10 Frugal, Fun Summer Activities for You and Your Kids

10 Frugal, Fun Summer Activities for You and Your Kids

With school almost ending soon for the summer, you may have to think of many ideas to spend time with kids. There are many great ideas around the web to inspire you to have a fun, memorable expeirence with your children without spending a lot of money. After all, you and your kids may remember experiences more than than the toys and stuff they have. I know that I enjoyed gardening with my mom and playing in the sand with my dad when I was young.

Here are 10 frugal summer activities for you and your children:

1. We will start off the list with a big list of “175 summer buciket list ideas” that you can print and check off from Money Saving Mom. You could print this out and post it on the fridge. You and your kids can decide what to do each and every day.

2. A more manageable list comes from Calgary’s Child, which has 26 ideas for family fun without breaking your budget. The list is organized by the letters of ABC’s.

3. Reading and learning should not stop in the summer. In fact, there are programs that reward kids for reading books. TheFrugalGirls.com has a list of reading programs that encourage your kids to read with rewards such as free books, gift cards and money.

4. Along the line with learning, some stores offer regular workshops that involve building things. You may have already seen some of these free activities posted on Free Stuff Page, such as Lowe’s Build and Grow, Weekly Workshops at The Home Depot, and regular builds at LEGO stores.

5. If you are planning to take your children to camping, but if it is getting too costly, consider setting up a backyard camp. Bankrate has ideas for you (and with other families) to set up a backyard camp.

6. When it rains, one idea for indoor fun is to make a simple, homemade “Play-Doh” putty. The putty recipe is available at Credit.com, and the recipe only involves seven ingredients, which are already in your cupboards and pantry.

7. If you plan to spend part of the summer on vacation, the BudgetandTheBeach.com blog has a timely article on whether you should have a staycation or vacation. If you decide to have a staycation, you could save enough money for a future vacation.

8. If you decide to go on a road trip, learn five ways to reduce your gas budget from ThriftyNWMom, as every bit you save could be spent on the memorable experience.

9. For frugal meal ideas with summer BBQs, TheDollarStretcher.com lists seven ways to save on your BBQ. While many ideas are ones that you may already know or practise, the list provides a handy reminder for you when you plan for a BBQ dinner with friends and family.

10. If you have exhausted all of these ideas or want to explore more frugal summer activities to spend with your children, check out Pinterest for numerous, updated ideas contributed by Pinterest users from around the world.

Have a spectacular, sensational summer!

Photo credit: Doug Butchy

0 comments… add one