It’s no secret, I like to keep my kiddos entertained while they’re out of school. It’s partly because I’m just an awesome mom, but it’s mostly because I need to keep my sanity! So here’s my list of kids summer activities to get your gears turning of things you can do with your little shrimpies. We shared a similar post last year, but today’s list of kids summer activities is going to feature a lot more options!

Kids Summer Activities in Hampton Roads

Mariners Museum – $1 admission for everyone all summer until Labor Day
Summer Reading Program – I’m a mean mommy and my kids still have to read during the summer, so why not let them get rewarded by joining the program at a library or Barnes & Noble?!
Bubble Mania – I found glow in the dark bubbles, can’t wait to try them!
Putt Putt Golf – there are lots of great local options, and you can usually find discounted tickets on Groupon!
Art Museum Visits – Virginia MOCA, Chrysler Museum, Portsmouth Children’s Museum
Farmers Market – I want to give the kids $5 each and see how far they can stretch it buying fresh produce.
Play mad-libs – have each kid take turns filling them out and reading it aloud
Take me out to the Tide’s baseball game at Harbor Park (check out their promotions page for discounted tickets!)
Do a nature walk scavenger hunt (Pinterest has lots of great printables!), trails include Oak Grove Park, First Landing State Park, and Lake Lawson just to name a few.
Check out the VB Planetarium (for $3, this is an awesome value!), or watch a free show at the Chesapeake Planetarium.
$1 Movie Days at Regal Cinemas (my kids love to pair this with a box of dollar store candy!)
Ocean Breeze Water Park – we have season passes this year – whoot!
Go fly a kite at Mount Trashmore (I used a 40% off coupon and got cool kites for the kids at A.C. Moore)
Bowling – use Kids Bowl Free to get two free games every day during the summer!
Have an outdoor picnic and let the kids choose what to make and cook it.
Visit a Park – Fun Forest Chesapeake, Grommet Island Beach Park Virginia Beach,
Tour the Battleship Wisconsin
Free Outdoor Summer Concert Series (we love YNot Wednesday and Town Place at Greenbrier)
Play Conductor for a day and visit the Norfolk Southern Train Museum
Have a water balloon fight (I love using the Zuro brand for a quick fill up!)
Have a beach day – complete with snacks, sandcastles, and adult beverages for mommy!
Visit an Ice Cream Shop – we love the Smithfield Ice Cream Parlor since my sister is the manager, but for a local trip, I recommend Doumar’s!
Portsmouth Splash Park – it’s free, so this would be perfect after visiting the Children’s Museum!
Bounce House fun – my kiddos really love Cloud 9 trampoline park now that they’re older, but we also really like Kangaroo Jack’s bounce house.
Painting – I bought a value pack of canvas’ from Michaels (using a 40% coupon of course), paints and brushes (all under $10), and my three kiddos are gonna have a blast!
Cook Together – find a recipe, go shopping for the ingredients together, and cook the meal with your kids. This is always a hit in our house!