Popsugar Parenting Indoor Activities Cheap Family Activities 30 Cheap (or Free!) Family Activities That'll Have You Laughing All the Way to the Bank 17 June 2018 by Murphy Moroney Image Source: Getty / Mr.suchat Bea / EyeEm There's seriously nothing like making the most of the days spent together as a family. And while there's certainly a time and place for dropping some major dough in the name of making memories — ahem, Disney World — for most of us, staying on budget is a top priority. So if your crew is looking for a few ways to make family time extra memorable without completely breaking the bank, your search is up! We've rounded up our top 30 ideas for having a whole lot of fun without spending oodles of money. From feeding the ducks to gathering everyone for a round of flashlight tag, there's something for all of your family members to enjoy. Scroll through to get some much-needed inspiration in the activity department! Related: 50+ Free Things to Do With Your Kids That Will Give Them an Epic Summer 1 Fly a kite. Image Source: Getty / Tom Werner Pick up a colourful kite at the nearest 99 cent store and hit the park! See how high your kite will go, and witness your kiddos watch in awe. 1 / 30 2 Feed the ducks. Image Source: Getty / Westend61 Have some extra veggies laying around? Great! Head to the nearest pond, lake, or bay and make some new friends for an afternoon. 2 / 30 3 Climb a tree. Image Source: Getty / Westend61 Learning how to climb a tree is a rite of passage for kids. Find your nearest maple and let them play on the branches. Just make sure you keep your eyes glued on them at all times. 3 / 30 4 Go to an outdoor movie. Image Source: Getty / Mike Powell Pack a bag of snacks and hit an outdoor movie! Plenty of towns show kids' movies during the Summer — all you have to do is grab a blanket and something to munch on and sip. 4 / 30 5 Play flashlight tag. Image Source: Getty / Aaron McCoy It's not like a regular game of tag; it's a "cool" game of tag. Whoever is "it" has the flashlight and attempts to shine the beam on the other players, who run around trying to evade the glare. Players are eliminated when the flashlight's beam hits them. Don't forget to load up on AA batteries beforehand! 5 / 30 6 Play a round of minigolf. Image Source: Getty / Chuck Savage Because there's nothing like a little friendly competition, right? 6 / 30 7 Go fruit picking. Image Source: Getty / Westend61 There's nothing like picking seasonal fruit right off the vine. Hit a local farm and pick a bushel of your own with your kids in tow. 7 / 30 8 Camp out in the backyard. Image Source: Getty / Stephen Simpson Even if you're not into camping, pitching a tent in the backyard (where bathroom and kitchen facilities are a short walk away) is fun for everyone. 8 / 30 9 Set up a lemonade stand. Image Source: Getty / Burke/Triolo Productions There are few things thirsty neighbours enjoy more than an adorable lemonade stand. Make an afternoon out of it by giving kids an intro to how money actually works. If they're on the older side, let them take a stab at running the stand themselves! 9 / 30 10 Plant some flowers. Image Source: Getty / Gary Yeowell Grab your gardening gloves and plant a few flowers with your children. After all, it's never too early to plant the gardening seed. 10 / 30 11 Get wet on a Slip 'N Slide. Image Source: Getty / Chris Stein Go crazy in your very own backyard by setting up a Slip 'N Slide. Don't forget the towels! 11 / 30 12 Head to the petting zoo. Image Source: Getty / Nataliâ Durâgina / EyeEm Goats, bunnies, and cows, oh my! 12 / 30 13 Stage a water-balloon fight. Image Source: Getty / Mr.suchat Bea / EyeEm Go into attack mode and invite a few kids over for a full-blown water-balloon fight. They'll love watching them pop! 13 / 30 14 Catch a fireworks show. Image Source: Getty / mtreasure Sure, you're planning on watching the skies light up on the Fourth of July, but opportunities to watch fireworks throughout the Summer exist in many major cities (Chicago's Navy Pier lets off fireworks every Wednesday and Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day) and at lots of ballparks, so do your research and find your own local fireworks show. 14 / 30 15 Go on a scavenger hunt. Image Source: Getty / © Monika Halinowska Drum up some clues and send your children on a wild adventure! Trust us: the journey will be way more exciting than the prize at the end. 15 / 30 16 Go head to head in backyard soccer. Image Source: Getty / Maskot Squeeze in a little one-on-one session with your soon-to-be superstar on the front lawn. Goal! 16 / 30 17 Have a backyard BBQ. Image Source: Getty / 10'000 Hours Invite some parent friends and their kids over and grill it up. It's always better to have a play date when you can keep the little ones outside for the majority of it. Keep costs down by asking everyone to bring a dish of their choice, potluck-style. 17 / 30 18 Go on a bike ride. Image Source: Getty / Bilanol Hit a new trail or do a few laps around the neighbourhood. Don't forget your helmets! 18 / 30 19 Go on a picnic. Image Source: Getty / Dougal Waters All you need are some sandwiches and their favourite drinks and you're good to go. 19 / 30 20 Hike a new trail. Image Source: Getty / Kevin Trimmer Kill two birds with one stone by scoping out a new trail with the kids in tow. It will keep 'em busy and they'll get some exercise. 20 / 30 21 Catch Fireflies Image Source: Getty / Cavan Images Nothing says Summer nights like fireflies, so head outside and see how many lightning bugs your kids can capture. Just remember to let them fly away before bedtime! 21 / 30 22 Capitalize on free days at the museum. Image Source: Getty / loonger Although exposing your children to a little art can set you back up to $50 per person at some museums, keeping track of discounts on your calendar can pay off in spades when you're looking to plan a family outing. 22 / 30 23 Have a DIY Pizza Party. Image Source: Getty / Westend61 Have kids roll out the dough and finish off each pizza with an assortment of toppings before popping their creations in the oven. 23 / 30 24 Head to a baseball game. Image Source: Getty / Cavan Images There's something special about catching a game with the whole brood in tow. And no one says it has to be super expensive! To cut costs, try heading to your local college or minor league stadium since the tickets are usually much more affordable. 24 / 30 25 Go stargazing. Image Source: Getty / Jaris Ho Get away from the city lights by staking out a serene spot, setting up a blanket on the roof of your car, and checking out what the night-sky view has to offer! Bonus points if you can name a constellation or two! 25 / 30 26 Check out a local garden. Image Source: Getty / JUN DONG There's nothing like spending a few peaceful moments in a beautiful garden chock-full of flowers. And don't even get us started on the smells! 26 / 30 27 Hit the library. Image Source: Getty / Dougal Waters Sometimes there's nothing in the world that's more relaxing than diving into a good book. Get the whole gang involved by making your next trip to the library a family affair. 27 / 30 28 Go rollerskating. Image Source: Getty / Peathegee Inc Strap on your skates and get moving at the roller rink. And parents: keep your eyes peeled for Kids Skate Free deals to get even more savings! 28 / 30 29 Throw a fondue party. Image Source: Getty / David Buzzard - media-centre.ca There's just something special about dunking a hunk of bread or a piece of fruit in melted cheese or chocolate. Just keep an extra close eye on anyone with tiny hands in your clan — the pot can get super hot! 29 / 30 30 Make some popsicles! Image Source: Getty / Westend61 Can you think of a better way to cool off? One of these delicious recipes should do the trick! 30 / 30 Indoor ActivitiesFamily FunKid ActivitiesActivitiesFamilySummerParentingLittle KidsPreschoolerPreschooler Activities