Family Summer Activities on a Budget
Family togetherness is a given when kids are out of the school for the summer. What starts off as family fun, however, can quickly devolve into mayhem if you don’t keep kids entertained. You don’t have to splurge to accomplish that. Here are a few fun, budget-friendly summer activities for your family that prove this point:
- Blow glow-in-the-dark bubbles. Making fun bubble mixtures is an easy way to keep the kids entertained for hours, and you probably have most of what you need on hand already. Plus, there are many different creative variations on your typical bubble. Check out these inventive DIY bubble recipes for a few new ideas. If you add a dash of glow-in-the-dark paint to your bubbles, the result will be glowing orbs that kids can chase around the yard after dark. You can also whip up a batch of glycerin bubbles or even sugar-based bubbles.
- Splash around. No prep required for a day at the pool. Look online for family memberships to your local pool—it’ll probably be cheaper that way than if you buy day passes throughout the summer. You can also let kids splash around at a “sprayground” nearby or in a swimming pond or lake.
- Teach kids to garden. Since you have some extra time, use it to instill a love of the earth in your kids. Teaching them to garden will not only exhibit the importance you place on nature, but also help kids learn about where their food comes from. Create a container garden with just a few herbs that can sit out on your windowsill. Graduate to vegetables once your little ones have mastered the potted herb.
- Bake or cook. A good rule of thumb for summer fun: if it requires making a mess, your child is going to love it. That’s why making a batch of cookies or brownies will likely be a hit in your household. You can also opt to cook and incorporate some of the fresh herbs from your garden! Cooking and baking with your kids is a good opportunity to emphasize healthy recipes. Why not try whipping up a batch of black bean brownies and see how they shape up to the traditional box mix? Maybe you can create a batch of popsicles from peanut butter and banana instead of syrupy juices.
- Go for a picnic. Does your family have a favorite local park? Is there a state park nearby that you’ve yet to check out this season? Here’s your chance. Pack up a picnic basket of finger foods and set out for the park. Bring a blanket and enjoy the feeling of the grass underneath your toes or claim a picnic table and a barbecue pit instead.
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