Low Cost (or FREE) Summer Activities

One last guest post and then you’re stuck with me for awhile… my sister is back with some tips for free or low-cost summer activities to keep everyone busy and having fun.  Because whomever coined the phrase ‘lazy days of summer’ did NOT have a three year old boy.  😉  While summer may feel like it’s a time for slowing down and reading books on the beach all day, for kids, it’s a time with long spaces just begging to be filled with activities and things to do.  So here you go– plenty of free and almost free activities for kids to keep you ALL sane this summer.

Last year I had the pleasure to be home with my toddler during the weekdays for two months while I looked for a new job. We had just moved to a new state and I was ready to explore all that our new home had to offer. Because of our limited finances, I sought out free and low-cost activities that we could do together.  Here’s a few ways we had some fun while saving our pennies:

Inexpensive Fun at Home:  There are lots of fun summer activities you can do at home inexpensively. Sometimes it’s as easy as filling up a kiddie pool or a water table, or putting on a helmet for your little one’s first bike ride. We have a fleet of various outdoor push and ride-on toys that our little guy could play with all day if we let him, and he hasn’t yet grown out of his toddler push toys. Keep your eyes peeled for water tables, toddler bikes, push toys, and ride-on toys at yard sales and on craigslist this summer — once the kids grow out of them, these bulky items take up precious space that a spring cleaner is happy to free up at their next yard sale or consignment sale. They are also the first to get snatched up by bargain hunters.

If you’re looking for a deal on new toys, I highly recommend Google Shopper, where you can compare prices from online and retail shops. Last year, I tried to wait until later in the summer to buy a water table because I thought they would go on clearance– but they are such popular toys that when summer clearance time rolled around the tables I wanted were out of stock. We found the best deal on our water table in the dead of winter, when demand was low.  These toys will really pay off: When your little one wants to splash around outside, all you’ll need to do is put on some shoes and sunscreen and head outside, instead of packing up all sorts of gear, diaper bag, changes of clothes, and cooler for a day at the beach.

Beach and Pool Deals:  That said, a day at the beach or outdoor pool is the quintessential summer experience and can be relatively inexpensive. Beaches can be costly to park, and pools costly for entry, but a little legwork can save you a little money. Well, “legwork” with your fingers to the keyboard: you may find that your favorite public swimming hole has discounted parking or admission for residents, or discounts on certain days or times. Our local swimming hole is only $3 after 4:30, and free after 5:30. It’s open until sunset, so even through a 4:30 swim isn’t ideal, an hour at the pool or beach is a great way to work up a healthy dinner appetite, and likely to reduce the number of “one more book?” requests from our toddler before he conks out at night.

Outdoor Adventures:  If you enjoy the outdoors, going for walks and hikes as a family is probably already on your list of summer activities. It can be a quick activity or take you all day, depending on your destination. Pack snacks, lunch, and liquids, and you’re on your way. You don’t need any specialized gear to enjoy the outdoors, just a comfy and supportive pair of shoes. Although, if you have young kids, an infant carrier or carrier hiking backpack will allow you to take a longer walk. The backpacks afford more air circulation for you and your child, so you both don’t overheat as easily. Be sure to follow the fit instructions closely — an incorrect backpack fit can mean the difference between a fun hike and a short, miserable one. Also, if you’re unfamiliar with the area, you will probably want to bring a map — either on paper or on your smartphone. I will admit that I have resorted to my phone’s GPS to help me find our way out of the woods on at least one occasion.

Even if you have been to the same trail a zillion times, taking an inquisitive child there might be a new experience each time — particularly if you can explore during different seasons. There is a lot to talk about with your child when you’re on a walk. You can use all of your senses: Counting how many types of bird calls you hear, identifying the different trees you see, smelling the scent of flowers or mud or leaves, and feeling the crackle of dried wheat in your hand or fallen leaves underfoot. You may want to hold off on exploring their sense of taste, unless it’s wild blueberries or something else you can identify without a doubt.

Free Parks, Museums, and Zoos:  If you’re near a National Park, consider going on one of the several free National Park days.  Also, most museums and zoos will have free or discounted days throughout the year.  Our local zoo is free for moms on Mothers’ Day and fathers on Fathers’ Day, and always free for kids under 2. For our family of three, that meant we only had to pay one admission (until our toddler turned 2).  Many local museums offer a free day each month.  Poke around on the attraction’s website, and you might find a free or discount day, or a coupon, or that one or more of your children are young enough to get in for free.  And mark your calendar for September 28, when the Smithsonian is sponsoring Museum Day LIVE! for free museum admission at many museums around the country.  Many public libraries will have a reduced admission program for local attractions, where you can reserve a museum, zoo, or aquarium pass that can get you in for free or for a discount.

Storytime and Summer Reading:  While you’re at the library, scoping out their museum / zoo / aquarium passes, see if they have a story time.  Many bookstores (Barnes & Noble included) has free storytime.  Want more reading incentive?  Here’s a rundown of FREE summer reading incentive programs with prizes ranging from free gifts to cash money, baby!

Low Cost Attractions:  I have also found “buy one, get one free” passes to local attractions in coupon books like the Entertainment Book.  Also, keep your eyes peeled for Groupons or other daily deal coupons for passes to local attractions or activities. Without local deal sites letting us know what is out there and giving out discounts, we never would have taken a canoe out on a local pond or gotten a zoo membership.  If there is a local attraction that you would like to visit more than once, consider buying a membership. For our local zoo, the membership is worth the price of two trips as a family and it will also allow us to bring guests for free. As a family on a budget, it’s wonderful to be able to treat our friends to a trip to the zoo. The visit is fun and different each time we are there with different friends. Take a look at the facility’s “reciprocity” page to see what other local attractions will honor your membership or give you a discount. If you have a little time for research, price out the membership at the reciprocal attraction to see if it would be cheaper to buy a membership there and have it honored at your favorite local attraction. For example, if a membership at a zoo an hour away is half the price of a membership at my local zoo, and it will get me into my local zoo for free, then the cheapskate in me would be inclined to buy the membership at the zoo an hour away.

Berry Picking:  Not only will this be fun for the kids, you’ll probably get a cheaper price on fruit by doing the labor yourself.  The kids have fun, the fruit is less expensive, AND you get to eat strawberry shortcake with fresh berries?  Sounds like summer to me!  Some local farms offer pick-your-own veggies, too.  It’s a fantastic way to learn about food, plus it seems freshly picked food tastes ten times as good.

Cheap{er} Vacations:  Vacationing away from home can really add up. Generally, the biggest expenses are airfare and lodging. If you live within driving distance of vacation spot (and I bet you do), consider vacationing there. To cut down on lodging expenses, consider renting from a property owner. There are a lot of sites dedicated to listing vacation properties, and we have successfully used www.vrbo.com and www.homeaway.com for our vacations in the past. It does take a little more legwork in making sure that the rental will meet your needs, but I’ve always found the time investment worth the savings and added value. These types of rentals provide another important money-saving vehicle for your family: a kitchen.  Now meal costs can be cut significantly and you can splurge on meals out when you want– without having to wrangle unwilling toddlers in restaurants three times each day.

There you have it– a few of my money saving secrets to keep kids busy all summer long without spending much moolah.  What are your favorite free or low cost activities for summer?  I’m always on the lookout for more activities for my summer bucket list!