200 Free Summer Activities for Kids

Ever feel like everything costs money? Last summer I started to come up with free summertime activities that I could do with my own kiddos.

There’s no reason to break the bank just because the kids are home for the summer. You already have the basic materials at home to make this a memorable summer without killing your wallet.

This year, I’m blowing out my list to include 200 FREE summer activities you can do with the kids to keep you all busy and having fun!

If your kids say they’re bored, it won’t be because you didn’t try.

Be sure to check out our other fun family-friendly kid activities and crafts!

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200 FREE Summer Activities for Kids

200 FREE Summer Activities for Kids

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    1. Go on a picnic
    2. Walk around your local farmer’s market
    3. Play with volleyball
    4. Draw with sidewalk chalk
    5. Get new free ebooks
    6. Host a toy swap
    7. Run through the sprinkler
    8. Visit local nature preserve
    9. Find figures in the clouds
    10. Play in the kiddie pool
    11. Find local free museum days
    12. Take a hike
    13. Make mud pies
    14. Water the plants
    15. Make paper dolls
    16. Start a nature journal
    17. Set up your tent and have a camp out in the backyard
    18. Take a family bike ride
    19. Make a origami fortune teller paper game
    20. Make s’mores
    21. Visit the local pool
    22. Watch a high school baseball game
    23. Wash/vacuum out the car
    24. Play restaurant. Have the kids “make” lunch
    25. Play in the rain/mud
    26. Go on a scavenger hunt
    27. Have a PJ day
    28. Search for animal tracks
    29. Make your own Mad Libs
    30. Host a movie marathon on a rainy day
    31. Fly a kite
    32. Plant a garden (or anything)
    33. Play beach volleyball
    34. Make a craft from Pinterest
    35. Create an online photo book
    36. Pick flowers
    37. Teach your kids to cook
    38. Eat dinner outside
    39. Have a yard sale
    40. Go fishing
    41. Have a building challenge (use ALL the Lincoln logs)
    42. Go camping
    43. Build a Lego castle
    44. Play in the sand
    45. Watch the sun set
    46. Play cards
    47. Try a new recipe
    48. Tell ghost stories
    49. Create a kid art gallery
    50. Visit the grandparents
    51. Kick the soccer ball
    52. Play dress up
    53. Go for a scenic drive
    54. Visit the local fire station
    55. Swing. Get really high and jump out
    56. Lay in the grass
    57. Create an obstacle course
    58. Participate in story time at book store
    59. Catch fireflies (or butterflies)
    60. Read a chapter book aloud. Do 20 minutes a day
    61. Rent video games from the library
    62. Put on a skit
    63. Find a local water play park
    64. Earn a free book
    65. Make popsicles
    66. Melt crayons or ice in the sun
    67. Have a water fight
    68. Learn origami
    69. Donate old books and toys
    70. Write poems
    71. Play rock paper scissors
    72. Play I spy
    73. Try out geocaching
    74. See who can spit a watermelon seed farthest
    75. Create a relay race
    76. Watch a parade
    77. Play Simon Says
    78. Have a sleepover
    79. Make your own book
    80. Create a chore chart
    81. Go to Apple Camp for older kids
    82. Take pictures
    83. Play catch
    84. Learn about different countries
    85. Have a book exchange
    86. Have a pillow fight
    87. Make up each other’s hair
    88. Take a free American Girls summer class
    89. Skip rocks
    90. Craft your own musical instruments
    91. Find figures in the clouds
    92. Learn Frisbee golf
    93. Create a memory jar
    94. Play kick ball (make up your own rules)
    95. Attend a free children’s workshop at Lowe’s, Home Depot or Michael’s
    96. Swing in a hammock
    97. Build a campfire
    98. Make a backyard aqueduct
    99. Organize a Summer Camp exchange with other parents
    100. Nap
    101. Put on a fashion show
    102. Play hide and go seek (or sardines)
    103. Create racing tracks out of old paper towel rolls
    104. Set up play dates at different local parks
    105. Visit a lake or river
    106. Find a penpal
    107. Take a break with free online storytime
    108. Make paper boats; sail them down a stream
    109. Learn about your family’s history
    110. Create a simple scrapbook
    111. Visit historical landmarks
    112. Try the Microsoft YouthSpark Summer Camp for older kids
    113. Freeze things in ice then break them out
    114. Learn how to juggle
    115. Make a treasure hunt with clues
    116. Create sensory bins
    117. Attend local free evening concerts
    118. Build sand castles
    119. Visit on free entrance days in National Parks
    120. Read stories to each other
    121. Build an outdoor fort
    122. Play name that tune
    123. Make a map of your neighborhood
    124. Make your own maze or puzzle
    125. Play kick the can
    126. Learn a new dance via YouTube
    127. Visit your library
    128. Stage a “war” between action figures
    129. Pick wildflowers
    130. Recreate famous artwork
    131. Check out the local parks, one by one
    132. Play tag
    133. Visit the pet store
    134. Collect bugs
    135. Play 20 questions
    136. Create your own trivia game
    137. Paint your nails
    138. Visit a boardwalk
    139. Create a backyard obstacle course
    140. Go on a nature hunt
    141. Play on kid-friendly websites like PBS Kids
    142. Create your own stand-up jokes
    143. Do a science experiment
    144. Paint rocks
    145. Roll down a sledding hill
    146. Locate free art programs through regional museums
    147. Learn to throw a frisbee
    148. Make paper airplanes
    149. Host boardgame night
    150. Find worms after it rains
    151. Color using free online coloring pages
    152. Photo scavenger hunt
    153. Feed the ducks
    154. Identify the night sounds you hear
    155. Have a wheelbarrow race
    156. Make shadow puppets with flashlights
    157. Play charades
    158. Thumb wrestle
    159. Watch birds
    160. Go bowling
    161. Take in a free movie under the stars through local programs
    162. Host a neighborhood baseball game in your yard
    163. Learn to jump rope
    164. Take pictures of outside nature
    165. Watch fireworks
    166. Attend a local dog show
    167. Create a dandelion chain necklace
    168. Play freeze tag
    169. Use cardboard boxes to create a dollhouse/playhouse
    170. Attend Bass Pro Shops free Family Summer Camp
    171. Create a board game night
    172. Find free tours at local food factories
    173. Learn a magic trick
    174. Visit other town’s libraries
    175. Use Bank Of America Museums On Us program
    176. Practice tying knots
    177. Get the binoculars out
    178. Dance
    179. Visit Pottery Barn’s free summer activities
    180. Play hopscotch
    181. Build a marble run using household objects
    182. Make your own movie
    183. Stargaze
    184. Have a “Frozen” sing along
    185. Create art projects using “found” objects
    186. Put on a puppet show
    187. Climb trees
    188. Dry flowers
    189. Draw a self portrait
    190. Check out Target’s free community events
    191. Visit the dog park (even if you don’t have a dog)
    192. Rent a movie from your library
    193. Jump in puddles
    194. Make pasta or cereal jewelry
    195. Play one of your favorite childhood movies for the kids
    196. Host your own “American Idol
    197. Take a nature walk at night
    198. Play Red Light Green Light
    199. Race to pick up toys
    200. Volunteer!

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      43 Comments

      1. Totally AWESOME list! My daughter went to Apple Camp last year and really loved it. And we always love the Bass Pro summer camps plus the cool crafts at Michael’s. Can’t wait for summer – yea!

        1. I’m so excited for summer, too. My boys aren’t quite old enough for Apple Camp. But when they are… I am definitely signing them up!

      2. this is really a great list, will be doing some of these, every summer i’m completely going crazy trying to figure out what to do with the kids. especially now that they are older and get bored easy.

        Thanks

        1. Keep it handy! I’m planning on checking things off so we’ll always have something new to do 🙂

      3. What an awesome list of ideas! My son has only been off a week and is already bored. I’ll be sure to implement some of your ideas!

        1. Keep it bookmarked! I’ve actually printed it out, cut up the options and placed them in a box. If they ever say one of them are bored…. they’re pulling out a piece of paper to do that afternoon!

      4. Very comprehensive list! Excellent ideas and suggestions — We are doing some of them already. I posted something about this issue few days ago, although my list only included 20 items.

        I love your post!

        1. Thanks! I had actually started my list last summer and it just grew and grew from there 😀

      5. Whoa! What a FUN list!! I gotta print this out so we can tackle it this summer!

        Thanks for sharing your fun summer activities at #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup !

        1. I actually started this list a couple of years ago for me… but then branched it out. Definitely print it! I do… and then we highlight the things we absolutely MUST do for the summer 😀

      6. Great list!Thanks for sharing #bloggersbrag

      7. so many totally awesome ideas!! thanks for sharing, this is sure to be a budget friendly and super fun summer!

        1. Awesome! Thanks for the feature. I started this list just for my boys… and oh my how it grew into this list! 🙂

      8. Thanks for a great list of Free activities. You put great work into making it from 60 to 200. Pinning! Thanks for sharing with us a the Home Matters linky party. We hope you join us again!

      9. Pinning! So happy that my kiddos are old enough for the first time that they can pick from this list. I am done being cruise director 7 days a week!

      10. Great ideas! I was just saying that I wanted to have a schedule of activities throughout the weeks of the summer, because just like them I get lazy during the summer too! Thanks for the ideas!

        1. It’s so easy to let the summer breeze away without getting out…. it’s actually why I started a list in the first place… to get us all outside and going!

      11. Such a great list! If I hear those dreaded words “I’m bored”, I’m just going to refer to this! Thanks so much for linking up with Share The Wealth Sunday!

        xoxo
        Lisa

      12. I love all your fabulous ideas. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for bringing this to our party and we hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. Lou Lou Girls

      13. These ideas are awesome!! I feel like if my children are bored they forget how to behave. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty I hope you will join us again this week!!

      14. What a fantastic list! I’m going to print this out and put on the fridge! Hoping to never be bored this summer.

      15. This is such a great list. Enjoy staying with the kids while having tons of fun.

      16. I’m always looking for new things to do with the kids and this is a great list! Thanks so much for joining us at Share The Wealth Sunday!

      17. I love lists like this – even though I don;t have a youngster, I always find some ideas for things I haven’t done in a while – or maybe ever!

        Thanks for bringing it by Throwback Thursday!

        Mollie

      18. Why is going on a picnic on this list? That’s not free. You have to pay for food and supplies right?

        1. You’re going to eat lunch either way. Making it a special occasion by taking a blanket outside or to a park is definitely free 🙂

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