Free and Fun Things for Kids to do in the Summer Time

With 3 kids of various ages, and being the cheapskate that I am (I like to call it being frugal), I love finding free and fun things for kids to do in the Summer that don’t cost an arm and a leg. (originally published 4/14, affiliate links present)

Free Summer Activities for Kids

It’s Summertime! Time to spend a bit more one on one time with our kids while they’re out of school. Take family friendly vacations, visit National Parks, and really keep kids busy! We all need help finding free kid friendly summer activities to do together!

We first came up with this summer to do list that is a printable checklist with 50 cheap and free activities for kids to do during the summer. It’s full of fun things to do without spending money every day.

Free Summer Activities

Start the summer by printing off the summer months from this printable monthly calendar and fill it with the activities your kids want to do.

I usually start with the $1 movies and write down which ones we want to go to since they are only offered 2 days a week at specific times.

Then fill in the rest with camps I have scheduled for them. Once that is in place the activities below are added so our days are full! Then use our summertime screen time printable to organize your days a bit more.

Fun things for kids to do in the Summer

Visit a local park
Visit a local farmer and get a tour or volunteer for the day
Go to the movies (matinee shows & discount theaters offer lower rates)
$1 Summer Movie schedule in your area, most offer them
- Regal / Edwards Summer Movie Series
Have a picnic (at the park, beach or in your backyard)
FREE roller skating
FREE bowling
Join summer reading programs

Summer Fun Ideas for Kids

Water activities

Slip N Slide
Turn on the sprinklers
Water tables
Water balloon toss in the backyard (seen above)
Jump on the trampoline
Have a fun night, use our sleepover checklist so you don’t forget anything with friends
Experience a play or Cirque du Soleil together
Fill a watering can & water plants in yard (repurpose juice containers for a can)
Gardening activities for kids like how to make a vegetable garden are great
Wash the car (FUN & Daddy loves this)

Summer Activities for Kids

Take a walk/hiking activities:

Bring an egg carton & fill with treasures
There are lots of hiking activities with kids you can do
Sign them up for summer camp
Have a picnic at your destination
Fill a spray bottle & spray things you like/water flowers along the way
Take pictures with a play/throw away camera
Find bugs (bring note pad & draw pictures of them)
Make a bird feeder

Beach List/Activities:

Buckets (build sand castles etc)
Boogie boarding
Smashball

Summertime Things to do with Kids

Frisbee fun
Make fans out of paper plates
Have a picnic (cooler)
Build a track out of sand (bring matchbox cars)
Build a castle out of sand for toys (barbies & my little ponies work well)
Vacation Bible School (most churches have them, register in May or June)
Visit your community pool (contact local recreation center)
This is ice cream in a bag
Make cookies – and use edible markers to design
Crafts
We will start with 100+ indoor activities for kids!
Color a picture with kool aid paint or food coloring

Free and fun things for kids to do in the summer

Make chocolate playdough
Make one of our 50+ best way to make slime recipes and have fun
Here’s homemade silly putty
Paint a picture – try our watercolor painting
Write a card to an out of state relative (take a trip to the post office to send it) – or send a ball in the mail
Build a little free library & fill it with goodies
Visit your local library (usually have activities during the summer/story time)
Lots of free Summer reading programs are here
Visit a local fair (usually several in the summer time)
Take a day trip somewhere new – here are road trip tips on our road trip blog like how free entrance to National Parks for students

Go Geocaching
Window shop at your local mall
Visit a state park in your area
Take the train or metrolink (get off for lunch & come back)
Read a book
Put on the radio and dance
Ride your bike
Feed ducks at a local lake or pond

Along with lists like this of fun things to do for kids in the summer look up your local community center and/or YMCA and see what kind of summer camps they have available.

I start with this around April/May to break up the summertime. I schedule at least one week long camp for them in order for them to get out of the house. They meet new friends there too. It also gives me a little break as well. Local camps can be inexpensive, but you can camp for free yourself.

Many offer financial assistance if the cost is a struggle (YMCA has programs for this). Start the summer adding activities to your printable calendar and summer to do list to keep them busy.

You’ll save yourself from a lot of “what are we going to do today”s.

Have a swim party

Have a BBQ with friends (potlucks are great, BBQ hacks are here)

Create a movie night/afternoon in your living room (use netflix or redbox)

Visit a local thrift store & find treasures

Throw a book swap party

Fly kites

Make Banana Smores over the BBQ

Play hopscotch (sidewalk chalk isn’t very inexpensive)

Play a board game (quirkle is our favorite)

Learn a new card game

Play Legos

Make an obstacle course in your backyard

This is our list of fun things to do for kids in the Summer, what else did we miss that we should add? Kid entertainment is really endless.

I have many specific ideas for those of us in Southern California here too, but for those of you in other areas these work for just about everyone!