52 Ways to Entertain the Kids This Summer Without Breaking the Bank
I don’t know about you, but my family likes to do something. We’re not big fans of sitting still. And I wouldn’t expect it any other way in these beautiful summer days! But constantly planning activities really adds up… not just in trying to come up with new, fun things to do, but also with how much money it costs!
Aquariums and zoos are so much fun, but one trip to the aquarium takes up my family’s “fun” budget for the whole month. “Sorry, kids. That was the only fun that you can have this month!” isn’t going to fly in my house.
With the summer in full swing, I’ve made a list of the best free (or cheap) things to do with the whole family!
1. Go to the park.
3. Find a new place to explore.
4. Teach them how to skip rocks.
6. Build a blanket fort.
7. Make your own drive-in movie.
9. Go to the fish store.
10. Explore your own town.
11. Visit a garden nursery.
12. Go to your local minor league team’s games.
13. Have a barbecue with friends and family.
14. Have a backyard campout.
15. Picnic lunch at the park.
16. Visit the beach/ lake.
17. Have a theme party potluck with friends.
18. Visit a farm or petting zoo.
19. Catch lightning bugs
20. Make your own popsicles.
21. Explore a creek.
22. Find a waterfall.
23. Have a family movie night at home (Redbox always has free codes you can use online, and the library is always full of great movies!)
24. Puddle jumping.
25. Have a water gun fight.
26. Have a water balloon fight.
27. Make giant bubbles
28. Watch fireworks.
29. Berry picking (or apple or peach picking, too!)
30. Color with sidewalk chalk.
31. Go to a farmer’s market.
32. Nature hike scavenger hunt
33. Make a copycat version of your favorite recipes.
34. Make s'mores.
35. Wash the car (mixing family fun AND chores!)
36. Play a board game together.
37. Read books outside.
38. Tie dye shirts.
39. Be a tourist in your own town.
40. Check out your library’s free activities.
42. Plant flowers.
43. Go to a museum on their free admission days.
44. Lowes or Home Depot kids’ workshop.
45. Feed the ducks.
46. Go star gazing.
47. Have a sponge bomb fight.
48. Make your own crayons with the broken pieces.
49. Play Nature Hunt BINGO.
50. Splatter paint with eggs (I swear it’s fun!)
51. Rubber duckie races.
52. Go fishing.
When my family went out to play baseball on an empty baseball diamond, an older couple walking their dogs came over and told us something outrageously profound: “we’ve taken our kids to Disney World, the Caribbean, Europe… and do you want to know what they remember? This.”
There is so much fun to be had with your whole family without spending money! All it takes is a little creativity!
What’s your favorite free way to have fun with the whole family? Let us know in the comments!
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