The Ultimate Summer Activity Guide
14 weekly adventures to do with your kids
For kids, summer vacation means one thing: free time.
But for parents, the lack of structure can be a little overwhelming.
One option is to scour Instagram and Pinterest for hours, searching for ideas to keep your kids busy all summer. But that’s an hours-long project, and we know you’re crunched for time.
Plus, it’s no easy feat to find activities that teach your children new skills (allowing them to learn even when they’re not in school)…while also being activities that your kids actually want to do.
That’s why we put together a whole summer’s worth of Montessori-inspired activities — that kids will love doing, with materials you already have at home.
We’ve included modifications for all age groups, which means kids of any age (and siblings and friends) can get involved, too.
By back-to-school season, your child will have:
Honed their skills
Developed new ones
Gained some wonderful summer memories.
We’ll be going through the activities ourselves each week, and sharing about it on social media using the #GuidepostMoments tag (follow it to see how other families are doing the activities, too)!
Week 1: Nature Scavenger Hunt
We kick off the summer with an exploration of the natural world. Your child will embark on a search for treasures like leaves, rocks, flowers, and insects.
Setup
Choose your location. Try the park, your backyard, or a nature trail — any area that’s safe and accessible for your child.
Get your checklist. Put together a list of items for your child to find, depending on their age and your environment. Include items that encourage observation and interaction with nature, like a specific type of leaf, a rock with a particular color, or something the child can listen for, like the sound of a bird.
Gather your gear. A sturdy basket or bag for collecting items is a must, but you might also want to bring a magnifying glass, binoculars, or a camera for taking pictures of items that shouldn’t be moved, like small animals, nests, or delicate plants.
How to do it
Go over your checklist with your child. Explain what each item is, and give hints about where they might find them if needed.
Depending on your child’s age and maturity, decide whether to let them explore independently or if you should accompany them. Set ground rules for staying within sight or defining boundaries in larger areas.
As your child searches for each item, use descriptive language to help them identify what they’re looking for. Encourage them to use their senses — sight, hearing, smell, and touch — to fully engage in their surroundings.
Celebrate each discovery, and encourage your child to share their findings with enthusiasm. Discuss the characteristics of each item. This reinforces learning and makes the experience more memorable.
At the end of the hunt, review all the items collected or observed. Discuss what they enjoyed most and what new things they learned. This can help in planning future activities and continuing their interest in exploring nature.
For age-based alterations, from infants to teenagers, plus an example scavenger hunt checklist, check out the full guide here.
Week 2: DIY Musical Bottles
In week 2, we engage our child’s auditory senses with music bottles!
Setup
Gather your bottles. You’ll need several clear plastic bottles with secure lids. These will serve as the base for the musical instruments.
Gather your fillings. Collect a variety of fillings that produce different sounds, such as rice, dried beans, and jingle bells. Each of these will create a unique sound when shaken.
Prepare your workspace. Arrange a designated workspace, like a table with a tray or tablecloth, to catch any spills and keep the area tidy. This will make cleanup easier and safer.
Supervise. Provide help and supervision, particularly when younger children handle smaller materials or fill the bottles. Ensuring safety is crucial in preventing choking hazards or accidental spills.
How to do it
Allow your child to select a clear plastic bottle and the musical fillings they want to use. This choice gives them a sense of control and creativity in the activity.
Show your child how to carefully pour each chosen material into the bottle. Encourage them to listen to the sounds each material makes as it enters the bottle, enhancing their auditory experience.
Motivate your child to try different combinations of materials in separate bottles to discover the variety of sounds they can create. This experimentation is a fun way to learn about cause and effect and the properties of different materials.
Once the bottles are filled, make sure the lids are tightly secured. Then, let your child shake the bottles to produce sounds. This action transforms each bottle into a shakable musical instrument.
Encourage your child to shake the bottles rhythmically or tap them against surfaces to create different musical beats. This not only produces music but also helps in developing their rhythmic and coordination skills.
For age-based alterations, check out the full guide here.
Week 3: Labeling Game
The third week of summer activities revolves around language exploration. It’s designed to enhance your child's reading skills using a movement-based labeling game — fun and educational!
Setup
Gather your materials. Collect paper, markers, and tape. You'll use these to create labels for various items around your home.
Create labels. Write simple words on the paper that correspond to objects around your house and yard, such as "sofa," "door," "tree," and "flower.” Make sure the words are clearly legible to aid in recognition.
Designate a workspace. Choose a central area in your home to start and finish the game, such as the living room or kitchen, where you can organize the labels and discuss each item's location.
Set goals. Aim to enhance word recognition, reading comprehension, and spatial awareness. Familiarize yourself with these goals to better guide your child throughout the activity.
How to do it
Present the labeled papers to your child and explain the game's objective: to match each label with its corresponding object in the house or yard.
Demonstrate the activity by taking a label, reading it aloud, and walking to the correct location to tape the label on the appropriate object. This shows them how to execute the task and how they can use clues in the environment to find their targets.
Let your child take the lead — choosing a label, reading it, and finding the right place for it. This encourages independence and problem-solving.
As your child moves around to place labels, they not only practice reading but also integrate physical activity, making the learning process more dynamic.
For more fun, include humorous or slightly challenging labels like "cat" or “dog.” Watching your child try to gently label a moving pet can add laughter to the learning process, enhancing the overall experience.
For age-based alterations, check out the full guide here.
11 weeks to go!
The Summer Discovery Pack includes 11 more weeks of activities to explore with your child — enough to get you through the whole summer.
Download the full Discovery Pack here:
Get a list of all the activities for the rest of the summer
We hope your kids enjoy it as much as ours do!
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