Fun things to do in the summer that are free or cheap
Finding fun things to do in the summer that are free or cheap is probably what parents dread the most about the season. Suddenly you find yourself with all the kids at home, and with no idea of what to do. When money is tight, it can feel like there’s really not much you can do to keep them occupied, and entertained, without a phone or tablet in their hands 24/7.
Fortunately, there are plenty of free or cheap fun things to do in the summer, that will not break the bank. And even better, most if not all, are things you can do as a family.
Fun things to do in the summer that are free or cheap
- Visit every park in your town or county
- Skip rocks
- Grow a garden (Fun, pretty & useful)
- Have a weekend cookout every week
- Paint rocks
- Play outdoor games like frisbee, soccer, volleyball, etc. ( You can even make your own games)
- Play hide and seek
- Take a walk (Do this every day, if possible)
- Ride your bikes
- Spend the day at a nearby lake, river or pond
- Have a reading challenge (Fun, and good for you)
- Go to the library (Many libraries host summer reading challenges or have tons of family activities)
- Hang out with friends
- Go camping (Here is a list of the equipment, including a printable of the 4 must-have items for starters)
- Visit local or nearby historical places
- Go for a hike
- Have a movie or series marathon
- Get a slip n slide or a water sprinkler for your hose
- Go to the local farmer’s market
- Attend free outdoor concerts
- Volunteer as a family
- Go to the movie theater (Some have $1 movies every day, all summer!)
- Collect leaves in a binder (Great learning opportunity)
- Go to the beach and build a castle
- Sign up for classes at your local library
- Sign up for classes at your local craft store like Joann, Michael’s, etc.
- Make things to sell for extra income (this could be so much fun!)
- Start a Youtube channel
- Make slime (messy but lots of fun)
- Make crafts
- Create an obstacle course in your backyard, American Ninja Warrior style
- Camp in your backyard
- Visit the aquarium, museum or zoo near you (Most places have deals on yearly/summer family passes)
- Learn to cook a new dish
- Bake together as a family
- Have a screen-free challenge (See who can stay off-screens longer, and whomever wins gets a treat)
- Learn a new language (Could be sign language, or anything you’d like. Check the library for this)
- Make a family vision board for inspiration (Ask all family members to contribute)
- Go fishing
- Have a water balloon fight outside
- Fly kites
- Pick berries at your local farm
- Go on a picnic
- Build a fort in your living room using blankets
- Go bowling (Kids bowl free all summer-find out locations near you here)
- Have an All-the-junk-food-you-can-eat day at home (Featuring pizza, ice cream, cookies, pizza rolls, etc)
- Do a pantry challenge (This will help clean up pantry AND save you money)
- Get free slurpies at the nearest 7Eleven on July 11th
- Dance in the rain (When it rains, of course)
- Have a water gun or Nerf gun war outside
- Paint and play Hopscotch in the sidewalk
- Make a soap cloud using Ivory soap (Super cool, and easy: just put it in the microwave!)
- Collect shells from the beach
- Visit a flea market near you
- Go to a fish hatchery
- Attend local parades (e.g. antique cars)
- Go on a road trip
- Explore other cities in your state (Do a bit of research beforehand to find out what’s your best option)
- Make tie-dye anything (T-shirts, tank tops, bandanas, etc)
- Have a campfire party
- Spend an afternoon blowing AND chasing bubbles
- Go inner-tubing
- Take tons of pictures of everything you do, everywhere you go for a scrapbook
Fun things to do in the summer that are free or cheap
Having fun, and staying busy during the summer does not have to be expensive. Most of the activities listed above can be done for free, or super cheap. Some can even be done with things you have lying around the house!
Using this list, make plans to spend as much time as possible doing things together as a family. Or even better, ask your family members to help you create your own summer bucket list. That way everyone will get a chance to do all the activities listed here AND add other fun, free or cheap activities they’d like to do.
My family and I always try our best to have as much fun family time as possible, even if a trip to Disneyland is not in our budget. As laid back as we are around here, and despite how much we love spending time at home, it’s always cool to do plan and do free or cheap summer fun activities.
Isn’t this a cool list of fun ideas? I know I am super pumped to do all these! Please, do share, what have you done or are planning on doing for fun this summer? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!

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