Popsugar Parenting Family Fun Outdoor Summer Activities For Toddlers 33 Outdoor Activities That'll Make Your Toddler's Summer Look Like the Ones of Your Childhood 25 June 2018 by Alessia Santoro Image Source: Unsplash / frank mckenna When I look back on my own childhood, most of the memories I have from the summertime take place outside — riding bikes with friends, jumping into my grandparents' pool, creating masterpieces with sidewalk chalk on the driveway, washing my dad's car. If you're looking for ways to get your toddler (and even older kids) to put down the screens to have a Summer experience that looks like those of your own childhood, it's high time to get them outside and making memories in the sunshine. Scroll through for a mix of outdoor activities — most free, but some paid — that your toddler will love and remember for years to come. 1 Send Them on a Photo Scavenger Hunt Image Source: Unsplash / Kelly Sikkema Give them a list of things to photograph outside, like flowers, rocks, and clouds. 1 / 33 2 Make S'mores Image Source: Unsplash / Kelly Sikkema There's nothing more classic than making s'mores over an open fire in the Summer. 2 / 33 3 Visit Every Local Playground Image Source: Unsplash / Myles Tan Make it a mini bucket list of sorts — hit every local playground, then decide which is the fan favourite to keep returning to! 3 / 33 4 Teach Them How to Ride a Bike Image Source: Unsplash / Jordan Sanchez Whether a balance bike, a bike with training wheels, or the real two-wheel deal, Summer is the perfect time to teach your kids how to ride a bike. 4 / 33 5 Create Sidewalk Chalk Masterpieces Image Source: Unsplash / Tina Floersch A little bit of sidewalk chalk goes a long way — play tic-tac-toe, teach them how to write sight words, or encourage them to create a masterpiece. 5 / 33 6 Eat Meals Outside Image Source: Unsplash / Marissa Price Afternoon tea, lunch, breakfast, dinner — you name a meal, it can be eaten outside. 6 / 33 7 Have an Outdoor Photo Shoot Image Source: Unsplash / Kiana Bosman Dress up your toddler in their favourite outfit and find fun places to take their photo around town — they'll make for great holiday card photos! 7 / 33 8 Read a Book in the Fresh Air Image Source: Unsplash / Ben White Even if they don't have assigned Summer reading, suggest they curl up in a lawn chair or sprawl out on a picnic blanket to listen to you read them a new book in the fresh air. Related: 21 New Books From 2018 That Your Kids Should Read This Summer 8 / 33 9 Look For Shapes in the Clouds Image Source: Unsplash / Gabriela Parra Set out a blanket on the lawn and look for fun shapes in the clouds together. 9 / 33 10 Splash in the Puddles After a Rainy Day Image Source: Unsplash / June Admiraal Following a Summer storm, pull on their rain boots and some clothes you don't mind them getting muddy, and let them splash around in the puddles. 10 / 33 11 Teach Them How to Swim Image Source: Unsplash / Terry Jaskiw Not only is learning how to swim an important skill, but it's also a fun thing to learn! Take your toddler to the pool this Summer to teach them some tips (or sign them up for classes at your local pool, which may not be outdoors but is still a good thing to invest in!). 11 / 33 12 Eat Homemade Popsicles Image Source: Unsplash / Daniel Hjalmarsson Let the kids help you in the kitchen with homemade popsicles, then enjoy them outside once they're frozen. 12 / 33 13 Create an Outdoor Play Area With Toys Image Source: Unsplash / Gyorgy Bakos Lay out a blanket and bring out a bunch of toys they can play with in the fresh air, rather than on the playroom floor. 13 / 33 14 Go on a Flower Walk Image Source: Unsplash / kazuend Search for all of the colours of the rainbow, try to find as many different types of flowers as you can, or simply stop to smell as many as you can. 14 / 33 15 Teach Them How to Help in the Garden Image Source: Unsplash / Markus Spiske Whether you show them how to water the plants or teach them which produce is ready to be picked, your toddler will love hanging out in the garden with you. 15 / 33 16 Set Up a Slip and Slide Image Source: Unsplash / Brandon Morgan There's nothing more fun than sliding across a tarp or slip and slide on your belly — just make sure to set it up on a smooth patch of grass without rocks underneath! 16 / 33 17 Collect Rocks and Seashells at the Beach Image Source: Unsplash / Max Goncharov Fill up containers with rocks and seashells that your toddler can then sort by shape, size, or colour or paint later. 17 / 33 18 Host a Driveway Car Wash Image Source: Flickr user Courtney Carmody Invite all of their friends to help out and your mom friends to bring their cars to be washed — it's a win-win. 18 / 33 19 Play Tennis Image Source: Unsplash / Kelly Sikkema Teach your toddler coordination with a game of tennis. 19 / 33 20 Visit a Water Park or Splash Park Image Source: Unsplash / Derek Thomson Whether it's a free splash park, a water playground by the beach, or a park you visit for the day, playing in the water is the easiest way to keep a toddler cool and busy in the Summer. 20 / 33 21 Play Catch or Dodgeball Image Source: Unsplash / Wendy Aros-Routman If it's just you and your tot, play a game of catch and see how many times you can go back and forth before it drops to the floor once — or if the neighbourhood kids are around, teach them how to play dodgeball (with soft balls, of course!). 21 / 33 22 Go For a Swim at Sunset Image Source: Unsplash / Viktor Jakovlev It makes for cool photos and means the space won't be as crowded with other swimmers! 22 / 33 23 Watch Local Fireworks Shows Image Source: Unsplash / Paul M Find out where the free local fireworks shows are ahead of the Fourth (and beyond!), and bring lawn chairs to cuddle up in. 23 / 33 24 Fingerpaint Image Source: Unsplash / Senjuti Kundu Fingerpainting is super fun but is kind of a mess indoors. Bring it outside so your toddler can get as . . . creative as they want. 24 / 33 25 Make Wishes on Dandelions Image Source: Unsplash / Caroline Hernandez Although it's so simple, what adult doesn't remember seeing how far they could blow the pieces of a dandelion after making a wish? 25 / 33 26 Get Ice Cream From the Truck in Your Neighbourhood Image Source: Unsplash / Patrick Fore The ice cream truck jingle is the sound childhood memories are made of. 26 / 33 27 Go to a Local Carnival or Fair Image Source: Unsplash / Daniel Roe So many carnivals and fairs roll into town in the Summer months, and your toddler is finally big enough for some of the smaller rides — so why not make it a family day out? 27 / 33 28 Build Sandcastles Image Source: Unsplash / frank mckenna At the beach or in a sandbox, challenge your toddler to build the sandcastle of their dreams — it'll keep them busy for hours (OK, OK, minutes . . . )! 28 / 33 29 Blow and Pop Bubbles Image Source: Unsplash / Leo Rivas Anytime, anywhere. Related: Drew Barrymore Explains How This Simple Toy Can Prevent Tantrums — It's Genius! 29 / 33 30 Run Through the Sprinklers Image Source: Unsplash / frank mckenna Whether it's an old-school sprinkler or a giant unicorn lawn sprinkler! 30 / 33 31 Go on a Nature Walk Image Source: Unsplash / Priscilla Du Preez There's so much unique nature to be seen in the summertime. Walk through new places with your toddler and observe all of the nature around you. Related: Free Activities You Need to Put on Your Family's Summer Bucket List — Yes, We Said "Free" 31 / 33 32 Run Through a Local Park Image Source: Unsplash / Jessica To'oto'o There are probably parks nearby that are new to you and your family — check them all out with your toddler and let them run around before a picnic lunch. 32 / 33 33 Set Up a Colour Scavenger Hunt Image Source: Flickr user Melissa Hillier Or a scavenger hunt asking them to find a certain number of items, items of the different shapes, or things beginning with each letter of the alphabet. 33 / 33 Family FunKid ActivitiesToddlersSummer