Need a break from summer break? Four fun activities kids can do on their own

July 8, 2025 Tawny Morrison Leave a Comment

Summer is my favorite time of the year. I love the warm weather and sunshine. And while I love having my child home from school (and the lack of pick-up line anxiety), there are also times when I need a moment to take a breath and reheat my coffee – again.

Thankfully, PBS KIDS is here to help with simple games, activities, printables and more. You can simply set things up and supervise while they immerse themselves in the activity, or hop in and explore together. Here are four activities to get started.

Build a dam

Some kids can lose themselves in water play for hours! Head outside with some simple supplies to Build a Dam and Explore Water Flow. First, pick a long container that can hold water and invite your child to gather materials they think might stop the flow of water. Then, prop up one end of the container so water flows from one end to the other. Finally, fill it with water and invite your child to use the materials they gathered to see if they can stop the flow of water.

Pick an activity from the PBS KIDS Summer Activity Book

It can be helpful to have ready-to-go activities on hand for rainy days or whenever busy minds need something to do. Download the free PBS KIDS Summer Activity Book, filled with inspiration and activities kids can do throughout the summer. Write a story inspired by Wild Kratts, color by shapes with Lyla in the Loop, learn about animals with Molly of Denali and more. The book is available to print in English or Spanish.

Watch Reading Buddies and earn an Alphabadge

Do you have a budding reader at home? Help grow a love of reading and practice early literacy skills with help from the Reading Buddies show! The playful, research-based series features Dusty the dog, who’s learning to read “little by little, letter by letter.” With help from his friends Dott and Alphabott, Dusty earns Alphabadges as he explores letter sounds, letter shapes and more.

Kids can earn Alphabadges at home! Pick from 60 episodes available on PBS and learn along with Dusty. Head to the Reading Buddies website to print the corresponding badge. There are also special summer badges to celebrate reading this summer! How many badges can your reader earn?

Design a stuffed animal world

Whether your child has a single stuffie they love the most or a herd of rotating favorites, they can craft a stuffie world with materials you already have on hand. The possibilities are endless, and PBS has plenty of ideas to get started.

Kids can design, build and test a playground slide for a stuffed animal. First, they need to gather items they can use, like cardboard, blocks, a cookie sheet or books. Then, they can build the slide however they want. Next, they can test their slide by placing their stuffie at the top and seeing how far it goes. Finally, they can modify the slide to slow down their stuffed pal or give it more speed.

Does their stuffie need a nap after? Your child can craft a cozy trolley bed with recycled materials and inspiration from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

For more educational ideas to spark learning this summer, visit pbswisconsin.org/education.

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