Once the school bell rings, signalling the end of school and the beginning of summer vacation, kids begin to rejoice. They look forward to 2 whole months of no school, no homework assignments and just plain fun. Whether you’re a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, you’ll need to plan out engaging activities to keep your tiny tots out of trouble over the summer vacation. So, no more kids at loose ends and no more stress for the parents.

Summer vacation is all about fun with friends and family. But there will invariably be days when kids get bored and restless. A bored and restless child will soon turn into a whiny child. Soon your little one could be throwing a tantrum, which is any parent’s nightmare. The easiest way to ensure your little one doesn’t end up bored, is to plan fun activities and games that will keep them occupied. 

Here is a list of the 10 best activities that are sure to keep your child busy and entertained over the summer vacation. 

10 Activities to Make Summer Vacation More Fun

These 10 amazing activities are sure to spice up your child’s summer vacation and leave you stress-free.

  1. Water games: Water-based activities and games are always a great hit during summer. So, cool down your kids with a water slide mat. Your kids will surely enjoy splashing around and sliding on the water slide mat for hours and hours. If you don’t want to invest in a mat, you can use cheaper toys like squirt toys. Kids will enjoy themselves to the fullest as they run around squirting water at their friends and family. 
  2. Science experiments: Summer vacations might be a break from school, but it shouldn’t be a break from learning. Perform science experiments like How To Make A Volcano Step By Step to teach them about acid and bases. Make slime or crystals at home to teach them different scientific concepts. Additionally, these experiments make learning more fun and easy for little kids. 
  3. Reading: Summer is a great time to introduce little kids to the joy of reading. Choose some simple child-friendly books and help them read the books. You can make it more exciting by awarding prizes for each book they complete. 
  4. Puzzles: Puzzles are an age-old activity that everyone loves. Have a bored child on hand? Then hand them some simple jigsaw puzzles. Not only will they be occupied and entertained, but kids will also learn to be patient and persistent. If your child likes a challenge, give your little one a crossword puzzle or word search puzzles. Crossword puzzles with summer words are the best way to teach little kids new words and improve their vocabulary.
  5. Backyard camping: If your little one is an outdoorsy person, give them a backyard camping experience. Build a small campsite in your backyard with a tent, sleeping bags, flashlights and maybe, even a fire pit to make s’mores. Not only at night, but even during the day, your little ones will love camping in their backyard campsite.
  6. Gardening: If your little one loves plants and has a green thumb, introduce them to the wonderful world of gardening. Buy some simple gardening supplies and plants and help your little one create a garden of their own. Show them how to take care of their plants and tend their garden. You can even help them make a vegetable garden or herb garden to harvest all summer long.
  7. Baking: If your little one is a wannabe masterchef and loves pottering about in the kitchen, introduce them to baking. Teach the tiny tots to bake cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc., and help them to sell them, too. This activity will help them learn to cook and also, teach them basic entrepreneurship skills. It’s also a great opportunity to brush up math concepts like measurements, fractions, volume etc. 
  8. Art project: If your child is very artistic, help them start an art project over the summer vacation. You can build and paint a birdhouse or make pottery. This activity taps into your child’s creativity and imagination and also helps them have fun. If they’re too young for these activities, you can just hand them some coloring worksheets and crayons. 
  9. Backyard obstacle course: If your tiny tot is a bundle of unending energy, build them an obstacle course in your backyard to burn off some of that energy. The little ones and their friends can have fun exploring and exercising on the obstacle course. 
  10. Scavenger hunt: This timeless game is a wonderful way to keep your little ones occupied over the summer vacation. You can play this game outdoors or indoors. Hide the clues all over the house and ask the kids to decipher them to find the prize. 

Summer vacations are all about having some healthy, active fun. The kids can go swimming, bike riding or stay home and play indoor games. This keeps them busy and entertained, and leaves you and your child with great memories.