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Free Summer Fun Ideas for Kids
It’s no secret kids get bored over the summer. It happens every year. We want our kids to have fun, but don’t want it to cost a fortune. So, I’m always looking for free summer fun ideas for kids. We’re trying out some of these summer fun activities, free printables, and fun diy’s this summer.
Outdoor Summer Fun Ideas
If you’re on my email list, you’ve already seen these ideas, but for those that missed them here you go. Oh, and if you’d like to get on my email list and have access to a growing resource library of homeschool and mom life printables, you can do that here.
Make your own water sprinkler
You’ll need:
- a Dollar Tree Pool Noodle
- Screwdriver
- Good Duct tape
- Garden hose
Down one side of your pool noodle, using your screwdriver, poke holes through the pool noodle, careful not to go through both sides of the noodle. You just want holes on one side. You can make more holes for smaller kids or fewer for bigger kids, keep in mind the more holes you have the shorter the spray of water will be. Tape up one end of the pool noodle. Then, insert the end of the hosepipe into the other end of the pool noodle and tape them together. You’ll need to tape it up very well, you don’t want the water escaping until it gets to the holes in the pool noodle.
Make your own Slip & Slide
You’ll need:
- Roll of thick plastic (you can get this from the hardware store)
- Dishwashing liquid or a small amount of cooking oil
- Water hose
Roll out your desired amount of plastic, add a little dish liquid or oil, smear it around a little and just add the water hose to the end. You can spray it off periodically or keep the water running at a slow stream. There you have it, your very own redneck slip & slide.
And, if you’re playing outdoors and would rather have a natural alternative to the commercial bug sprays…
Natural Bug Repellent
- 20 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 20 drops of lavender essential oil
- 1/2 c. of witch hazel, using rubbing alcohol would make this cooling as well, but could sting existing bites
- 1/2 c. of distilled water
We’ve always needed to reapply about every hour or so, but this is a simple recipe and I always have these oils on hand.
This should be stored in an amber glass bottle, but can be kept in a plastic spray bottle if you use it rather quickly. I wouldn’t store it in the plastic over a couple of days. (Added note — I’ve even used this as a fly spray for a horse.)
Screen-Free Summer Activities
Here’s a list of Screen-Free Activities to help get you started with some summer excitement. There’s even a free printable at the end of the post.
Cheap and Easy Summer Activities for Kids are always a plus! This is a list of 20 of them.
What about 100 Kid-Approved Summer Activities? Most of these are extremely frugal.
Indoor Summer Fun for All Ages
There are some days in the summer it’s just too hot to be outside unless you’re floating in a body of water with a cold drink in your hand. And, since I don’t have an easily accessible body of water, we hang out inside under the a/c on those especially hot days. The Tennessee humidity is brutal!
The kids still like fun things to do though so I’ve put together a list of summer printables for the ultimate indoor summer day experience.
Watermelon Count and Write Number Cards
African Safari Who Am I? Matching Game
Summer Crossword Puzzles for Kids
Sweet Summer Treats Coloring Pages
Sweet Beats Summer Music Game ($10 value)
Online Scavenger Hunts, in our Resource Library. There’s one for little ones too!
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