10 Ways to Get Your Kids Active This Summer
Summer is the perfect time for kids to be active. The days are longer and brighter, the weather is warmer, and the break from school creates seemingly endless opportunities for fun until the break is over—which must be far in the future. While the idea of energetic kids running through sprinklers, biking around the neighborhood, or playing pick-up games at the park is an idyllic summer for many adults, bringing that vision into reality is often more complicated. In today’s tech-centered world, getting kids up and moving can feel like a constant battle against screens, schedules, and lack of motivation for everyone involved.
Why It Matters to Get Kids Moving This Summer (And Why It’s Not Always Easy)
When kids get moving, it has a positive impact on children’s physical, mental, and emotional health. The benefits go far beyond burning energy and making it through the latest sugar high. Regular movement helps children develop stronger muscles and bones, maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular fitness, and build coordination and balance. And we adults know the importance of exercise for mental health. Exercising often boosts our mood, reduces feelings of anxiety, and improves our focus and sleep quality. For kids who are still growing and developing, staying active can help with their self-esteem, confidence, and identity due to the social interactions that come with play.
Children need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day, but without gym and recess, many fall short in the summer months. It’s easy for movement to take a backseat as the kids catch up on their movies and video games.
But as parents, encouraging an active lifestyle over the summer comes with its own set of challenges. For one thing, there is making the time to do so. You act as a caregiver, but you must also juggle work, errands, and household responsibilities. It can be hard to carve out time to plan or participate in active play. And when the temperature climbs, your resolve crumbles to the lure of tablets, video games, streaming services, and air conditioning. Add in safety concerns, the travel time to parks or recreational facilities, and the need to plan, it’s obvious how physical activity can slip through the cracks.
Motivation is another big factor. Some kids are naturally drawn to sports and outdoor games, while others may feel self-conscious or prefer solitary, sedentary activities that stimulate their mind (like the kids that go way beyond the book check-out limit at the library every week). And the kids are not all the same age, so what activities will appeal to all the kids, be age-appropriate, fun for all, and engaging enough to keep their children interested for more than a few minutes?
You don’t need a gym membership, a big backyard, or hours of free time to help your kids get moving. With a little creativity and flexibility, it’s possible to weave movement into your family’s daily routine in ways that are enjoyable, accessible, and sustainable. From classic outdoor games to spontaneous dance parties and water balloon battles, there are countless ways to inspire movement without it feeling like a chore.
Let’s explore 10 practical, fun ways to get kids off the couch and moving this summer.
10 Ways to Get Kids Active
1. Turn the Backyard into an Obstacle Course
Transform your backyard into an adventure! Obstacle courses are a fantastic way to get kids moving while building agility and coordination. Best of all, once the kids see the fun it produces, they can change up the challenges as often as they want. Use pool noodles, cones, jump ropes, and chalk to build a fun (and ever-changing) course.
2. Sign Up for a Community Sports League
Summer is a great time to explore possible new interests that the school year distracts from. From soccer to swimming to dance, local leagues and rec centers often have affordable summer programs that keep kids moving. These leagues teach teamwork and provide a built-in friend group where kids don't have to worry about other families’ summer plans ruining their time for play. Check with your city’s parks department or search online for local youth leagues. Many programs are open to beginners, require minimal gear, and offer flexible practice and game schedules.
3. Plan Weekly Nature Walks or Hikes
Explore new trails as a family and turn it into a scavenger hunt to keep it exciting. Work with the park’s visitor center to find trails appropriate for the age and skill level of all involved. Bonus: it’s screen-free time with fresh air.
Don’t forget to pack snacks! This Grand Slam Snack Mix is a sweet and salty snack with added protein from the cheese cubes. You can make the snack mix ahead, just keep the cheese in an insulated part of your hiking pack until it is time to enjoy. These Peanut Butter Trail Mix Muffins are another great option to fuel up with on the go.
4. Host Water Balloon Games
High heat creates visions of pool days, fire hydrants—oh, and water balloon fights! Host a backyard water balloon game day for the neighborhood kids of all ages, including the “big kids” reaching retirement age. Get creative for the activities, like water balloon dodgeball, target practice, or relay races. It’s a great way to stay active and cool.
5. Experiment With Snacks Made with High-Quality Dairy Protein
To keep the kids active, you need to fuel them, too! That means you need to have delicious protein snacks on hand. High-protein snacks can be just as fun and creative as they are nutritious! Experiment together in the kitchen. Try making yogurt parfaits layered with berries and granola, yummy dips with milk and yogurt and veggie sticks for serving, roll-up wraps with turkey and cheese. Egg bites, cottage cheese with fruit, and smoothies made with Greek yogurt or milk are quick and kid-approved.
Try snacks featuring dairy-based proteins like milk, cheese sticks, or even homemade frozen yogurt pops. Teaching kids to choose satisfying snacks that support their playtime helps them develop lifelong healthy habits—and gives them the energy to stay active all day long.
6. Encourage Backyard Camping Adventures
Backyard camping is a blend of imagination, movement, and summer magic. Setting up tents, gathering supplies, and exploring the yard turns into an unexpected workout that feels like a mini vacation.
With any forgotten supplies within walking distance, let your kids take the lead on planning. Have them help pitch the tent, roll out sleeping bags, and create a checklist of supplies. Once the campsite is ready, keep the energy going with active games like flashlight tag before scary stories and s’mores.
7. Try Family Fitness Challenges
Make fitness a family affair by turning exercise into a friendly competition! Do simple bodyweight circuits together (think: jumping jacks, planks, squats). Keep it light-hearted with prizes or free rewards. And for the older kids, add their friends to the friendly group challenge. Prove who can hit the most steps, bike miles, or fitness app goals in a week.
8. Get Them Involved in Gardening
Digging, planting, watering—gardening is surprisingly physical and teaches responsibility and connection to nature. Plus, this is a great opportunity to discuss the nutritional role of the foods we grow.
Whether you have a big backyard or just a few pots on a balcony, give your kids their own section of the garden or a few containers to care for, and let them choose what to plant. They can watch something they planted grow into real food or a blooming flower.
9. Explore New Parks or Splash Pads
Make it a summer goal to visit a new park each week. Kids will be eager to run, climb, and explore new spaces. Changing up the environment helps beat summer boredom and can make the same activities feel new again. Choose water parks or parks with trails to get your teenagers in on the fun.
10. Set Tech-Free Time Each Day
Designate daily hours where screens are off and active play is on. This encourages creativity and natural movement. For older kids, let them set their own off-screen hours. Keep the time positive rather than a punishment. Take a snack break or surprise the kids with an activity they have been wanting to do. Reward this screen-free time with a trip to the bakery, ice cream shop, or another small, fun activity.
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