Want to have fun with your kids this summer without breaking the bank? You need my list of low-spend summer activities with kids!
Everything has gotten so expensive! When groceries, housing, and necessary expenses like utilities and healthcare are taking up so much of the take-home pay, it’s hard to find the funds for fun. But even if your budget has taken a hit this year, you don’t want to just sit at home and twiddle your thumbs. Your kids will drive you nuts if you do that!
To avoid the slow descent into madness, you need to have at a whole list of low-spend things you can do with your kids so you don’t feel guilty taking them to do something fun. Lucky for you, I did some brainstorming and came up with a list of low-spend summer activities with kids that I’m going to use and hope you can use this summer too!
Low-Spend Summer Activities with Kids
Home
First up, it’s important to acknowledge that you can have a ton of fun with your kids this summer without leaving your house. Sure, it’s fun to leave your house, but it can be super fun to do some out of the ordinary things at home too. You should look at my list of home-based low-spend summer activities with kids as simply a starting point. There are a lot more fun things that you can do at home where these come from!
Lightning bugs
Growing up in Florida, lightning bugs weren’t a thing. So, when we went to North Carolina for a week every summer, we loved to catch them. It was pure joy! Catching lightning bugs was fun for kids in the 1990s and today. Head out to the backyard at dusk with a mason jar and get ready for squeals of delight!
Slip n slide
Every time we get the slip n slide out on a summer afternoon, I’m shocked by just how much fun the kids have. It’s really as simple as hooking the slip n slide up to the hose, getting the kids in their swimsuits, and lathering on the sunscreen to enjoy one of the best low-spend summer activities with kids. Make sure you’ve got plenty of towels and extra clothes on standby!
Movie night
We don’t get a lot of screentime in my house, so movie nights are special occasions. Especially summer movie nights! I encourage you to go all out for a summer movie night. Make a nest of pillows and blankets on the floor, pop the popcorn, and get everyone’s favorite candy. My goal this summer is to show my kids some of the classic movies from my childhood. Think Angels in the Outfield, The Mighty Ducks, Cool Runnings, etc.
S’mores
If you have a fire pit, I highly recommend that you use it to roast s’mores. If you don’t have a fire pit, there are other ways to get the ooey gooey melty snack at home. A gas grill will do the job and a microwave will even work in a pinch!
Stargazing
I don’t know about your kids, but mine were super into the Artemis II mission this Spring. My son was already fascinated by space (Santa even brought him a telescope for Christmas last year), but the Artemis II mission really cemented his love for all things space. I’m planning to keep the space momentum going by incorporating some stargazing into our summer nights. You really can’t get easier than stargazing if you’re looking for low-spend summer activities with kids. All you need is a dark sky and to look up!
Play Doh/slime
I was recently at a work event, and we somehow got on the topic of Play Doh and slime. Y’all, I am not a fan of either product, but I’ll tolerate both if their presence is restricted to outside. This means that Play Doh and slime are summer-only activities at my house. You might think I’m an evil mom, but I like to think this rule just makes summer a little bit more special.
Popsicle party
We go through popsicles like they’re going out of style in the summer. They’re just a great, fun way to cool off when it’s hotter than a witch’s titty outside. And although enjoying popsicles with your immediate family is fun, make it even more fun by throwing a popsicle party. Invite your friends and neighbors over to cool off with everyone’s favorite childhood treat. Don’t stress about having a perfectly clean house or a curated menu. Slap some popsicles in a cooler and holler.
Field day
My son recently had field day at the tail end of his Kindergarten school year and had a blast. I have fond memories of field days from my childhood too. Who says field day can happen at school only? It doesn’t! Throw a neighborhood field day and watch as all of the kids enjoy super fun low-spend summer activities. Potato sack races, relays, water balloons, wheelbarrow races – you know the drill.
Away
If you’re just dying to get out of the house, there are plenty of low-spend summer activities with kids that will change your scenery. Save these activities for when you’re just about to pull the last hair out of your head.
Ice cream
Go get ice cream as much as you can this summer. Try different ice cream shops, different flavors, different treats. Then, at the end of the summer, rank all the ice cream you tried. Seriously, this sounds so fun!
Picnic
There’s something so cozy about having a picnic. If you stop to think about it, it’s a little weird to eat a meal on the ground outside. But don’t think about it! Just enjoy it! Picnics are great low-spend summer activities with kids. The kids can eat a little, play a little, eat a little, play a little and have a ton of fun!
Beach/pool/splash pad
If you live in a community near the beach or one that has a public pool or splash pad, this is truly a low-spend summer activity. But even if you do have to pay to go enjoy some water in the summer near you, it’s totally worth the expense! Summer screams out for water, so make sure you get to play in the water as much as you can with your kids.
Walk/hike/bike ride
If it’s not too hot, walks, hikes, and bike rides make great low-spend summer activities with kids! You can simply tool around your neighborhood, you can go to a local park, or go a bit farther afield to a trail that you’ve never tried before. They’re all good options!
Playground/sports field
My kids are outdoor creatures, so we spend a lot of time at playgrounds and sports fields in the summer. Instead of going to the same playground or sports field over and over, I like to hop around to different places so we don’t get bored. If we find one that’s shaded, though, it gets put in the regular rotation!
Nature scavenger hunt
If your kids want to be outside, but they don’t want to go to the playground, consider going on a scavenger hunt! Have your kids look for things that usually are found outside. Make some easy to spot, some harder to spot, and some darn-near impossible to spot to keep things interesting.
Farmer’s market
My kids love the farmer’s market! In our community, it happens on Thursday afternoons from May through September, and my kids hate to miss even one Thursday during this time. It’s fun to stroll around, see what the vendors have available, and pick up a few things to take home. We like to get stuff for a snacky dinner, so that makes dinner easy on Thursday nights too!
Street festival
Summer is peak time for street festivals for most of the country. Around where I live, there is pretty much a street festival every weekend. There’s an art festival, a Pride festival, an Italian festival, even a pierogi festival! Use these street festivals as excuses to get out of the house, explore a new part of your city, and find some fun, new low-spend summer activities with kids.
State or national park
Last year, my family took a day trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park to get out of town for a day during the summer and we had such a great time. I highly recommend it! If you read my summer hope-to list, you’ll know that I’m hoping to do another park day trip this summer. This time, I want to try out our new underground state park – Laurel Caverns state park. Wherever you live, I encourage you to find a national or state park that’s within driving distance and plan a day trip. You’ll make memories that will last a lifetime!
Camping
I hear that camping should be included on any list of low-spend summer activities with kids worth its salt. If you have an adventurous family who loves to camp, go for it! My family is a camping family, so if you’re like us, don’t feel any pressure to camp. This is about doing stuff you’ll enjoy! You know your family, so include camping on your list or don’t.
Other posts
Looking for more fun summer ideas? Just click on my Summer category or consider some of these family-friendly summer blog posts:
I really hope you’ll use my list of low-spend summer activities with kids to make your own list. Tell me, what’s at the top of your list? Share down below or over on Instagram @sarainseason!