Screen Free(ish) Sunday: 32 Nostalgic Outdoor Summer Activities

Got a day — or a weekend — without any plans? Whether you have one hour or one whole day to spend outside and off screens, this list of 32 summer activities will yield a fun and unforgettable experience for your little ones.

1. Watch an ant evade an obstacle.

2. Make mud pies.

3. Nab a ladybug; let it fly (or crawl) away.

4. Use a log as a balance beam.

5. Hunt for worms; release them.

6. Capture fireflies; set them free.

7. Dig a hole; fill it up again.

8. Make a pretend dinner; use pebbles, sticks and leaves.

9. Search for sea glass.

10. Collect clam and mussel shells.

11. Find a starfish.

12. Sink your feet in a combo of water and sand.

13. Search for sand crabs.

14. Climb a tree.

15. Find your shadow; guess the time.

16. Start a campfire with sticks.

17. Squish mud between your toes.

18. Dig a hole; add water.

19. Collect rocks.

20. Blow dandelion seeds.

21. Track down birds’ nests.

22. Copy birdcalls.

23. Identify faces and shapes in the clouds.

24. Make giant and tiny shadows.

25. Send a message in a bottle.

26. Find a four-leaf clover.

27. Play in water from the sprinkler.

28. Capture a caterpillar; put it back.

29. Spot one squirrel, two chipmunks and three rabbits.

30. Count the seconds between lightning and thunder.

31. Watch hail bounce.

32. Wear your clothes inside out and backward.