Here are 100 budget-friendly summer activities to keep kids entertained, from nature hunts and DIY crafts to community projects and more!
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Summer is the perfect time to explore, play, and create unforgettable memories.
But keeping the kids entertained doesn’t have to break the bank.
Here are 100 budget-friendly activities to ensure a fun-filled summer for your little ones.
Outdoor adventures
- Nature Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of things to find in nature and go exploring.
- Picnic in the Park: Pack homemade sandwiches and enjoy a meal outdoors.
- Garden Camping: Set up a tent in the garden for a night under the stars.
- Water Balloon Fight: A fun way to cool off on a hot day.
- DIY Bird Feeders: Use pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed to make feeders.
- Chalk Art: Let the driveway or pavement be their canvas.
- Build a Fort: Use old boxes or blankets to construct a backyard fort.
- Nature Collages: Collect leaves, twigs, and flowers to make art.
- Obstacle Course: Create a course with things from around the house.
- Fruit Picking: Visit a local farm to pick your own fruit.
Crafts
- Rock Painting: Paint and hide them around your area for others to find.
- Make Playdough: A simple recipe with flour, water, and salt.
- DIY Kites: Design and fly your own kites.
- Recycled Crafts: Turn household rubbish into art.
- Homemade Slime: Experiment with different slime recipes.
- Pressed Flowers: Preserve the beauty of summer flowers in books.
- Fairy Houses: Use natural materials to create homes for fairies in your garden.
- Pasta Jewelry: Paint and string pasta to make fun necklaces.
- Tie-Dye T-shirts: Brighten old clothes with tie-dye.
- Story Stones: Paint stones with images to use as story prompts.
At-home fun
Let’s face it, the weather is grim already this summer, so I probably should have made this section bigger!
- Bake Off: Have a baking competition with simple recipes.
- Movie Marathon: Choose a theme and watch movies together.
- Indoor Camping: Set up a tent or make a fort in the living room.
- Board Game Day: Spend a day playing new or classic board games.
- DIY Pizza Night: Let everyone create their own pizza toppings.
- Book Club: Choose a book to read and discuss it.
- Science Experiments: Simple experiments with household items.
- Magic Show: Learn and perform magic tricks.
- Karaoke: Sing along to your favourite songs.
- Puzzle Day: Work together on large jigsaw puzzles.
Learning and education
- Library Visits: Join summer reading programs.
- Historical Sites: Visit local museums or historical sites on free-entry days.
- DIY Time Capsule: Create a capsule with current favourite items and notes.
- Language Learning: Start learning a new language together.
- Cooking Class: Teach kids to make simple meals.
- Astronomy Night: Learn about the stars and planets.
- Budgeting Game: Teach kids about money management in a fun way.
- Gardening: Learn to grow your own vegetables or flowers.
- Wildlife Documentary: Watch and discuss nature documentaries.
- Map Reading: Practice navigation skills on local walks.
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Getting active
- Bike Rides: Explore local trails or parks.
- Yoga: Try child-friendly yoga videos.
- Dance Party: Have a dance-off in your living room.
- Skipping Rope Challenge: See who can do the most jumps.
- Hula Hooping: Great for fun and fitness.
- Family Olympics: Host a mini Olympics with simple sports.
- Nature Walks: Explore different walking paths each week.
- Beach Day: Build sandcastles and paddle in the sea.
- Kite Flying: Perfect for windy days.
- Mini Golf: Create your own course in the garden or at home.
Community
- Volunteering: Find family-friendly community service projects.
- Visit Elderly Neighbors: Offer to help with gardening or shopping.
- Community Garden: Get involved in local gardening projects.
- Local Festivals: Attend free or low-cost community events.
- Clean-Up Day: Organise a local park or beach clean-up.
- Art Show: Create art to display in a mini-exhibition for family and friends.
- Bake Sale: Raise money for a local charity with homemade treats.
- Pen Pals: Write letters to friends or family members.
- Story Time: Host a story time for younger kids in your community.
- Skill Share: Teach a skill or craft to others in your community.
Just for fun
- Bubble Blowing: Make your own bubble solution and wands.
- Dress-Up Day: Spend a day in costume, just for fun.
- Pet Parade: Dress up pets and have a mini parade.
- Treasure Hunt: Hide treasures around your home or garden for kids to find.
- Funny Photo Shoot: Take silly photos or make a family photo album.
- Shadow Puppets: Put on a shadow puppet show.
- Ice Cream Sundae Bar: Create your own ice cream sundae creations.
- Stargazing: Learn about constellations and try to spot them.
- Water Play: Set up a sprinkler or a small pool to splash around in.
- Silly Olympics: Create fun and silly games to compete in.
Out and about
- Bus Adventure: Take a bus to a new part of town and explore.
- Bike Picnic: Cycle to a picnic spot with packed lunches.
- Museum Days: Many museums have free entry days; plan visits then.
- Train Journey: Take a short train ride to a nearby town or attraction.
- Explore a New Park: Find parks you’ve never visited and spend the day.
- River Walk: Walk along a local river and look for wildlife.
- City Tour: Be tourists in your own city and visit popular spots.
- Nature Reserve: Visit nature reserves or parks to learn about local wildlife.
- Ferry Ride: If you’re near the water, take a short ferry trip.
- Outdoor Concerts: Attend free or low-cost outdoor music events.
Take advantage of the season
- Pick Berries: Visit a berry farm to pick your own.
- Sunrise or Sunset Watching: Find the best spot to watch and take in the view.
- Firefly Catching: Catch fireflies at dusk (but let them go afterwards!).
- Leaf Printing: Use leaves to make prints on paper or fabric.
- Make Lemonade: Make homemade lemonade and sell it or share it.
- Outdoor Movie Night: Set up a screen and projector in the backyard.
- Summer Journal: Keep a journal or scrapbook of summer adventures.
- Fly Swatter Painting: Use fly swatters and paint to make art.
- Ice Block Treasure Hunt: Freeze toys in ice and let kids excavate them.
- Sidewalk Games: Play hopscotch, four square, or draw with chalk.
Giving back
- Make Cards: Create cards for local nursing homes or hospitals.
- Dog Walking: Offer to walk dogs for neighbours or a local shelter.
- Community Library: Set up a book exchange in your community.
- Food Bank Help: Organise or contribute to a local food bank collection.
- Plant Trees: Join or organise a tree-planting day.
- Crafts for Causes: Make and sell crafts to raise money for a cause.
- Beach Clean-Up: Spend a day cleaning up a local beach.
- Recycling Project: Collect and sort recyclables in your neighbourhood.
- Charity Run/Walk: Participate in or organise a charity run or walk.
- Kindness Rocks: Paint rocks with positive messages and leave them for others to find.
Content editor at Skint Dad
Naomi knows the burden of living on very little and became debt free by following her own money saving tips and tricks. She is an expert on saving money at the supermarket and side hustles.
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