With the summer holidays edging ever closer today I’m sharing some (ok, lots) of summer activities for toddlers with you – perfect for keeping younger kids busy and happy during the summer months!
We love sharing ideas that you can do with your toddler and with tons of inspiration for easy summer crafts, sensory play and even some summer themed science experiments toddlers can do there’s plenty to keep you active and most importantly, keep you having fun and making memories too.
RELATED – Activities for Toddlers
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As there’s so many activities in this round up I’ve split it into two sections to make it a bit easier to navigate – summer crafts for toddlers and easy summer activities for toddlers.
There are loads of activities including sensory play, sun crafts, toddler science activities and even some ideas for a toddler friendly summer sports day, plus keep reading for some fun summer themed books for toddler and more of our favourite toddler activities to try out.
Toddler activities are a nice excuse for spending some quality time together anyway as you help to measure out the ingredients for a scented play-dough or discuss colour mixing with paints in the campfire crafts!
As a parent or carer of toddlers you’ll know that there’s a lot of difference between what a young toddler and an older one is able to do, as well as what they are interested in. Take a look through the list and see what you think your child would enjoy the most, not forgetting of course that with all toddler activities you will need to supervise them.
Like these ideas? Make sure that you bookmark this page or pin an image so that you can return to it again and again over the summer and find loads of fun ideas to make some amazing memories together this year.
What You'll Find on This Page
Summer Themed Books for Toddlers
I love sharing stories with my kids and I think that it’s nice to have a theme to go along with whatever activity you’re doing together, somehow it feels a bit more special that way? Which of these summer themed books would your child enjoy the most?
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- Is It Warm Enough for Ice Cream by DK
- How To Catch a Mermaid by Adam Wallace
- Peppa Pig Goes Swimming by Scholastic
Summer Activities for Toddlers
I’ve titled this post 45+ summer activities for toddlers but it’s one that’s grown over the years as I’ve updated it and added more easy summer themed activities to the post, originally it was 35 toddler activities and it gets longer each year as the summer goes on!
To help you find the activity you’re looking for I’ve listed each section in the order that they appear in the image above it. With this many summer activities for toddlers though there’s obviously more ideas than I could fit in the corresponding image so do take a look through the list for more inspiration.
I’ve also included a little video on this page of how to make one of our most popular summer activities for toddlers. It looks gorgeous when it’s finished so do take a look.
Summer Crafts for Toddlers
Tearing paper is a good way for toddlers to practice fine motor skills and this cute paper plate crab really rocks too!
This handprint paper plate sun was made by my son and daughter together when my daughter was only one, it’s super cheerful and it still one of my favourite things on this site!
We love this fun paper bowl ice cream – what flavour ice cream would your child go for?
These butterfly suncatchers are great for fine motor skills or learning about colour mixing, plus they look great displayed in a window.
Raid your kitchen cupboards to make this sweet doily sun from Crafts on Sea
Grab some sponges and make this simple campfire craft that’s perfect for little hands to create.
Create this cute paper ice cream craft using our free ice cream template.
Make a shell suncatcher that will look great displayed in windows.
Get your poms poms ready and make this easy watermelon craft that uses a free template to make it even easier for you to set up.
This mosaic cactus craft is easy to set up using our free template.
Make this easy butterfly craft using big stamps that are great for small toddler hands to hold.
Make these easy paper plate parrots.
My kids both enjoyed making this dragonfly craft that we had displayed at home for ages afterwards!
This easy butterfly craft is a great way to get another use out of old cardboard.
Create a simple peg paper plate sun
Make a simple paper plate watermelon that’s good for fine motor skills too.
Try out a new technique for painting with this rainbow fish craft.
Toddlers will obviously always require extra supervision around small objects but older toddlers should enjoy making this button flower which is good for fine motor skills.
Ice cream is totally a year round things for us but it makes a fun theme for a summer craft! This sponge painted ice cream is great for toddlers as they can grab hold of the large sponge to do their painting.
My kids enjoyed making these sea shell decorations which are great if your kids have brought a lot of ‘treasures’ home from the beach.
My daughter loved making this easy paper plate sea collage.
This seahorse craft is so cute and the tissue paper is a lovely sensory material for toddlers to craft with.
I love the bright and cheerful colours on this painted birdhouse craft from Grace, Giggles and Naptime
No Time for Flashcards shares a fantastic paper plate octopus craft.
Hunt through your recycling bin for the supplies to make this simple bubble wrap starfish from No Time for Flashcards
Look, We’re Learning shares a fun tutorial for a coffee filter sun for kids to make.
Mae a gorgeous paper plate sunflower like this one from Happy Hooligans.
How cool is this cupcake liner jellyfish from Easy Peasy and Fun.
Follow Easy Peasy and Fun’s tutorial to make a paper boat craft.
This ripped paper watermelon from The Chirping Moms looks perfect for the summer.
Grab some paper plates to make this butterfly craft from No Time for Flashcards
Easy Summer Activities for Toddlers
Adventure In A Box shares a sweet flower canning pretend play activity.
Learn about numbers together with these butterfly number recognition stones that my daughter loved.
This easy to make lemon play dough from Crafts on Sea smells delicious and makes a fun change from more traditional doughs.
Follow Messy Little Monster’s tutorial to make this pretty flower suncatcher that’s perfect for nature loving kids.
Keep cool in hot weather with this fun Lego ice play from Crafts on Sea.
Create a fun campfire craft together using foil.
This I-Spy camping game from Crafts on Sea is easy enough for toddlers to join in with, just print a free copy for your next camping trip!
Let your toddler have fun in the garden collecting leaves and flowers to make this pretty nature tree craft using our free printable.
The Chaos and The Clutter shares a fun tutorial for making rainbow soap foam – perfect for some summer themed sensory play.
These painted flower pots from Grace, Giggles and Naptime look fantastic!
I love this magnetic fishing game from Messy Little Monster
Our frozen flowers sensory play is popular with readers every year and it’s so pretty it’s easy to see why, plus you can have fun with your toddler deciding what you should freeze!
Look for wildflowers in your garden to make this easy flower play dough.
I love the look of this summer sensory activity from The Chaos and The Clutter.
Natural Beach Living shares a fun tutorial for a watermelon science activity.
Rainy Day Mum shares how to organise a toddler sports day.
Make these beautiful nature paintbrushes from Messy Little Monster.
Grow your own butterflies from The Homespun Hydrangea.
The Best Ideas for Kids shares a bug sensory bin.
Summer sensory play from Mama Smiles.
More Ideas For Toddlers
Like to plan ahead? Why not check out our round up of over 40 autumn activities for toddlers.
Or we’ve got some brilliant fruit activities for toddlers to help encourage their love of all things healthy!
Love flowers? Us too and we’ve got tons of flower activities for toddlers you and your kids will love.
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