By: Loren Lomme, MA, LPC, RPT, NCC Loren is a Just Mind Counseling counselor and play-therapy expert.
Now that summer is here, a lot of parents start asking the same question: what to do with your child during the summer when school structure disappears, schedules get loose, and “I’m bored” shows up by week two. Figuring out what to do with your child during the summer looks different for every family, whether you’re home with the kids, juggling two working-parent schedules, or splitting time across households. The goal isn’t to fill every hour, instead it’s to build a few intentional moments of connection into whatever rhythm your family already has. Below are five summer activities for kids (little and big) that keep them engaged and strengthen your bond, with notes on how to adapt each one to your family’s reality.
Start with a loose summer routine (it matters more than you think)
Before picking activities, give your child a predictable summer rhythm. Kids, especially anxious kids, neurodivergent kids, and younger children, regulate better when they know roughly what to expect each day. A loose routine doesn’t have to be a color-coded spreadsheet. It can be as simple as:
- Anchors, not schedules: consistent wake-up, meals, outdoor time, and bedtime. The hours in between can flex.
- A weekly “shape”: Mondays are library days, Wednesdays are pool days, Fridays are family movie nights. Repetition becomes something kids look forward to.
- One connection moment a day: a 15-minute walk, reading together, or a bedtime check-in beats a packed Saturday once a month.
Once that scaffolding is in place, the activities below slot in naturally — instead of feeling like one more thing to plan.
What to do with your child during the summer if both parents work
If both parents work (or you’re a single parent), the honest answer is that you can’t be the full-time entertainment director — and you don’t need to be. A few things that help:
- Stack camps and care intentionally. Mix structured camps with lower-key options like a grandparent week, a neighborhood co-op, or a sitter who can take kids to the park. Variety prevents burnout for everyone.
- Protect “micro-connections.” Breakfast together, a 10-minute debrief after work, or a Saturday morning ritual matters more than a single big outing. Kids remember the consistent presence, not the production.
- Pre-plan the “after work” window. The 5–7 PM stretch is when everyone is tired and screens take over. Have two or three low-effort go-tos ready: a walk around the block, a backyard popsicle, 20 minutes of catch.
- Use weekends for the bigger ideas below. The staycation, learn-something-new, or volunteer activities work beautifully as a once-a-month anchor, not a weekly demand.
If your family is co-parenting across two households, talk with the other parent about keeping a few shared anchors (bedtimes, screen rules, a recurring activity) so summer feels coherent for your child no matter whose house they’re in.
Plan a stay-cation
Plan a day and night vacation around town and at home. Start by printing out or creating an itinerary to fill out together with your kids. This promotes creativity, sharing of ideas, and sharing of power (this one’s important).
Join your kids in coming up with fun things to do around town or at home where they will get your attention for a whole day and night! This might include making dinner together or creating an ice cream bar for dessert (think Kate + 8’s ice cream for dinner set-up) and a family camp-out in the living room or backyard. The kids will love it and you are scheduling time for bonding with them through play, creativity, and nurturing.
An alternative to a stay-cation would be a parent/child date. Help your child create a reservation card with a date and time that you two will be spending together doing the activity of their choice. The reservation is important for showing them that you are dedicated to a special time just for you and them.
Remember to follow the same rules that you would on a regular date – give your full attention to your child and turn your phone off during your special time together. If your weekdays are packed with work, schedule the staycation for a Saturday and keep it simple and the point is undivided attention, not a Pinterest itinerary.
Learn something new together
This could be something you are both interested in but have never had the opportunity to try like roller skating. Or maybe you have a crafty tween or teen that wants to learn to crochet or build a birdhouse.
Learning at the same time means that you both start on the same playing field and can grow in the activity together. This is also the perfect opportunity for you to model imperfection and healthy ways to manage frustration, as you will inevitably make mistakes with something new.
It’s also a prime opportunity to encourage your kid’s effort and attitude (“you are really focused on this” or “I can tell how hard you’re working even though it’s something new” or “you came up with a creative way to do that”). Research shows us that encouragement (versus praise like “good job” or “that’s a pretty picture”) facilitates continued growth and development and builds perseverance and true confidence in kids.
Short on time? Pick something you can practice in 15-minute pockets a few evenings a week like Duolingo, a card trick, or maybe basic chords on a ukulele so it fits into a working-parent schedule.
Volunteer together
Talk with your child about the importance of helping others in our world and find an opportunity to volunteer together. There are several volunteer organizations in Austin that are geared toward minors and families who want to find volunteer opportunities around town.
There is research to support that volunteering decreases the likelihood that youth will engage in destructive behaviors. Volunteering also increases social skills and leadership skills as well as the likelihood of doing well in school. Youth who volunteer are also much more likely to volunteer and give to charitable organizations as adults.
Meanwhile, you get the experience of bonding with your child through something meaningful and passing on your positive values. Definitely a win-win.
Create a summer memory book
A great connection activity for the end of summer is to create a family memory book together. A memory book is a kind of scrapbook that chronicles the events of the summer (or any time), both positive and negative, from the child’s perspective. Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross from TCU’s Institute for Child Development recommend the creation of memory books as a nurturing and connecting strategy for parents and children.
They encourage families to use these books as tools for talking about events in the child’s life and as symbols of how special and cherished the child is to the parent. Include photos, pictures created by you and your child, and memories from each family member. Encourage your child to create pictures and share memories or entries in his or her own words.
Set clear, collaborative rules for screen time
Don’t worry. Screen time is allowed. But set limits about how, when and what screentime looks like. Starting with a 1–2 week trial period is a great way to compromise and show your child you’re open to feedback.
- Talk together about when screens should be off-limits (e.g., dinner time, 1–2 hours before bed) and the difference between weekday vs. weekend limits.
- Establish priorities before screens are allowed (chores, homework, outdoor time).
- Be clear about what is allowed (certain games, shows, calling friends) and not allowed (R-rated movies, certain apps or behaviors).
Hopefully these ideas give you a few answers to what to do with your child during the summer but without the pressure to do all of it. Pick one or two that fit your family’s routine, adapt them to your circumstances, and let the rest go. The connection comes from showing up consistently, not from filling every hour. If you feel that you need additional tips regarding parenting and children, you can contact us to make a counseling appointment or read more about child counseling and family and parenting counseling on our dedicated pages. You can even contact us for a free consult to see if you might benefit from parenting help or child therapy. If you liked this post, you can also read Why We Should Play With Our Kids and What to Do with Kids in Austin.
