What Should I Do This Summer

One press picks something to do this summer, with a tip for doing it.

Have a no-screens dayFrom breakfast to bedtime; write down what you did instead.

Next step Add a bigger goal to your bucket list

How it works

Long days and nothing planned? Press the button for one of 56 summer ideas, from tide pooling to a meteor shower, each with a tip for doing it.

Read the full guide

Narrow it to your day

After your first press, the list beside the button narrows the draw: outdoors, in or near water, at home, with friends, learn something, make something, or day trips. Costs nothing holds 26 ideas that need no money at all.

Make a summer list

Set the count to 5 and press a few times. Write the ideas you like on a list on the fridge and tick them off as the weeks go by. Keep one At home idea ready for a rainy day.

Tips

Plan the outdoor ideas for early morning or evening; the middle of a summer day is the hottest part.

Questions and answers

What should I do this summer if I am bored?

Pick something with a goal: learn to juggle, read a whole book series, learn three dinners by heart or build a birdhouse. A small goal fills a long day better than one more show.

What can I do this summer for free?

Tide pooling, a backyard sleepout, a meteor shower, the library reading program, painted rocks, capture the flag and a neighborhood cleanup. Costs nothing holds 26.

What should I do this summer with friends?

A water balloon fight, a backyard talent show, a themed potluck, a bonfire where fires are allowed, or a trip to a county fair. The With friends group holds them.

All 56 summer ideas

Outdoors 20

Catch fireflies and let them go Go out just after dusk on a warm, still evening; use a jar with air holes.
Fly a kite on a windy hill Best in a steady breeze in an open field, away from power lines.
Go on a bike ride with no plan Turn left or right at each corner by flipping a coin.
Go stargazing with an app Find the summer triangle: three bright stars high overhead in summer.
Go tide pooling Check a tide table and go at low tide; look, but put every rock back.
Have a bonfire with s'mores Only where fires are allowed, with water nearby to put it out.
Have a picnic dinner Pack it cold: sandwiches, fruit and something sweet.
Hike to a lookout Pick a trail with a view at the top and start before the heat.
Learn to identify ten birds Start with the ones in your own street or yard.
Learn to skateboard A helmet, a flat smooth space and a lot of falling off.
Organize a neighborhood cleanup Gloves, bags and an hour on a Saturday morning.
Pick fruit at a farm Strawberries early in summer, blueberries and peaches later on.

Show all 56 summer ideas (44 more)

Outdoors, continued

Plant a sunflower Plant the seed in a sunny spot and measure how tall it grows each week.
Play capture the flag at dusk Two teams, two flags and a line down the middle.
Sleep out in the backyard A tent or just a mat, a sleeping bag and the stars.
Stay up for the Perseids The Perseids peak each August; lie back somewhere dark and let your eyes adjust.
Swim in a lake Pick a spot with a lifeguard or a marked beach, and go early before it gets busy.
Visit a botanical garden Summer is when most of it is in flower.
Visit a state park Look up the one nearest you and walk its main trail.
Watch the sunrise Summer sunrises are early, so set an alarm and bring a warm drink.

In or near water 6

Build a sandcastle with a moat Dig the moat first, near the waterline, so it fills as the tide comes in.
Go canoeing on a calm river Rent a canoe where there is a launch and wear a life jacket the whole time.
Have a water balloon fight Fill them the night before and pick up every scrap after.
Learn to paddleboard Most beginners stand up on the first try on flat water; start on your knees.
Learn to swim a new stroke If you swim front crawl, try backstroke or breaststroke.
Sprinkler afternoon The oldest summer cure for a hot afternoon.

At home 13

Build a birdhouse for next spring A simple box with a hole and a roof; hang it before next spring.
Build a blanket fort for a rainy day Chairs, blankets and clothespins; bring in a lamp and books.
Do a jigsaw puzzle on a rainy day Keep one ready for the first wet afternoon.
Have a board game tournament Draw up a bracket and play one game a night.
Have a movie marathon Pick a series and watch every film in order.
Have a no-screens day From breakfast to bedtime; write down what you did instead.
Host a backyard talent show Everyone does one act; someone makes the tickets.
Learn to cook three dinners Pick three you love and cook each one until you know it by heart.
Make a stop-motion film A phone, some toys or clay, and a lot of tiny moves.
Make a time capsule Fill a box with this summer and open it in five years.
Make ice pops from fruit juice Pour juice into molds or paper cups with a stick, and freeze overnight.
Read a book series from start to end Borrow the whole series from the library before you start.
Start a summer journal One line a day, plus a ticket or a leaf taped in.

With friends 8

Build a lemonade stand Make a sign, set a price, and keep the change in a jar.
Catch a concert in the park Many towns run them in parks on summer evenings.
Go to a county fair Rides, animals and food on a stick.
Go to a minor league ball game Cheaper seats and closer to the field.
Make tie-dye shirts Rubber bands, dye and white cotton shirts; rinse until the water runs clear.
Paint rocks and hide them Paint a design, seal it, and leave it for someone else to find.
Throw a themed potluck Pick a theme and everyone brings one dish that fits it.
Write and send postcards One to each friend or relative who lives far away.

Learn something 6

Join the library summer reading program Many public libraries run one, with prizes for books read.
Learn 50 words in a new language Five words a day for ten days, said out loud.
Learn a card trick One good trick, practiced until you can do it without looking.
Learn to juggle Start with one ball, then two, then three: the pattern is the same.
Spend a day at a museum Pick one room and look at it properly, not the whole building.
Volunteer somewhere once a week An animal shelter, a food bank or a community garden.

Make something 1

Press summer flowers Flowers between sheets of paper inside a heavy book for two weeks.

Day trips 2

Take a train somewhere Ride to the end of a line and back, just for the trip.
Visit a town you have never been to Pick one an hour away and walk its main street.

How this list was compiled: Own list of 56 things to do this summer, written 2026-09-23. Checked that day on English Wikipedia: the Perseid meteor shower peaks in August (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids) and the Summer Triangle is three bright stars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Triangle). No brand, venue or price is named; no idea title is shared with another list on the site. Licence: own work