50 Things to Do With Your Kind Kids This Summer

By Kindhumans June 1, 2021

This has been a challenging school year for most parents, teachers, and caretakers, to say the least! Moms and dads are tired and worn out from supervising online learning—not to mention the stress of parenting in the midst of a global pandemic. We feel it’s more important than ever this summer to help your kiddos de-stress, enjoy the warm weather outside (and away from screens) and tap into the kindness and beauty all around them. After all, raising Kindhumans is less about telling your little ones what to see and how to be, and far more about engaging them in opportunities and experience to feel, engage and learn how to be kind on their own.

Here are 50 activities and ideas to inspire you and your little Kindhumans this summer! From planting butterfly gardens and backyard stargazing to creating homemade “Kindness Cards” we hope this list encourages your family to relax, enjoy the season, create memories and spread kindness!

Make a time capsule for Summer 2021; bury it in the backyard to find later!
Try squirt-gun water painting! Using watercolor paper, watercolors and a squirt gun, you can paint when you shoot. Looking for more? You can find all our favorite sustainable art supplies for summer creativity here.
Plant flowers or vegetables in a flower bed or in a pot. Use summer as an opportunity to teach your kids how to grow their own and live more sustainably. They can water every day and watch the seeds bloom!
Visit your local lake or take a beach trip. Pack a lunch and find a good spot!
Start a gratitude journal. Each night before bed, encourage your kids to write down (or tell you) one thing they are thankful for and see how your list builds over the summer. Need a journal? Look no further!
Take an early morning or a late night walk. Summer means relaxed schedules—why not get creative with those extra hours you have? Take an early morning adventure and let your littles explore the world before the day begins, or do a “pajama walk” at night time right before bed! Either way, the kids will love it!
Fly a kite.
Go for a nature walk. Prompt your little ones to observe what they see. Make sure your bigger kids know to put away their devices and challenge them to relay what they saw and thought about the experience.
Visit a local farm.
Go to your local aquarium.
Read and watch kindness-focused stories together. Expose your kiddos to stories and characters (books, TV, or movies, etc.) that show the goodness in the world. Here’s our recommended list of books to enjoy!
Make homemade ice cream.
Go stargazing in the backyard, or somewhere remote.
Create sidewalk chalk murals with messages of kindness and peace. Try Eco-kids Hopscotch Chalk for a sustainable and long-lasting option.
Give your neighborhood wildlife a little TLC. Let the kids go crazy with these DIY bird feeder projects.
Go berry picking. This is a great opportunity to let your family experience the joys and benefits of seasonal eating.
Plant a butterfly garden in your yard or local neighborhood garden. Check out our partners at One Flower Project for more tips and resources on protecting pollinators!
Make Plantable Paper from recycled paper scraps.
Create “kindness cards” from your plantable paper. Encourage your kids to write messages of kindness on them and send to friends and family over the summer to “grow kindness” wherever they are!
Go to your local farmer’s market. A quick trip to the farmer’s market can be a fun outing, and a great way to expose your littles to different and seasonal foods.
Do a puzzle together.
Paint Kindness Rocks with your kids. Leave them around your neighborhood as beautiful treasures for others to find.
Visit a friend for a playdate. Bring fresh flowers, baked goods or a card to remind them how much you appreciate them.
Bake treats and bring them to your local fire station, police station or hospital.
Pack a picnic and take it to the park! It’s a great way to get the kids out of the house and enjoy a change of scenery. Looking to pack a waste-free picnic? Check out these tips for sustainable meals on the go.
Make shadow drawings. Challenge your kids to see the world in a new way by tracing shadows on the ground in your yard or around the neighborhood with paper and pencils. Take the drawings home and color or paint to your heart’s delight using the “shadow drawing” as a guide.
Decide on a monthly “family day” where you engage in a volunteer activity as a family.
Do some yard work for a neighbor. Offer to rake leaves, do a little weeding or water the plants for a neighbor. Bonus for you: the kids will be out of the house for a bit!
Start a lending library in your front yard or neighborhood. Clean out your bookshelves and ask the kids to choose some books they are ready to let go of and would like to share with the community!
Walk, bike or rollerblade somewhere instead of driving. Share in the experience of getting somewhere without a car, and enjoy the slowness of that type of travel!
Check out a free museum.
Enjoy a family night of backyard camping.
Make homemade lemonade on a hot day. Encourage the kids to offer a nice cold glass to your postal carrier or local delivery driver!
Create a “helping jar” at home. Create three jars for spare change and coins around the house. One for spending, one for saving, and one for giving—this is the “helping jar.” Talk about the importance of helping others, try to fill the jar by the end of summer, and have a family discussion about where to donate the money!
Create a backyard obstacle course. Endless hours of outdoor fun—no screens required.
Go fishing or engage in water play at a local river or lake. Don’t forget the stylish sun protection!
Organize a toy swap. Invite friends and neighbors to come over with toys or books that they no longer want, then draw numbers to see who gets to pick a “new” toy first! Talk with your kids about the importance of reusing items instead of buying new.
Offer to wash a neighbor’s car with your little ones.
Clean up trash in your local area.
Recycled art projects. Here are some fun ideas to get you started.
Visit a wildlife refuge. Lace up your boots, pack the sunscreen, and play naturalist at a local wildlife refuge. You’ll be enjoying the outdoors and instilling a love of nature in the kiddos. Find a good spot near you by checking out fws.gov/refuges.
Build a backyard bonfire. Your kids can recreate the feeling of summer camp by telling stories, roasting veggies or s’mores and singing campfire songs. Be sure to check local fire regulations first!
Create a family peace table. Choose a spot in your house where family members can go to “talk it out” peacefully. Decorate the space with drawings, kindness stones, candles, etc., with the kids and then use this area to work out conflict with kindness and respect.
Create a Random Acts of Kindness bingo card with your kids. Use it all summer long!
Pick some wildflowers (when safe to do so) and bring them to someone to brighten their day!
Download or make your own Kindness Calendar to use when boredom strikes this summer!
Help your kids make postcards from their old artwork or use some pages out of this Kindhumans Activity and Coloring Book! Drop a few by the nearest senior center and ask if they can use them for anyone who needs a bit of cheer.
Encourage your older kiddos to organize a flash mob. They’ll feel grown up with the responsibility and enjoy bringing smiles to strangers’ faces once they pull it off!
Collect your recyclable cans and bottles each week. Exchange them at the recycling center for their refund value. Add this money to your “helping jar” or take turns deciding how to use the money to spread kindness to others in your community!
Read this book together. Check out other wonderful summer reading options for your little Kindhumans here.