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Health & Fitness

20 Free or Cheap Activities to Combat Summer Boredom

Summer is almost over and I am starting to hear those familiar words, "Mom, I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do." Here's 20 frugal activities to counteract the boredom!

Summer is almost over and I am starting to hear those familiar words, “Mom, I’m bored” or “There’s nothing to do.”  You would think that with a room full of toys and a big back yard there would never be a dull moment.  My kids are perfectly willing to let me take them to the movies or amusement park every day but who can afford that?  

Here is a list of 20 free or inexpensive activities to counteract the “I’m bored” syndrome.

  1. Look to the outdoors: picnic at the lake, hike to a waterfall or play in a creek.
  2. Backyard game of wiffle ball or kickball. Our Aunt Catherine created a squirt gun/wiffle ball game where you squirt the person to get them out. Very cool.
  3. Play Ultimate Frisbee at the park.  My teens enjoy this with their friends.
  4. Squirt gun or water balloon battles
  5. Swimming – Neighborhood pool, YMCA pool, Recreation Dept. pool.  Just make sure you pack lots of sunscreen.
  6. Family movie night. Don’t forget the popcorn! Two good kids' movies that also incorporate money concepts – "Richie Rich" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
  7. Visit grandparents.
  8. Look through recipe books and let your child select a recipe to try.  Buy the ingredients and let the kids help cook.  If you are really adventurous, let them invent a recipe!
  9. Look for free tours.  We just took three of our kids to the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta.  The tour was free and they each got a bag of shredded money to bring home!
  10. Let your kids have a friend over to play.  Or, if you have a teen, let them have a friend over to “hang out.” 
  11. Have your child pick a career and try out some skills related to it.  Check out Earn My Keep for a year’s worth of ideas!
  12. Movie theaters and libraries will often have free/cheap movies during the summer.
  13. Visit the library for a fresh supply of books.  My boys just recently checked out books about simple science experiments.  That reminds me….I need to buy more baking soda and vinegar!
  14. Head out to the Greenway in the morning or evening for a walk or a bike ride. We usually have some combination of bikes and ripsticks on our adventures!
  15. Plant some quick growing seeds.  Marigolds, basil and cilantro are great choices.
  16. Make bird feeders.  A quick online search will show lots and lots of different methods.  Of course, you can’t beat the old fashioned pine cone, spread with peanut butter and rolled in birdseed.
  17. Bubbles and outdoor chalk are always a hit with younger kids.
  18. Let your kids pick a charity that they would like to help.  They can earn money to donate or buy/gather products to give to them.
  19. Family game night.  Favorites at our house are:  Scrabble, Monopoly, Apples to Apples and Uno.  However, I was recently “whooped” at Monopoly so it may be a while before I recover.
  20. Roast marshmallows.  You don’t need a giant bonfire to do this.  We build a small fire in our charcoal grill in our back yard.  Keep the water hose nearby for safety reasons.  

I am sure there are many more ideas out there.  What are some of your favorite summer activities with your kids?  Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!

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