52 Best Free or Cheap Activities for Kids To Do This Summer
Keep the kids busy all summer long with the free and cheap summer activities! It doesn’t matter how old they are, this list is full of fun stuff!
The whole family will love these fun summer activities and we have broken them down in age groups. There’s really something for everyone, including older kids!
Normally we stay stocked up on water balloons in the summer, but sometimes you need something a little different to bust the boredom! Sometimes even the water table doesn’t cut it for little ones. So you will be happy to know that we’ve included indoor and outdoor summer activities that will keep them busy all season.
You may also want to see our big list of summer activities specifically for 12 year olds!
🕶️Grab Our Free Printable Summer Bucket List!
This printable set includes a blank version to you make your own summer vacation list.
🍉Places to Visit During the Summer Months
- Take advantage of local parks in the early morning before it gets too hot.
- Visit a local library. Most of the time, they have special events, programs, and story time going on during summer break. Plus, don’t forget to check out their new books.
- Go on a nature walk.
- Visit a local farmer’s market.
- Check out an amusement park close by or the water park.
- Look into summer camps.
- Be sure to check your local calendar. Most communities offer tons of free summer activities if you want to get out of the house.
☀️21 Easy Summer Activities for Kids Under 5 Years Old
Bug Scavenger Hunt
Go on a treasure hunt in your backyard using our free printable bug and insect scavenger hunt.
Build an Edible Campfire
This is a great way to teach little ones about fire safety and a fun addition when making real s’mores and spending quality time together.
Adventure Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars
Younger kids will have the best time turning into little explorers and going on outdoor adventures after making their own binoculars.
Make Your Own Ice Paint
Ice painting is so much fun and makes a hot summer day a little cooler! All you need are ice cube trays, food coloring, and popsicle sticks.
Sidewalk Chalk Paint Recipe
Using this DIY chalk paint is a fun way to get kids outside and a little more exciting than regular sidewalk chalk.
Handprint Jellyfish
How cute are these little handprint jellyfish? Summer time means hot days and visiting the beach, so this activity is great!
Playdough Ice Cream Recipe And Pretend Play For Kids
Summer days always reminds me of ice cream, so what better way to pass the time by than making your own and use pretend play.
Toilet Paper Roll Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
Recycle your toilet paper rolls and start these seedlings! Little ones will love planting and it’s a great summer activity for indoors or outdoors.
Lemonade Sensory Bin
Sensory bins and bottles make for fun activities for toddlers and kindergartners. The lemonade theme is perfect for summer.
Summer Playdough Mats
Looking for some indoor fun? Drag out the play dough and pass out these mats where kids can make fun summer shapes!
Ocean Sensory Bottle
This is a great opportunity to add some learning in when it comes to sea life while making these ocean themed sensory bottles.
Leaf Stamping Terra Cotta Pot
Little ones will love finding and collecting leaves, then using them to create their masterpieces! When they are finished, they can plant whatever they would like!
Summer Coloring Pages
These fun coloring pages are a great boredom buster, come in a variety of patterns, and are totally free to download!
Summer Color By Number Worksheets
Check out these free printable summer color-by-number worksheets, perfect for keeping kids entertained while they practice number recognition.
Moon Sand
The fun ideas will never end when it comes to the imagination after making 2 ingredient moon sand. Not to mention, it’s WAY cheaper than the store-bought and you can dye it different colors using a little bit of food coloring.
Mermaid Handprint Craft
Young kids, especially little girls will be super excited to make this mermaid handprint craft! It’s so easy and it makes for a cute keepsake.
Suncatcher Jellyfish
This is one of my favorite summer crafts for little kids. Watching their excitement when they are finished and the rays of sunshine come through is so much fun.
Jello Play Dough Recipe: Seashell Theme
This recipe combines simple ingredients like cornstarch and Jello pudding mix to create a soft, sensory-rich dough that kids can shape using real seashells, offering an engaging and educational activity.
Paper Plate Sun and Rainbow Craft
Create a cheerful paper plate sun and rainbow craft using simple materials like paper plates and colorful strips.
Colorful Pasta Fish Craft
Dive into a fun and creative activity with this colorful pasta fish craft. It’s an easy way to keep littles entertained and budget friendly!
Rainbow Sensory Bottles with Water Beads
Using water beads and recycled bottles, this easy DIY craft creates mesmerizing, colorful bottles that kids will love to shake and watch, making it a perfect project for sensory play and and an incredible opportunity to learn about colors.
🌴14 of our Favorite Summer Activities for 6-9 Year Olds
Pool Noodle Boats
Use pool noodles to make these little sail boats that really float. This is the perfect time to get rid of those old ones that may have a few chunks missing.
How to Make a Bug Hotel Craft: Fun Craft for Kids
For the curious ones and those who love the great outdoors, making a bug hotel is a great option for a summer afternoon of fun.
DIY Beaded Wind Chime
Making a wind chime has never been easier! All you need are wood slices, beads, and wind chime tubes. The beautiful sound is just an added bonus!
DIY Painted Taco Rocks
Taco about fun! This fun and simple craft activity uses basic supplies like rocks, acrylic paints, and sealant, making it a perfect for a summer activity for elementary school aged kids.
Strawberry Painted Rocks Tutorial For Garden
Here’s another fun rock painting project and they look so pretty in the garden.
Squirt Gun T-Shirt Painting Activity for Kids
Instead of a water fight, load the guns and get ready to decorate shirts like you’ve never seen before! If you don’t have enough water guns, you could always improvise with spray bottles instead.
DIY Cookie Cutter Bird Feeder
Kids will have a great time creating their own bird feeders using birdseed, gelatin, and cookie cutters. For more awesome fun, choose a variety of cookie cutters.
DIY Galaxy Jar
Ready to create a mesmerizing galaxy jar? I love that once they are finished they can display it in their rooms.
Water Bead Stress Ball
Using clear balloons and colorful water beads, this is an easy summer activity and let’s not forget the best way to relieve stress!
Bubble Wand Making Station
The Bubble Wand Making Station is a fantastic summer activity for kids, allowing them to create their own bubble wands using pipe cleaners and colorful beads. This easy-to-set-up station is perfect for parties or playdates, offering endless fun as children make unique wands and enjoy blowing bubbles.
Craft Stick Flower Pots
This no-glue project is easy, mess-free, and results in adorable, personalized flower pots. Kids could also use these to hold pens or pencils.
Easy Marbled Seashell Art for Kids
Using shaving cream, food coloring, and seashells, children can explore their creativity by making beautiful, colorful patterns on their beach treasures.
How to Make Puffy Paint
Puffy paint is so much fun to make and not to mention there are so many creative ways to use it! Talk about hours of entertainment!
Elephant Toothpaste
Using just a few household ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and yeast, this activity creates an impressive foaming reaction that mimics toothpaste being squeezed from a tube, making it a fun activity and science experiment at the same time.
⛱️17 of the Best Summer Activities for Tweens
How to Make a Rain Gauge
Have a curious tween that’s obsessed with weather? Making their own rain gauge and keeping track of measurements will definitely keep them busy.
Sunset Silhouette Watercolor Painting for Kids
Perfect for tweens, this project teaches blending techniques with watercolors and allows for personalized silhouette designs, making it a fun and artistic way to spend a summer afternoon.
No-Sew Bean Bags for Outdoor Games with Kids
Using colorful socks and Poly-Pellets, kids can create durable bean bags in just 30 minutes, providing hours of entertainment with activities like tic-tac-toe toss, hula hoop targets, and more.
15 Minute Felt Tic Tac Toe Game
This is a quick and easy activity, but the good news is they can reuse it over and over. It’s perfect for a road trip, especially if they have a younger brother or sister to play with.
Easy Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Bugs
Bug shaped chalks offers hours of fun once they are finished and simple to make by using cornstarch and food coloring.
Watercolor Fish Painting
Kids don’t have to be great at drawing to make these beautiful watercolor beta fish. The special paper works the magic as they paint.
Flower Pop Art Ideas Inspired by Andy Warhol
Tweens can learn about the famous artist, all while creating pop art that was inspired by him.
Printable Summer Lego Challenges
For the Lego lover, these challenges are amazing! There are tons of ideas to choose from.
How to Tie Dye | 5 Ways to Tie-Dye
The entire family will want to get in on the summer fun when it comes to tie-dying! I love that there are 5 different ways you can choose from.
How to Make Easy Honey Slime Recipe
I love how this slime looks! It’s easy to make and much cheaper than buying from the store. Plus, the bee theme is perfect for summer weather!
Bouncing Bubbles Homemade Bubble Solution (No Glycerin Or Corn Syrup)
What’s better than regular bubbles? The kind that bounce! These are so cool and you only need 3 ingredients.
Roll The Dice Game
Tweens can sometimes get a lazy while being on summer break. That’s where roll the dice exercise games come in handy!
How To Make a DIY Oversized Outdoor Checkerboard Game
Tweens can stay busy for hours after making their life-size checkerboard game!
How to Make a Kite that Really Flies!
The perfect way to celebrate a windy summer day is with a DIY that really flies! Kids can get creative when it comes to decorating. If you have more than one tween, you could even host a contest.
Black Glue Mandala Art Project
Fill these templates with the brightest summer colors you can find! They turned out so good, you may want to frame yours!
How to Make a Bouncy Ball
Who would have thought you make your own bouncy balls using household ingredients?
How to Make Hemp Bracelets
Tweens love trendy bracelets and they can make them to their style by choosing their beads.
😎Other Simple Summer Activities for Kids
- Have a water balloon fight.
- Build a fort in the living room.
- Set up a backyard obstacle course.
- Water activities like running through the sprinkler and playing with super soakers are always fun.
- Create a relay race and use water balloons instead of eggs on a spoon.
This list is FULL of fun things to do to bust the summer boredom. The best part is there are great ideas for kids of all ages, and you can choose from outdoor activities and indoor activities.
