5 Screen-Free Summer Activities for Nannies & Kids of All Ages

By TLC Nannies & Sitters | July 8, 2025

Summer is the perfect time to get outside, get moving, and create memories without screens! Whether you’re caring for toddlers, school-age kids, or a mixed-age group, there are tons of creative and engaging ways to fill the day with fun.

Here are five screen-free summer activities nannies can do with kids that are simple, low-cost, and packed with learning and laughter:

1. 🎒 Explore with a Nature Outing

Take the kids on a neighborhood nature walk, a local park adventure, or a visit to a nearby garden or trail. Collect leaves, spot birds, or start a nature journal together.

🧠 Learning Bonus: Talk about different trees, bugs, flowers, or cloud formations. You can even bring along a magnifying glass and sketch pad!

🧺 What to Pack: Water bottles, sunscreen, bug spray, and a light snack.

2. 🎯 Backyard Obstacle Course

Transform your yard or driveway into a mini ninja warrior course using things you already have—pool noodles, hula hoops, cones, and jump ropes.

🏃 Kids can run, crawl, hop, and balance their way through, and older kids can even help design the course!

🎨 Add Creativity: Let kids name each section of the course or make medals from cardboard and ribbon.

3. 🔍 DIY Scavenger Hunt

Plan a scavenger hunt tailored to your environment:

  • Indoor: Find something soft, something blue, something round

  • Outdoor: Spot a bird, find a pinecone, see a bug, etc.

🧡 For mixed ages, pair younger and older kids as teams, or create picture-based lists for non-readers.

🧠 Add a Challenge: Use rhymes or riddles for older kids to decode clues.

4. 🧪 Simple STEM with Summer Vibes

Keep little minds active with hands-on, screen-free STEM activities that feel like play.

Try this fun, fizzy Baking Soda & Vinegar Volcano:

  • Fill a container with baking soda

  • Add a few drops of food coloring

  • Slowly pour vinegar and watch the eruption!

Other ideas: Make sun catchers, build towers with marshmallows and toothpicks, or try sink/float water experiments.

5. 🧺 Field Trip Fun

Plan a mini adventure to a:

  • Farmer’s market

  • Local splash pad

  • Zoo or petting farm

  • Botanical garden

  • Ice cream shop or picnic spot

🎉 Bonus Tip: Let kids help pack a picnic or map the route using paper maps to build life skills along the way.

Final Thoughts

Screen-free fun doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With a little creativity and a lot of sunshine, nannies can help kids stay engaged, active, and smiling all summer long.

Looking for more summer inspiration or a qualified caregiver to keep your kids busy and safe while school’s out? TLC Family Care is here to help! Contact us today to learn more about our experienced, trusted nannies and sitters.

The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized  approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.

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