Are you trying to figure out what in the world you’re going to do with your kids all summer long? Tired of hearing “I’m bored”? But at the same time you know going to Dave and Busters or the water park isn’t feasible as an everyday expense?
I get it! You want to keep the kids entertained this summer without breaking the bank. Which is why I’ve put together the ultimate list of 100 inexpensive kids summer activities you’ll actually want to do!
Enjoy, Mama!
Free Kids Summer Activities
- Play at the local park/playground
- Peruse the local book store
- Walk around the neighborhood and play Pokemon Go
- Tell family stories – your children will love to hear about when you were a kid!
- Head to the beach
- Go for a hike
- Go to the library
- Kids Bowl Free
- Kids Skate Free
- Join a reading program at the local library or book store & win free books or prizes (Barnes & Noble, Scholastic, Sylvan, Half Price Books)
- Go bike riding around the neighborhood
- Grab a blanket and stargaze
- Give each other makeovers and/or mani/pedis
- Find a place to lie down and look for shapes in the clouds
- Play dress up
- Have a dance party
- Participate in free activities and crafts at Bass Pro Shops on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Create a blanket fort
- Go for a picnic
- Practice learning a new language
- Get all of your board games out and have a game night
- Visit Grandma and Grandpa
- Play Pictionary
- Host a scavenger hunt
- Watch the sun set
- Put a puzzle together
- Head to the lake
- Put together an obstacle course in the backyard
- Meet all of the pets at the local shelter or pet store
- Let the kids hang out at Ikea’s Småland Play Area for an hour
- Host a slumber party
- Attend a fireworks show
- Fold paper airplanes or origami objects
- Set up your own mini golf course (use plastic cups as “holes”)
- Catch fireflies
- Visit the local fire station
- Go camping in the backyard
- Play charades
- Swing in a hammock
- Attend free reading time at the library or book store (or Pottery Barn)
- Play at a local splash pad
- Home Depot and Lowes weekend workshops
- Play restaurant and have the kids make lunch
- Play school and have the kids teach
- Host your own movie marathon
- Put on a skit
- Play Simon Says
- Attend a free American Girl event on the first Wednesday of each month 1-3pm
- Play tag or hide and seek
- If you have a Bank of America card, take advantage of the Museums on Us program
- Host a talent show (invite neighborhood friends!)
- Learn how to juggle
- Play catch
- Host a tea party
- Tour a local college & talk about future dreams & aspirations
- Subtraction Bowling
- Beach Ball Madness
- Multiplication (or Addition) Battle
- Flashcard Lava Pit
- Fraction Go Fish
- Funny Ad Libs
- Create Your Own Comics
- Sight Word Cootie Catcher
- Geography Games
- Learn to Tell Time
- Animal Sort Game
- Write with Invisible Ink
Inexpensive Kids Summer Activities
- Grab some popcorn and a Redbox movie
- Bake cookies (bonus points if you turn them into your own ice cream sandwich)
- Go to the swimming pool
- Pick fruit at a local farm
- Make jewelry together
- Run in the sprinklers
- Make a sundae bar
- Make your own trail mix (purchase goodies from the grocery store like Cheerios, nuts, raisins, and pretzels then combine at home)
- Roast marshmallows and enjoy s’mores
- Play on a slip’n’slide
- Plant a garden
- Paint with nail polish together
- Attend discounted summer movies (Most movie theatres have $1 movies during the summer)
- Grab a Main Event Summer Fun Pass for all you-can-play bowling, billiards, and laser tag! It’s only $12.95 per person from 9am to close if you purchase prior to 10:30am!
- Go fishing
- Host a water balloon fight (or play water balloon baseball!)
- Grab some glow in the dark bracelets and/or flashlights and play nighttime tag
- Make homemade popsicles
- Go camping
- Blow bubbles
- Have a shaving cream fight
- Play with sidewalk chalk (+ play hopscotch!)
- Play minute-to-win-it games
- Visit a state park
- Set up a lemonade stand
- Try your hand at rock painting
- Make your own recipe book (My friends and I tried this one summer and it was the most fun disaster)
- Join Michaels Camp Creativity
- Fly a kite
- Jump rope
- Have a silly string battle
- Make homemade ice cream
- Play at open gym at the local gymnastics studio
There you have it, folks! 100 inexpensive summer activities you’ll actually want to do! Am I missing anything?! What kind of inexpensive activities do y’all do over the summer break? Hit COMMENT and let me know!
-xoxo-
P.S. The Pogo Pass is SERIOUSLY a good deal! We’re using ours all summer!
