50 Family-Friendly Summer Activities for in and Around your Home!

School’s out and summer break is here, which means by now the kiddos are bored to tears, or so they say. Well don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered with a full list of activities that will make Summer 2022 the best summer ever!

50 Family-Friendly Summer Activities

1. Bike rides. Take your family out for a fun bike ride, either near your house, or if the kids are older, take them on a bike trail. Since it’s a hot summer day, make sure to bring water!
2. Make ice cream. There isn’t anyone in the world who would refuse ice cream on a hot summer day. This is a fun and delicious activity for kids, that parents can easily monitor. Here’s a great guide on creating your very own vanilla ice cream.
3. Meet friends at the local playground. Call up your friends and let the kids hang out together at a local playground, where they can play on swing sets, merry go rounds, and more.
4. Have a picnic at a local or state park. Getting together for a picnic at a local or state park can be a fun group activity. Just make sure to find some shade!
5. Sidewalk chalk murals. Get some colored chalk and create some really fun chalk murals and designs.
6. Backyard camping. Of course you should take advantage of Montana’s natural beauty and take a few camping trips this summer, but for a quick and safe adventure any night of the week, grab a tent and pitch it in your backyard!
7. Backyard stargazing. Put out a few blankets and lie down in your backyard, and gaze upon the stars. Show your kids how to locate Orion’s Belt and many other stars. Here’s a great stargazing guide.
8. Kids science experiments. If your kids want to stay indoors, no problem – increase their brain power and curiosity with these awesome fun and easy science experiments for kids!
9. Play some tennis (or pickleball). Grab your gear and head out to one of our many tennis courts located throughout the city. Here is a list of all available courts in Great Falls.
10. Make a kaleidoscope. This would be fun to do if it happens to rain, or even if you want something different to do with your kids while staying inside. If they are the crafty type, here is a fun guide to show you how to make one.
11. Sidewalk foam paint. Besides sidewalk chalk, there are other creative ways to write on your sidewalk! You and your kids can make some perfectly harmless foam paint. Click here for a creative and fun DIY foam activity to have some fun with your kids.
12. Water balloon baseball. Sometimes, combining two summer activities can make for an exciting way to play outside. Just take a whiffle ball bat and fill up some water balloons. Now, you can play baseball with a splash!
13. DIY bird feeder. This kid friendly bird feeder takes toilet paper rolls spread with peanut butter and rolled in bird seed. After hanging it on a branch, your kids can watch as the birds come get something to eat!
14. Homemade Playdough. This can be done in less than 10 minutes and is very easy to make. Check out this recipe from a fellow mother on how to make colorful playdough with your kiddos.
15. Visit your local library. The library has more than just books for children. Many of them have other activities and toys designed for each age. They also offer audiobooks and educational computer games!
16. Build a fort or tent. Take an afternoon and push your couches close together. Drape them with blankets or sheets and eat a snack or play a game under your fort or tent!
17. Play hide and seek in the dark. Mix up plain-old hide and seek with hide and seek in the dark! Black out your windows and prep areas that may be hazardous. Add glowsticks for even more fun!
18. Make milk carton boats. Take an old milk carton and shape it in the fashion of a boat. You can even paint it and stick a toothpick in it with a taped flag! Test it out by putting it in water in the sink or bath. Does it float? If not, your kids can brainstorm on how to fix it.
19. Do a puzzle together. When searching for the right puzzle, look for the correct age group. There are specific difficulty levels out there! It can be a wonderful time to bond with your kids and work together to solve a puzzle.
20. Visit a splash park. Some are free and others aren’t, but this would be a fun outing for your kids! Anything with water is a fun summer activity that can help keep you cool in the heat.
21. Write in shaving cream. This may get messy, but what a fun way to write! If you’re prepared for the mess, have your kids practice their ABCs. You can go outside in the sunshine!
22. Paint rocks. Have fun painting faces or designs on rocks with your kids. Then you can use your painted rocks as door stoppers or paper weights at home, or you can have some fun with your local community, and hide the rocks in local parks or neighborhoods for others to find!
23. Balloon tennis. Using paper plates, paint stirrers, and air-blown balloons, you can easily make this fun summer kids’ activity for the outside. You could also play this inside since you are hitting a balloon!
24. Homemade water blob. Using plastic sheeting and duct tape, you can create your very own water blob! This mom warns that there will be leaking, but that it only adds to the fun and gives it more of a splash!
25. Squirt gun water painting. With water color paper, watercolors, an easel, and a squirt gun, you can paint when you shoot! The easel is to help clip the paper while you shoot. Be careful they don’t squirt you!
26. Glow in the dark mason jar. With this how-to, you can make believe with this glow in the dark jar! You can capture fairies or even use it as a night light. The results are radiant!
27. Water bag piñata. Have a blast busting this piñata. The only exception? It’s filled with water! Let your kids have fun filling it up with water and then hitting it to feel the homemade waterfall!
28. DIY sponge balls. This is a fantastic homemade game or yard toss. Buy some fun looking sponges or use what you got! Drench them in water and soap and get ready to be soaked in the hot summer fun!
29. Paper plate horseshoes. Cutting off the outside of paper plates, have your kids paint them and toss them around a grounded paper towel roll! This is a great kids’ summer activity or game for a rainy day.
30. Plant flowers or vegetables. Use the summer to teach your kids how to garden! Plant flowers or vegetables in your flower bed or in a pot by your home. They can water it every day and watch them bloom!
31. Dig for fossils. Parents, this will mean you’ll have to prep, but the fun your kids will have is a lasting effect. Bury different items in dirt-filled shoeboxes and have your kids discover different items! Or if you want to actually find a real dino bone, the Montana Dinosaur Center in Bynum (about 60 miles northwest from Great Falls) offers dinosaur dig expeditions from May to September.
32. Feed the ducks. The Mighty Missouri River flows through Great Falls, and you’ll be sure to find all kinds of water fowl. The Gibson Park Duck Pond is a great spot for this activity!
33. Berry picking. Now is the time to indulge in the season! From strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, to blackberries, there are places in your state that will let you pick them for free or for a small entrance fee. In Montana, you can find delicious huckleberries and choke cherries growing wild, or you can check out this list of pick-you-own fruit farms in Montana.
34. Plant a butterfly garden. There are over 750 types of species of butterflies, and you can attract all kinds to your garden with these. A list of flowers to start out will feed the attraction, as well as having an organic one. Gardening is a great summer activity that kids can learn and enjoy from!
35. Go hiking. Pick an easy hiking trail to do with your kids first and then weekly, during the summer, you can choose a more advanced trail. Montana has so many beautiful trails for all hiking difficulty levels. Check out this list for the best trails in Great Falls.
36. Visit a swimming pool. Swimming is the ultimate kids summer activity, so grab your swim suits and take your family to the nearest pool! The Electric City Water Park in Great Falls has pools for all ages, along with water slides, a lazy river, and even a Flow Rider.
37. Take an early morning/late night walk. Right when you wake up, take a walk while pushing your kids, before the real heat begins. You could also do a pajama walk right before bed. Either way, you kids will be relaxed on this awesome summer activity!
38. Bean bag toss. Grab the old cornhole set, or using a sewing machine, you can sew fabric and buy beans to make the bags. Kids will feel accomplished and appreciate the game more when they create it, plus they can really get creative and make them unique! Toss the bags in your backyard or in buckets.
39. Run in the sprinkler. This is a cool, easy way to beat the heat, especially with toddlers. Set up your hose sprinklers or installed yard sprinklers, have the kids put on swimsuits, bring towels, and turn on the water!
40. Go to the movies. Find a family movie to see together, one that will incorporate all ages. Getting tickets online, ahead of time, will save time and energy once you get to the theater!
41. Blow bubbles. Whether it’s with a bubble machine for $5 or a single set of bubbles to blow out of, bubbles lighten the mood and do wonders for entertainment. Younger kids will enjoy running through them or blowing them!
42. Fly a kite. Pick a clear area to run and fly a kite of your choice. Flying a kite teaches your kids patience and coordination. Just make sure to check the forecast before heading out in Great Falls, as high wind warnings are common.
43. Glow in the dark bowling. How do you make bowling extra fun with your kids? You make it glow in the dark. Glow sticks are the secret ingredient! Here is a brief tutorial on how to spice up your bowling experience.
44. Color changing flowers. Obtain glasses to hold one flower at a time. After pouring them half full of water, put a couple drops of different dye colors in each. Each glass should have a white flower inside. Slowly, they will begin to change!
45. Craft with pipe cleaners. By simply taking different color of pipe cleaners and fluff balls, you can create different creatures. This includes bugs, butterflies, animals, etc. Let your inventive kids take the reins on this one.
46. Make a video. Take the family video camera and have your kids video record the summer-y nature outside with commentary, conduct talk shows outside, or be actors and actresses. It can be an amusing memory to look back on one day.
47. Go to the farmer’s market. You don’t have to travel far to open up your kids’ worlds. Going to your local farmer’s market can be a fun outing as well as a way for showing them all of the different and colorful foods! The Great Falls Farmer’s Market opens from 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. from the first Saturday in June, through the last Saturday in September.
48. Visit a museum. Great Falls is home to 10 local museums, ready to explore and learn from. A trip to the museum is a great way to get some visual and hands-on learning while having a blast!
49. Go to a baseball game. Grab your family and take them out to the ball-game! The Great Falls Voyagers’ Centene Stadium sits right next to the Missouri River, with delicious concessions, fun merchandise, and loads of fun for all ages! Check out their schedule and buy tickets ahead of time to beat the lines!
50. Go to the fair. The Montana State Fair is one of the best parts of the summer. Carnival rides, games, side shows, fried food, and shopping all come together, and are sure to put a smile on everyone’s faces. The 2022 Montana State Fair will be in Great Falls from July 29th – August 6th.

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