Looking for a summer challenge your kids will actually want to do? We’ve got 30 creative, silly, and movement-filled ideas to help your family unplug and reconnect. No screens. No apps. Just old-school fun that is designed to stir the imagination and creativity. Because, as our friends at LEGO like to say, play is our superpower.
We believe.
This article is sponsored by LEGO®.
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Check out this fun spinner we created to help you get started! Spin once per day to choose an activity at random, or scan through the list to match your family’s mood.
Your Ultimate 30 Days of Screen-Free Summer Fun List
Can’t decide what to do today?
Use our spinner to pick a surprise screen-free activity!
🧱 LEGO-Powered Play: Big Fun in Small Bricks
- LEGO Obstacle Course
Build a course and race a marble or minifig through twists, turns, and jumps made from bricks. - Build a LEGO Bridge
How much weight will it hold? Get inspired:
- LEGO Zip Line
Send a brave LEGO figure flying across the room using string and creativity. - Storytime LEGO Build
Read a book and recreate a scene from the story using your bricks ... or better yet, make up your own!
👉🏽 Get inspired. - Break a LEGO Record
How tall can you build a LEGO tower before it falls over?
Did you know?The tallest LEGO tower, as recognized by Guinness World Records, used about 550,000 LEGO bricks and measured 14 feet 11 inches. |
- LEGO Self-Portrait
Use your bricks to build a mini version of yourself — hair, clothes, and all. - LEGO Ice Dig
Freeze LEGO pieces in a container and then excavate them outside on a hot summer day with spoons. - Create a LEGO Game
Invent your own board game using LEGO pieces as the board, dice, or characters.
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Want even more LEGO fun?
Find your local in-store events!
🏃🏿 Game On: Play to Win (Or Just to Run Really Fast)
- Kick the Can
A twist on hide-and-seek and tag! One player guards the can while others hide. If a hider is spotted and their location is called out, they’re caught. But if someone kicks the can before getting tagged, everyone is freed! - Red Light, Green Light
One player calls 'green light' with their back turned and 'red light' facing the runners. Race forward when it's green, freeze when it's red, and whatever you do, don’t get caught moving! - Shadow Tag
Tag your opponent’s shadow instead of them. Works great in late-afternoon sun! - Freeze Tag
Great for groups! One team tries to tag the other. Anyone tagged must freeze in place until a teammate taps them to unfreeze. - Capture the Flag
Divide into teams, hide your flags, and sneak around to grab the other team’s without getting tagged.
🤪 Silly & Fun Group Games
- Hopscotch Remix
Create your own twisty hopscotch course with sidewalk chalk or tape. - Wheelbarrow Races
One person walks on hands while the other holds their legs — total giggle-fest. - Simon Says
Follow the commands … but only when Simon says! - Hot Potato
Pass a soft object around while music plays. Whoever’s holding it when it stops has to do a silly dance. - Charades
Act out animals, sports, or movies — no words allowed! - Duck, Duck, Goose
Because some classics never go out of style.
 Daniel Gonzalez | Canva |
🧪 Build It, Mix It, Test It: Easy STEAM Experiments
- Make Giant Bubbles
Whip up this easy DIY bubble formula to make giant backyard bubbles ... who can make the biggest? - Clean a penny
Kids love this STEAM activity because they get to experiment, and you'll love it because it'll cost you ... hardly a penny!
👉🏽 Find out what kitchen supplies you'll need. - Make an exploding "volcano"
Create a "volcano" out of anything from LEGO bricks to recycled materials, then add baking soda and vinegar... and watch that lava flow!
👉🏽 Get directions here.
🎨 Easy Creative Play
- Build a Fort
Pillows, blankets, and couch cushions = instant clubhouse. Want to level it up? Bring in your LEGO bricks and build furniture, gadgets, or even mini forts for your minifigs inside! - Chalk Masterpiece
Turn your driveway into a canvas! Draw games, murals, or create your own twisty obstacle course. - Nature Art
Gather leaves, sticks, and stones to create patterns or pictures outdoors.
👉🏽 Get inspired. - Design a Family Flag
Create a flag that represents your family using paper, fabric, or even LEGO bricks.
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🌿 Let's Go On an Adventure
- Complete a Summer Bucket List
Print our ready-to-go summer bucket list (perfect for the fridge!) or use the blank version and let your kids brainstorm their own screen-free adventures to check off before summer ends.
👉🏽 Get it now! - Scavenger Hunt
Search for simple items outside — like a feather, something yellow, or a bumpy rock. Want an extra challenge? Hide LEGO minifigs around the yard for a twist on the classic Easter egg hunt! - I Spy Walk
Take a stroll and play “I Spy” with colors, shapes, or nature finds. - Nature Ninja Challenge
Pick a path in your yard or local park and turn it into a stealthy ninja course — tiptoe across logs, leap over sticks, and balance on rocks without being “seen.”
Tips for Maximizing Summer Fun
- Let kids choose the activity or spin the wheel — It will boost their sense of control and motivation.
- Repeat favorites — There’s certainly no hard and fast rule saying you can’t do “LEGO Zip Line” five times. You never know what activity will spark their imagination and curiosity!
- Make it a challenge — We don't want you or your kids to feel like this is homework. You certainly don't have to do these challenges every day, but perhaps make it a challenge to complete all 30 tech-free challenges before summer ends. Can you do it?
Photos used with permission. ©2025 The LEGO Group Get inspired! |
The Joy of Unplugging
With a little creativity, a few LEGO bricks, and a spirit of play, even the hottest, laziest days can spark hours of fun. And the memories you make will outlast any afternoon spent in front of a screen.
FAQs
Q: What age group is this tech-free summer challenge best for?
A: These activities are ideal for kids ages 4-12, but many can be adapted for younger or older kids.
Q: Do I need special LEGO® sets to complete the LEGO® activities?
A: Nope! Any collection of bricks will do — just bring your imagination. Want to shop? Start here to find a store near you.
Q: Can I do these activities indoors?
A: Absolutely. Many ideas like puppet shows, LEGO® games, or fort building work great inside.
Q: How much time do these activities take?
A: Most can be done in 15-30 minutes, but the hope is they inspire many hours of extended and creative play.
