Summer is such a great time to make your own activities with your toddler. There are so many summer activities for toddlers, that are easy to make and fun to do! The resources and ideas are unlimited, and will keep your toddler learning and super busy. Most you can create with the items you already have! There are many ideas, from sensory play to STEAM ideas, and everything else in between!
Here are just a few things that I have done myself with my toddler twins, with big brother loving it as well!
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Make Your Own Ice Cream
1.Making Ice cream (Science buddies)
Making ice cream is a fun summer activity for toddlers. Perfect for a hot day by the pool, or a rainy indoor activity. Either way it’s the perfect summer activity!
What you need:
1. Ziplock bag
2.Half and Half
4.Sugar
2. Banana ice cream (Yummytoddlerfood.com)
Banana ice cream was always a favorite of mine when I was a kid, so why not make it a favorite for you own little ones? It’s simple to make, and my twins love it! Extra bonus- it’s healthy!
What you need:
1.Frozen bananas
2.Cream
Ice Games
3.Ice smash game (Busy toddler)
This activity summer activity is fun and messy. There is but clean up is required as the ice will melt. Always supervise with this game!!! Smash the ice in the yard with a hammer or mallet.
What you need:
1.A bin of ice cubes
2.Toy hammer or meat mallet
4.Paint ice cubes (Busy toddler)
This activity is perfect for toddlers to play indoors on a hot summer day! There’s a little bit of science fun, sensory play and exploration! Everything toddlers love, need and enjoy!
What you need:
2. Ice cubes
3.Paint and paintbrushes
5. Ice with fruit (Celiac Mama)
What’s more refreshing than ice cubes and fruit? Better yet, put them in some water and your little ones will have a sophisticated fun glass of water! All you do it cut up whatever fruit you want, place them in an ice tray with water and freeze! Perfect summer activity for toddlers, and big kids too!
What you need:
2.Fruit
3.Water
6.Ice Animals (Mama.Papa.Bubba)
Your toddler will love this science experiment, so will your older kids! You can do this several ways. Either add water to a bowl or to a large gallon bag (my sons favorite). Fill the bag or bowl with the little plastic animals and then fill it with water. Place in freezer. After it is frozen, place in a large bowl, and watch the animals melt out, or chisel them out.
What you need:
1. Bowl or gallon bag
3. Kids chisel
Water Play
7.Alphabet soup (MyMessyLittleMonster)
This summer activity for toddlers, can be done inside or outside. Fill a large tub with water (some people prefer a bathtub or sink), and foam alphabet letters. Scoop it with some spoons, or your hands and have fun! Make it educational by matching lower case letters to upper case letters!
What you need:
2. Water
3. Large foam alphabet letters
4. Ladle
What kids don’t like to play with sponges? There are many different kinds of sponges that can be used too. Just fill up a large bucket with water, and a bunch of sponges, and you have a perfect summer activity for your toddler.
What you need:
2.Water
3.Sponges (round, extra large square, rectangle sponge
9. Sponge Letter Match Water Activity (Teaching 2 and 3 year olds)
Why not add some education to this sponge activity? Write uppercase letters on large sponges and match them on the other. You can match upper case to upper case, or upper case to lower case. You can also use foam letters, or sponge letters.
What you need:
1. 2 large bins
2.Water
3.Large sponges with letters written on them
4.Alphabet foam letters or alphabet sponges
Read some more toddler fun ideas:
Click here to read more alphabet ideas for toddlers.
Click here to read more summer sensory ideas.
10. Scoop and Pour Water Bin (My Bored Toddler)
This activity is an oldie, but a goodie. I remember myself playing and pouring water with empty water bottles or cups. We would use just about anything we could get out hands on to pour. It’s such a simple and easy activity to put together, and so fun for kids! Your toddlers and big kids will love this summer activity!
What you need:
2.Water
3.Scoopers
4.Bottles
Bubble Play
11. Bubble Swat (HappyToddlerPlaytime)
Swatting bubbles is a summer activity all toddlers will enjoy. They already love to swat them with their hands and chase them, now all they need to add is a swatter to hit the bubbles, or swat them away.
What you need:
1.Bubbles
3.Swatter
12. Popping Bubbles (Smartcentsmom.com)
What a perfect mix of water and bubbles, two of kids favorite things! Use a bubble machine to have a constant flow of bubbles, and pop them with a water gun of any size. Make it a game and play with other kids too! Happy summer fun!
What you need:
2.Bubbles
4. Squirt gun
Conclusion
There are so many summer activities for toddler to keep busy this summer. From water fun, to bubbles and ice games. Kids love to explore and learn through every house hold items. No need to buy much as most of the items you already have at home! I hope your toddlers have as much fun as mine did!
Check out some other fun summer activities:
Best Water Tables for Toddlers
I'm 40 years old and a mom of 2 three year olds and a first grader. I am also a Special education teacher. My passion has always been to help people, which is why I started this blog.