Cheap Summer Activities for Young Children

If you have young children and stay home most of the time with them, then you know how hard it can be to get through the summer months. It’s just difficult finding activities that will keep your children entertained on their days off, while sticking to your budget. And sticking to a budget is a big deal for most families during the summer because of all the extra summer “events” that have to be attended. For example, you may have to buy a baby dress to bring to a friend’s (or two or three) baby shower, or maybe you’ve got a wedding to attend and your son is the ring bearer and you’ve got to purchase a tuxedo or you could just be planning a nice family vacation – whatever the deal is, making your money stretch out over the summer is probably a priority this time of year.

To help with this, below are a few ideas of cheap summer activities that should help you and your kiddos make it through the long days of summer.

• Backyard Water Fun. One of the things a lot of kids love to do during the hot months of summer is to go swimming and play in the pool. However, memberships to the local water park and/or pool can be expensive. This doesn’t mean your kids can’t enjoy the water. You’ll just have to create your own “water park” in the back yard. You can always get a swimming pool of your own if you wish, but that’s not a necessity. For young kids, water balloons, water guns and sprinklers are generally enough to keep them entertained for hours!
• Having Friends Over. If your children are old enough (ages 7 and up) then allowing them to have a friend over for an afternoon can help break the boredom of being home for your kids. You don’t have to do it often, but once every couple of weeks will help your kids adjust to the loneliness that summer can often bring. If you live in a neighborhood where there are other kids around the same ages as your kids, and you are okay with it, encourage your kids to get out and make new friends. Let them go ride their bikes around the neighborhood with the other kids in the area.
• Make Coke Floats and S’mores. If you’re looking for a fun way to pass the evening and you’re not in a fire ban, then get the family together and start a fire in the outdoor fire pit (a grill works too) and make s’mores. Once everyone has had enough s’mores, go in the house and finish off the occasion with some coke floats! This is a simple and affordable activity that is pleasurable for all ages.