8 Inexpensive Summertime Activities for Kids

Summer time is right around the corner and will be much needed after all of the rain we’ve been getting lately here in the Northeast! During the summer, kids are out of school and many have vacation plans- but what do you do to fill the days where you don’t have plans? Most kids (especially mine!) get “bored” so easily, it’s great to have some activities planned for when the boredom bug strikes- that won’t cost you an arm and a leg! So if much of your summer will be spend hanging out at home, you need to check out these 8 inexpensive summertime activities for kids so you kids can have the “best summer ever!” even if you don’t go anywhere!

So before your kids have the chance to say “I’m bored!”, be ready with these fun and active games that your kids will be begging to play. They can be adapted for kids of all ages and are the perfect way to get your kids outside for a warm summer afternoon, so invite some friends over and let’s get playing!

Craft with shells or rocks

Get out that paint and an old sheet and gather up some seashells from your last beach trip or nice flat rocks from your neighborhood and create some masterpieces. Let your kids paint their own creations, designs or a whole zoo of animals. Why not make some to play tic tac toe with or paint them like plants and place them in a pot to create your own garden? This activity is only limited to your kid’s imagination and your quantity of paint, so it’s a sure fire way to spend a fun afternoon outside.

Make your own Slip n’ Slide

Who doesn’t remember how fun these were as a kid? You can use a store bought one, but making one is very easy too. All you will need is some plastic sheeting (you can get this at any home supply store) and a garden hose and you are ready to have some fun! Find a slight hill if you can and hold down the ends with some heavy rocks (remind your kids they are there so no one slides into them!!). Use your hose to wet the plastic sheet and keep it running on it and let your kids get to playing. This activity is great because you can roll it up and use it again and again and again- and you kids will have a blast with it.

Have a carnival day

If you have a whole day to fill, why not create your own backyard carnival? First have your kids all create different classic carnival games to play, such as knocking over pins, fishing for rubber ducks in a baby pool, or ring toss. Encourage them to use recycled items when they can and get as creative as they want! Decorate them with paint, ribbons or streamers for more added fun. Then set up some stations outside- set out the games, add in some sweet treats and a face paint station and you are good to go!

Instead of just plain frozen treats, why not instead make this day even more special by offering some new Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores ice cream treats! These delicious and creamy treats are always a favorite among kids (and grown ups!) and come in some new summer time flavors like Toasted Marshmallow with Fudge, plain Toasted Marshmallow and Chocolate Marshmallow. These NEW Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores bring out all the delicious flavor of the perfect summer time treat S’mores with marshmallow flavored ice cream, and a rich graham cracker, chocolatey coating. They are so yummy and will really take your carnival day (or any day!) from ordinary to extraordinary.

Make some beautiful bubble art

If you have kids that love to create beautiful masterpieces, they will love combining the fun of bubbles and paint to make these fun and funky bubble art pieces! To make them: combine one tablespoon of tempera paint, one tablespoon of dish soap and a 1/2 cup of water in each small container (use plastic if you are outside) and mix them together. Next give your kids a straw for each container and allow them to blow bubbles inside the container and then place their paper on top of the container to make a bubble print on it! Try different color combinations of paint or different shaped containers to see what creative pieces they can come up with.

Have a lemonade stand

All kids love money, so why not let them earn some of their own? Encourage them to host their own corner lemonade stand to teach them a thing or two about business. Make some homemade lemonade or use some store bought kind, and let the kids make their own signs and decorations. When you are done, teach them the value of money by encouraging them to save some of their profits and make spending the rest.

Decorate the driveway

All kids love sidewalk chalk, but why not take that one step further this summer by creating some homemade chalk spray instead? Switch up this classic summer time activity by mixing together 1 tsp. washable tempera paint, 1 cup of hot water, 1/2 cup of cornstarch and a squirt of dishwashing liquid in different squirt bottles and they will have a unique formula that’s fun to spritz on the driveway and sidewalk.

Create a back yard obstacle course

The sky is the limit with this one- use what you have inside and out (think play ground climbers, jump ropes, hula hoops, chair cushions, old boxes- any thing!) and make a huge obstacle course for your kids! Add in some water obstacles to make it even more fun.

Host a huge water fight

Gather up all the neighborhood kids and a bunch of squirt guns from the dollar store and host a huge water fight! Give the kids time to build up a home base and then its time to defend it. Make sure you have plenty of buckets of water around to refill the squirt toys, a dry zone and some frozen treats at the end for all of the kids. This one would be a great way to spend a summer afternoon for sure!

So be ready to bash all of those “I’m bored’s” with this fun list of inexpensive summertime activities for kids and by pairing them up with the new Nestlé® Drumstick® S’mores treats and your kids are sure to be claiming this is the best summer ever!