Quick check-in for those of us responsible for our kids’ entertainment all summer long: How are you? You okay? Need some fresh summer play date ideas? You came to the right place.
Your time is valuable, so let’s dive right into these summer playdate ideas as promised.
7 Summer Playdate Ideas
Summer days can be…well…boring for kids. It’s too hot outside, too mundane inside. They’ve seen that already, done that already. Bor-ing.
Of course, when my kids say such things, I tell them, “OnLy BoRiNg PeOpLe GeT bOrEd.” I don’t know whether that’s really true, but at least it makes them try to problem solve on their own. One solution to summer boredom is a well-timed playdate. But if your playdates are becoming tired, let’s wake them back up.
These 7 Summer Playdate Ideas range in complexity from epic to chill and are mostly screen-free, free-free, and located at home in the A-C. Of course, you could modify any of these playdates for the outdoors. You won’t find me hanging out in Houston’s dragon breath if there’s no pool, just saying.
1 | Hidden Treasure Playdate *EPIC*
We are in the process of moving, so a big part of our summer involves purging the house. While purging is not very playdate-ish, hear me out: the things I have found while doing so, I’ve repurposed into fun activities for the kids. I’m not saying you need to move house for this playdate, but it will require some prep work. Recruit your kids to help.
Hidden Treasure: Elevator Pitch
In advance of your playdate, clean out a hall closet, a cabinet, or set of shelves. Then, make a game or activity out of whatever you find. Examples below.
Hidden Treasure: Playdate Setup
Purge an area that will have *something* interesting inside — like arts and crafts, games, and books — and not, you know, your expired vitamins. The kitchen, for example, might have some great items for pretend play, safety permitting. And then whatever *treasure* you discover (I recommend 4 or 5 different items) determines the direction of the playdate.
The playdate can be as hands-off or hands-on for you as you need it to be. Either set the items out and let the kids take it from there or give them a prompt to follow and play along.
Examples of Random Items and How to Use Them
Souvenirs and hats: Let the kids pick through them and come up with characters to match, then make up and perform a one-act play. This can even evolve into an “open mic night” where kids take turns performing a talent in front of each other. If they can’t think of a talent, give them an animal and a personality (angry goat, scary kitten, funny lizard) and an objective (like taking a test) to interpret. Or they can do a live-action roleplay of their favorite video game.
Leftover wrapping paper: Host a giftwrapping contest using oddly shaped household items. This activity is actually quite hilarious, especially if you precut their paper into weird pieces. Give the kids a time limit, make it a race, make it a guessing game — What did I wrap? — or simply give them the supplies and let them have at it. And when the giftwrapping fun has expired, wad up the paper and have a snowball fight. Set out some boxes for quick clean-up.
Rediscovered birthday gift: Jackpot! Love when that happens. The fun takes care of itself.
Scrapbooking supplies: Kids can make almost anything out of a little paper, scissors, stickers, and glue: greeting cards, bookmarks, collages, confetti (not my favorite but you do you), puzzles, origami, DIY flags for the country of *insert kid’s name*. Bind mismatched pages together for whimsical homespun journals.
The most random of random items: If all you find is a strip of velcro and a headlamp, have the kids come up with a new purpose for the objects and host a Shark Tank to “sell” their brilliant inventions to one another. They’ll need a company name, a product name, a cost, and a good sales pitch.
Mom Tips:
*Decluttering is a daunting task but just think – 1) you don’t need to buy anything new for the playdate; 2) if the kids aren’t interested in something — wonderful, get rid of it; and 3) how good will it feel once that area is clean and you’ve taken the power back!
*What to do with the items after playing? Completely up to you. Donate. Toss. Keep.
2 | Electronic-Free Game Day *EPIC*
Any chance I have to peel my kids away from electronics, I will! This rotation activity is inspired by the classroom and works just as well for two kids as it does for twelve.
Electronic-Free Game Day: Elevator Pitch
Kids are split into equal groups, and six (+/-) activities are organized into separate, timed stations. Each group plays at a different station until the timer runs out, then they rotate to the next station and play. Repeat the pattern until everyone has rotated through every station.
Electronic-Free Game Day: Playdate Setup
1. Select six(ish) board, card, or yard games to play, then set up each in a separate zone or area of the house.
2. Explain the rules of the rotations and games as needed. Sample script below in Mom Tips.
3. Divide the kids into equal groups of 2 or 3 and assign each group their first station.
4. Set a 15-minute timer in a location everyone can see and hear. I like displaying this one on a TV.
5. Begin the first round. Play until the timer runs out, rotate, then repeat.
Game options: Guess Who, Jenga, UNO and its latest varietals, Mancala, Battleship, Go Fish, bean bag toss, ladder golf, indoor bowling
Non-game options: snacks, arts and crafts, drawing paper, Legos and Lego kits, costumes/dress-up, joke or would-you-rather books to discuss
*Cool Mom* Mod: Park an adult at one of the stations and teach the kids a new card game like Speed (video tutorial below) or Texas Hold ‘Em.
Mom Tips:
*Set the timer according to your preference, but I recommend keeping it between 15-30 minutes.
*Use games that don’t last that long. (Trad Monopoly is not it.)
*Sample script to introduce the activity: You will be split into equal groups of 2 or 3 kids and assigned to a game station. You will have 15 minutes to play the game located at your station. Play as many times as you want within that timeframe. When the timer runs out, rotate to the next station and play. You may not finish your game before the time runs out. That’s okay! The next group can pick up in the middle of your game or start a new one. Play fair, no cheating, and — win, lose, or draw — use good manners!
3 | Driveway Movie Night
This is such a relaxed, wholesome, family option. If you or a friend has a projector screen, set up a driveway movie night. (Nighttime is ideal unless your projector has allllllll the lumens and you have a way to keep everyone cool.) Pick a good family movie to project onto your garage door. If you want, ask neighbors to chip in and rent a newer film. Then spread the word to BYO chair, bug spray, drinks, and snacks. I would personally love to host a weekly movie in the summer, just haven’t done it yet.
4 | Color on the Walls!
Gather a large section of bleed-proof paper (butcher paper, poster board, large sticky notes), some painters’ tape, and washable, soft-tip drawing tools like markers, crayons, chalks, or paints. Before coloring on the walls (paper), test out your tools. If your marker bleeds through the paper — that’s a hard nope! Once you’ve found your winning combination, line a wall with the paper, set out the coloring supplies, let the kids take over, and supervise as needed.
As I mentioned, we are in the process of moving. I put paper all over our house to provide a creative outlet for saying goodbye to each space. Here, I used wrapping paper with crayons — not the best combination for wall-writing, but it’s what I have on hand.
5 | Diamond Art Date
Adults and kids alike can enjoy a diamond art date. The adults and older kids can bedazzle their favorite books, journals, or other items (mugs, cell phone cases, etc.) while the littles work on their own diamond art. It does take a certain personality to find this activity engaging, but if they like it, they will be occupied for quite a while!
6 | Escape Your Own Room
Designate a room all the kids have to work together, using clues, to escape from. Handwrite the clues and hide them throughout the room. More clues mean more time, but I would cap *the escape* at 30 minutes or less, depending on the kids’ ages.
If you have a mix of older and younger kids: The older kids can come up with clues and guide the younger ones through escaping the room.
To make it more complex: Write the clues on puzzle pieces. To escape, they will need to assemble the puzzle. There are several free printable escape room clues online to choose from.
7 | Dollar Store Standoff
This playdate requires taking kids into a store for a period of time. If that doesn’t deter you, stay tuned.
Divide kids into equal teams of 1 or 2. Logistically, it helps to have one supervisor (adult or teen) per team. Give each team a small container, like a solo cup, or this hilariously tiny shopping cart. Their objective: to fit as many items in that container as possible.
Give them a theme (animals, crafts, food) or leave it open. Whichever team fits the most on-theme items in their container will win its contents as a prize. For the next round, make the kids “shop” for their opponents. Winner gets to give their spoils to their friends. If you and your wallet are down for a round three, randomly assign each team a different container to work with.
Let us know which of these summer playdate ideas you try, or share your favorite playdate in the comments.
