25 Free or Cheap Things to Do with Your Kids this Summer

Can you believe that summer break is just around the corner? We are so excited!  It’s that wonderful time of year when your kids are home more often than not. It’s that lovely time of year where your kids will often say that they’re bored and you’ll have no idea what to do to entertain them. Today I decided to share 25 free or cheap things to do with your kids this summer to minimize the boredom moments and enjoy some quality time together.

25 Free or Cheap Things to Do with Your Kids this Summer

1. Make pizza together using English muffins, pizza sauce, cheese and other fun toppings- It’s a cheap and easy way to customize your pizza night. After your pizza’s are made, pop on a good movie for everyone to enjoy together! 
2. Create your own family photo shoot with each other making silly faces all around the backyard. You can work together to pick a theme, pick up cheap photo props (pro tip, Dollar Tree has tons of photo props!) and set that timer on your phone, it’s picture time! 
3. Head out the door and go bowling together. In my area our local bowling ally has a family program where you pay one price at the beginning of the summer and you can play as many games as you want all summer long. 
4. Take a walk around a local park and enjoy the scenery. Any time spent outside with family is a good time. Pack a lunch and have a picnic while you are out! 
5. If you have a community pool, gather up the pool supplies and go enjoy a swim. We are so lucky to have a good mix of outdoor and indoor pools around us. I don’t know about you, but my kids could spend all day every day at the pool. 
6. Host a neighborhood playdate with the kids on your block. This is a great way to create bonds with the people that live around you too! 
7. Have a family BBQ, let the kids plan appetizers and desserts. This will be fun for the family to get in on together. The adults can man the grill and the kids can pick their favorite apps and desserts to go along with it. 
8. Make a unique homemade board game and enjoy game time. You can head to your local dollar store to get cheap supplies to make up your very own game. The kids will love creating it, and then playing with it for years to come. 
9. Take out old board games and have a family game night. With all the technology these days sometimes we just need to turn the phones off, pop some popcorn, and ruin relationships with an old fashion game of monopoly! 
10. Make an outdoor obstacle course for the whole family to enjoy. You can do this using things around the house and it’s sure to get everyone’s muscles moving! (even if it’s just from laughing ha!) 
11. Gather up old movie favorites and have a family movie night. Let’s bring back some movies from our childhood to share with our kids right!? 
12. Play freeze tag together. And for some extra fun, do it at night with flashlights. 
13. Enjoy a game of hide and seek inside on a rainy summer day. Bring out your own inner child by playing a few rounds of hide and seek with your kids! 
14. Bake cookies, grab the ice cream and make your own ice cream sandwiches. You can customize them any way you want and they will taste way better than the ones you get at the store. 
15. Visit the beach and collect seashells and pretty stones. If you are lucky enough to live near a beach make sure you take full advantage of it! 
16. Gather up old magazines and make collages based on fun family memories. When you are done pick a place in the house to display your masterpiece. 
17. Have a lemonade stand sale. Use the money to fund future family fun! 
18. Have an outdoor painting party equipped with large canvases and paint galore. You can even fill water balloons with paint and take turns throwing them right at the canvases! 
19. Visit a local museum to learn the rich history of your town. We love learning wherever we can. Make sure to check out the hole in the wall places too, you might learn more from them then you do from the big museums! 
20. Plan a road trip adventure together and enjoy seeing where the directions lead you. Find fun road side attractions, national parks, and pack some food. Let the kids make a playlist before you go. 
21. Invest in a badminton and volleyball net, play against each other for fun. 
22. Buy some sprinklers and have fun running through the cold water on a hot day.
23. Visit a local flea market or farmer’s market. You are likely to get a great deal and support the local economy. 
24. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or senior citizen center. Good for your local town, great for your soul. Make sure to call and check the age requirements! 
25. Make your own flip flops and show them off to family and friends. You can gather supplies at your local craft store! 

There you have it, 25 free or cheap things to do with your kids this summer. When you’re thinking about plans for the upcoming summer break, remember family time is about quality, not quantity or cost. There are so many inexpensive things to do with kids during summer break. I hope that you’ll pause and take some time to enjoy time with your family this summer season.