Summer is almost here and we can’t wait for lazy days and melting popsicles and pool days. Summer in our house also means a time for extra adventures.

Day trips to interesting places. Afternoon drives to further beaches. Long days exploring every corner of museums.

Our adventure inspired learning tends to explode in the long, sunny days of summer.

This Spring my twins and I made a list of some of the things we want to make sure to get to this Summer. I know from experience that we may or not get to them all, but they are fun inspiration to get out and explore.

To take some of the pressure off that I often feel from Bucket Lists and 100 Things to Do This Summer lists, I made ours a bingo board.

Want a copy? Scroll down to the bottom and snag one for free.

Want to hear a little more? Keep reading.

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16 Summer Adventure Ideas

1. Bike Ride or Trike Ride

Get outside and get active with a bike or trike ride. Already ride your bikes around the block all the time? Put them in the car and bring them to the park or a nearby trail for a change of scenery. I really believe that a little walk – or little bike ride – can be an adventure.

2. Go Fishing

This is at the top of the list for my son this summer. He wants to grab a pole and head to the nearest dock. When we lived in the Midwest I learned on one of the many lakes up North. Here are my top 10 tips for fishing with kids.

3. Jump into Cool Water

Swimming at the pool or at the beach will be one of our weekly activities this summer.

Read More:

• How to Help Your Toddler Overcome a Fear of Water
• 5 Swimming Games for Pre-Swimmers
• 8 Things to Pack in Your Beach Bag to Spark Creative Play

4. Try Something New at the Farmers’ Market

We’ve become somewhat Farmers’ Market obsessed since moving to San Diego, but they have always been a summer tradition for us. This is another way to work on the farm-to-table connect and encouraging your child to try new foods.

5. Learn About an Animal at the Zoo

The Zoo is probably already on your radar for a summer adventure, but if you’re going with 5 year olds and up encourage them to dive in deeper on one particular animal. Go to the library and do some research beforehand. Have them come up with a list of questions about their animal and see if they can get them answered at the zoo by observing, reading signs or asking a zookeeper.

6. Go to the State or County Fair

My kids are super excited about the County Fair this year. Usually our favorite part is scoping out the animals so hopefully that experience will be similar. This will be our first time at the San Diego County Fair.

7. Try to Fly a Kite

My kids love flying kites at the beach. They could spend over an hour flying kites on the beaches last summer. Make sure the wind conditions are good before you take them out so you don’t have disappointed grumps on your hands. You need a decent, consistent wind to get them up there but it’s so much fun if you can get your kites soaring.

8. Find Books about Something Interesting to You at the Library

Kids all have interests and luckily there is a children’s book or 10 about just about anything this day. Help your kids, or better yet as the children’s librarian to help your kids find books on what interests them. Nonfiction books in particular are great for reading to kids. It is a different kind of reading which broadens their literacy skills, expands their vocabulary and more.

9. Hike in a State or National Park

I think State and National Parks are an invaluable resource for families. Get a pass and plan to go at least 3 times this summer to your local park. Hike. Swim. Fish. Boat. Picnic.

Read More:

• Guide to National Parks with Kids

10. Observe the Birds in Your Area

Grab a pair of binoculars and a bird guide and try to figure out what the local birds are in your area.

Read More:

• Nesting Birds Mini-Unit
• Looking for Birds at Mission Trails Regional Park
• Two Essentials I Forgot When Hiking with Kids

11. Try Boating

My twins were three the first time we took them canoeing on a lake in Wisconsin. They’ve also been on speedboats, paddle boats, ferries, and more. Last summer we took them kayaking in the Hudson. This summer I’m thinking about taking them kayaking in the La Jolla coves or paddle boating in Mission Bay.

12. Post Like a Statue in a Statue Garden or Art Museum

Want to get inside for some much needed AC or a break from the sun? Head to the Art Museum. There are a lot of ways to bring a trip to the art museum to children’s level, but this is one of our favorites. Explore a statue exhibit and encourage your kids to pose like the different statues and snap pictures.

Also Try:

• Looking for Shapes at the Guggenheim

13. Walk or Bike Somewhere You Usually Drive

This one is easy. Instead of driving, walk or bike to the library or park or store. This fits some exercise into your day and is better for the environment. Plus when you walk or bike you see the world a little differently which can lead to all kinds of adventures. If you don’t have anywhere to go, just walk around your neighborhood and do this Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt together.

Read More:

• Little Walks Big Adventures

14. Trace Shadows with Chalk at the Park

Hot, sunny days are great ones for learning about shadows. Bring some chalk with you to a park or playground or just your driveway and take turns tracing each others’ shadows while you talk about where those shadows come from and how you can manipulate them.

15. Find Rainbow Colors in a Garden

Go for a color hunt in a garden. My kids do best when I have a scavenger hunt type color guide for them to check off.

16. Try a New Ice Cream Place

Every summer vacation needs some ice cream. Make it more of an adventure by trying a new place. Or, like we did last summer, try them all! We tried all of the vegan friendly ice cream places in Brooklyn last summer since one of my kids has a severe dairy allergy. We may just have to try that again this summer in San Diego.

What will your first summer adventure be?

Download Free Summer Bingo Printable