10 screen-free summer activities for kids and families

The short read

• Screen-free summer activities help families encourage creativity, build stronger relationships, support child development, and create meaningful memories while balancing technology use during summer break.

• Family-friendly summer activities such as nature scavenger hunts, backyard campouts, gardening, cooking together, scrapbooking, and visiting local farmers markets provide educational and engaging experiences for children of all ages.

• Community-focused activities like volunteering, neighborhood play days, and kid-run businesses help children develop important life skills including empathy, leadership, entrepreneurship, problem-solving, responsibility, and teamwork.

• Creating a summer bucket list and participating in intentional family activities can help families make the most of summer while strengthening community connections and supporting student growth outside the classroom.

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The long read

Summer is the perfect time to unplug, get outside, and make memories together. While screens can be a convenient way to fill downtime, balancing technology with hands-on experiences can help children build creativity, strengthen relationships, and stay engaged throughout the season.

Whether you're looking for outdoor adventures, creative projects, or opportunities to connect with your community, these 10 screen-free summer activities can help your family make the most of summer break.

1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt

Turn a walk through your neighborhood, local park, or hiking trail into an adventure. Create a list of items for kids to find, such as a butterfly, a pinecone, a bird's nest, or a flower in bloom. Nature scavenger hunts encourage curiosity and observation while helping kids appreciate the outdoors.

2. Host a backyard campout

You don't have to travel far to enjoy the fun of camping. Set up a tent, tell stories, play flashlight games, and enjoy a night under the stars. Backyard campouts create lasting memories while giving kids a sense of adventure close to home.

3. Start a family garden

Gardening teaches patience, responsibility, and the basics of how food grows. Whether you plant vegetables, herbs, or flowers, caring for a garden can become a rewarding family project throughout the summer.

4. Create a summer scrapbook

Encourage kids to document their favorite summer moments with photos, drawings, ticket stubs, and journal entries. A scrapbook becomes a keepsake they'll enjoy looking back on long after summer ends.

5. Cook a meal together

Invite kids into the kitchen to help choose a recipe, make a shopping list, and prepare a meal. Cooking together helps build confidence and life skills while creating opportunities for meaningful family time.

6. Visit a local farmers market

Farmers markets offer a fun way to explore local foods, meet community members, and support small businesses. Let kids choose a new fruit or vegetable to try and learn where their food comes from.

7. Volunteer as a family

Summer is a great time to give back. Look for opportunities to help at a food bank, animal shelter, community event, or local nonprofit. Volunteering teaches empathy and helps children understand the value of supporting others.

8. Organize a neighborhood play day

Bring families together for an afternoon of outdoor games, relay races, sidewalk chalk art, or water balloon activities. Community-centered events help children build friendships while creating stronger neighborhood connections.

9. Start a lemonade stand or kid-run business

Summer is the perfect time for kids to explore entrepreneurship. Whether it's a lemonade stand, handmade crafts, baked goods, pet sitting, or yard work, running a small business teaches valuable skills like goal setting, budgeting, customer service, and problem solving.

Parents can help children create a simple business plan, set prices, track earnings, and think about how they'd like to spend, save, or donate what they earn. It's a fun way to build confidence while learning real-world lessons that can last a lifetime.

10. Create a summer bucket list

Gather the family and brainstorm activities everyone wants to do before school starts. From visiting a museum to having a picnic in the park, a bucket list helps families stay intentional about making the most of summer together.

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Make summer spending count

Summer often comes with extra spending on travel, camps, dining out, family activities, and everyday essentials. While you're making memories, you can also help prepare for the school year ahead.

With the Givebacks app, families can earn Rewards through online shopping and dining at participating restaurants throughout the summer. Those Rewards can be used toward school-related expenses or to support your child's school when classes resume.

Whether you're booking a family getaway, shopping for summer gear, or grabbing dinner after a day at the pool, it's an easy way to turn everyday purchases into meaningful support for your family and school community.

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