125 Ways to Have Fun Outside this Summer

Make the most of your summer with these creative ideas for outdoor fun with kids. Our editors have compiled 125 reasons to get outside in the sunny season, from scout-inspired activities to eating outdoors, gardening with kids, dinosaur-focused fun, activities on the water, live sporting events, and much more. Read on, or download the full, printable guide.

	13 Scout-Inspired Ideas for Getting in Touch with Nature From fly fishing to orienteering, the Great American Backyard Campout to stargazing as a family, summer is the perfect time to get outdoors and get in touch with nature. Light a campfire, host a bake sale, go on a treasure hunt, and find many more badge-worthy activities to keep your little ones engaged all summer.
	5 Ways to Indulge Kids’ Dinosaur Obsession With dinos making tracks everywhere from Brooklyn to New Haven, CT (and even in your own home), now is the perfect time for pint-sized paleontologists to explore their dinosaur passion. Plus: Find rainy day dino-themed fun in the NYC area
	Tastes of Summer: 13 Ideas for Eating Al Fresco One of the best things about summer is eating outside, whether it’s at a picnic, BBQ, street festival, or even a restaurant. Here are more than a dozen creative and fun ways to eat outside this season and tons of summer-inspired recipes (including several yummy vegan options!)
	17 Ways to a Greener Thumb Whether you want to start growing your own produce or your child has expressed interested in digging in the soil, we’ve compiled a list of 17 ways to a grow a green thumb, including gardening activities for kids, gardening tools for kids, what to plant in a kid’s garden, how to create small container gardens, and how to start composting.
	Splish Splash: 8 Ways to Have Fun in the Water Row a boat, hit the beach, take a wet and wild day trip, and more! Here are eight ways to have fun and cool down this summer.
	A Dozen Ways to Wear the Kids Out With a little elbow grease and a lot of creativity, we guarantee these options will run your kids ragged. From games to hikes, it’ll be nap time before your kids know it.
	Easy, Peasy Sundays: 17 More Mellow Ideas for Fun After a rambunctious summer Saturday, it can feel great to get back to center with a mellow Sunday. Skip the urge to hibernate—just turn down the volume with the 17 best activities for a lazy day.
	Healthy Competition: Where to Watch and Play Live Sports this Summer Summer is the time for some good, clean fun with your family. From cheering on the home team to competing alongside your kids, all our ideas for getting into the game are surefire winners.
	In the Stars: 11 Ways to Enjoy the Night Sky Look up! Here are 11 ways of where and how to go outside and see the sky, plus a bonus tip for enjoying the the stars indoors.
	Pot Luck: 10 Unexpected Ways to Keep Boredom at Bay After the novelty of no more school! has worn off, and between camp sessions, there will be days when you wake up and wonder what the heck to do. Presenting 10 unexpected ideas to keep boredom at bay.