Here are our favorite ways to have a creative summer with your kids. The whole family will have fun trying these ideas out!
Updated May 2025
Now that summer vacation is fully under way, there’s more time for art projects, open-ended play, experimenting, and games.
There’s more time for creativity.
But in the moment, sometimes it can be hard to think of ways to build creativity in your family. So, we’ve done the thinking for you! There are some tips, some art projects, some experiments, and lots of chances to have fun and get creative!
How to Have a Creative Summer with Kids
1. Don’t over schedule.
In fact, let your kids get bored sometimes. It’ll help get the creative juices flowing for their imaginations.
“I think it’s necessary to let kids get bored once in a while – that’s how they learn to be creative.”
Kim Raver
2. Try some new art activities.
We’ve got lots of great outdoor art ideas and fun summer activities. But don’t feel like you need to do them all! Bookmark the pages and come back to them when you need inspiration.
3. Revisit your favorite art activities.
Pull out some tried and true art activities but this time try them with new materials. Or take the art outside and be inspired by the summer sun!
4. Get outside and use nature as your inspiration.
Summer is the perfect time to make some nature inspired art! You can also create some new decorations for your garden!
5. Play art and drawing games for a creative summer.
Drawing games can be so much fun, for kids and adults alike! You never know what silly drawings the whole family will come up with.
6. Have an artful lemonade stand.
Spend as much time and creativity in building and decorating the stand and making the signs as making the lemonade. Or create some original artwork and sell that, too!
7. Encourage open-ended play.
Crafts and play materials that encourage your child to use their imagination when playing are fantastic! And we’ve got some great ideas on how to set up your backyard for maximum fun!
8. Break out the sensory play!
Summer is the best time for sensory play because you can take it outside! Let the kids get really messy, and then turn the sprinkler on to clean them off!
9. Experiment with the art of strewing.
Strewing is the perfect summer activity. It is the art of casually yet strategically leaving “invitations” for learning and creativity out for your kids to discover on their own. You get to sit back a little and your kids get to explore, all at the same time!
10. Try a summer craft for the whole family!
If you haven’t tried tie dyeing with your kids yet, you must! Everyone will have a blast and you’ll have some cool mementos from your summer. Want an even cooler method? Try ice dyeing!
11. Turn a beach day into an opportunity for creativity.
Just because it’s a beach day, doesn’t mean it can’t be a creative one! We’ve got 10 ways to have fun and get creative at the beach.
Here’s wishing you a creative summer! If you try any of these ideas out and share them on Instagram, be sure to tag us!
More Ideas for a Creative Summer
- 100+ Summer Crafts & Activities for Kids
- 12 Best Summer Art Activities for Kids
- 21 Outdoor Art Ideas for Kids
- Nature Art for Kids
- Garden Crafts for Kids
- 10 Ocean Crafts for Kids
