Free activities for children this summer

Make a treasure hunt

Take your little ones toys and hide them around the house. Tell them how many items they are looking for, give them a bucket to collect their “treasures” in, and spend an afternoon giggling together!

Create a fort out of pillows and blankets

Gather up any materials you can find such as pillows, blankets and cushions. They can set them up any way they want; the sky really is the limit. Once you have your fort ready to go, gather up some books and toys and play inside.

Start a game of hide and seek

This is an old one but a good one, and you can do it either indoors or out. If your children are very young, keep them in one general area.  If they are older, spread out a little.

Have a party

Turn on some music and encourage your children to get up and dance! Make it into game to see who can come up with the most creative moves. You may not feel like dancing when you first begin, but by the time you get moving, you will feel better. And, when you are thoroughly exhausted, you can elect yourself the judge and have your children perform for you.

Get some fresh air

Find a park or a path to walk on. Visit the ducks. Go to a playground to let your children run around. Search for bugs. There are so many things that you can see and do outside. Let your imagination be your guide (or, just defer to your children as they will have lots of great ideas!)

Do some gardening

Getting your hands dirty is fun for children of any age! Working in the garden is a great way to get rid of some excess energy, you don’t have to have a big garden to have fun. You can use your imagination and just water the grass or trees, if you have a back yard you could get some flower pots and plant some seeds. 

Jobs in the kitchen

Children want to copy you and your behaviour. So, if you have a job that needs to be done, get your little one involved. Ask them to help you load the dishwasher or wipe off the counter. You will get your work done and have a little fun in the process.