May 2026 Ideas for Children to Enjoy a Playful Summer

The exciting fun of summer is near; soon, children will be happily shouting, “school’s out!” They may be looking forward to unstructured days, extended opportunities to play, the possibility of an out-of-town visitor, or taking a trip. Although the summer break from routine may challenge schedules, alter priorities, and daily activities, experts say summertime’s emphasis on playtime contributes to a healthy balance in children’s development.

Playful Learning Benefits

Of all the seasons, summer, with its school break, offers children significantly more opportunities to explore the benefits of self-directed free play. Whether a child’s time is spent primarily indoors or enrolled in a camp or summer program, ongoing research from Harvard’s Project Zero, Toward a Pedagogy of Play, shows that play is a form of learning. Here are some of the advantages of playful learning:

Intellectual development	The effort children put into playing pretend, such as building a bedsheet tent, making up rules for a newly created game, or drawing, requires executive function skills. This type of play provides them time to practice planning, organizing, problem-solving, sorting, and recognizing patterns.
Physical development	Summer play often centers on physical outdoor activities. As children play tag, race friends in the neighborhood, and throw balls, they build gross motor skills, muscle strength, and coordination.
Social development	During self-selected play, children naturally practice social skills. They share, explore rulemaking, and engage in creative expression that builds confidence. Listening and working through conflict are incentives to keep having fun.
Emotional development	Research has found that play helps children learn to cope with fear and stress. Imaginary play can provide a safe space for children to explore unsafe feelings. Such as a child who is upset by school drop-off and later acts out a “school day” with dolls or stuffed animals, with one character say goodbye, feel sad, and then be comforted by a teacher or friend. This type of play provides children with practice handling upsetting situations without experiencing the negative effects of stress.

Recognizing Enjoyable Summer Play

While summertime’s independent play is beneficial for children’s development, risk-taking or boundary testing are also common in free play. It is still important for adults to help children identify safety concerns, such as avoiding traffic, and to keep an eye out for appropriate play, which helps prevent teasing or bullying.

From Project Zero’s website, researchers recommend that adults look for the three indicators of playful learning:

Choice – is when children are planning, developing rules, or navigating challenges
Wonder – looks like children exploring, imagining, or learning from mistakes
Delight – Happiness! Kids are smiling, laughing, being silly, or generally feeling cozy and at ease.

Summer Resources for Planning Fun

As your summer plans come together, remember that Children’s Home Society of California (CHS) can assist with finding and paying for summer and sibling child care programs. Contact a Program Specialist at your local CHS office:

English: Long Beach, Orange, Woodland, and Yuba City

Spanish: Long Beach, Orange, Woodland, and Yuba City

Additionally, CHS offers a wealth of ideas for children to enjoy summer in our Growing and Learning through Play Activity Guides, Family and Child Care Provider Workshops, and blog articles. Below, we’ve gathered some ideas and fun resources to help with your summer plans.

Infants

Drum Beats – Music can strengthen large and small muscles and cognitive development through patterned rhythms, increase spatial awareness, and build language skills
No Bake Recipes – Trying delicious fruits and vegetables engages infants in learning through their senses and supports the development of motor skills. Cooking with young children also builds knowledge of healthy lifestyle choices
Exploring Nature – This sensory activity introduces infants to the sight, touch, and feel of nature. They learn new vocabulary, practice visual tracking, and it encourages motor skill development through tummy time

Toddlers

Make Ice Cream – Choose from a variety of healthy, delicious recipes, to keep cool this summer. Be sure to check for any food hypersensitivities or allergies
Treasure Box – Can be played indoors or outdoors, children will be delighted and learn from exploring the physical objects in their world
Ice Painting – On a hot summer day, this fun activity will provide cooling relief and lessons that introduce cause and effect, and supports fine motor development as well as language skills

Pre-school

Fun Day at the Beach – Going to the beach is thrilling and enriches children’s physical and sensory development. But one of the most important things about a day of fun in the sun is staying safe. Take a look at our tips to prevent drowning, sunburn, and dehydration
Sidewalk Chalk Art – Sidewalk chalk is all that is needed to encourage creativity and outdoor play. Make enjoyable memories by drawing a family mural together
Sink and Float Math – While this activity requires adult supervision to ensure children’s safety, it is also fun water play that can keep them cool in the warm summer months. Using just a few household items, children will build language skills, practice counting higher than ten and much more without noticing how much they are learning.