thespian in your home? No matter the age of your children, there is something for them! Find a script online.
42. Cook a new meal from another culture – Sometimes we get so bogged down in our lives, we can forget how big the world is. A good way to learn about other cultures with your children is with food!
43. Make a bird feeder – It’s always fun to watch different birds flitting about in the yard. Make a bird with your children, and give the birds a reason to hang around!
44. Have a taste test – Discover how important our other senses become when eating. Do things still taste the same without using our senses of sight and smell? 
45. Connect with grandparents – Whether you’re still social distancing or you’re literally distanced by geography, write a letter, make a zoom call or just have a phone conference tea party.
46. Emergency First Aid Chart – Summer is a great time for the adults and teens in the home to refresh their memories on life-saving skills. Register for a class with the Red Cross
47. Become a Palaeontologist – Do you have a child with a dinosaur obsession? If you are vigorously nodding your head yes, visit the museum or even a museum online.
48. Write a song – If you have a child who loves music and has a story to tell, encourage them to channel that into song writing!
49. Tie-dye some t-shirts – If you’re looking for a fun, messy, outdoor activity, try your hand at tie-dyeing! Your kids are sure to love making their shirts, and then proudly wearing their creations for all to see!
50. Take a dog for a walk – If you have a furry friend, take him to the dog park, or a dog beach for a fun afternoon.
51. Have a paper airplane contest – Paper isn’t just for writing! Get your family together and have a paper airplane contest and have fun learning about aerodynamics!
52. Go without TV for a day (or longer!) – It’s hard to admit, but many of us spend more time than we should in front of a television screen. This can be especially true of our children. Try unplugging the tv for a day or two and see if it makes a difference in your family
53. Sign up for a Summer Reading Program – Looking to get your child reading more? Many kids thrive with friendly competition. Get them enrolled online into a reading competition.
54. Learn some new outdoor games – Sometimes we can play a game enough times that suddenly it’s no longer fun. If that happens to your children this summer, take a look at Pinterest to get out and play!
55. Make something from recyclables – Maybe you’ve been saving your recyclables but haven’t made it to the drop-off centre yet. Use some to create recycled art! 
56. 30 best movies this summer – Looking for a new movie for a family movie night? Get kids to review and make their “must see” movie lists. Then choose one each week for family film night.
57. Make homemade ice cream – What is summer without homemade ice cream?! If your family doesn’t have an ice cream maker, fret not! Learn on Pinterest.
58. Jump on a trampoline – I’ve never met a kid who didn’t love a trampoline. It’s great fun and great exercise! Make sure your child is having fun safely. A game of family  dodgeball is always a winner.
59. Get a magazine subscription – Another way to get your child reading is to mix up the method. Lay down the book for a day and pick up a magazine!
60. Turn TV time into learning time – Entertainment can also educate! Find a documentary to enjoy
61. Go swimming – Swimming is one of the most popular summer activities, and while it is a great way to spend a hot day, it is so important to take proper safety precautions. 
62. Paint or draw a portrait of your best friend – Looking for ways to flex those creative muscles? Let your children get a group of friends together to be an artist and their muse!
63. Do some scientific experiments – Let your children unleash their inner mad scientist by doing some fun experiments. You can pull them from your Euka program or go online.
64. Write a fairy tale – Once upon a time, your children loved listening to a great story. There’s something timeless about fairy tales that even adults can appreciate. Let your child’s creative mind run wild
65. Travel in time – Do you have an older child who loves history? If so, this website is perfect for them! Begin in Ancient Egypt and progress through time to present-day America.
66. Stargaze and track the moon phases – Warm, summer nights are ideal for stargazing! Grab a blanket and your kids, and spend an evening watching the sky!
67. Learn how to sew – Sewing is a skill that will serve your child all their life!
68. Visit a National Park – There are few places in our land as beautiful as the untouched National Parks. Whether you’re looking to take a road trip or want to visit one close by, check out the National Parks website to find the perfect choice for your family and prepare for the experience of a lifetime!
69. Watch a ballet – A great way to introduce your children to the beautiful art of ballet dancing is by watching one online.
70. Roast marshmallows – Take a warm summer evening, build a campfire, and see who can make the most perfect s’more! This is a tasty experiment your children are sure to love!
71. Watch the birds – Bird watching is a great outdoor activity that kids of all ages can enjoy.
72. Arrange a bouquet of flowers – Arranging flowers is truly an art form, and it is one that even children can master.
73. Child interested in starting a blog? Learn how to help them get started safely here!
74. Re-decorate your room – Maybe your child is getting older and wants a more mature bedroom, or maybe they’re just looking to change things up. Either way, the summer is a great time to redecorate!
75. Learn to play chess – Want to work those brain muscles and learn a new skill? Put down the checkers and pick up chess! 
76. Adopt a pet – Some of you are already shaking your heads no on this one, but the summertime is a great time to get a new pet! Your children have more free time to train and spend time with the new addition, and there are so many pets needing a home.
77. Keep your brain going – Do your children love jokes and riddles? If so, you will find plenty online.
78. Paint and hide rocks – Join the Kindness Rock Project! Spend some time with your children painting rocks, then hide them around your community for others to find!
79. Celebrate a crazy holiday – Apparently, every day now has some wacky holiday attached to it. Check online and pick some to celebrate this summer!
80. Play indoor hide and seek.
81. Ride a virtual roller coaster – For even more fun, stream the video to your TV and sit inside laundry baskets for the full effect. Go onto You Tube “roller coaster rides
82. Try a new cookie or cake recipe. Bonus idea: Set up a camera or smart phone and film a cooking show!
83. Indoor camping – Go camping in the living room.
84. Play board games.
85. Treasure hunt – Design and go on an indoor treasure hunt.
86. Gardening – Plan a family garden.
87. Get Slimey – Make slime. 
88. Salon Spectacular – Set up an in-home nail salon and try some nail art techniques.
89. Dress to impress – Dress up in your best clothes and have a fancy dinner.
90. Make a piñata. 
91. Get creative – Make friendship bracelets.
92. Pet Training – Teach your pet a new trick.
93. Picnic fun – Have an indoor picnic.
94. Listen to an audiobook or podcast.
95. Bingo – Create your own bingo cards and have a bingo tournament.
96. Movie Madness – Let your kids write and direct a stop-motion movie. 
97. Juggling fun – Teach yourself to juggle.
98. Amazing mazes – Make a maze on the floor with painter’s tape.
99. Play with sidewalk chalk.
100. Sport – Play indoor volleyball or soccer with balloons.
101. Play “The Floor is Lava”.
102. Build a giant fort out of blankets, chairs and pillows.