4 Refreshing Summer Snacks for Kids to Beat the Heat (and Learn While They Munch!)

Updated July 2025: This post was originally published July 2024 and has been refreshed with new insights on Food-Based SEL and classroom-friendly ideas for connection.

Summer is in full swing, and the sun is shining bright! It’s the perfect time for outdoor adventures, family fun, and of course, cooling down with some delicious treats. Here are four easy and fun recipes that will make snack time a blast this summer!

Whether you’re a parent looking to create fun kitchen moments or a teacher planning engaging summer-themed activities, these four refreshing snacks are more than just yum, they’re opportunities for learning, creativity, and social-emotional connection.

Food education isn’t just about what we eat, it’s also about how we connect while preparing, sharing, and talking about it. These summer snacks are simple enough for little hands, yet packed with learning potential.

1. Fruity Popsicles

Homemade fruit popsicles packed with natural goodness.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh fruits (berries, mangoes, kiwis, etc.), chopped

1 cup yogurt (plain or flavoured)

2 tablespoons honey

Instructions:

Blend the chopped fruits, yogurt, and honey until smooth.

Pour the mixture into popsicle molds.

Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours or until solid.

Fun Tip: Get creative with your fruit combinations! Try mixing strawberries with bananas, blueberries or peaches for a colorful and flavorful twist.

Food-Based SEL Tip: Let kids explore different fruit textures, predict color changes, and express their preferences. This helps build vocabulary, confidence, and emotional awareness.

In the Classroom/Home: Try a taste-test and create a “flavor vote” bar graph together!

2. Cool Cucumber Sandwiches

Refreshing and light snack for a hot summer day. 

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced into thick rounds

1/4 cup cream cheese

1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

Instructions:

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each cucumber slice.

Sprinkle fresh dill over the cream cheese.

Sandwich two cucumber slices together.

Fun Tip: Let the kids help with assembling the sandwiches. It’s a great way to work on their fine motor skills and teach them about healthy eating.

Food-Based SEL Tip: Mindful snack making helps regulate emotions. Talk about textures, colors, and the calm feeling of slow, careful assembly.

Literacy Tie-In: Write a how-to or descriptive paragraph about your snack creation.

3. Frozen Banana Bites

Frozen banana bites are perfect for cooling down after a day of play.

Ingredients:

2 bananas, sliced into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions:

Spread a small amount of peanut butter between two banana slices to make a sandwich.

Dip each banana sandwich in melted chocolate.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Freeze for 1-2 hours until solid.

Fun Tip: Add a sprinkle of crushed nuts or colorful sprinkles on top before freezing.

Food-Based SEL Connection: Let each child design a “kindness snack” to share or gift. Prompt: “What emotion would you name this treat?”

4. Watermelon Slush

Hydrating, delicious, and a great way to enjoy one of summer’s favorite fruits.

Ingredients:

4 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded

1 tablespoon lime juice

5-6 fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

Blend the watermelon cubes, lime juice, and mint leaves until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a shallow dish.

Freeze for about 1 hour, then scrape with a fork to create a slushie texture.

Serve immediately.

Fun Tip: Serve the slush in fun, mini colorful cups or even hollowed-out watermelon halves.

Curriculum Link: Talk about solids, liquids, and freezing! Add a simple science chart or observation sheet.

Fun Presentation Tip: Serve in mini cups or carved watermelon halves for wow factor.

Each of these snacks offers more than flavor. They're tiny moments of joy, calm, and connection, key components of Food-Based Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Whether you use these ideas at home, summer camp, or in early learning centers, you’re helping children build real-life skills in communication, patience, and choice-making.

Check out our infographic for a quick and easy guide to making these summer snacks!