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.
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