These activities are perfect for the 3 to 4-year-old range when kids are a little too antsy to focus for long periods but are still learning and exploring their world through sensory play.
You'll find some summer activities for preschoolers that are pure fun, while others are both educational and fun.
With 25 choices, you'll be able to fill up nearly a month with engaging ideas. Before we dive into our list, you don't want to miss our Summer Activity Calendar with 31 kid-friendly activities that are perfect for summer vacation.
You might also want to check out this list of summer arts and crafts for kids or our list of summer camp crafts.
Easy Summer Activities for Preschoolers
Of course, we have plenty of summer preschool activities right here at Messy Little Monster. We love to focus on simple, low-prep activities that busy parents can pull together quickly without any special materials that require a trip to the shops.Ice and Lemon Water Play
What could be more refreshing on a hot day than this Ice and Lemon Water Play Activity? It's a budget-friendly sensory bin that'll keep kids entertained and cool during the summer months.
Shark Colour Matching Game
You NEED our Shark Colour Matching Game in your life. It's a fun learning activity that the kids will want to play with all summer long. In addition to colours, you could also write uppercase or lowercase letters, numbers, or sight words on the fish. All you need is our printable template and some empty toilet paper rolls!
Playdough Seashells Fossils Activity
Gather some seashells from your latest beach trips to make Playdough Seashell Fossils. This is a wonderful activity for that time of day when it's just too hot to be outdoors, but you still want to keep kids away from the screens while they're indoors.
Painting with Water
Move your child's easel outdoors to try Painting with Water. It's a great way to encourage kids to practice their letters, shapes, numbers, and drawing skills.
Water Pistol Painting
During summer, you probably have lots of water pistols lying around. Instead of the usual water fight, add some paint to the water pistols, and head outdoors with a canvas to try our Water Pistol Painting activity. You'll end up with a beautiful piece of art to hang in your home.
Bubble Snake Blower
Playing with bubbles always gets kids excited, but how about trying a new way to blow bubbles? This Bubble Snake is super easy to put together, and kids love watching the "snake" of lots of foamy bubbles forming. If you're more into traditional bubbles, we have a fantastic Bubble Wand activity, too.
Summer Sensory Bin
Have fun this summer setting up a summer sensory bin for preschoolers. Using kinetic sand and blue gems as a base have fun adding summer themed items. We have summer sensory bin printables you could add too! This such an easy summer activity to set up, but young children will have hours of fun with it. It is the type of activity that you leave set up for them to come and go from as they please.
Sponge Water Bombs
Summer just isn't summer without a family water fight. Make our Sponge Water Bombs for an epic water battle! These reusable sponges will get lots of use and enjoyment all summer long. Kids and adults of all ages enjoy them.
Related - Activities for Preschoolers
Super Fun Summer Activities for Preschoolers
Keep the fun going with these summer activities for preschoolers from some of our blog friends!
Ice Cream Letter Matching
Mombrite's Ice Cream Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching Activity is perfect for summer. Letter matching is a fantastic, engaging way to learn the alphabet and practice letter recognition.
Water Transfer STEM Play
Work on motor skills with this fun Water Transfer STEM Activity from Live Well Play Together. No special materials are required. Grab any buckets, bowls, or bins you have along with some water, scooping tools, and sponges, and you're all set. The name of the game is moving water from one container to another using various tools like sponges, shovels, scoops, cups, etc.
Bubble Painting
Splatter paint your way to a masterpiece with this super cool Bubble Painting activity from Glitter on a Dime. By adding food colouring to your bubble solution, you can make drips and splats of all sorts of different colours for a truly unique piece of art.
Ice Cream Math
Practice counting with this adorable Ice Cream Math activity from Fun-a-Day. All you need are lots of pom-poms and some cardstock or construction paper to make the cones. Kids can place the pom-poms using their fingers, tongs, tweezers, etc., depending on their level of dexterity.
Watermelon Science
You've probably made a baking soda and vinegar volcano before, but give that activity a summer twist by turning it into a Watermelon Science experiment, like this one from Natural Beach Living.
DIY Lemonade Stand
Setting up a lemonade stand is a long-standing summer tradition for entrepreneurial kids. This DIY Lemonade Stand by Party with Unicorns is made with cardboard and paper, so you don't have to worry about getting out the power tools to build a wooden stand. Kids can use it for play or for selling lemonade for real (though you'll want a more supportive ledge for the lemonade to sit on).
Scoop Estimation Activity
Any excuse to play in water is perfect for summer, like this Scoop Estimation Activity from The Keeper of the Memories. If you have cups, measuring spoons, scoops, etc., then you have everything you need for this easy activity.
Watermelon Slime
What preschooler doesn't love slime? This version is totally summery—Watermelon Slime! Not only does it look like watermelon, thanks to the red colour and the black mini pom-poms, but it smells like watermelon, too, due to the watermelon scent.
Lego Ice Excavation
You can't get much simpler than this Lego Ice Excavation activity from Lemon Lime Adventures. Encourage your preschooler to try different methods of melting the ice. Even older kids will enjoy this activity using their Lego figures.
Sun Alphabet Play Dough Mats
Practice letter formation and recognition with these super cute Sun Alphabet Play Dough Mats by ABC's of Literacy. Use playdough, pom poms, erasers, paper clips, etc. to shape the letters. It's a lot of fun!
Rainbow Soap Foam
Your preschooler will love this colourful Rainbow Foam sensory activity from Crafts by Ria. Kids can squish the foam between their fingers as they scoop, spread, and mix the foam.
4th of July Baking Soda Science
Celebrate Independence Day with a cool Fizzy Stars 4th of July Science Experiment from Natural Beach Living. This is a surefire way to get kids excited about all things star-spangled.
Giant Bubbles
What's better than blowing bubbles? Blowing giant bubbles! This Giant Bubble Recipe from Red Ted Art is great for small bubbles or giant bubbles—you'll need extra glycerin if you want to make giant bubbles, though.
Roll and Say Summer ABC Game
Print this cute Roll and Say ABC Game by Fantastic Fun & Learning, and use a seashell to mark your letters. This is a fun way to reinforce letter recognition, but you could also use it for letter sounds as well.
Tie-Dye with Preschoolers
Read these Tips for Tie-Dye with Preschoolers from Swoodson Says and try your own colourful shirts at home with your kiddos. This is a popular project for summer camps, VBS, etc., but it's just as fun at home.
Fresh Flower Oobleck
If your preschooler loves messy fun, you have to try this Fresh Flower Oobleck activity from Steam Powered Family. It's a great excuse to get outside, pick some flowers from your garden, and incorporate them into a fun sensory activity.
Nature Tic Tac Toe
Gather sticks and rocks to play your own game of Nature Tic Tac Toe! This idea from Growing Family is incredibly versatile. Use leaves, flowers, acorns, pinecones, etc., depending on the time of year.
Ice Cream Playdough
Try some Ice Cream Playdough by A Little Pinch of Perfect when you need an indoor activity on a rainy day. This playdough is made with frosting and flour, so it really holds its shape like ice cream.
Don't forget to pin this list of summer activities for preschoolers so you can have fun with the kids all summer long!
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