Days are longer in the summer. The kids are up earlier and seem to go down later. So what’s a mom of three small children to do all day?

I did an experiment a couple weeks ago and planned out one water activity a day. It worked! We looked forward to it. And even if the kids only played my game for 20 minutes, it put smiles on their faces, engaged them, and usually sparked their imaginations to play something else.

Buuut then I sort of derailed and haven’t planned anything since. So this time I’m thinking bigger and planning a monthlong summer activity calendar. They are simple things that need little to no planning or shopping and you can do in the backyard. (Printable calendar below.)

One more month of summer before school starts, let’s get outside!

1. Make a habitat for animal figures
2. Scavenger hunt (simple idea: 3 different leaves, a rock, a flower, bark)
3. Picnic in the backyard
4. Make “soup” with bowls, spoons, water, and nature

5. Wash the car
6.Make a volcano with baking soda and vinegar in a sandbox or cup
7. Make leaf rubbings
8. Fill kiddie pool (or tub) with bubbles

9. Play in the sprinkler
10. Play tag
11. Treasure hunt with simple hand-drawn map of yard
12. See who can melt 5 ice cubes the fastest
13. Take pictures of nature and look up names of plants, animals, and insects

14. Freeze small toys in bowl of water and excavate
15. Easter egg hunt (I put stickers inside ours)
16. Blow bubbles  — Try these non-spillable bubbles. Miracle.
17. Start a rock or nature collection (You could organize it in an empty egg carton.)

18. Draw with sidewalk chalk/play hopscotch/make targets for a bean bag toss
19. Use spray bottles or squirt guns to wash off sidewalk chalk
20. Make art from nature (Glue leaves, flowers to paper. And if the child is old enough it’s fun to make a face!)
21. Paint rocks

22.Water balloon fun: hot potato, spoon race, basket toss without breaking
23. Cloud watch and talk about what images you see
24. Print out a color wheel and find something that is each color — try this one
25. Make a car wash for toys
26. Make an obstacle course

27. Make shaving cream pies and/or balloons and/or mix with cornstarch
28. Put up a tent or sheet and go “camping”
29. Find bugs under rocks (take a magnifying glass if you have one)
31. Play catch
30. Plant seeds — or just water the plants

Here is a printable calendar to stick on the fridge:

Click the image to get the high-res version.