Summer is well underway and you may have reached the point where your kids are complaining about being bored. We have some wonderful ideas for summer fun family outings here and many of them are very inexpensive or even free!
Summer Fun Family Outings
Attend a workshop.
Register for one of Home Depot’s kid workshops. We’ve seen them for fun projects like a putting green, birdhouse, beanbag toss, and more.
Go to your local swimming or wading pool.
Even better, check out a different one each week and find your favorite.
Spend a day at the beach.
We have tons of ideas for fun at the beach, including a beach scavenger hunt bingo game.
Go star gazing.
Find a spot in your area that is free of light pollution and go star gazing one evening. You could even check out your local observatory if you have one. Ours offers free public nights.
Go on a picnic.
Again, this could become something you do more than once, checking out different picnic spots in your area.
Take a foodie tour in your area.
Near us, we have a chocolate trail, a dumpling trail, a donut trail, and an ice cream trail just to name a few. Now, if you’re like us, you couldn’t eat multiple ice cream cones in one day, but you could plan to make the tour over the course of the whole summer.
Along the same vein as above, one year when I was about 12, my brother’s wife took me out on a foodie tour. What we did was go to one place and grab an appetizer. Headed to another for a main dish. The third place was where we got our side dish. And then finally, we capped it off with a dessert place. This works best with drive throughs or places where you can grab takeout.
Go for a hike.
Be sure to check out the rating ahead of time (most trails will let you know how long they are, how difficult the terrain is, and so on). You want to be sure that the trail is appropriate for your family’s ability levels. You might even want to find out if they are stroller-friendly if you’re hiking with littles.
Head out to a local ball game.
Even if you don’t live near a major league baseball team, you likely have a minor league or little league team around. It can be a lot of fun to go to a game and cheer them on!
Go to the movies.
Bonus points if you have a drive in nearby. It’s such a classic summertime activity. We even have free outdoor movies in the park here in our city!
Head to a local state/provincial/national park or conservation area.
These can be so much fun to explore and often have kid-friendly programs you can take part in. There are often boating/canoeing, hiking, and other outdoor activities available. Some of the ones near us even have night hikes where a guide takes you out and teaches you about the “night life” of the area (what animals are active, etc).
Go to a water park.
These are a great way to cool off on a hot summer day!
Play mini golf.
This can be a fun way to spend an afternoon. If it’s super hot out, you could even wait and go after dinner. It’s a good way to work off some energy and have some fun.
Go to your local children’s museum.
If you are blessed to have one of these in your area like we do, we suggest you take full advantage of it. They are so much fun and we learn something new every time we go.
Check out a butterfly conservatory.
We find these positively magical. You can walk through and observe butterflies – some may even land on you! Again, this can require some prep ahead of time, laying out expectations for your kids or they may be afraid.
Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
There are many ways to do this. You can look for something to go along with every primary and secondary color. Or try to find something that looks like or starts with every letter of the alphabet.
Head to your local library.
Our library doesn’t just have books. You can also check out leisure items (board games, craft supplies, etc.), movies, and music. Not only that, but they have lots of programs to take part in – craft workshops, magic shows, puppet shows, movie showings, story time, concerts, and much more.
Pick fruits or vegetables at a “pick your own” farm.
Sam loved this when she was little. It was a fun way to stock up on some produce and have a good time doing it. We often got enough so that then we could do some baking or canning too.
Visit a farmer’s market or farmstand.
This is a great way to support local farmers. Buy some of your favorites but look for something new to try too!
Go letterboxing or geocaching.
Sign the kids up for Vacation Bible School.
If you’re not Christian, check around for a day camp. Some around here offer 1 day sessions and we even have a free drop-in playground program where they have program leaders stationed at some school playgrounds throughout the city. They offer half-day sessions where they plan crafts and games and other activities for the kids.
Take the family out fishing.
Many areas in both Canada and the US even have some free fishing days where you can go without a license. This is great for trying it out or if you’re only going to go once in a while.
Go bowling.
There are many bowling alleys in Canada and the US that offer some free bowling for kids during the summer. Google for your area and check it out.
Go to the park.
Swing on the swings, go down the slide, climb on the climber. It’s a fun way to spend some time getting active.
Sign up for a Michaels Camp Creatology.
Camp Creatology offers a week of In-Store, Live Online, On Demand, and Self-Guided craft classes for kids in the US and in Canada. They also offer free in-store classes.