Savoring Summer: Simple, Budget-Friendly Out and About Activities for Kids

Are you looking for some simple, low-cost, summer out and about activities to put in your back pocket for when you need to change up the summer scenery? I’ve got some great options for you!

When the structure of school lifts as the weather gets nice, it can be easy to start to feel like the kids are underfoot all the time with complaints of “I’m bored” and “I’m hungry!” And if you want a fast-track to wishing away the summer and counting down the days until school starts, I think that’s how you do it!

But summer can be a great time for kids to develop and build up their “muscles” of self-directed and imaginative play.

If you’re looking for indoor summer activities, I’ve got some ideas. And if you’re looking for at-home outdoor summer activities, I’ve also got some fun options. And if you need suggestions on developing a daily summer routine or a weekly summer routine or a summer sabbath routine, I’ve got tips for those things too!

But sometimes you need to get out of the house. Maybe you’ve got groceries to pick up, or your spouse needs to have some focused work time.

Or maybe you’re just reading the signs that a change of location scenery would do everyone good!

Whether you’re running errands and want to tag on something fun, or you’re looking for a specific activity away from home, these simple, cheap out and about activities will give you options all summer long.

(And if you’re stuck on what to make for dinner, I’ve got a Simple Summer Dinners post for you, too!)

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Run Errands with the Kids (Out and About Activities 1 – 5)

I know that running errands with kids can be challenging! But it can also be opportunities for fun and connection with your kids.

Some of our family’s favorite errands to run are:

• When going to the post office (because it seems there is always a line!), we like to see how many people we can smile at.
  
  You can make it a collective activity, or turn it into a competition. Gauge what is going to be best for your kids’ development and personality.
  
• At the grocery store, I like to give different kids different jobs. One child (the reader) gets to carry the list and pen and scratch off items when I tell them to. Another child gets to sit in the basket and help organize the items. And a third child gets to help grab the items off the shelf.
  
• Department stores or places like Wal Mart are great “scavenger hunt” locations. You can do this a variety of ways, but they all have to do with being observant:
  
  • Look for people wearing the colors of the rainbow in order. So everyone looks for someone wearing red until one of the kids spots someone wearing red. Then move on to orange, etc.
    
  • Give the kids a task to look for something someone else would want (a sibling, a grandparent, a friend, etc). This keeps them occupied with the objective of considering someone else’s desires.
    
  • Observe the other people at the store and ponder their emotional state. It is helpful to recognize the basic 4 or basic 6 emotions. This builds emotional awareness

Two tips: plan the errand for when no one is hungry, and use the time in the car en route to the errand(s) to connect and engage with the kids, clarifying expectations of appropriate behavior!

Play in Local Parks (Activities 6 – 12)

Local parks can be a gold mine of out and about activities and fun! And don’t feel limited by needing a playground. Sometimes the best park time we’ve had are places that have no playground.

Consider some of these ideas for park activities:

• Tree climbing: Look for parks with easy to climb trees (or large bushes).
• Jumping: Consider locations where there are natural jumping challenges, such as big rocks to leap from one to the next, or tree stumps or logs to jump off of, etc.
• Balancing: Downed logs or beams that can be balanced on are fun. Or you could consider getting a slack line to up the challenge!
• Running: Wide open, flat spaces are great for running. Consider bringing a ball, frisbee, boomerang, kite, or hula hoop to chase for some added fun.
• Obstacle Courses: Letting the kids create an obstacle course and timing them on a stop watch can be a great energy-burning activity!
• Playground play: Of course, there is nothing wrong with going to a park and playing at a playground! Monkey bars, swings, and slides are top criteria for a “good” playground for my kids.
• Splash Pads: If it is hot and there is a splash pad available, this will likely be a very popular option!

Walk Local Trails (Out and About Activities 13 – 20)

Walking together as a family can be wonderful for out and about activities. Any time we are in nature it helps regulate emotions and calms our nervous systems.

A new trail or path is always fun, but kids also like to experience familiar things, so it’s OK to walk the same trail repeatedly.

Some different ideas to spice up going on a walk together:

• Create (or print off) a scavenger hunt to do while walking. This can be a collaborative thing for the whole family, or each child can complete one.
• Kids can bring a nature journal to track what they see (birds, insects, plants, etc)
• Jump ropes, hula hoops, scooters, bikes, or a ball can be fun “add-ons” to a walk
• Snack picnics are popular with our family. We love to pop popcorn and bring a container with us to enjoy on our walks. You could get more complicated and turn it into an actual picnic, or keep it simple with a basic snack.

Going to a “Beach” (Activities 21 – 24):

Finding water to play in is a great summer activity! But it doesn’t have to be an ocean’s beach, if that isn’t available to you. There are plenty of options for playing where water meets land.

• The ocean: Some fun options at a sandy beach include:
  • building sand castles
  • splashing in waves
  • playing with trucks and car in the sand (building roads, etc)
  • collecting shells
  • exploring tidal pools.
• A lakeshore: Depending on the size of the lake, spending time at a lakeshore might include sand play (castles or digging), swimming, floating, and splashing.
• Riverbank: If you have a large river nearby, it can be a great substitute for an ocean or lake. You can often find “beaches” along a river that provide sand for digging and building
• Creek: Don’t underestimate the fun of a small creek! Our kids love to try to dam small streams, jump over them, drop leaves or other floating objects in them to see how far they’ll float, chase water skippers, and generally get wet and muddy.

Fun tools to include in your “beach” play may include shovels, rakes, and buckets. And some construction equipment might come in handy.

Going to the Library (Out and About Activities 25 – 29):

We love our local library! It makes a great addition to any out and about activities we plan.

Libraries are a treasure trove of free options for activities and socializing. If you don’t yet have a library card to your local library, it’s a great addition to your tool box of year round out and about activities as well as giving you options for home activities!

Some great options to do at your local library:

• Pick out books to take home. Obviously a classic activity!
• Give each child the job of picking out books for a sibling or parent. Charge them with finding books they think the other person would enjoy. This is a great emotional awareness and observation activity!
• Find a topic of interest and go to the library to find resources about the topic. Books, magazines, audiobooks, films, and encyclopedias may have treasures about the topic and it’s a fun way to get your kids actively involved in researching a topic.
• Use the library’s toys/activities for an indoor change of scenery playtime. Many libraries have some toys in the kids’ section for young patrons. You could even plan a meet up with a friend at the library for some play time!
• Attend a library event for kids. Libraries often have story time, activity or craft times, reading challenges, and even visiting authors or book signings. Check out your local library’s website or ask at the front desk about what community events are happening at the library over the summer.

Socializing with Friends (Activities 30 – 37)

Humans are social creatures, and having a chance to socialize with friends and peers is important.

For kids, playing with friends helps them develop their social skills, such as cooperation and emotional intelligence, empathy and clear communication.

So planning activities where the kids can meet up and play with each other is great for summer time when you can take advantage of nice weather. Of course, you can always have friends over to your home, but in the interest of providing some out and about activities, consider these options:

• Meet up at a playground. Go to an old favorite or try a completely new one (to you) with friends and give it a grade together.
• Visit a schoolyard with friends. When school is out, you can often utilize the play structures (check with your local school rules or community guidelines).
• Wear swimsuits and meet up at a “beach” (anywhere water and land meet) for some messy water /sand/mud play.
• Plan to complete a scavenger hunt on a nature trail with some friends.
• Collaborate with another parent to make a special picnic. You could do something themed, like “Pizza at the Park” or “Scones at the School” or “Crackers and Cookies by the Creek.”
• Visit the library together with friends. Give the kids 10 minutes to find 3 picture books that they think their friend would like, and then sit and read some of the books together.
• Meet up for an epic chalk art creation time with friends. A school parking lot or a quiet cul de sac in your neighborhood may provide the perfect canvas for unleashing creative, collaborative imagination with friends while burning off energy.
• Go for a walk or a bike ride with friends. Use a trail you love or try something totally new.

Additional (More Expensive) Options (Out and About Activities 38 – 40):

If you have a little cash to spend for a special occassion, these are our favorite not-so-cheap out and about activities:

• Go to a you-pick farm. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sunflowers, lavenders, etc. You will usually need to pay for whatever you pick, sometimes you need to pay a cover charge, and there are often snacks or treats (such as ice cream!) at the farm. But it is rewarding for kids to get to experience the farm-to-table aspect of picking food or flowers.
  
• Try a treat you rarely get. Fancy ice cream, bubble tea, smoothies, or a fun bakery are all fun options! If there isn’t a good place to sit and enjoy the treat with your kids, grab it and then head to a park.
  
• Find an animal farm or petting zoo (or just the regular zoo, if you have one around!). We have several farm-experience type options near us that welcomes kids and families to come and learn a bit about farming and get up close and personal to animals.

Go Forth and Enjoy Your Summer!

Whether you just need to get out of the house, or if you want to plan a weekly outing to make fun memories together as a family this summer, I hope you found some great options on this list!

There are so many things to do to provide entertainment, physical activity, and opportunities to enjoy your corner of the world, especially during the summer.

So, I’d love to hear any additions to this list that your family enjoys! And if you try something you wouldn’t have normally thought of, I’d love to hear which one it was. How was experience was for you?

Let me know in the comments below!