Summer bring a welcome change of pace after the frenzy of year-end shows, school field trips and, for some of the older kids, exams. Whether your kids are 3, 13, or 23, I bet there are at least a few of the activities below you haven’t done yet. Why not put a few on your summer bucket list? Add your own favorite fun food things to do with kids in summer in the comments.

  1. Sprout some kale or chard seeds and watch them grow. Here’s a tutorial.
  2. Pick dandelion greens and make a salad (or pesto!)
  3. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Every week, let each child choose a veggie from the box and have them decide on a dish to make around it. Here are a few CSA programs in the USA and Canada.
  4. Grow basil or parsley in containers.
  5. Create a “summer snack station”: Clear a kid-accessible shelf in your kitchen and stack it with healthy vegan snacks. Let your kids help themselves!
  6. Find your town’s best spot to pick blackberries. Remember: if you have to give more than a gentle tug, it’s not ripe!
  7. Hold a blind taste test: are green beans better than yellow beans?
  8. Learn about your region’s edible plants and go foraging in a nearby forest with a knowledgeable friend
  9. Plant some pollinator-friendly flowers that are native to your region
  10. Invite 11 friends to the park, have a Ladybug Picnic and run potato-sack races
  11. Make a smoothie blind taste test bar: add small portions of steamed cauliflower or carrots to some and let the kids try and guess which.
  12. Hit the u-pick blueberry or raspberry field (wear dark clothing!)
  13. Let them roll the dough for cherry pies
  14. Create a kid food show and post to YouTube
  15. Add edible flowers to ice cubes for fancy drinks
  16. Create layered ice pops with your favorite combinations of colorful fruit
  17. Volunteer for a day of work at a farm animal sanctuary (call ahead and bring a vegan picnic)
  18. Borrow a friend’s dehydrator and make the most interesting fruit leather roll-ups.

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fun food things to do with kids this summer