Keep your preschooler learning and exploring with hands-on science, simple art projects, sensory play, and printable fun all summer. These summer activities for preschool are designed with little hands and short attention spans in mind!
Simple Science Activities for Preschoolers
🔎 There are so many fun ways to explore science with preschoolers here.
- Bubble Play: Set up a bubble station with wands and homemade bubble mix.
- Ice Melting Exploration: Freeze toys in ice and watch how fast they melt outside.
- Sink or Float: Test objects in a tub of water to see what floats or sinks.
- Gravity Quest: Kids will love checking off easy ways to explore gravity.
- Sandbox Volcano: A classic vinegar and baking soda eruption in the sandbox!
- Ice Cream in a Bag: Shake up a treat and learn about freezing in the process.
- Shadow Tracing: Trace shadows with sidewalk chalk and see how they change.
- Sun Prints: Place objects on sun-sensitive paper to make prints with sunlight.
- Rock Hunt & Sort: Go on a nature walk to find rocks, then sort them by size or color.
- Seed Planting: Grow sunflowers or beans in a cup and watch them sprout.
- Germination Jar: Watch seeds grow roots using a clear cup and paper towel.
💡 Also, explore Ocean Activities for Preschool here.
Summer Art for Preschoolers
- Blow Painting: Use straws to blow paint on paper.
- Fly Swatter Painting: Squash paint outside on big paper!
- Ice Cube Painting: Freeze colored water and paint as it melts.
- Squirt Gun Painting: Aim paint-filled squirt guns (or spray bottles) at large paper outside.
- Homemade Puffy Paint: Make puffy paint and use our free templates.
- Edible Paint: Use your edible paint to decorate plain sugar cookies, marshmallow squares, and toast!
🎨 Find more preschool art activities here.
- Handprint Flowers or Suns: Use handprints to make summer shapes.
- Nature Weaving: Weave twigs, flowers, and leaves on a simple loom made from sticks.
- Nature Paintbrushes: Use leaves and twigs as brushes for outdoor painting.
- Paint with Flowers: Use real flowers to create art.
- Tiger Art: Make a colorful tiger art project for Henri Rousseau.
💡 Grab these free book and art printable activities for indoor days!
- Ice Cream Art: Make art inspired by your favorite summer treat.
- Salt Dough Starfish: Create beachy shapes with homemade salt dough.
- Jellyfish Craft: Make a glow-in-the-dark jellyfish craft to hang.
- Turtle Dot Art: Try dot art with our free turtle template.
- Sandcastle Craft Activity: Use various textures to create a sand castle.
Sensory Play for Preschoolers
👉 View all of our sensory play activities here.
- Water Play Station: Set up buckets, funnels, and sponges for pouring and scooping.
- Ocean Sensory Bin: Use blue water, shells, and sea creature toys.
- Tropical Sensory Bin: Add flamingos, fake fruit, and flowers for summer fun.
- Soap Foam Play: Whip up colorful foam to squish and scoop.
- Icy Ocean Play: Freeze plastic ocean animals and melt with water.
- Magic Mud (Oobleck): Mix cornstarch and water for a fun science sensory bin.
- Ice Cream Sensory Bin: Use pom-poms, cones, and scoops for pretend play.
- Coconut Sensory Bin: Add colorful shredded coconut and summer toys to a bin.
- Lemon Sensory Dough: Have fun this soft and squishy lemon scented dough.
- Sand Foam: Use shaving cream and sand along with construction vehicles.
- DIY Kinetic Sand Play: Set up a sand table with toys for digging, scooping, and building.
Sensory Bottles: Fill clear bottles with water, glitter, beads, and other small items for visual and tactile exploration. Give it an ocean theme like these [here].
Playdough Ideas for Summer
💡 Start with our favorite no-cook playdough recipe for easy playdough in minutes!
💡 Add any of our free printable playdough mats to your playdough time this summer for even more fun and learning.
Printable Summer Fun
Play-Based Printables
- Animal Picture Bingo
- Summer Coloring Pages
- Color by Number (Summer Themes)
- Sea Creatures Coloring Book
- Ocean Animals I Spy
- Sandcastle Craft
- Ice Cream Theme Pack
- Shark Week Activities
- Pirate Treasure Hunt
- Gardening Fun for Preschoolers
- Outdoor Obstacle Course (Jedi Challenge)
- Scavenger Hunts (Color or Texture)
- Animal Walk Games (Hop like a frog, etc.)
Bonus: Preschool STEM Bundle
Explore a full year of preschool hands-on learning with our Preschool STEM Bundle!
Includes:
- 22+ playful preschool themes (ocean, space, rocks, plants – perfect for Summer!)
- 12-15 activities per unit (sensory, science, games, art)
- Easy-to-use templates
- Simple supply lists
- Matching book suggestions
