July brings long, sunshine‑filled days and simple ways to spend time together. This calendar offers easy nature play, STEM prompts, and everyday activities. Choose what fits your summer rhythm and leave the rest — it’s here to inspire, not overwhelm.

​

​

ADD PICTURE OF CALENDAR

​

​

Activity List

• July 1 — Creek Day

  • Spend time exploring shallow water. Look for smooth stones, tiny fish, and water bugs.

• July 2 — Make Fruit Popsicles

  • Place fruit into popsicle molds, add water or juice and freeze.

• July 3 — Backyard Bug Count (STEM)

  • Set a 10‑minute timer. Look around the yard for insects — on plants, under rocks, near water. Draw or list each new type you find. Compare where different bugs like to live.

• July 4 — Fourth of July Parade or Festival

  • Enjoy floats, music, and small‑town celebration energy.

• July 5 — Shadow Tracing (STEM)

  • Place a toy or object on the sidewalk and trace its shadow with chalk. Come back later and trace again. Compare how the shadow moved or changed size as the sun shifted.

• July 6 — Smoothie Day

  • Make a smoothie and enjoy it out in the sunshine. Have kids pick the fruit or have them choose a smoothie recipe from a cookbook.

• July 7 — Take a walk on a local trail (The first full week of July is National Forest Week)

  • Enjoy the day on a trail and experience the simple calm of the forest around you.

• July 8 — Berry Picking

  • Visit a farm or find wild patches and pick fresh berries. 

• July 9 — Ice Cube Melt Race (STEM)

  • Place ice cubes in sun, shade, and water. Start a timer and watch which melts fastest. Talk about why sunlight speeds melting.

• July 26 — Nature Scavenger Hunt

  • Find items like a smooth rock, pinecone, something yellow.

• July 11 — Make Ice Cream (Nice Cream)

  • Blend frozen bananas until creamy. Optional, add berries to make berry nice cream. Can add sliced/chopped nuts as a topping. (This one works best if you have a high speed blender - you may need to add a small amount of milk (almond, oat, cows) to help the blending process)

• July 12 — Leaf Rubbing

  • Place leaves under paper and use crayons to make rubbings.

• July 13 — Water Absorption Test (STEM)

  • Put soil, sand, leaves, and bark in separate cups. Pour equal water into each and compare which absorbs the most and which drains quickly.

• July 14 — Trail Snack Walk

  • Choose a short trail and bring a snack to enjoy halfway.

• July 15 — Backyard Picnic (July is National Picinic Month)

  • ​Simple foods, a blanket, and a shady spot.

• July 16 — Build a Stick Fort

  • Gather sticks and build a small structure outdoors.

• July 17 — Float or Sink Test (STEM)

  • Predict whether objects (sticks, rocks, leaves, pinecones) will float or sink. Test them in water and sort results. Talk about why some float and others don’t.

• July 18 — Park Play (July is National Parks & Recreation Month)

  • Visit a local park, bonus if it has an awesome slide​.

• July 19 — Cloud Watching

  • Lay on a blanket and look for shapes in the clouds.

• July 20 — Sun vs Shade Plant Test (STEM)

  • Place two small plants in different light conditions. Water them the same amount and observe changes over the week — color, height, leaf shape.

• July 21 — Library Visit + Summer Reading

  • Pick out a few books to check out and read. You can enjoy the books in your home or outside on a blanket.

• July 22 — Sidewalk Chalk Art

  • Draw patterns, hopscotch, or giant murals.

• July 23 — Stargazing Night

  • Find a clear spot, bring a blanket, and look for constellations.

• July 24 — Read Blueberries for Sal

  • July is national blueberry month, and this classic book is about a berry picking adventure.

• July 25 — Smoothie Bowls

  • Make a thick smoothie (add less liquid), pour into bowls, and add additional toppings (fresh fruits, ground flax seed, chopped or sliced nuts).

• July 26 — DIY Wind Test (STEM)

  • Tie ribbon to a stick and hold it up. Watch how it moves in different spots — open field, shade, near trees — to observe wind direction.​

• July 27 — Rock Balancing

  • Gather smooth rocks and try stacking them into small towers. Great for focus, patience, and quiet outdoor time.​

• July 28 — National Waterpark Day

  • Enjoy a trip to a waterpark or local splash pad. ​

• July 29 — Paint with Water

  • Use brushes and cups of water to “paint” sidewalks or fences.

• July 30 — Grill hamburgers (July is National Grilling Month)

  • Grill hamburgers, layout all the optional toppings and let kids fix their own.​

• July 31 — Backyard Sound Hunt​

  • Sit outside for five minutes and listen closely. Try to identify as many sounds as they can, kids can write the sounds down as they hear them.​

​