When school’s out for the summer, parents usually start looking with renewed vigor for activities they can do with their kids.
Spending time with your youngsters doesn’t have to break the bank. There are dozens of things to do that teach your children that fun doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money.

 

1. Visit a museum
2. Attend a free concert at a local college or university
3. Go to the library (don’t forget about events like annual book sales and kids’ story hours!)
4. Make origami animals
5. Have a picnic at a park or playground
6. Have a scavenger hunt
7. Go berry picking at a local farm or orchard
8. Plant and tend a garden (even a small window box will do)
9. Create sidewalk art with chalk
10.  Make leis and jewelry with beads and flowers
11.  Design your own paper boats and have a race
12. Make homemade popsicles, cookies, or cupcakes
13. Build a bird feeder from a pine cone rolled in peanut butter and bird seed
14. Make up and act in your own story—videotape it and make it into an edited version, credits and all (many basic movie editing programs are available for download at no cost)
15. Visit a zoo
16. Have a track and field day with sac races, baseball tosses, hula hoop contests, three-legged races and more
17. Visit hospitals or retirement facilities—bring homemade pictures to give to patients and residents or interview them
18. Build a hideaway tent with clothesline and an old sheet or blanket
19. Catch bugs (let them go when you are done)
20. Visit a police or fire station (just call ahead)
21. Decorate your bikes with streamers, flowers, playing cards, and stickers
22. Go to a movie in the park (check your local community calendar or contact your city’s Parks & Recreation website)
23. Go bird watching
24. Have a treasure hunt (make the maps and hide the treasure ahead of time)
25. Have an archeological dig (use sand and items like $1 plastic bug collections—if adventurous, fill a tub with pudding instead of sand)
26. Make a fort with old boxes, glue and tape (many grocery stores will give you shipment boxes absolutely free)
27. Have a yard sale (cleans up clutter and gets your kids some money!)
28. Do a science experiment (diet cola and Mentos, anyone?)
29. Go to the beach, collect shells, and build a sandcastle
30. Visit a farmer’s market
31. Make your own customized shirts with fabric paints or tie-dye
32. Make a display plate of everyone’s hands together with keepsake clay
33. Transform a pair of plastic sunglasses with craft eyes, glue, pipe cleaners and fuzzy balls
34. Make dream catchers, God’s eyes, or other similar items from craft sticks and yarn
35. Use leaves and paint to make a picture
36. Make a scrapbook
37. Press some flowers
38. Grow a crystal garden with bluing
39. Hunt for 4-leaf clovers or bird feathers
40. Have a water balloon fight