10 Summer Activities to Do With the Family

August is Family Fun Month and if you’re looking for ideas to keep the entire family entertained, consider these 10 ideas.

1. Summer Concerts in the Park

Most cities across the United States now offer summer concerts in the park. Families are usually encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs and some allow food and/or host food trucks on site. The music is often varied by genre to provide a showcase of music to fit everyone’s taste. A quick Google search of “summer concerts” and your town or city’s name should help you find your nearest events.

2. Set up a backyard campsite or outdoor movie theater.

Pitch a tent, set up a project to show movies on a hanging sheet and grab some supplies to make s’mores around the campfire!

3. Make a family time capsule.

Fill a waterproof container with dated letters from each family member (or write one letter) and then add photos, newspaper clippings, movie ticket stubs, coins, small toys, or pieces of memorabilia. Bury it in your backyard but be sure not to dig too deep (where you can hit underground cables).

4. Go on a geocaching adventure.

Not familiar with geocaching? All you’ll need is a smartphone and pen to go on an outdoor hunt for clues (and maybe small prizes!). Create a free account on www.Geocaching.com and then just type in your address to see all the nearby geocaches. Down the app and use it to navigate to find clues and small treasures (think tiny cars, marbles and coins). Sign the logbook in the geocache to let other people know you’ve played (and enjoyed) the scavenger hunt. You can even create your own geocache for other families to play!

5. Tour a fire station.

Most fire stations hold open houses for the community several times a year, but some also let you bring your family on a private tour. Call in advance to discuss scheduling and clarify the ages of your kids so the crew can plan your experience. Kids are often allowed to climb on the fire trucks, slide down the pole, touch the equipment and see where the firefighters eat and sleep.

6. Volunteer as a family at an animal shelter. 

Allergies aside, most kids love spending time petting cats, holding rabbits, or playing fetch with dogs. Shelters and rescues often post volunteer opportunities (with minimum age requirements) on their websites, but you can always call to ask if they have anything available for your kids’ ages.

7. Build a window garden.

You don’t need a huge yard to plant seeds and nurture them into plants! Some kids love the responsibility of tending to something and they’ll probably be excited to sample anything they grow!

8. Movies in the park.

Many libraries across the country are now offering weekly movies in the park during the summer. These events are projected onto large screens or the sides of buildings and families are usually welcome to bring blankets, chairs, and snacks. Check your local library’s website or call your local Chamber or tourism bureau.

9. Design your own carnival.

Coming up with your own games is almost as fun as playing them! Try to bounce ping pongs into cups, toss a disc into a hamper, or knock down empty tin cans with a rice-filled sock. A trip to a dollar store or thrift store can give you lots of great ideas for just a few bucks!

10. Create a scavenger hunt.

DIY scavenger hunts work well outside (“find a black rock” or “spot a red bird”) and inside on a rainy day. The clues can be customized based on your children’s ages (“find a pink sock”) and you can offer a small prize at the end.