It’s time to splash into some amazing summer activities for preschool! With outdoor and indoor learning options, minimal materials needed, and lots of free suggestions, this is your one-stop “shop” for all things summer! It’s a super fun theme for preschool.
Make sure to use some of our favorite summer songs to pair with these activities. And to make lesson planning a breeze, use our summer preschool themes.
For more fun summer ideas, check out our summer theme lesson plans in our preschool store and our toddler store. They are done-for-you lesson plans that have everything you need for an awesome summer unit! Recommended reading lists, songs, material lists, tons of learning activities – it’s all included! Perfect for new teachers, veteran teachers, and homeschool.
Summer Activities for Preschool
Don’t let the dog days of summer get you down. Keep your kids laughing, learning, playing, and engaging in all kinds of fun-tastic activities. We’ve got boredom busters to help before your kids can even muster the words, “I’m bored”. So grab some refreshing lemonade and some juicy watermelon and prepare to relax as your kids embark on the best summer of their lives!
Outdoor Activities for Preschoolers
Free Preschool Games by Preschool Inspirations
FREE?! Did someone say free?? This is the ultimate collection of fun, free, and easy-to-set-up preschool games! These games are perfect to have at your disposal for those long summer days. Your kiddos will love them and you will love that they require minimal materials and set up. Let the summer games begin!
Get the best learning activities for 3-5 year olds at your fingertips
Outdoor Mindfulness Activities for Preschoolers by Preschool Inspirations
If you’re like us, one of your fondest childhood memories just might be laying in the grass and watching the clouds float by. We may not have known it then, but we were participating in a mindfulness activitiy that has an amazing calming influence on our minds and bodies. Check out this beloved activity and four others, and see why you will want to add these to your daily summer activities for preschool.
An Invitation to Build BIG – How Wee Learn
Sometimes looking for outdoor activities for preschoolers means looking no further than a scrap pile in your own yard! This activity invites your kids to “build big” with leftover wood, stumps, whatever you can find. It’s all up to your children’s imagination!
Color Scavenger Hunt – I Heart Crafty Things
Scavenger hunts definitely top the list as one of our favorite outdoor activities for preschoolers. This one is so simple, as it is just based on finding nature items of certain colors and collecting them in a bag. The real magic is in the sharing and exploration of each item when the hunt is complete!
Sponge Bomb Bucket Toss – Inner Child Fun
Summer activities for preschoolers wouldn’t be complete without some epic water play! These DIY sponge bombs are easy to make and great for hours of family fun. Pro tip: You might want your swimsuit, trust us on this one!
Summer Crafts for Preschoolers
Glass Gem Suncatcher by Preschool Inspirations
Crafts are more meaningful when they can be displayed at home and the beauty can be enjoyed day after day. That’s what makes these suncatchers a sun-tastic addition to your summer crafts for kids. Your youngsters can hang them proudly on the windows and enjoy the magical sparkle from the sunrays shining in!
Pine Cone Bird Feeder by Preschool Inspirations
This quissentential craft seems to stand the test of time, and we haven’t heard any birds complaining about it through the years, either. The best part is that the kids can help collect the pine cones if you live in an area that produces them and beyond that there are just a few simple items needed. Simply hang them up outside, and watch the local birds have a feast!
CD Process Art Project – Preschool Inspirations
Ever wonder what you can do with all those old cd’s that may possibly have been scratched and deemed unusable? How about recycle them into some fun painting tools for your youngsters? It’s so easy and your kids will have a blast creating unique, beautiful CD masterpieces.
Sidewalk Chalk Paint – Fun-A-Day
Most kids love creating masterpieces with sidewalk chalk. Here is a simple recipe for sidewalk chalk paint for those times you might not have any on hand. Or, just because it’s so fun (and easy) for the kids to make their own!
Squirt Gun Painting – Fireflies and Mudpies
You’ll want to take this epic summer craft for kids of all ages outdoors, for sure. As long as your kids keep their eye on the target (easel with watercolor paper), this craft will delight both kids and moms alike. As an added bonus, your kids just might think you are the coolest mom in the neighborhood!
Giant Outdoor Painting – Busy Toddler
Some of our favorite summer activities for preschool are the ones that are big, fun, potentially messy, and open-ended. We think painting a giant mural in the backyard would qualify as all those things, don’t you? And, don’t worry, by using cardboard, the mural can be as temporary or permanent as you would like!
Sensory Activities for Preschoolers
DIY Beach Sand – Preschool Inspirations
For those of us not lucky enough to have the beach in our backyards, don’t fret- this activity will bring the beach to you! Or, at least that soft, silky sand that feels so amazing running through our fingers and toes. The best part? You will probably be very surprised to see that it only takes only two basic ingredients that you most likely already have around your house!
Soap Foam Cupcake Station – Preschool Inspirations
You didn’t know that you needed soap foam cupcakes in your life, but you do!! Sensory fun with an imaginary baking twist- it doesn’t get much better than that! This can be done indoors but also makes for a great addition to your outdoor activities with toddlers and preschoolers.
Ice-Cream Scented Bubbles – Preschool Inspirations
Ice cream scented bubbles will be at the top of the list for summer activities for preschool! Bubble play with the scents of summer will be an aromatic boredom buster, for sure! Easy, fun and almost good enough to eat ( but we don’t recommend it)!
Lemonade-Scented Playdough – Preschool Inspirations
If there was an official drink of summer, many would agree that lemonade would win that title. What if you could add that summery, lemonade zest to your playdough? With this easy playdough recipe, you can! Your kids will love it and the aroma will be refreshing for all!
Ocean Creature Discovery Bottle – Preschool Inspirations
We love sensory bottles! This ocean creature discovery bottle is a must when planning your summer activities for preschool. It’s easy to make and will no doubt have your kiddos in awe. Also, don’t miss our tips on how to make a perfect sensory bottle!
Bubble Sensory Table – Preschool Inspirations
Sensory tables come in so many shapes, sizes, and materials. This epic sensory table is one that you may have never tried- a bubble sensory table! A genius idea that allows kiddos to blow bubbles continuously and possibly make some fantastic bubble mountains in the process!
DIY Sensory Table – Frugal Fun 4 Boys
It’s like you hit the jackpot when you find sensory activities for preschoolers that hold interest for hours and can be used again and again. This sensory table is one such find! And, while it is DIY, don’t let that scare you away- it is very easy to construct and will be so worth it!
Watermelon Soap Foam – And Next Comes L
There isn’t one food item out there that screams summer like a nice juicy watermelon. Awaken your kiddos’ senses with this watermelon foamy soap adventure! You could even serve up some fresh watermelon when playtime is done!
Preschool STEM Activities
Color Changing Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano – Preschool Inspirations
This color-changing volcano, with easy set up and clean up, is one of our most popular summer STEM outdoor activities to do with toddlers and preschoolers. The kids can make eruptions over and over again (don’t go shy on buying vinegar!) and make different colors. They might think it’s magic, and it sure appears that way, but we can also remind them that it’s amazing science in action!
Stick Raft Building – Kids Craft Room
Do you have a stick collection that has piled up somewhere inside (or outside) your home? This is the perfect opportunity to utilize those sticks in an amazing engineering feat. It will certainly become a favorite amongst your preschool stem activities and will appeal to older siblings, as well!
Marshmallow Shooters – Coffee Cups and Crayons
You might hesitate a little when you read “marshmallow shooters”, but trust us – this one is fun and it’s a STEM learning activity! Marshmallows can be science folks, they really can! Your kids will love it, and you may find yourself using these yourself once your little ones are snugly tucked into bed!
Ice Cream Math – Fun-A-Day
Adorable ice cream cone math with some fine motor mixed in is perfection for some summer skill practice! There are so many math concepts embedded in this simple activity that your kiddos won’t even realizing they are “working”.
Also, don’t miss our ice cream ten-frame counting mats, found in our store! Use these ice cream counting mats to teach children to count up to 20 and to learn number sense. Ten frame mats are a perfect way to teach subitizing, one-to-one correspondence, and cardinality.
Preschool Letter Activities
Pool Noodle Name Recognition – Preschool Inspirations
Popsicles, flip flops, and pool noodles are all signs that summer is here! Did you ever think to (carefully) cut up the aforementioned pool noodles and incorporate them into your summer learning fun? Well, here is your opportunity- pool noodle letter and name recognition practice all summer long. Also, don’t miss our full list of pool noodle learning hacks!
Name Splash – Preschool Inspirations
Make a splash with alphabet and name practice this summer! This super easy and fun outdoor activity just requires a few items and will bring in a whole new watery element to letter practice. Your preschoolers might just beg to practice their letters and names when you make it this fun!
Ice Cream And Sprinkles Alphabet Writing – Modern Preschool
This may truly be one of the sweetest preschool letter activities your kiddos ever do! It’s like it came straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory. Get ready for fine motor fun in a sweet sea of sprinkles!
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