Toddler Summer Activities: 10 Fun Ideas to Keep Little Ones Entertained All Season

Remember when summer meant sleeping in and lazy beach days? Yeah, me neither—not since becoming a parent! Now summer means keeping a tiny human entertained during the longest, hottest days of the year while they bounce off the walls with energy.

But here’s the good news: summer with toddlers doesn’t have to feel like survival mode. With the right activities up your sleeve, you can actually enjoy these sunshine-filled months together.

I’ve spent the last few summers figuring out what actually keeps my little one engaged (and not melting down from heat or boredom), and I’m sharing the winners with you.

These activities embrace the messy, wonderful chaos of toddlerhood while sneaking in tons of learning and development.

Most importantly, they’re doable for real parents with real budgets and real limits on how much glitter we can handle in one day.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent looking for fresh ideas, a working parent maximizing weekend fun, or a grandparent hosting the littles for the day, these summer activities will help you create those golden childhood memories without losing your mind in the process.

Water Play That Goes Beyond the Kiddie Pool

Let’s be honest—water is basically magic for toddlers in summer. But you don’t need an elaborate water table or fancy sprinkler system to make it happen.

Image Prompt: A grinning 2-year-old in a colorful swimsuit stands in a sunny backyard, dumping water from a plastic measuring cup into a large metal mixing bowl. Around her feet are various plastic containers, cups, and kitchen utensils scattered on the grass. Water puddles shimmer in the sunlight, and her expression shows pure joy mixed with intense concentration. A cheap plastic kiddie pool sits nearby but unused—she’s completely absorbed in her self-directed pouring station. The background shows a simple fence and green grass, with a parent’s shadow visible, watching from a lawn chair. The scene captures the beautiful simplicity of toddler play: give them water and containers, and they’re entertained for ages.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Large plastic bins or metal mixing bowls (3-4), various sized cups and containers (recycled yogurt containers work perfectly), measuring cups, plastic funnels, turkey basters, sponges, plastic bottles with holes poked in lids
  • Setup: Fill bins halfway with water, arrange containers on grass or patio, add 2-3 drops of food coloring if desired (makes it more visually interesting)
  • Age range: 18 months to 4 years (with supervision for younger toddlers)
  • Time commitment: 5 minutes setup, 30-60 minutes play time, 5 minutes cleanup
  • Mess level: High but contained outdoors—embrace it!
  • Developmental benefits: Fine motor skills through pouring and scooping, hand-eye coordination, early math concepts (full/empty, more/less), sensory exploration, cause-and-effect learning
  • Safety note: Never leave toddlers unattended around water, even shallow containers
  • Variations: Add plastic toys, foam letters, ice cubes, or bubbles to the water for extra interest
  • Cost-saving tip: Skip the expensive water tables—toddlers are just as happy with dollar store bins and recycled containers
  • Cleanup strategy: Let them play in swimsuits on grass, then hose them off before heading inside

The beauty of water play is that it naturally regulates body temperature while keeping them engaged. My toddler will spend an hour just transferring water between containers, completely content. Pro tip: Keep a stack of towels by the door because they WILL want to come inside dripping wet at least three times.

For even more outdoor fun with your little ones, check out these adventure group names if you’re organizing playdates or family outings this summer!

DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint That’s Washable (Mostly)

Sidewalk chalk is great, but chalk paint takes outdoor art to a whole new level. Plus, it washes off with the hose, which is basically the parent version of “easy cleanup.”

Image Prompt: A toddler around 3 years old kneels on a concrete driveway, painting bold strokes of bright pink and blue across the pavement with a chunky paintbrush. Several small bowls of colorful homemade chalk paint sit nearby, each a different vibrant color. Her hands and knees are streaked with paint, and there are colorful footprints trailing behind her where she’s walked through her artwork. Her expression shows complete creative absorption. The scene is bathed in morning sunlight, with a parent’s feet visible at the edge of the frame, coffee mug in hand. The driveway looks like a rainbow exploded—and she couldn’t be happier about it. A garden hose coiled nearby hints at the inevitable cleanup ahead.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Cornstarch (1/2 cup per color), water (1/2 cup per color), food coloring, small containers or muffin tins, chunky paintbrushes or sponge brushes
  • Recipe: Mix equal parts cornstarch and water, add 5-10 drops food coloring, stir until smooth (add more water if too thick)
  • Age range: 2-5 years
  • Time commitment: 10 minutes prep, 45-90 minutes play, 10 minutes cleanup
  • Mess level: Medium-high (but it’s outside, so who cares?)
  • Developmental benefits: Creativity and self-expression, color mixing exploration, large motor skills through big arm movements, sensory experience with different textures
  • Safety considerations: Non-toxic ingredients (though still discourage tasting), watch for slippery surfaces when wet
  • Activity variations: Paint on paper taped to fences, paint handprints and footprints, add glitter to the mixture (if you’re brave), use rollers or sponges instead of brushes
  • Budget win: Each batch costs less than a dollar to make
  • Cleanup strategy: Let it dry completely, then hose off or wait for rain—it truly disappears

This activity is absolutely worth the small amount of prep. The paint’s texture is different from regular paint, which fascinates toddlers. Plus, they can paint HUGE, which is somehow incredibly satisfying when you’re three years old and usually told to “be gentle” with everything.

If you’re planning summer gatherings where kids can enjoy activities like this together, these party names might inspire your event planning!

Frozen Treasure Hunt (Because Ice + Toys = Toddler Gold)

This activity combines the suspense of unwrapping presents with the sensory magic of melting ice. It’s perfect for those brutally hot afternoons when everyone needs to cool down.

Image Prompt: Two toddlers (one about 18 months, one closer to 3) sit on a shaded patio, completely mesmerized by large blocks of colorful ice melting in shallow trays before them. Small plastic toys—dinosaurs, cars, plastic gems—are frozen inside the ice blocks. The older child pours warm water from a small pitcher onto the ice, watching with wide eyes as it begins to melt and reveal the treasures. The younger one is content to simply touch the cold ice and lick her wet fingers. Puddles of colorful water pool around the trays. Both children wear light summer clothes, and their expressions show pure fascination. A parent sits nearby on a deck chair, clearly enjoying a rare moment of peace while the kids stay entertained.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Small plastic toys, large containers (loaf pans, Tupperware, or plastic storage containers), water, food coloring, access to freezer overnight
  • Preparation: Place toys in containers, fill with water, add drops of food coloring, freeze for 8+ hours
  • Release method: Run warm water over container bottom to pop out ice blocks
  • Age range: 15 months to 4 years (supervision required for younger toddlers who might put toys in mouth)
  • Time commitment: 5 minutes prep the night before, 30-60 minutes play time
  • Mess level: Medium (water everywhere, but it’s just water)
  • Developmental benefits: Patience and delayed gratification, cause-and-effect understanding (warm water melts ice), temperature exploration, problem-solving as they figure out how to free the toys, fine motor skills
  • Safety tip: Supervise younger toddlers with small toy pieces; use larger toys for littles under 2
  • Variations: Freeze flowers or leaves for nature exploration, use different water temperatures to compare melting rates, add salt to speed up melting (fascinating to watch), freeze water in different shaped containers
  • Make it easier: Freeze toys in ice cube trays for quicker melting
  • Engagement boost: Let them use toy hammers, spray bottles, or droppers with warm water to help the melting process

The suspense of waiting to see which toy is revealed keeps them engaged way longer than you’d expect. My LO spent 45 minutes on this last summer—that’s approximately four years in toddler attention span time!

For more engaging activities that bring kids together, explore these team names for kids to make group play even more fun!

Garden Sensory Bins Without the Garden

Not everyone has a backyard garden, but you can still bring nature exploration to your toddler with portable garden sensory play.

Image Prompt: A toddler around 2.5 years old sits cross-legged on a porch, deeply focused on a large clear plastic bin filled with potting soil. She’s using a small garden trowel to dig and scoop, with several small terracotta pots, plastic flowers, smooth river rocks, and toy garden bugs scattered around the bin. Her hands are gloriously dirty, with soil under her fingernails and smudged on her cheek. Small plants (real herbs in pots) sit beside the bin, giving off fragrance. She’s wearing play clothes that are already dirt-streaked. The scene is peaceful and grounding, with afternoon sunlight filtering through trees in the background. A parent’s gardening gloves rest nearby, suggesting joint activity. The toddler’s expression shows the deep satisfaction of working with earth and natural materials.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Large plastic bin with lid (for storage), potting soil (1 bag), small terracotta pots (dollar store), plastic or silk flowers, garden tools for kids, smooth stones, toy insects, spray bottle with water
  • Setup location: Porch, patio, driveway, or even on a tarp indoors if desperate
  • Age range: 2-5 years
  • Time commitment: 10 minutes setup, 45-90 minutes play time, 15 minutes cleanup
  • Mess level: High (dirt everywhere) but manageable with the right location
  • Developmental benefits: Sensory exploration of different textures, pretend play and imagination (running a garden), fine motor skills through digging and planting, connection with nature, early science concepts
  • Safety notes: Use non-toxic potting soil, supervise to prevent eating soil, watch for choking hazards with small stones
  • Activity variations: Add real herbs to smell (basil, mint), include measuring cups for scooping, bury plastic gems for treasure hunting, add dried pasta “seeds” to plant, use different textures like sand or shredded paper
  • Budget option: Ask garden centers for damaged soil bags—they often sell them cheap
  • Storage solution: Keep setup in bin with lid on porch for easy repeat play all summer
  • Cleanup hack: Do this activity before bath time, then march them straight to the tub

This activity scratches that digging, planting, growing itch without requiring an actual garden. The soil texture is incredibly calming for many toddlers—it’s like kinetic sand but natural and WAY cheaper.

Creating nature-themed activities? These environmental team names might inspire your approach to outdoor learning!

Bubble Station Beyond Basic Bubble Wands

Bubbles are a summer staple, but creating a dedicated bubble station with multiple tools takes the experience from “meh” to “WHOA!”

Image Prompt: A delighted 2-year-old in a simple summer dress stands in a sunny backyard, surrounded by a cloud of bubbles of all different sizes. On a small plastic table beside her sits a muffin tin with different homemade bubble solutions in each cup, and an array of bubble-making tools: fly swatters, cookie cutters, slotted spoons, pipe cleaners shaped into wands, strawberry baskets. She’s holding a large slotted spatula, waving it through the air and creating dozens of tiny bubbles. Her face shows pure amazement as bubbles float around her, catching rainbow colors in the sunlight. The grass beneath her feet is dotted with bubble residue. A parent’s arm is visible, dipping a wire whisk into one of the bubble solutions. The scene captures the simple magic of summer childhood—bubbles, sunshine, and wonder.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Dish soap (Dawn works best), water, glycerin or corn syrup, large plastic bin or muffin tin, various household tools (whisks, slotted spoons, cookie cutters, fly swatters, strawberry baskets, pipe cleaners)
  • Bubble solution recipe: 6 cups water + 1 cup dish soap + 1/4 cup glycerin or corn syrup (let sit 1 hour for best bubbles)
  • Age range: 18 months to 5 years
  • Time commitment: 15 minutes setup, 30-60 minutes play time, 5 minutes cleanup
  • Mess level: Low to medium (mostly just wet and soapy)
  • Developmental benefits: Breath control and oral motor skills when blowing, hand-eye coordination tracking floating bubbles, cause-and-effect learning, outdoor gross motor movement chasing bubbles, visual tracking skills
  • Safety considerations: Bubble solution is soapy and slippery—avoid wooden decks; supervise to prevent drinking solution
  • Tool variations: String threaded through straws for giant bubbles, pool noodles with pantyhose stretched across ends, six-pack rings, embroidery hoops
  • Make it special: Add food coloring to solution for tinted bubbles, do this at golden hour for gorgeous bubble colors
  • Budget win: Most tools are things you already own
  • Engagement extender: Challenge older toddlers to catch bubbles with specific tools or count how many bubbles different wands make

The variety of tools is what makes this activity last. When they get bored with one bubble-maker, they move to another. Plus, experimenting with which tools make the biggest or smallest bubbles adds a whole learning dimension.

Planning a bubble party or outdoor gathering? These summer party names could add extra fun to your event!

Nature Scavenger Hunt for Tiny Explorers

Toddlers are natural collectors—capitalize on this by turning outdoor time into a purposeful nature hunt.

Image Prompt: A toddler about 3 years old walks through a neighborhood park, clutching a small cardboard egg carton with different nature items collected in each cup: a smooth pebble, yellow dandelion, green leaf, small pinecone, feather, and stick. She’s crouched down examining something on the ground—possibly another treasure to add. She wears a small backpack and sun hat, and her expression shows intense focus mixed with the pride of accomplishment. A simple laminated picture card hangs from her backpack showing the items she’s hunting for. Morning sunlight filters through trees overhead. A parent walks a few steps behind, giving space but staying close. The scene captures the wonder of discovery and the way toddlers notice details adults miss—the beauty in ordinary outdoor objects.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Egg carton or small bag, simple picture list of items to find (can be hand-drawn or printed photos), clipboard or cardboard to clip list to (optional but exciting for toddlers)
  • Hunt list ideas: Something yellow, something rough, something smooth, a rock, a stick, a leaf, a flower (only if allowed), something round, a feather
  • Age range: 2-5 years
  • Time commitment: 5 minutes prep, 30-90 minutes depending on location and attention span
  • Mess level: Low (just natural outdoor dirt)
  • Developmental benefits: Observation skills, color and texture recognition, matching skills, vocabulary building, patience and persistence, appreciation for nature, gross motor skills walking and bending
  • Safety reminders: Teach “look but don’t touch” for unknown plants, avoid areas with poison ivy, supervise collection to prevent eating items, check for ticks after outdoor play
  • Location options: Backyard, neighborhood sidewalks, parks, nature trails, even parking lot landscaping works
  • Variations: Focus on specific colors, collect items starting with different letters, hunt for specific shapes (circles, triangles), make it seasonal (fall leaves, spring flowers, winter pinecones), take photos instead of collecting
  • Make it easier: Show them an actual example of each item before starting
  • Extension activity: Use collected items for nature art or sorting activities when you get home

This activity burns energy while keeping them engaged and learning. The egg carton is genius because each section creates a goal, and toddlers LOVE filling containers. We’ve done this hunt multiple times, and my toddler always finds something I never would have noticed—a perfectly round acorn cap or a stick shaped like a Y.

For group outdoor adventures and nature activities, these adventure group names might inspire your next family outing!

Toddler Car Wash (for Toys, Not Actual Cars)

Give those filthy ride-on toys, plastic cars, and outdoor toys a proper cleaning while your toddler thinks they’re just playing.

Image Prompt: A toddler around 2.5 years old in a swimsuit stands beside a large plastic bin filled with soapy water, completely absorbed in scrubbing a plastic ride-on car with a small sponge. Bubbles cover the toy and the toddler’s arms. Several other outdoor toys wait their turn—a tricycle, toy shopping cart, plastic dump truck—all lined up on the patio like cars at a real car wash. A second bin of clean rinse water sits nearby with a small watering can beside it. The toddler is soaking wet, standing in puddles, but clearly having the time of their life. Foam and bubbles are everywhere. A parent sits on porch steps in the background, taking a photo. The scene is pure summer joy—productive play where cleaning becomes an adventure.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Large plastic bins (2), dish soap, warm water, sponges, scrub brushes, spray bottles, old towels or rags, small watering can or cup for rinsing
  • Setup: Fill one bin with soapy water, one with clean rinse water, arrange toys needing cleaning nearby
  • Age range: 18 months to 4 years
  • Time commitment: 5 minutes setup, 45-90 minutes play/cleaning time, 10 minutes cleanup
  • Mess level: High but outdoors—everything dries
  • Developmental benefits: Life skills (cleaning!), responsibility for toys, fine motor skills scrubbing and wiping, pretend play, bilateral coordination using two hands, satisfaction of seeing results
  • Safety notes: Non-toxic soap only, supervise around water, watch for slippery surfaces
  • Best toys for washing: Ride-on vehicles, plastic toys, toy kitchen dishes, baby dolls, sand toys, balls
  • Variations: Add food coloring to soap water for “special cleaning solution,” set up a drying station with towels, create tickets for the “car wash,” use different tools (toothbrushes, paintbrushes, mops)
  • Bonus: Your toys actually get clean! Win-win!
  • Pro tip: Time this activity for late afternoon before dinner and bath time—they’re already soaking wet anyway

This is hands-down one of my favorite summer activities because everyone wins. The toys needed cleaning anyway, my toddler is entertained for an absurdly long time, and she feels like she accomplished something real. The “car wash” framing makes it exciting rather than a chore.

Looking for more hands-on activities? Check out these cooking team names if you want to involve toddlers in kitchen fun too!

Painting with Ice Cubes

Art meets sensory play meets temperature exploration in this refreshingly simple activity.

Image Prompt: A toddler around 2 years old sits at a small outdoor table, holding a colorful ice cube on a popsicle stick like a frozen paintbrush. Large sheets of white paper spread across the table show vibrant streaks and melting puddles of color where ice paint has melted. Several more ice cube “paints” in different colors sit in a small bowl, slowly melting in the summer heat. The toddler’s hands are stained with color, and she’s completely focused on creating swirling patterns with her ice cube. Her expression shows fascination with how the ice feels cold but leaves warm trails of color. Puddles of colored water dot the paper. A parent’s hand reaches into frame with paper towels, prepared for the inevitable drips. The scene beautifully captures how toddlers experience art with their whole bodies—the cold sensation, the visual color, the melting transformation.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Ice cube trays, popsicle sticks or craft sticks, liquid watercolors or food coloring, water, heavy paper or cardstock, tray or table surface
  • Preparation: Mix water with concentrated food coloring or liquid watercolors, fill ice cube trays, insert sticks halfway through freezing (after about 1 hour), freeze completely overnight
  • Age range: 18 months to 4 years
  • Time commitment: 10 minutes prep night before, 20-45 minutes play time
  • Mess level: Medium (color on hands/clothes but water-based and washable)
  • Developmental benefits: Sensory exploration of temperature, color mixing discovery, fine motor control with unusual tool, creativity, cause-and-effect (heat melts ice), patience watching ice transform
  • Safety considerations: Supervise to prevent eating ice cubes, use non-toxic colorants, watch for slippery surfaces
  • Activity variations: Freeze in different shapes (silicone molds), use different paper surfaces (fabric, cardboard, foil), combine colors to explore mixing, paint on driveway instead of paper, add glitter to ice cubes
  • Best timing: Hot afternoon when cooling sensation feels amazing
  • Budget win: Uses simple materials most homes have
  • Cleanup: Much easier than regular paint—just hose off or wipe surfaces

The dual sensory experience of cold ice and colorful art makes this activity uniquely engaging. Plus, there’s something magical about painting with something that’s slowly disappearing in your hand. My toddler was mesmerized by watching the ice cube shrink while the colors spread.

For more creative group activities, these art usernames might inspire artistic adventures with friends!

Outdoor Mud Kitchen (Yes, Really)

Before you skip this thinking “absolutely not,” hear me out—a dedicated mud kitchen contains the mess and channels toddlers’ natural love of dirt into imaginative play.

Image Prompt: Two toddlers (one about 2, one closer to 3.5) stand at a simple DIY mud kitchen setup in a backyard corner—an old wooden shelf or pallet holds plastic pots, pans, and mixing bowls. A large plastic bin of dirt sits at kid height, with a smaller container of water beside it. The children are mixing dirt and water in bowls with wooden spoons, their hands and arms covered in mud up to their elbows. Plastic “food” items, leaves, sticks, and rocks are arranged as ingredients. Both kids wear old clothes or swim suits and are completely absorbed in their mud cooking. The younger one is patting mud into a muffin tin while the older one stirs a pot of mud soup. Their expressions show serious concentration mixed with joy—they’re in their element. A garden hose coils nearby, ready for cleanup. The scene is beautifully messy, celebrating the kind of natural play that makes childhood memorable.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Small shelf, crate, or pallet for setup surface; old pots, pans, bowls, muffin tins, spoons; plastic bin for dirt; smaller container for water; “ingredients” (rocks, leaves, sticks, flowers, acorns)
  • Setup location: Corner of yard, patio edge, or against fence—somewhere you can leave it set up
  • Age range: 18 months to 5 years
  • Time commitment: 30 minutes initial setup (but then it’s ready all summer), 60-120 minutes play time, 15 minutes cleanup
  • Mess level: Very high—but that’s the point! Keeps mud contained to one area
  • Developmental benefits: Imaginative play and storytelling, sensory exploration of textures, fine motor skills stirring and pouring, social skills in collaborative play, early math concepts through measuring and mixing, connection with nature
  • Safety notes: Supervise around water containers, ensure no sharp objects in dirt bin, check area for stinging insects, use potting soil instead of yard dirt to avoid pesticides
  • Setup variations: Use an old entertainment center, child’s play kitchen moved outside, plastic storage drawers, actual kitchen counter if you find one curbside
  • Dress code: Swimsuits or old clothes only—embrace the mess!
  • Cost: Nearly free if using items you have or find
  • Parent sanity saver: Set this up near your seating area with a good book—they’ll play independently for ages

I resisted this for SO long because mud + toddler = nightmare, right? Wrong. Having a designated mud area actually kept her from digging in my actual garden and flower beds. The focused play area contains the mess instead of spreading it everywhere. Plus, mud play is incredibly beneficial for immune system development and stress relief—for both toddlers and adults watching them!

If you’re setting up outdoor play spaces for groups, these camp team names might inspire your summer setup!

Dance Party Water Balloon Toss

Combine music, movement, and cooling water play for an activity that burns massive toddler energy.

Image Prompt: Three toddlers between 2 and 4 years old stand in a loose circle on grass in swimsuits, tossing colorful water balloons back and forth while music plays from a portable speaker nearby. Water droplets glisten in the sunlight around them. One balloon has just burst, and the child is laughing with arms spread wide, soaking wet and delighted. Other intact balloons of different colors sit in a small inflatable pool nearby, ready for the next round. The toddlers’ expressions range from focused concentration trying to catch to pure joy when balloons explode. Parents sit in camping chairs at a safe distance, supervising and occasionally throwing balloons. The scene is full of movement, laughter, and summer fun—the kind of chaotic joy that defines toddler summer days.

How to Set This Up

  • Materials needed: Water balloons (get the quick-fill kind—trust me), portable speaker or phone with music, open outdoor space, towels nearby
  • Balloon prep: Fill balloons but don’t overfill—they should be soft and squishy for safer catching/throwing
  • Age range: 2-5 years (adult participation recommended for younger toddlers)
  • Time commitment: 15 minutes filling balloons, 30-60 minutes play time
  • Mess level: Medium (they’ll be soaking wet but it’s just water)
  • Developmental benefits: Gross motor skills through throwing and catching, hand-eye coordination, rhythm and movement with music, social skills taking turns, learning to win/lose gracefully when balloons break
  • Safety considerations: Supervise balloon pieces (choking hazard), ensure soft landing areas, avoid throwing at faces, break balloon pieces are slippery
  • Activity variations: Musical statues but with balloon passing, balloon bounce challenge (how long before it bursts?), target practice at objects instead of people, relay races with balloon carrying
  • Music choice: Upbeat kids’ songs with good rhythm for throwing patterns
  • Make it easier: Use sponges or soft balls first to practice catching before adding balloons
  • Cleanup: Collect all balloon pieces immediately—they’re not biodegradable and unsafe for wildlife

This activity is LOUD and chaotic and wonderful. The music adds an extra element of fun that transforms a simple balloon toss into a proper party. My toddler requests this specific activity by name now—”Dance balloon splash!”—which tells you how much of a hit it is.

Planning a summer party with water games? These pool party names might add extra fun to your event!

Making Summer Memories Without Losing Your Mind

These ten activities have carried us through multiple summers, and here’s what I’ve learned: the best toddler activities embrace mess, don’t require perfection, and let kids lead the play. Your toddler doesn’t need elaborate Pinterest-perfect setups—they need your presence, simple materials, and permission to explore.

Some days the nature scavenger hunt will last five minutes before devolving into stick sword fights. Other days, they’ll spend an hour at the mud kitchen while you actually finish your coffee hot. Both scenarios are perfect summer days.

The activities I’ve shared work because they’re flexible enough to match your toddler’s mood, accessible enough for real family budgets, and engaging enough to create those golden summer memories. Most importantly, they let toddlers be exactly what they are—curious, energetic, messy little humans discovering their world one bubble, ice cube, and mud pie at a time.

So grab some water bins, mix up some sidewalk paint, or set up that mud kitchen you’ve been avoiding. Your toddler doesn’t need the perfect summer—they just need opportunities to play, explore, and make glorious messes while you supervise from your camping chair with yet another lukewarm coffee. And honestly? That sounds like the perfect summer to me.

Here’s to surviving summer with toddlers—one frozen treasure hunt and bubble dance party at a time. You’ve got this! 🙂