Instead of emptying out your wallet to pay for another movie ticket or an amusement park pass this summer to occupy your child, why not try one of these fun activity ideas? Not only are they really affordable but the best part is that the whole family will enjoy them. These activities will be the perfect opportunity for all of you to spend some quality time together.
1. Look at the stars in your backyard
Lay down in the grass or fill the kid’s tent with pillows and blankets and organize your first family stargazing night.
2. Build a bonfire
Build a nice fire with your family at the beach, the park or even in your garden. It is a great activity to do as a family and it is so so simple.
3. Fly a kite
When it is a super windy day, bring your kids outside and teach them the secret of how to fly a kite properly. Even better: make your own kite together in advance.
4. Get creative with liquid chalk
Imagine being able to draw with chalk without getting your hands dirty? This is why liquid chalk exists! Drawing colourful things on your driveway with your kids is always a fun activity. You can find many liquid chalk recipes online.
5. Make an aquarium
Going to the beach isn’t a possibility for you? Bring the beach with you by making these cute mini aquariums with blue food colouring, plastic toys, plants and rocks. Your kids will love this creative and affordable activity.
6. Try water gun painting
Have a fun and crazy afternoon outside with your family and play with water guns and (washable) paint. If you get paint everywhere, dirty, don’t worry: use your water hose to quickly clean your patio furniture and backyard.
7. Shop in an outdoor market
Spend an afternoon supporting your local farmers. Introduce your family to locally grown produce and let your kids pick some fresh fruits and vegetables for the upcoming week.
8. Attend a fireworks show
From small towns to big cities, there are a lot of places that offer free weekly or monthly firework shows all summer long. Find a spectacular show close to your home and look at the sky light up.
9. Organize a neighbourhood potluck
To ensure you have a complete menu, ask houses with uneven addresses to make a dessert and ask houses with even addresses to make savoury side dishes. All you have to do is provide the main meal. Go for a barbecue meal so you can save more time and money during your preparation.
10. Make rainbow popsicles
This activity offers a double dose of entertainment: the kids will have fun preparing these sugary and colourful treats and a few hours later they can enjoy them!
11. Decorate your garden flower pots
Here is an easy art project you will actually use: put a few terracotta pots upside down and pour some acrylic paint on the sides. Once they have dried, you will have colourful and creative flower pots.
12. Play in the dirt
Not only does gardening help kids understand where their food comes from but it also gives them a huge sense of accomplishment to see they planted something and it grew.
13. Plan a photo treasure hunt
Make a list of things your family or your friends can find outside, like “something red” or “three types of flowers”. The team that takes the most photos of the objects or things asked to find, wins!
14. Play baseball with water balloons
Even teenagers will have trouble resisting the urge to play this game. The game consists of trying to hit a water balloon with a baseball bat. Your backyard will be filled with burst balloons after, so make sure everyone cleans up and give them a popsicle to thank them.
15. Go camping
How often do you really look up at the stars? The simple reminder that there is something beyond earth makes looking at stars so much fun! Whether you go to a free or relatively affordable camping site or just in your own backyard, put up a tent so you can familiarize yourself with the various constellations.
Source:
Woman’s Day
