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Are you looking for new summer activities to do now that the kids are out of school for a few months? Or maybe you’re wondering what activities the whole family can enjoy together.

Here are 27 fun summer activities for the family. Whether you enjoy being outside, staying indoors, or being more active, this list has something for everyone.

Nature Activities

If you’re interested in outdoor activities for your family, there are endless options in the summer.

Strawberry Picking

If you love strawberries, then summer is the perfect time for you since they are ripe! Strawberry picking is a fun outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy together. Many farms will offer visitors the opportunity to come and pick strawberries while they are in season.

Once you have picked your fresh strawberries, you can eat them as they are or bake a dessert! Your family can get creative baking fresh strawberry muffins, making a strawberry sorbet or popsicles, or baking a strawberry cake.

Camping

If you and your family are nature lovers, go camping! There are many spots to go camping, whether it’s at a local campground, around a lake, or even in your own backyard.

While you camp, you can have a fire, make s’mores, play games, spend time with family, and enjoy nature. This makes camping one of the most memorable summer outdoor activities for the family.

Watch a sunset

Few things are better than seeing a beautiful sunset after a long summer day. If you love a good scenic view, lay out a blanket in your favorite spot to watch the sunset with your family.

Your family can try to catch the sunset in numerous different spots throughout the summer for different scenic views. You may get lucky and get a great photos, too!

S’mores

If you’re looking for a relaxing activity in the comfort of your own backyard, make s’mores! S’mores are a fun outdoor activity to enjoy on summer nights.

You can start a small fire in your backyard, just make sure to be safe. S’mores require minimal supplies too – all you need is graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.

Gardening

If you have a garden, summer is the perfect time for your family work on it! Maybe it needs some care, or maybe you want to add more plants to your growing collection.

Gardening is an activity the whole family can get involved in, whether you are planting or harvesting. If your family is newer to gardening, check out some of our gardening tips for beginners.¹

Cookout

If you want a fun outdoor activity while enjoying food, host a cookout! You can invite your family members and friends over to enjoy a delicious meal together.

Grill out with your favorite dishes to share the best cookout recipes. You can also ask everyone to bring a side dish or dessert to share their favorite food items.

Sport Activities

Hiking

If you love to be out in nature and want to get a workout in, take a hike! You may live near the mountains or hills that offer great hiking trails. Your family may also be able to find a nature trail close by that offers different routes for you to explore.

Hiking is also a great workout because it can help you build endurance. Check out our article here on why hiking is good for your health.²

Swimming

If your family loves being in the water, you can all go swimming together this summer! Many local pools, swim clubs, and lakes will be open and offer visitor hours for people to come and swim during the summer.

Swimming is also a good option to stay active because it’s a full-body workout while also being low-impact on the joints. Click here to read about all the health benefits you can get from swimming.³

Kayaking

If you want to be in nature but also do an activity on the water, go kayaking with your family this summer! Kayaking is a slow-paced activity that is fun for the whole family.

If you don’t have your own personal kayak, many recreational centers or local lakes have options for you to rent one. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen before you go out on the water!

Biking

Biking is a fun family activity that everyone can enjoy. You can bike around your neighborhood, at a local park, or find a trail nearby.

If you don’t currently own bikes, try renting bikes for your family. There are also some events that invite bikers to come and bike a distance together.

Pickleball

Pickleball is a fun family activity that combines some elements of tennis and ping-pong. It involves a paddle and two or four players.

Try to learn how to play pickleball with your family! There may be local pickleball courts near you, or some people create their own court at a tennis court.

Host a field day/backyard Olympics

If you want to have a fun day at home, host a field day/backyard Olympics! This can include your family, as well as friends.

You can create teams, plan out fun games to play, and see who wins the event at the end of the day. If you want to entice people to come and participate, you can offer a prize or make everyone dinner.

Indoor Activities

If you want some fun summer activities that you can do indoors with the family, here are a few options!

Movie/Game Night

Is it a rainy summer day, or are you looking to stay out of the sun? A movie or game night is a perfect idea!

Choose a family-friendly movie that everyone will enjoy. Or play a few fun games! You can include everyone’s favorite snacks and candy to make the game night more fun.

Make Dinner

If you love having family meals, make dinner together as a family! You and your family can try making a new recipe together. The kids in your family can help in small ways such as cutting fruits and vegetables or helping to mix ingredients.

You can use fresh produce from the farmers market or your own garden to make your recipe taste memorable.

Bake

If your family loves sweets, try baking a new recipe! You can use fresh fruits, or you can make a more decadent chocolate dessert.

If your whole family loves to cook or bake, and wants to get competitive, have a cook-off or bake-off! This can be a great way to involve people and allow them to use their creativity to show off their cooking skills.

Make homemade ice cream

There’s nothing like cold ice cream on a hot summer day! If your family loves ice cream, try making your own recipe at home. This can be a great way to cool off while enjoying new recipes you may have never tried before.

You can either use a machine or find a recipe that doesn’t involve a machine. You can add your favorite toppings and flavors to the ice cream!

Crafts

If you or your family members are crafty, there are plenty of fun arts and crafts you can do this summer.

You can create a summer scrapbook with photos you take throughout the season! Keep a disposable camera with you, or a polaroid camera, and add the photos to a summer-themed scrapbook.

Another summer-themed craft is to press summer flowers. All you do is pick local flowers, dry them out, and press them into a book.

Local Activities

If you’re interested in some fun summer activities that are local to you, or may involve a day-time road trip, here are numerous options.

Local Fair

Many communities have a local fair during the warmer months. If your county isn’t having one, check out a neighbor community and its events.

A local fair will often have popular local food options, games, and rides for the whole family to enjoy!

Take a Road Trip

If your family is looking to get out of town for a bit, take a road trip! You can visit somewhere close by, within your state, or further out if you’d like.

Map out some places you’d like to visit, whether it’s the park in your town, a museum, or a local restaurant your family hasn’t visited yet.

Drive-In Movie

If you love watching a movie in the evening, find a drive-in movie theater nearby! This allows you to enjoy a night under the stars while watching a fun movie.

Many drive-in theaters play family-friendly movies, as well as newly-released movies. They usually have concessions, too!

Go to a baseball game

If your family is a fan of baseball or loves sports, go to a baseball game! You may have a major league baseball team near you, or you may have a minor league or summer league team nearby.

A baseball game is a fun event the whole family can enjoy outside with snacks.

Visit the local zoo

If your family loves animals, visit the local zoo! Most cities have one, and it may be a day trip for you.

Families with younger kids will find a lot to do at their local zoo. Many zoos will offer activities for younger kids that can help them learn about animals and find interest in nature.

Visit an amusement park

If you have an amusement park nearby, take your family to the park for a day!

Most amusement parks have rides and games that the whole family can enjoy. You can also pack a picnic or enjoy food in the park for lunch.

Free concert

If you love live music, check to see if there are any free concerts near you. Many cities offer small concerts, especially outside, during the summer.

You may find a local band that you enjoy and want to see again in the future!

Visit a local park

If you and your family love to be outdoors, visit a local park. You can pack a picnic, games, or play outdoor games or sports.

Some parks will offer fun activities during the summer season, such as nature walks, to help encourage people to get outside and come visit.

Farmers Market

Take a trip with your family to the local Famers Market this summer. Not only will you support your local farmers and businesses, but you will get fresh foods and snacks, too!

You can use some of the items that you purchase at the farmers market in your next recipe!

Visit a local museum

If you and your family love to learn, visit a local museum. You may have to drive a bit further to reach one, making this a fun day trip.

You can find a history museum, art museum, or anything that your family is interested in learning about.

About Saber Healthcare Group

Saber Healthcare is an organization that provides services to more than 115 buildings across the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Delaware, and Florida. To learn more about our company and services, click here.

Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long-term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

1. “15 Gardening Tips for Beginners.” Saber Healthcare Group, saberhealth.com. April 28^th, 2023. Accessed June 20^th, 2023. https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/gardening-tips.
2. “Why Hiking is Good for Your Health.” Saber Healthcare Group, saberhealth.com. November 27^th, 2021. Accessed June 16^th, 2023. https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/why-hiking-is-good-for-you.
3. “9 Health Benefits of Swimming for Seniors.” Saber Healthcare Group, saberhealth.com. August 12^th, 2022. Accessed June 16^th, 2023. https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/swimming-for-seniors.