Sun’s Out, Fun’s Out: July Family Fun Inspiration

Ready, Set, Fun! July is here and the sunshine is calling! This month is all about soaking up the good weather and making some fantastic memories with simple family fun inspiration.

This post was originally written in June of 2020 and updated in June of 2024. It may also contain affiliate links.

To beat the “what-to-do” blues, I’ve whipped up a list of fun activities categorized into Make (crafts and food), Explore (getting out and about), and Play/Watch (games and entertainment). We’ve tried (or are planning to try!) many of these summer fun ideas for kids, so hopefully they spark some inspiration for you too!

Holidays and Special Dates in July

Check out the calendar in the sidebar for more.

• French American Heritage Month
• National Anti-Boredom Month
• National Ice Cream Month
• National Grilling Month
• National Picnic Month
• Plastic Free Month
• International Joke Day is July 1
• Independence Day is July 4
• Embrace Your Geekness Day  is July 13
• World Emoji Day is July 17
• International Chess Day is July 20
• Moon Landing Day – anniversary of Apollo 11 first step on the Moon (7/20/1969)
• National Ice Cream Day is July 21
• Full Moon (Buck) is July 21
• World Brain Day is July 22
• National Parents’ Day is July 28

Family Fun Inspiration: Make!

First up, the food! Let’s celebrate with some yummy (and maybe a little silly) themes for each day of the week:

Food-themed days of the week:

• Pancake Sundays: Rise and shine with a stack of fluffy pancakes! (Waffles are always a good idea, too!) Fun tip: pour the batter in a metal cookie cutter to create fun shapes. Top with berries before flipping them out.
• Fish Night Mondays: We have a resolution to eat more fish every week. This helps satisfy our goal. We rotate between salmon, salmon burgers, fish sticks, mahi, etc.
• Mac & Cheese Mondays: The ultimate comfort food for lunch – try topping with your favorite protein, or vegetable. 
• Pasta Tuesdays: For dinner, rotate between Alfredo, marinara and pesto with your favorite pasta, adding veggies, a protein and plenty of cheese alongside bread or a salad.
• Tea Time Treat Wednesdays: Bake up some cookies and make lemonade or brew some chai tea, and get ready for a creative writing session alongside your favorite read aloud.
• Thursday Grill Night: my partner loves to grill, this is a permanent slot on the weekly meal plan. We mix it up between various burgers, proteins and veggies. Sometimes we’ll throw a seasonal fruit on the grill for fun.
• Pizza Fridays: Because, well, it’s Pizza Friday! Make it a build-your-own pizza party for extra fun.
• Date Night Saturdays: Plan a special evening in with your partner while the kids enjoy their own movie night.
• Passport Eats Sundays: Explore the world through your taste buds! Learn about a new culture and cook a traditional dish together.

Other food-themed ideas:

• Root Beer Float Fun: Craft your own homemade root beer for a fizzy treat. Or try a scoop of ice cream in a favorite carbonated beverage.
• S’mores by the Fire (or in the oven!): A classic summer treat enjoyed by all ages. Try them with a smear of hazelnut spread, peanut butter or make a mess-free option by adding chocolate chips and a roasted marshmallow into a bag of graham crackers.
• Banana Split Extravaganza: Pile on the ice cream, toppings, and go crazy! This is also a fun idea for breakfast. Just swap the ice cream for Greek yogurt and add granola and/or your favorite fruit.
• Fondue Night: Get fancy with a fondue night featuring cheese or chocolate.
• Homemade Ice Cream: Make your own ice cream for a truly delicious experience.
• Kimchi Adventure: Try making a kid-friendly version of this spicy Korean staple. Serve alongside eggs, on top of Mac and cheese or on a rice bowl.

Get Crafty!

Here are some creative projects to keep little hands busy:

• Marble Art: Roll different size marbles through paint and swirl them around on a tray lined with paper. The marbles do the painting and you will get some cool designs. 
• Abstract Heart Art Project: Let your creativity flow with this expressive art project. Use materials found in nature (like shells, sticks, leaves, flower petals) and create designs in our natural world. 
• Letters to Loved Ones: Spread some snail mail cheer by writing letters to family and friends. Include a color drawing or origami creation.
• Friendship Bracelets: Weave some colorful friendship bracelets to share with your besties. Or tie on a crystal and hang them from a window for rainbow sparkles every time the sunshine peeks through the window.
• Origami Animal Kingdom: Fold your way to a menagerie of origami animals. There are many great tutorials of how-to origami on YouTube. 
• Tye-Dye Extravaganza: Create one-of-a-kind t-shirts with a tie-dye party.
• Pressed Flowers: Press beautiful flowers and turn them into lasting keepsakes.
• Crafts Inspired by Learning: Create crafts that tie in with homeschooling curriculum for a fun learning experience.
• Family Podcast: record a “radio drama”; share a family update or put on a skit. The recorded memory will be enjoyed for years to come. 

Family Fun Inspiration: Let’s Explore!

At Home Adventures:

• Backyard Camp out: Pitch a tent, build a fire (with adult supervision!), and enjoy a night under the stars.
• Hammock Chill Time: Relax and unwind with a good book in the calming sway of a hammock.
• Picture Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items to find around the house or yard and have a fun scavenger hunt.

Out and About:

• Sunday Scenic Drives: Take a relaxing drive and explore new neighborhoods or parks.
• Family Hikes: Get some exercise and fresh air with a hike around your neighborhood.
• Fishing Fun: Cast a line and enjoy a peaceful day by the water.
• Bike Ride Bonanza: Explore your neighborhood on two wheels.
• Ice Cream Adventure: Treat yourselves to a delicious ice cream cone on a hot summer day (or in honor of National Ice Cream Month.) 
• Mountain Majesty: Take a day trip to the mountains for breathtaking scenery and fresh air.
• Ferry Tales: Enjoy a scenic ferry ride and explore a new destination.
• Berry Picking Bonanza: Head to a berry patch and pick your own fresh berries. Strawberries, tayberries, raspberries and black berries are usually available for u-pick in the Seattle area during June and July.

Family Fun Inspiration: Play/Watch

Watch:

• Date nights in (kids watch a movie, parents watch a movie or catch up on series)
  • Grownups currently watching: Schitt’s Creek (2015) six seasons on Hulu, The Mandalorian (2019) three seasons on Disney+.
• Family movie night
  • Classic titles:
    • The Sandlot (1993): This baseball classic captures the essence of summer with a heartwarming story about a group of kids who form a sandlot baseball team. On Disney+.
    • Camp Rock (2008): This Disney Channel movie is a fun and lighthearted look at summer camp life, with music and romance thrown in for good measure.
    • The Rookie (2002): This inspirational sports drama tells the true story of Jim Morris, a high school science teacher who becomes a professional baseball player.
    • The Parent Trap (1961) and (1998): This fun and lighthearted comedy tells the story of identical twins who meet for the first time at summer camp and hatch a plan to reunite their divorced parents.
    • The Great Muppet Caper (1981) on Disney+.
  • Modern favorites
    • Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) – Live action remake of animated version. There is one season available on Netflix; seasons two and three are coming). Review on Common Sense Media.
    • Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) – animated, three seasons on Netflix.
    • The Floor is Lava (2020) – game show, three seasons on Netflix.
    • You vs. Wild (2019) – “choose your own adventure” inspired interactive adventure series featuring Bear Grylls, three seasons on Netflix.
    • Blown Away (2024) (four seasons) – reality/competition show about glassblowing on Netflix.
    • The Family Switch (2023) – movie based on Bedtime for Mommy; by Amy Krouse Rosenthal on Netflix.
    • Making Fun (2022) reality TV series about makers on Netflix.
    • Muppets Most Wanted (2014) on Disney+.
    • Also:
      • All the New Netflix Movies You Can Watch This Summer (note: sign out of Netflix to read this article)
      • Coming soon from Disney+
      • On PBS: A Capitol Fourth – 7/4 (check local listings)

Play:

• Board games, card games and a few others!
  • Scrabble
  • Catan Family Edition
  • Dragonwood
  • Chess, Checkers or Backgammon
  • Ravine
  • Uno
  • Mille Bornes
  • Crazy 8
  • Sorry
  • Zeus on the Loose
  • Monopoly
  • Battleship
• Hula Hoop Lasso Challenge
• Animal Exercises for Kids
• Outside obstacle course
• Bubbles

I hope you enjoyed my collection of July-inspired summer fun ideas for kids. What does your family like to do in July?

If you’d like a printable calendar featuring most of these ideas – download it here:

Other things:

Yes, we’re homeschooling in the month of July! Check out what we’re learning about. (this linked post was written in 2020)