As the school year comes to a close, parents and caregivers are faced with the challenge of keeping kids entertained and engaged during the summer months. While it’s tempting to let them spend hours in front of screens, it’s essential to encourage physical activity and stimulate their minds. Here are some tips for keeping kids busy and active while they're out of school:
Outdoor Adventures
Explore Nature
Take advantage of the warmer weather by spending time outdoors. Explore these DFW hiking trails, nature walks, or trips to local parks where kids can run, jump, and explore.
Backyard Games
Turn your backyard into a playground with classic outdoor games like tag, hide-and-seek, or capture the flag. Set up a mini obstacle course or organize a scavenger hunt to keep kids moving and engaged.
Water Play
Beat the heat with water-based activities like swimming, water balloon fights, or running through sprinklers. Many cities in the area have free splash pads and spray parks, perfect for cooling off on hot summer days. Some popular ones include Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Celebration Park in Allen, and Hawaiian Falls Waterpark in Roanoke.
Outdoor Movies
Many cities and venues host free or low-cost outdoor movie nights and concerts during the summer months. Check local event calendars for listings.
Creative Activities
Arts and Crafts
Set up a designated craft area where kids can unleash their creativity. Provide supplies like paper, markers, paint, and clay, and let them express themselves through art projects.
DIY Project
Get hands-on with DIY projects that kids can help create, such as building a birdhouse, planting a garden, or constructing a homemade obstacle course using household items.
Cooking and Baking
If you’ve got a budding chef or baker on your hands, get them involved in one of the many culinary summer programs around the Metroplex.
The Young Chefs® Academy offers seasonal culinary camps and workshops for kids of all ages and skill levels. With four DFW locations, your child can get involved in weekly culinary camps, expanding on and learning new skills and recipes. Every week is a new curriculum (so no two camp weeks are alike). Sign up for one week or sign up for multiple weeks to receive the full culinary experience.
Chefsville offers a similar program with camps located in Addison, Allen, Carrollton, Coppell, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Richardson and The Colony. These classes are all very hands-on, starting with kitchen and food safety lessons like cross-contamination and food prep. Chefsville will allow your kids to explore the world through food, cooking and nutrition!
Sur La Table, the popular kitchenware store, offers kids' and teens cooking classes at various DFW locations, like their kid’s 5-day summer bakeshop series or their teen’s 5-day global flavors series. Guided by a chef instructor, they’ll explore challenging recipes while learning advanced cooking and baking techniques, essential food prep skills and best practices for kitchen safety. At the end of the week, each student goes home with a printed menu, graduation certificate and skills to use for a lifetime.
Enrichment Opportunities
Summer Reading
Foster a love of reading by encouraging kids to explore new books and stories. Local libraries often host free summer reading programs, storytimes, and other activities for kids.
The Dallas Public Library SMART Summer Reading Program allows kids ages 0-18 years old to earn prizes, like free books, by reading, discovering activities, or creating activities over the summer.
After logging 10 days of reading or 10 activities, kids earn a free book, up to 5 times.
Kids who complete 50 days of reading/activities by August 10 are entered to win a grand prize.
Adults can also participate by reading or doing activities to earn free books and prizes.
The Fort Worth Public Library has a similar Summer Reading Program where you can earn a free book and a special certificate from Mayor Parker when you complete the challenge, and every Pre-Reader or School Age child who signs up for the Mayor's Summer Reading Challenge this year will receive a FREE Kids Combo & Certificate from Raising Canes!
Half Price Books has a Summer Reading Camp where during the months of July and August “campers” can visit their local Half Price Books with their completed reading logs to receive $5 Bookworm Bucks which are good for $5 off anything in-store — so your booklovers can add even more great reads to their collection!
The Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program is a free annual initiative that encourages kids in grades 1-6 to read books during their summer break. Children are tasked with reading 8 books of their choice and recording the titles and favorite parts in a printable Reading Journal. After completing the journal, kids can bring it to their local Barnes & Noble store in July or August to receive one free book from a curated selection as a reward for their reading efforts. The program aims to prevent the "summer slide" in reading skills over the long vacation while fostering a love of reading, all without requiring any purchase. Reading logs can be found at the link above in both English and Spanish.
Educational Outings
Several museums offer free admission or free days, including the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (always free), Dallas Museum of Art (free for permanent collections), and Nasher Sculpture Center (free on First Saturdays with kid activities).
Both the Dallas and Fort Worth Zoos offer week-long and day camps during the summer for all ages, and the Fort Worth Zoo even offers a summer volunteer program for teens.
If you’re looking for aquatic fun, the Children’s Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park, established in 1936 for the Texas Centennial Exposition, is the state's oldest aquarium. You can explore a variety of fish and marine life from oceans, rivers, and lakes through eye-level exhibits. In the outdoor pavilion's Stingray Bay, guests can feed and interact with cownose rays in a touch pool.
Additionally, Sea Life Grapevine, located inside Grapevine Mills Mall, is home to around 3,000 creatures and offers numerous opportunities for close encounters. Visitors can explore interactive touch pools to feel sea stars and anemones, and visit the Sea Turtle Rescue Center. The kiddos will love Stingray Bay, the Rainforest Adventure, and other exhibits. Additionally, behind-the-scenes tours are available. Make a full day of your visit by also checking out Legoland Discovery Center or Peppa Pig World of Play, both located within Grapevine Mills.
Community Engagement
Sports and Recreation
Sign kids up for sports leagues, dance classes, or recreational programs offered by local community centers or schools. These activities promote teamwork, physical fitness, and social interaction.
If you’d rather watch, catch a Frisco RoughRiders game and float in the Lazy River at the ballpark for $25 per ticket.
Additionally, Plano Super Bowl offers $2 games during select hours and two free games all summer with their Kids Bowl Free Summer Bowling Program, and some alleys like Shenaniganz in Rockwall have $10 First Monday Unlimited Passes to enjoy unlimited bowling (shoes req’d but not included), Laser Tag, Flip N’ Spin Cars, Virtual Reality, Kid Zone, plus 50% off Escapology Escape Rooms and Axe Throwing!
Volunteer Opportunities
Teach kids the value of giving back to their community by participating in volunteer projects or charity events.
The North Texas Food Bank welcomes families and kids to volunteer at their distribution centers in Plano and other locations. Kids can help sort and pack food donations for those in need.
The SPCA of Texas has opportunities for kids ages 6+ to help with tasks like making dog toys, baking treats for shelter pets, and cleaning at their facilities in Dallas, Fort Worth, and other cities.
With Hope Supply Co., kids and families can volunteer to sort and organize donated items like diapers, wipes, clothes, and toys at this nonprofit's warehouse in Dallas. They provide essentials to homeless children and mothers.
Connect with local churches, businesses and non-profits in your area for more volunteer opportunities.
The Takeaway
Summer break is a time for kids to recharge, explore, and have fun outside of the classroom. By incorporating a mix of outdoor adventures, creative activities, enrichment opportunities, and community engagement, you can ensure that the kiddos stay active, engaged, and entertained throughout the summer months. Embrace the spirit of summer and create lasting memories with your family!