Cheap Summer Activities for Children

Day 1. See a “one dollar” movie at the theater. 

Many theater chains around the country offer summer movie programs for children where they offer a dollar movie  every day for a week, or on a particular day of the week all summer.

Day 2. Sprinkler day

   Delay your sprinklers for one day so they come a little later in the morning.  This way everyone can get on their bathing suits and have fun jumping through the sprinklers on a hot day.  But not for too long!  This is a good time to teach them about conserving water, reducing utility costs, etc.

Day 3. Attend “story time” at your local library. 

Children love to check out books on all kinds of subjects.    Many libraries also have a story time to encourage a summer reading program.  Stories are read out loud and the kids have a chance to interact with the story-teller and answer questions about the book.

Day 4. Set up a lemonade stand. 

Favorite idea because of the lessons in entrepreneurship involved.  Loan your children $15 as “seed money” for supplies, or better yet, let them use their own money from savings.  This way they don’t get used to the idea that borrowing leads to prosperity.  Take the kids along to the grocery store one morning and let them pick up the lemons, sugar, cups, and a couple bags of ice to keep in a cooler.  Yes, Crystal Light lemonade works, too, but is less authentic and more expensive.  This is a great way for neighborhood kids to work together, as they can divide into teams to man the lemonade stand, make the lemonade, handle the money, etc.  Please remember that an adult needs to be with the kids at all times, both inside and outside the house, so have a neighbor help.

Day 5. Teach your kids to fly a kite. 

Check your 10-day forecast and look for a windy day in the coming week.  Pick up an expensive kite for the kids.  I even recommend springing for the extra spool of kite string on a roller because the string and handles that come with the kites are lousy.

Day 6. Make homemade play-doh.  I can tell you it is a lot of fun!  I suppose the next best option would be to pick up some commercial Play-Doh on sale, but what fun would that be?
Day 7. Bake a cake.  

Make memories with your children let them help you make and frost a cake or cupcakes.  And not all the fun came at the end when I got to lick the icing from the bowl!  Let your kids help bake a cake, and surprise mom or dad when they arrive home that afternoon.
Plenty of teachable moments here with opportunities to teach fractions (four 1/4 cups equals one cup, etc.). 

Day 8. Build a “fort” in the living room.  

Your kids may get the biggest kick out of playing in giant cardboard boxes.  Color them, and cut “windows” out for child to look through.  A living room “fort” could be as simple as a few kitchen chairs gathered in a circle with a large bed sheet thrown across them and draped to the floor.  The kids can hide from mom and dad, read books, or pretend they are camping out in the living room.

Day 9. Go bowling.  

Spend many hot, summer afternoons bowling a couple games at the local bowling alley.  These days, bowling can be an expensive activity.  Call the lanes ahead of time and ask if they have any summer specials (certain days may be cheaper). Also check those coupon mailer packs for coupons for free games.  To keep costs down, just let the kids bowl – you can work on your game another time.
Day 10. Declare a “bored” game day. 

Play chess, checkers, backgammon.  Kids today don't realize you can play games without a computer.  Most of these old board games are inexpensive in their basic form – skip the “deluxe” edition to save even more.

Day 11. Have a water balloon fight.  

Fill several dozen mini balloons with water.  Have kids participate in games like a water balloon toss – they start close together, but take a step back with each toss to increase the distance.  The last one to break the balloon is out.  With that was left, the kids had an all-out water balloon battle.  Lots of fun, but be sure to pick up the balloon remains, especially if you have very little ones or pets as they could be a choking hazard.

Day 12.  Create a “mini-me.” 

Find a piece of large poster board, or large heavy-duty paper (such as a butcher paper) wide enough for your kids to lay down on.  Use a dull pencil (less chance for boo-boos) to trace their entire body to the paper from head to toe.  Now let the kids decorate the kids to look like themselves in the same clothes they are wearing, same color eyes, hair, etc. When they are finished, help them cut out their mini-me for proud display.

Day 13. Pajama day.    

Stay in your pajamas all day long.  Make pancakes in the morning, bake a pizza for lunch, and lounge around watching movies.  Use your Netflix subscription to have a couple kid-friendly movies on hand.
Day 14. Spend a day volunteering your time. 

A good way to wrap up your two-week blitz of summertime fun is to allow your children to donate their time to a worthy cause.  Contact a few local charities and find out which ones will allow kids to volunteer some time over the summer (under your supervision).  Project Linus in the past – an organization that makes blankets for children who've suffered a traumatic experience.
Bonus tip: Get your kids to come up with their own tee shirt designs with markers and fabric paints.

Photos courtesy of StormyDog, rochelle, et. al, Mrs. Frugal, daveparker, skennel