Family Summer Bucket List: 103 Cheap And Awesome Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer

Summer is almost here, and it’s looking a little bit more normal this year! If you’re like every other parent out there diligently looking for some fun summer activity ideas, look no further!

Defeat boredom with our best 103 summer fun ideas that will totally make this summer the best one yet. This list is packed with ideas that is suitable for all ages, including kids and adults.

There is truly endless amount of activities that you can do during the summer. Feeling adventurous? We have something for that. If you’re feeling lazy on a Sunday afternoon, there is something here for you as well! The best part of this all is that most activities here won’t cost you too much and break the bank!

Let’s dive right in.

  1. Turn your backyard into a water park with an inflatable pool and the sprinkler
  2. Let the sprinkler run for a few minutes and run through it. Whether you are 3 or 30, this is just plain fun for everyone!
  3. Make homemade Slip N’ Slide with a tarp, some dish soap and a garden hose
  4. Have a water balloon fight
  5. Blow bubbles. Don’t forget to use the bubble machine and set up a refill station too. If you’re up for more fun, try out this giant bubble wand!
  6. Go for a hike in a local park
  7. Feed the ducks at the park
  8. While you’re at the park, chase down the ice-cream truck
  9. Play frisbee
  10. Try out badminton
  11. Go canoeing
  12. Go for a walk
  13. Take a family bike ride
  14. Go camping under the stars
  15. Stargazing on a cloudless night
  16. Have a bonfire
  17. Make S’mores
  18. Bake cookies or try making a cake from scratch together. May I suggest this $250 cookie recipe?
  19. Hunt for bugs
  20. Have a picnic
  21. Climb trees together
  22. Lie on the grass and look at the clouds
  23. Fly a kite in the park
  24. Take a daytrip to a neighboring town
  25. Be a tourist in your own town or city
  26. Hang a hammock in your backyard and enjoy a lazy day
  27. Make a fairy garden
  28. Build a treehouse together if you have the space in your backyard
  29. Make a treasure map
  30. Create a scavenger hunt in your house
  31. Jump ropes with rope rhymes
  32. Try a new summer recipe like this watermelon salad
  33. Make homemade popsicles. The kids will love this!
  34. Make root beer floats
  35. Teach your kids how to make their favorite treat.
  36. Build a fort with the kids
  37. Create an indoor or outdoor obstacle course for your kids
  38. Plant some flowers or vegetables
  39. Preserve excess fruits or herbs from your garden. Make pickles.
  40. Press summer flowers
  41. Paint a bird house
  42. Make a bird feeder from pinecones dipped in peanut butter and seed
  43. Go bird-watching
  44. Paint rocks and hide your kids to find
  45. Wash your car with your kids
  46. Read together as a family
  47. Have a cookout in your backyard. Fire up the grill!
  48. Shop your local farmer’s market
  49. Set up a big screen in your backyard and watch a movie under the stars
  50. Go to a drive-in movie. Kids will find this totally fascinating.
  51. Watch a matinee show to save some money
  52. Go fishing
  53. Play board games
  54. Play hide and seek
  55. Take a picture a day and make an album at the end of the summer
  56. Do arts and crafts
  57. Make tie-dyed shirts
  58. Make a scrapbook
  59. Visit the local library and borrow some new books to read
  60. Have a tea party
  61. Make art outdoors
  62. Go to the zoo
  63. Go to a free outdoor musical festival
  64. Go to a community pool
  65. Visit a free museum
  66. Run a themed 5K. Younger kids can totally manage this.
  67. Go to the aquarium on promotion days
  68. Have a yard sale
  69. Go to a flea market after you have made some space by selling your unwanted things at a yard sale.
  70. Play soccer
  71. Make sidewalk art with sidewalk chalk
  72. Have a dance party
  73. Build a Lego City with your Lego pieces
  74. Learn how to hula hoop
  75. Play hopscotch
  76. Complete a puzzle
  77. Sing karaoke
  78. Learn a new instrument
  79. Play charades
  80. Have a pillow fight
  81. Ride on a bus or train if you haven’t done it with kids yet
  82. Try mini-golfing
  83. Make homemade dough and create all sorts of shapes
  84. Go to the beach
  85. Build sandcastles
  86. Watch sunrise and sunset
  87. Try paddle-boarding
  88. Check out local state fair
  89. Give back and volunteer in your local community
  90. Make origami. Let those creative juices flow!
  91. Make paper airplanes and have a competition to see whose airplane goes the furthest
  92. Go window-shopping
  93. Go bowling
  94. Go fruit picking at a local farm
  95. Go puddle jumping
  96. Go to an amusement park
  97. Learn how to crochet or sew
  98. Build something with recycle material. Here are some great ideas!
  99.  Redecorate your kid’s room together. Rearrange the furniture.
  100. Experiment with new hairdo
  101. Make a time capsule and store it away so you can open it in a few years
  102. Write out your family history by interviewing an older relative
  103. Try out age-appropriate science experiments

I hope you have enjoyed my list of fun summer things that you can do with your kids for cheap. What are some of your family fun ideas for the summer that you will recommend to other parents? Leave a comment below and share with us!

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