The Best Outdoor Play Ideas To Keep Your Kids Busy This Summer

We’ve rounded up the best outdoor play ideas that are EASY to do in your backyard and will even possibly give you the chance to sit down for a few minutes.

Whether your kids love getting soaked, making muddy potions, burning off energy, creating masterpieces, or playing every sport under the sun, we've rounded up simple ideas to help make the most of long summer days. Pick one, try them all, and let the backyard become the place where this summer's best memories are made.

FOR THE WATER LOVERS

Turn your backyard into a splash zone with simple water play that keeps kids cool for hours.

Get out the sprinkler
Fill up the water table
Reuseable water balloons
Water shooters
Water the plants, or the grass, or the driveway
“Car” (or anything: dinosaurs, tools, dolls) Wash

FOR THE POTION-MAKERS

A little imagination, a little mud, and a whole lot of magical outdoor fun.

Outdoor kitchen play
Make a potion with mud, grass, water, bowls and a wooden spoon
Bring out a natural bath-bomb to find the hidden surprise (use code BYTHENORTHMEDIA for a discount!)
Bubbles… all the bubbles
Freeze toys to chip away at

FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO LET THE ENERGY OUT

Perfect for kids who need to run, jump, ride, and burn off all that summer energy.

Skipping rope
Hula-hoop
Bikes
Scooters
Treasure Hunt

FOR THE ARTISTS

Take creativity outside with colourful, messy, and imagination-filled art activities.

Chalk
Outdoor painting and colouring
Tracing shadows of toys on Kraft paper

FOR THE SPORTS LOVERS

Classic backyard games that build skills, confidence, and plenty of family competition.

Soccer ball and a net
Football to play pass
Baseball (even better with the ball stand)
Basketball and a net
Mini putt set

Let the creativity and energy flow! Lifelong summer memories in the making.