Mom of 6 boys top 50 summer activities
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Thinking up fun summer activities has been harder for me the last few years. My oldest is entering the teen years, so the last few years he’s been less and less interested in the things that the little kids are interested in doing. Also, I have a freaking lot of kids (6 boys to be exact), so it’s expensive and tiring. And inflation- gas and activities are so stinking expensive (and we live far away from the mainland). And now that my oldest is getting big (waaaa!) he wants to be with friends, and my van doesn’t fit all the friends and my kids. It fits my kids +1 friend (and there are usually 2-3 hanging around). Buut, ok he’s getting older and there are only a few summers left before he’s out of the house, so these are all just excuses and I need to/WANT to create memories with my kids. So I’m trying really hard to come up with fun and inexpensive things we can do to create a fun and memorable summer! I’ve created a list below to help myself, and hopefully you too.
Stay organized with a summer calendar like this one. Write down what you want to do it, and when you want to do it, so you don’t have to think about it as the summer goes along. You can keep the mindset that it’s flexible in case something else comes up, but at least you’ll have a guide.
Make lemonade from scratch— keep it or let your kids sell it
Bring your outdoor blanket to watch your local city fireworks show. They’re always free in my area. Elevate the experience with glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets
Night games for the older kids
Take a hike and picnic. It’s on our bucket list to hike to a local lake with lunch. We did it couple of years ago, and it was lots of fun.
Park with pizza (pizza optional)
Bracelet making for some quiet/down time
Check Facebook Events for free/cheap local events
Check your local Cabela’s to see if they are doing a free fishing event (ours does, so I assume others do too). Or go fishing at a local lake/pond
Beach day at a local pond, lake, or ocean beach if you’re lucky enough to live close to one
Play in your sandbox at home, at a local park or volleyball pit
Play at a new/different park every week
Tie a string to a plastic grocery bag, and run around with it like a kite (especially on a windy day)
Nighttime soccer, football, or basketball
Nighttime sports tournament with neighborhood kids
Check local city celebrations for discounted/free events. A city near us has a free rodeo, $1 carnival rides, parades, free family fun night, free concerts and more)
Cash in on a coupon you got at a parade
Water fight at a local splash pad, park, or your yard. I think the splash pad or grass area at the park is fine as long as the kiddos are respectful of others there, and are willing to let others participate. Grab some reusable water balloons, water guns, or water squirters and get your game on! (Any of those make a great birthday gift- it seems like we always have a lot of birthday parties this time of year)
Trampoline water sprinkler (my kids love ours!). It’s an automatic party at home anytime.
What even is summer if you don’t hook up the hose and run through the sprinklers? You can also pay attention to when the city turns the sprinklers on at a park, and have a blast running through theirs at no cost to you!
Free outdoor movies: cities, large companies like a local shopping mall, or Real Estate co. host them sometimes- check Facebook
Check if your mortgage company or home builder is doing a free client party. We had 2 free swimming parties this week
Slammo Ball looks fun for the whole family
Block party with outdoor games, food/treats, and a water fight
Go for a bike ride or walk, and collect rocks to paint.
Create a fairy garden with your painted rocks
Ride your bikes to a local store or gas station for a treat or drink (free Frazil Friday in June)
Local farmers markets. You can always give your kids a small budget and let them pick something out. Great learning opportunity for them.
Get some colored tape and play all kinds of games: roads or parking lot for small cars, learning letters and numbers, tape across a narrow hallway to create a “laser” obstacle course (like in the secret agent movies), tape from one surface to another as a bridge or balance beam for small toys, and anything else you can think of.
Balloon keepie uppie
Balloon rockets with balloons, string, and a straw
Balloon and disposable red cup races. Blow up a balloon, and use the air to push the cup forward.
Bowling and basketball with disposable red cups and a small ball (or craft pom poms for basketball)
Use your empty boxes, markers or crayons, and tape to create anything they want: car, car garage, airplane etc
Make fun drinks or smoothies at home. It’s a great way to use up fruit that you aren’t eating. These recipes from The Spruce Eats look yummy. Today, my kids set up the Ninja Bullet blender with 2 different jars, and made their own concoctions. It was fun to taste-test each one.
New popsicle of the week. Every week we’ll try a different kind of popsicle. I think the kids are more excited about this one than anything else on our list. You can do homemade, store bought, or a combination of the two.
Swim with cousins. Play sharks and minnows, Marco Polo, chicken fight, or treasure hunt in the pool
Camp in the backyard. Don’t forget the smore’s!!
Berry or fruit picking at a local farm (not required, but how nostalgic is this basket?). Bake a pie, make a fruit smoothie or popsicle of the week with your pickings
Create simple obstacle courses at the park using what’s already there.
Shaved ice all day long
Local Polynesian Luau or host your own with neighbors, friends, or family
Hold a summer solstice party and celebrate the longest day of the year by staying up too late, eating lots of good food, games, flag football, and great company. Invite friends/extended family, or keep it to your family.
Sack races with old pillowcases or burlap sacks
Slip and slide races with friends and family
“Streets and Treats” in your neighborhood. Each street takes a turn putting out treats, and you mingle and eat. It’ll take some coordinating, but it’s fun! My neighborhood has done it the last 2 summers.
“Sock ball” fight (soft balls made out of socks— like a snowball fight, but it’s socks)
Take your kids to your local thrift store to play with the toys. Some stores allow it, and some don’t- ours does. Maybe they can take one home.
Plant a garden, and teach your kids about growing and preserving their own food. Essential life skill
Experiment with regrowing food scraps like celery, carrot tops for the greens, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli, onions etc. We’ve been doing this, and it’s been so fun to see what works and what doesn’t.
Color scavenger hunt. Inside or outside in nature (sort and collect however you want)
