Free Summer Activities for the whole Family

It's officially summer and that means the kids are home from school, in my case it's the husband - he's a teacher. Now what? You have two to three months and you don't want your kids to be cooped up in the house playing video games all summer but you don't have a ton of money to keep go, go, going all the time. 

Problem = $$$

Solution = FREE Activities

I've created a list of fun, free activities for the whole family to participate in that won't break the bank.

1. Library - Check out your local library for free summer activities. Our library has fun events from crafts to petting zoos, magic shows, story time, movie nights and tons more! You can also check out books, movies, and video games for free.

2. Explore Outdoors - Go for a hike, go for a walk, play in the creek, have a fire, or go camping in your backyard. All of theses are fun, free activities for the whole family.

3. Go Exploring - I have lived in my town for four years now and still have a lot to explore. Just the other day we found a nice, public creek for the kids to play in close to our house. You can explore your town or surrounding towns. You'd be surprised at how many places you can find from shops to hiking trails that are "new to you".

4. Create a Scavenger or Treasure Hunt - You can find a free scavenger hunt online or create your own. This is a fun way to pass time and the best part is that the scavenger hunt/treasure hunt can consist of anything from a nature hunt to a Fake Fruit Scavenger Hunt.

5. Festivals - Most festivals are free to attended and only cost if you decide to buy something. Depending on the festival, there may be free activities for the kids, booths passing to free items and a parade. Some festivals have an entry fee so make sure to look it up online before you go. 

6. Park - Visit a local park or set up a play date and go with a friend. Parks tend to have a playground, walking trails, skate parks and some even have splash pads. You can also fly a kite or play frisbee in an open field.

7. Picnic - Save money, pack a lunch and have a picnic with your family. You can have a picnic at the pool, creek, a park, after a hike or even in your back yard.

8. Parks and Recreation - Most towns have a parks and rec group that plans free family events throughout the year. Our local Parks and Rec will put on events from movie nights, to craft fairs, dance classes, yoga, a 4th of July Spectacular with free fireworks, music and family fun and more! They even have a free spring and fall painting class  Search your local Parks and Rec to see what they offer each month.

9. Pet Store - A pet store is a fun place for kids to look at and sometimes even play with animals without  having the everyday responsibilities of a pet.

10. Read a Book - Reading helps keep your brain active and who doesn't love a good story. I love listening to my toddlers make up stories based off the pictures in their books. You can check out books for free at your local library. If your town is like mine, you can also get a book from or leave a book at the little Free Library's popping up around town.

If you have a Pizza Hut, your kids can sign up for the Book It program and possibly earn an individual pizza in exchange for reading this summer. 

11. Beach - I don't live by a beach but if you do, kids love sand and love water so make a day out of. Don't forget the sun block!

12. Free Swim Day - Love the pool but not the cost? A lot of public pools have random free swim days. Our local pools free swim days usually fall on the 4th of July with one or two others throughout the summer. They usually also have a free movie & swim night in June & July. If you go later in the evening you can usually get in for a discounted price.

You can also always Be-friend someone who has a pool - If you know someone who has a pool, try to set up a play date to go swimming at their house. Just don't over do it and invite yourself over all the time or you may risk your friendship.

13. Gardening - Gardening is a fun activity for the whole family. It will take some planning and work throughout the summer but it is worth it! Search for free supplies on Marketplace or check out the Dollar Tree for affordable dirt and pots. You can get free seeds at your local library. You can also check with 4H or any local urban farms for free seeds. You can usually find free pollinator seeds online just by searching and signing up. You don't need to spend a lot to have a garden, repurpose and use what you have from yogurt containers to milk jugs to toilet paper rolls. 

14. Free Movie Night - Many towns have free movie nights during the summer at local parks. The library also has movies you can check out for free and I don't know about all of them, but our library shows a free newer movie once a week in their theater room. If all else fails, check out a pawn store for $1 DVD deals or your local theater for $1 movie days during the summer. 

15. Start a New Hobby - Writing, drawing, crafting, sewing, reading, blogging, running, gardening, and collecting things are all great beginner hobbies. Hobbies don't have to be expensive. You can repurpose everyday items, use your imagination and turn it into something fun. Rock Painting can even be a new hobby.

16. Practice Photography - You don't need an expensive camera to take great pictures, although it may be nice, a lot of phone cameras are just fine. When I was a kid I used disposable cameras, went out on the farm and took pictures of everything from cows to flowers. Now that we live in a digital age, you can view your photos instantly, making is ten times easier to practice.

17. Teach Yourself Something New - With all the free online videos and tutorials out there it is easy to learn something new. From coding to a new language, the possibilities are endless. Check with your local library or 4-H for free classes as well.

18. Sports - Get a group of people together and play a sport. You can play at your local park or someone's huge backyard. Flag football, soccer and basketball are all fun group sports.

Check your local bowling alley and skating rink to see if they participate in the Kids Bowl Free and Kids Skate Free summer program. Shoe/Skate rental fee may apply.

19. Window Shopping - Whoever said you can't go shopping because you don't have any money was wrong. The key is to not spend any money by window shopping. You can create a wishlist of everything you like and save it for when your birthday or Christmas roll around.

20. Farmer's Market - As long as you don't buy anything, it's free. Farmer's Markets are always different in my experience. Some allow taste testing and others are turned into a mini festival with live music and children activities. 

21. Museum - Not all museums are free but there are several free museums or historical monuments you can check out for free.  Look up free museums near you to see what pops up. I know there is a hotel chain that has a free art exhibit you can check out and some museums have free or discounted days.

22. Create a Bucket List - This is a fun way to see what everyone in the family wants to do. You can each create your own bucket list or create a family bucket list. Try to mark off at least one thing this summer!

23. Organize and Declutter your Home - Organize your closets, attic or garage. As you organize you can declutter. This doesn't sound like a lot of fun but going through old items can bring back memories and lead to story telling. It can also relieve stress if you are OCD like me. 

24. Have a Yard Sale - Not only are you decluttering your house but a yard sale is a great way to make a little extra spending money. Make it fun for the whole family by allowing your kids to make the signs and keep the money they make from selling their toys.

25. Volunteer - Volunteer at your local church, food bank, animal shelter or trash pick up crew. This is a great way to meet new people and help out around the community.

26. Themed Day - Check out my post, How to have a Themed Family Fun Day! Themed days are a fun and cheap way to have fun with the whole family. The best part is that the theme's are never ending from colors to holidays to letters or characters. Plus you can make them as extravagant or as simple as you want.

Just because you are on a budget doesn't mean you can't have fun this summer. There are tons of free activities and things to do out there, you just have to look for them and keep looking because new events are always added to the internet.

Use your imagination, be creative and stay active. These are just a few fun family activities that you can do for free. Comment below with your favorite family friendly free summer activities!