Summer with kids can get expensive fast, especially when you’re constantly trying to keep everyone entertained during long school breaks. The good news is that creating fun summer memories doesn’t always require expensive vacations, camps, or admission tickets.
Many of the best summer activities for kids are surprisingly simple and completely free. Outdoor adventures, creative projects, backyard fun, and screen-free activities can help keep kids busy while also creating meaningful time together.
Whether you’re looking for free summer activities for toddlers, ideas for older kids, or easy activities the whole family can enjoy together, this list includes plenty of budget-friendly inspiration for summer break.
Many of these activities are also simple ways to spend more screen-free time together as a family.
16 Free Outdoor Summer Activities for Kids
Free outdoor summer activities are one of the easiest ways to help children stay active and spend more time outside during summer break.
1. Spend the morning playground hopping.
2. Have a picnic at the park.
3. Take a nature walk.
4. Go bird watching.
5. Go shelling.
6. Look for fossils on a local beach.
7. Go for a walk in a new neighborhood.
8. Go on a family bike ride.
Simple outdoor activities are often the easiest way to help kids burn energy and stay active during the summer months.
9. Go on a garden walk.
10. Look for wildlife at a state park.
11. Wade in a local creek.
12. Cool off at your community splash pad.
13. Watch boats pass by at a nearby marina.
14. Go for a walk on the beach (or play in the sand!) after swimming hours. Admission is often free in the evening.
15. Play “I Spy” at your favorite park.
16. Play catch at a public baseball park.
Many outdoor summer activities also encourage creativity and help families spend more time together without requiring much planning.
Related: 100+ Fun Summer Activities for Kids
12 Free Backyard Summer Activities for Kids
You don’t need a big trip or expensive supplies to create summer fun. Sometimes the best activities happen right in your own backyard.
1. Stay up late and look at the stars together.
2. Catch fireflies after dark.
3. Try to get a butterfly to land on you.
4. Splash in rain puddles.
5. Pick a bouquet of dandelions.
6. Play with the water hose.
Backyard summer activities can be some of the easiest and most memorable ways to keep little ones entertained close to home.
7. Plant something from the seeds of a snack you’ve eaten.
8. Collect an assortment of items in your backyard (such as leaves, rocks, etc.) and paint what you’ve collected.
9. Rake up a pile of leaves.
10. Jump in your pile of leaves!
11. Play a game of Capture the Flag.
12. Tend to the garden together (or plant a garden together).
22 Free Community Summer Activities for Kids
Many towns and communities offer free places and events families can enjoy together throughout the summer.
1. Visit your local library or one you haven’t visited before.
2. Sign up for storytime (or any other free event) at your local library.
3. Pick out one new library book to read every day of the week.
4. Attend a trial class at a children’s gym.
5. Visit the animal shelter.
6. Check out the animals at your local pet store.
7. Go on a mall-walking scavenger hunt.
8. Explore the farmers’ market.
9. Check out plants at a local nursery.
10. Attend an arts festival.
Many communities offer free summer events and activities for families if you know where to look.
11. Attend a craft fair.
12. Attend a local school’s science fair or art show.
13. Visit a historical site. Many are donation-based.
14. Go to a free kids’ workshop at your local Home Depot (the first Saturday of every month).
15. Visit a local farm.
16. Visit your local bookstore.
17. Take a trip to the nature center or a nature preserve.
18. Check out your town’s local listings for free family concerts and other local community events.
19. Visit an antique shop and learn about toys and various items from generations past.
20. Visit a sculpture park.
21. Visit a power vista.
22. Volunteer for a local nonprofit.
Related: Fun Summer Activities for a One-Year-Old
20 Free Creative Summer Activities for Kids
Creative summer activities are a great way to give kids a chance to be creative and try something new at home.
1. Have a baking contest.
2. Have a cooking contest.
3. Build something with cardboard boxes, whether it’s a rocket ship, fire truck, school bus, or something completely unique. Kids usually come up with surprisingly creative ideas once they get started.
4. Have an at-home talent show.
5. Write a poem together.
6. Write and illustrate a short story together.
7. Make a collage using magazines, newspapers, and other materials found throughout your home.
8. Take turns drawing pictures of each family member.
9. Create an in-home art gallery. Invite friends or family to view it.
10. Create and test a new recipe using ingredients you already have.
Creative activities can help kids use their imaginations while also creating keepsakes and memories together.
11. Choreograph a silly dance.
12. Host a living room dance recital for your family.
13. Make stamp art with an apple.
14. Make a bird feeder out of pine cones.
15. Make sock puppets.
16. Put on a play or puppet show using sock puppets, your favorite stuffed animals, and props found throughout your home.
17. Have a DIY photo session. Let the kiddos pick out their favorite outfits to wear for this one.
18. Have a chalk-a-thon sidewalk chalk-drawing contest in your driveway.
19. Use sidewalk chalk to write uplifting messages or draw cheerful pictures throughout your neighborhood.
20. Decorate hard-boiled eggs with stickers, paint, or dye.
20 Free At-Home Summer Activities for Kids
Sometimes staying home is exactly what families need during a busy summer season. These free at-home activities can still create plenty of fun memories together.
1. Have an at-home “spa day.”
2. Make a pillow fort.
3. Organize an obstacle course in your basement or backyard.
4. Dress up and enjoy a fancy tea party with your favorite snacks.
5. Rearrange your playroom together.
6. Take a “double bubble” bath (with bubble bath and bubbles to blow).
7. Organize and host a garage sale.
8. Take a free online course.
9. Have a family karaoke night.
10. Participate in a virtual field trip.
At-home summer activities can be especially helpful on rainy days, extra hot afternoons, or slower weekends at home.
11. Teach your pet dog a new trick.
12. Make shadow animals with a flashlight before bedtime.
13. See how many homemade musical instruments you can create using items around your home.
14. Wash the family car together.
15. Learn a new skill (like folding towels, riding a bike, or even sewing, depending on age).
16. Stay up late for a family movie night.
17. Melt your old crayons into molds.
18. Make a kids’ charcuterie board.
19. Fill a bin of freshly fallen snow to play with inside.
20. Set up sensory bins using uncooked rice, pasta, and other kitchen staples.
Related: 12 Indoor Activities for Kids on Rainy Days
6 Free Summer Activities That Spread Kindness
Summer can also be a great time to teach kids about kindness, generosity, and helping others in simple everyday ways.
1. Write a letter to a friend or family member.
2. Video chat with a loved one you haven’t talked to in a while.
3. Bag up old toys to donate to a family in need.
4. Donate gently used books to a local library.
5. Donate unworn clothing to a local shelter.
6. Set up a free lemonade stand.
Related: 98 Random Acts of Kindness To Do With Your Child
4 Miscellaneous Free Summer Activities for Kids
Here are a few more budget-friendly summer ideas to help keep kids busy this season.
1. Interview a grandparent or other loved one about their life. Take note of their stories.
2. Learn American Sign Language – or any language of your choice. Find free resources online or at your local library.
3. Set up a playdate with a new (or old!) friend.
4. Visit a local airport and watch planes take off and land together.
Some of the best summer memories come from the simplest moments together, whether that’s catching fireflies, building forts, visiting the library, or making popsicles at home.
Whether your family tries a handful of these free summer activities or works through the entire list, we hope you create plenty of memorable moments together this summer.
