5 Affordable Outdoor Activities for the Kids This Summer
- Vivian Bricker Contributing Writer
- Updated Apr 13, 2023
As a kid, my favorite activities were those outside. During the summer in the South, the weather could range from extreme heat waves to intense thunderstorms. Whether the weather was nice or too hot, my sisters and I were always outside. If you have children and don't want to spend too much money on outdoor activities for your kids this summer, I got you covered. Growing up, we never had much money, so our mom always had endless ideas for summertime outdoor activities for us on a budget.
I'd like to share five of my favorites with you:
1. A Picnic
One affordable outdoor activity for the kids this summer is having a picnic. Picnics are affordable as long as you meal prep budget-friendly foods rather than getting a catered picnic. You can pack sandwiches with fruit and bottled water. Depending on the size of your family, it might cost about fifteen dollars for your entire picnic. Picnics are exciting for kids because you are doing a normal, everyday activity (eating) in a new, exciting environment (outside). While you need to be careful of bees and bugs, having a picnic is a fun idea for your summer plans.
When you are selecting a place for your picnic, you can choose somewhere with a big field, a place with picnic tables, or a spot by a creek. Normally, places with big fields or picnic tables could be near a park or a nature preserve. This will act as a double event because then your kids can play at the park or use their imagination to pitter-patter through the shallow water or look up at the clouds in the sky. As we get older, sometimes our imagination dwindles away, yet seeing things through the eyes of a child can help us regain a new spark for life.
Be involved with your kid as they go exploring the field after the picnic or if they decide to go play on a playground. Even more, if you have your picnic in the evening, you could be safer from bees and bugs. If you stay after dark, you can even catch lightning bugs with the kiddos. This will be a truly magical summer activity that your kids will love.
2. Sidewalk Chalk
A second affordable outdoor activity for kids this summer is creating artwork with sidewalk chalk. My sisters and I were given a huge box of sidewalk chalk before I was nine. Since the time our mom gave us that first box of sidewalk chalk, we went through over ten boxes throughout the course of our childhood. Even as teens, we loved sidewalk chalk, and the neighborhood cat liked to come up and roll in the art too. Her fur would change according to whichever colors we used for our art. As you can see, this activity is not just for kids but also for teens and cats!
Everybody enjoys creating art, and creating art doesn't have to stop as we age. If you have time, try to spend some time with your kids as they are making their artwork. More often than not, they will find you and drag you to see their artwork anyway. Children love praise from their parents, and by complimenting them on their artwork can give them a better view of themselves.
Sidewalk chalk isn't expensive, as it is normally somewhere between four to ten dollars for a box. If you decide to buy this activity for your kids, you might be surprised at their creativity and how often they start drawing on the driveway. You might even notice your teens getting involved and expressing themselves through art too. If you are in need of an affordable activity this summer that truly sparks creativity, look into buying a container of sidewalk chalk before summer starts.
3. Going to the Lake
A third affordable outdoor activity for the kids this summer is going to a lake. Even if you can't swim, going to the lake can be a nice experience. Some lakes might charge a small entrance fee; however, there are many public lakes that don't charge anything. Be mindful if you're allowed to swim or not. If there are signs posted signifying not to swim, make sure you obey these rules and regulations. If it is a swimming lake, also be cautious, as lakes are not the same as swimming pools. There are rocks and animals near the banks and in the water.
At the lake, you can take a nature walk, camp out, or pretend to be fishermen stranded on a deserted island. You can skip rocks, collect nature's finest treasures, and cool off in the water. If your kids easily get bored, bring some games you can play at the lake. Card games are always fun to play on a beach towel or picnic blanket, and they are portable to play anywhere. Or bring a beach ball or sand toys if your local lake has a sand area. Going to the lake can be a unique experience for your kid, especially if they aren't often near the water. (If you are not into going to a lake, you can still camp, take nature walks, and play outside to enjoy time with your kids.)
4. Playing a Sport (Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, etc.)
A fourth affordable outdoor activity for the kids this upcoming summer is playing a sport. Maybe your kid is into sports, or maybe they aren't. If they enjoy playing a sport, offer to play it with them or have their siblings take turns picking out which sport to play. Growing up, my sister and I used to play soccer almost every day, and we developed a great love for the sport. Your kid might also fall in love with a sport and become dedicated to improving their skills. A soccer ball normally costs anywhere from ten to fifteen dollars, which is a good investment for something that can keep your kid excited about summer.
If they aren't into soccer, try basketball or volleyball. Even beginner kits for sports like golf and tennis are affordable at the local Wal-Mart. Most items needed in various sports are not too expensive and will last a long time. If you wanted to be creative, you could make a game with your kids by creating their own sport. My mom used to have my sisters and me create new and fun games based on our imagination, and the same can ring true for you and your kids. Allow your kids' imaginations to thrive, and you might be surprised by how many games or sports they invent this summer.
5. Book Club with Outdoor Meetings
A fifth outdoor summer activity for your kids this summer that is affordable is hosting a book club with outdoor meetings. Each summer, my mom and my sisters would have a book club. One year we read Little Women, and another year we read Great Expectations. While these books are a little advanced for kids, you can let your kid pick out books they want to read over the course of the summer. Each week, you can meet with your kids in an outdoor space, such as a back porch or a garden, to discuss what each person read for the week. If you want to grow the book club, invite the neighborhood kids or friends from school and church to join the fun!
Book clubs are always fun and prepare kids for the future school year. Many kids get out of the practice of reading and, instead, play video games over the summer, which can take a toll on their academic performance the following school year. By having a weekly book club with your kids, you can keep them engaged and help them prepare for the next year. You might even discover you have a child who loves books just as much as you do!
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/dimarik
