101 Free Family & Kid Friendly Activities to Do this Summer
101 Free (or Very, Very Cheap) Things to do Outside With Your Kids This Summer guest post by Kim at 2 Kids and a Coupon:
- Have races or chase each other
- Build and fly kites.
- Hunt bugs.
- Pick dandelions.
- Walk, run, skip & jump together.
- Scavenger hunt.
- Go play at the park.
- Splash in the puddle after the rain.
- Dig in the dirt or the sand
- Build sandcastles
- Create sidewalk chalk murals
- Ride bikes, skateboards, roller skates or whatever you have
- Go to the beach or a public wading pool
- Pick up sticks, flowers and leaves and make a collage
- Build a fort
- Smell flowers
- Find a caterpillar and keep in a jar to watch him transform
- Have a picnic
- Watch or chase squirrels or chipmunks
- Plant flowers in the ground or in pots
- Pull weeds
- Play tag
- Make boats out of craft items and try to sail them - you can even do this in a kiddie pool
- BBQ or grill out and eat dinner outside together as a family
- Follow and catch butterflies
- Make your own homemade popsicles and eat them outside
- Plant a garden or even just a few potted plants. Container gardens are great too!
- Sit outside and enjoy the weather
- Go swimming
- Bird watch
- Kick a ball
- Roll down a hill
- Dress up and have a parade
- Blow bubbles
- Pick up and recycle litter
- Walk barefoot through the grass
- Collect rocks
- Look under big rocks to see what you find
- Get to know your neighbors
- Wave at cars and people walking by
- Catch lightening bugs
- Hang a sheet for a curtain and put on a talent show. Everyone has to perform.
- Play catch
- Go hiking
- Run through a sprinkler or a garden hose
- Jump rope
- Read books
- Watch a sunrise or a sunset
- Have a lemonade stand
- Make mud-pies
- Lay in the grass and watch the clouds
- Watch the night sky & count stars
- Take pictures of nature (and each other outside!) and make an album
- Rake leaves
- Go to a farmer's market
- Go fishing
- Skip rocks on water
- Make artwork from found objects (rock, sticks, leaves, litter) and give as gifts to those you care about
- Plant a tree and measure it while it grows
- Enjoy a campfire
- Make smores
- Feed birds
- Make a birdbath or a bird feeder
- Get books about plants, flowers, animals and trees at the library and then try to find them outside.
- Play frisbee
- Go to a free outdoor community concert or festival
- Look under rocks
- Shoot hoops
- Play with your pets outside
- Volunteer
- Wash the car or bikes
- Have a water fight (balloons optional!)
- Use tissue paper and unwrapped crayons to make rubbings of leaves and tree bark
- Play hide and go seek
- Go camping or sleep outside in a tent
- Do a neighborhood block party or dog wash
- Climb a tree or even just a jungle gym
- On a (warm) rainy day, play outside in your swimming suits
- Do an alphabet walk where you look for different items starting with different letters
- Play hopscotch
- Practice walking like other animals. Slither like a snake, hop like a rabbit, etc.
- Make musical instruments out of household items or recycling and have a concert
- Have a tea party. Pets, dolls and stuffed animals can all be invited!
- Use a magnifying glass to play outdoor detective and check out things up close
- Use a projector & a sheet (or bring your tv outside) for a family movie night. -- Don't forget the popcorn!
- Make a time capsule and bury it for the end of summer, or next summer
- Create an obstacle course
- Play in a cheap wading or infant pool
- Use a compass and teach your kids how to use it to find directions
- Create a summer journal or treasure box filled with items, pictures, leaves, shells and other treasures collected during the summer. Try to add to it daily
- Visit a stream, pond, ocean or lake and investigate the different creatures and nature you find
- Teach your kids games you remember from childhood like ring-around-the-rosie, red rover & more
- Collect pine cones or acorns and make an art project out of them
- Coordinate an olympics with sack races, wheel barrow races, 3 legged races and more
- Watch for free days at local zoos, national park, festivals, parades, etc.
- Search for large rocks, paint them and place them as stepping stones in your yard or garden
- Get in shape challenge. Buy inexpensive pedometers and have your kids compete on who is most active
- Have a different theme every day (pirates, bugs, etc) and plan adventures and make believe around it
- Tie-dye inexpensive t-shirts and have everyone model their creation
- Just play outside -- and enjoy it!
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