Summer is the perfect time to create lasting memories without breaking the bank. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the great outdoors, dive into new hobbies, or explore your local community, there are countless fun and affordable activities to make this season unforgettable. In this post, we’ve compiled a list of 115 exciting and budget-friendly ideas that will keep you and your family entertained all summer long. So, grab your sunscreen and get ready to have an amazing summer filled with laughter and fun!
115 Fun and Cheap Summer Activities
- Make homemade ice cream
- Slip-n-slide
- Sidewalk chalk/ Make chalk art
- Jump rope contest
- Bubble machine
- Grill at least once a week
- Help kids organize their bedrooms
- Teach other kids to cook and do laundry
- Play night games outside with flashlights
- Visit a pick your own fruit farm
- Teach kids to make their lunches and clean up
- Tie-dye clothing and shoes
- Paint the kids rooms
- Get a trampoline
- Find a drive in movie theater
- Be “screen free” from 9-5 everyday
- Eat outside once a day
- Have a talent show
- Family comedy night
- Have a photo shoot
- Learn something new
- Board game day
- Learn to play chess
- Learn to play poker
- Make jewelry
- Do a brain quiz
- Start a garden
- Sculpt pictures in bars of soap
- Fly a kite
- Jump rope
- Dye hair with Kool-aid
- Create a fairy garden
- Go for a hike in the woods
- Play a card game
- Scavenger Hunt
- Have an indoor or outdoor picnic
- Have a dance party
- Play balloon volleyball
- Play Just Dance on AppleTV
- Make a bird feeder
- Family Paint Contest
- Water balloon fight
- Have a relay race
- Build with LEGO blocks
- Have a spelling bee
- Build with recycled materials
- Create with cardboard boxes
- Go play kickball
- Play freeze tag
- Play Mother May I…
- Play Red Light, Green Light
- Play with a Frisbee
- Bake a cake
- Bake cookies
- Go stargazing
- Build forts with blankets and pillows
- Make homemade pizza
- Watergun fights
- Daily family walks
- Go for a family bike ride
- Paint rocks
- Build and fly paper airplanes
- Toy car races
- Make birthday cards
- Make holiday cards
- Play dress up
- Write a play
- Read a book
- Draw with Art Hub for kids on YouTube
- Write a story
- Write a poem
- Coloring books for kids
- Coloring books for Adults
- Learn to sew
- Learn to knit
- Act out a story or movie
- Play a board game
- Create/Buy a new board game
- Make play doh
- Make slime
- Wash the car
- Watch the sunset
- Watch the sunrise
- Roll down a hill
- Catch bugs
- Write a letter to someone
- Create a comic book
- Create a costume
- Do some exercises together
- Take an online class
- Learn a foreign language with Duolingo
- Have a progressive dinner
- Scrapbook
- Pick flowers
- Fold origami
- Watch and sing along to a musical
- Put on a magic show
- Have a no-talking contest
- Do a puzzle
- Have a tea party
- Visit a National Park
- Learn to juggle
- Have a yard sale
- Camp in the backyard
- Record a fun YouTube video together
- Make homemade lemonade
- Make Popsicles
- Start a new online business
- Play educational games
- Go out for milkshakes
- Try one new food every week
- Video chat with family and friends everyday
- Start a capsule wardrobe
- Start a virtual book club
- Listen to audiobooks (The Wizard of Oz; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, etc)
That’s it! 115 Fun Cheap Things to do this Summer. Click here to download a simple pdf of this list of activities.
