“Are you up for it?” I asked my daughter, wiggling my eyebrows. She grinned. “Totally!” I’d seen an article in our local paper about a new ice cream shop in our metro area and proposed a challenge: “Meet your summer reading goals, and we’ll go to this shop, and you can get whatever you want.” It wasn’t a roadside stand either. This ice cream parlor had elaborate desserts with multiple toppings, and the sundaes were huge. I had her keep track of the book titles in a notebook, and at the end of the summer, she got to dig into a mountain of ice cream with toppings galore, all stuffed in a cinnamon sugar chimney cake. Yes, sweetness overload. But worth it!
If that sounds like a fun challenge for you and your kid, go for it! But if you want some other ideas, check out our list. Maybe your child checks off 15 or 20 items to receive the summer-end prize. Establish the rules up front, and then make this a summer to remember. Here are 30 fun summer challenges for kids.
Social Challenges
1. Make a new friend.
Maybe your child invites a group of kids over, including one he doesn’t know well. Or perhaps he joins an activity and meets someone new.
2. Join a sports team or class.
Is this the year she tries softball or the year he takes up tennis?
3. Call and talk to a grandparent.
Not only will the kids practice phone etiquette, but they’ll probably make someone else happy.
4. Write an email to a cousin.
5. Invite a group over to play board games.
Nature Summer Challenges for Kids
6. Find a caterpillar.
Create a caterpillar hotel out of a shoebox. Let your guest stay for a couple days. Then send it back home.
7. Chart the moon for a month.
Print out and use iMOM’s calendar and have your child draw the shape of the moon in each box for the respective days.
8. Spot a woodpecker or a bird that’s rare in your area.
9. Visit a local nature center or wildlife preserve.
10. Try a new nature activity like canoeing, kayaking, or fishing.
Other ideas include skimming rocks, painting a nature scene, birdwatching, and flying a kite.
Around Town Challenges
11. Visit a new park or playground.
Take a short drive to the neighboring town and see what’s there. Or ask a friend if she knows of any good parks in the area.
12. Go to a splash pad.
13. Sign up to attend a library activity.
14. Find a trail where you can do a short hike.
15. Visit a farm or your town’s historical museum.
Stuck at Home Summer Challenges for Kids
16. Camp in the back yard.
Or just pitch a tent in the shade and let the kids play in it during the day.
17. Have a picnic lunch in the yard.
18. Host an outdoor movie for friends.
19. Clean out your closet.
My daughter’s closet is her dumping ground for everything from mismatched socks to random LEGO pieces. Challenge your child to throw away all closet garbage and put together a box of toys or clothes to donate.
20. Read 20 books.
Set the right number to challenge your child. Use iMOM’s cute Reading Log to get started! 
Screen-Free Summer Challenges for Kids
21. Try no screens from 9 to 5 during the week.
This challenge can be for one week each month.
22. Try no screens before going outside for an hour.
I’ve done this challenge every day of the summer. Fresh air wears kids out and it’s usually cooler in the morning to play too.
23. Try no screens before Mom’s checklist is done.
My kids usually do math pages and other schoolwork to prevent the academic summer slide. I also include piano practice and some chores before they can get near a screen.
24. Try no screens before noon for a month.
25. Try no screens on odd days in July.
Mom, are you up for this one too?
Creative Challenges
26. Paint kindness rocks and hide them around your neighborhood.
27. Follow a simple recipe and cook or bake something for the family.
I started my kids off with following the directions on the back of a muffin mix box.
28. Plant some seeds in a pot.
Draw pictures of the seedlings’ growth after 7, 21, and 42 days. Many libraries have free seeds for community members. You can also get some books on gardening with kids while you’re there.
29. Write and illustrate a short story.
30. Build a vehicle out of recyclables.
Kids can use toilet paper roles, cereal boxes, empty vegetable cans, along with glue or tape. It’d be fun to make a ramp too and have races! Use iMOM’s Schedule That Saved Our Summer to plan your challenges each day!
For more fun activities to do with kids, check out this article on All Pro Dad for 101 Weekend Family Activity Ideas.
Do you have any great ideas to add to the list of summer challenges for kids?
