Fun, Free and Low-Cost Summer Vacation Activities for Kids

Posted by Mamanista on Jul 4, 2008 | 64 Comments

TV viewing by young children skyrockets during the summer months as exhausted parents look for ways to fill the day.  According to the Smart Television Alliance, children’s television viewing during the summer increases 150 percent compared to the rest of the year. 

The AAP recommends no television under age 2 and limited television by children above age 2, but studies published in Parents Magazine show that a majority of parents do not abide by the recommendation. In my experience, TV viewing escalates during the summer months as parents who want the3 best for their children struggle for a free way to pass the time. With gas prices hitting or exceeding $4 a gallon, trips to the museum, zoo, beach and other local attractions have become harder for families to afford.

One of my favorite books is Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun.  Author Bobbi Conner provides tips on how to reduce the amount of time your kids spend watching TV and playing with electronic games as well as nearly 700 age-appropriate activity suggestions for children from 1-10 years of age.

We reviewed Unplugged Play last December on Mamanista because it is full of imaginative,  interactive activities for infants, toddlers and elementary school children that were perfect for a snowy day during winter vacation.

Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun is a parent’s best friend. It has tips for free activities perfect for beautiful, summer days and rainy, dull days, for times when you want to play one-on-one with your child and those moments when you want to distract your little one with a busy activity so you  can get dinner on the table or finish that email.

These activities trigger the imagination and help children develop their motor skills and problem solving abilities. But, most importantly, they are good, plain fun and do not require much money– just imagination and a sense of whimsy. In fact, some of my favorite activities in the book involved just a laundry basket and rolled up socks!

Win It:

Leave a comment on this post by July 11, 2008 letting us know your favorite low cost or no cost summer activity for kids.

Want It:

Buy Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun from Amazon.com for just $11.53. And get playing!

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  • Noreen said:

    making our own playdough and using a pouch on koolaid for scent and color

    #1 Jul 4, 2008 at 1:03 am
  • Katie said:

    Using sheets and chairs or low tree branches to make “tents” in the yard…

    #2 Jul 4, 2008 at 12:06 pm
  • misty said:

    Swimming! Well I guess it’s not free if you have to buy the pool. But I already have one. lol. We also like to camp in the yard, play tag, catch lightning bugs, and have water hose fights. Thanks so much for the opportunity.

    #3 Jul 4, 2008 at 4:18 pm
  • LaurenS said:

    Hunting for wild berries. We got quite a few this morning on our hunt.

    #4 Jul 4, 2008 at 4:39 pm
  • Kristinia said:

    Our libraries local reading program, free to the public and we have a wide variety of books to choose from , they have a weekly story time on top of the activities we do at home, they also provide a free craft to do each week with snack!

    #5 Jul 4, 2008 at 10:58 pm
  • Cindi said:

    When I was young, my friends and I would often camp outside during the summer. We would make a big circle of tents and enjoy the night. My sister lives about 10 minutes away and so I take a crew of children to her pool! We also play Badminton and sand volleyball throughout the summer.
    Thanks, Cindi

    #6 Jul 5, 2008 at 2:04 am
  • Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun | Contests 4 Moms said:

    [...] Where: Mamanista [...]

    #7 Jul 5, 2008 at 8:40 am
  • CourtneY said:

    We play in the sprinkler in the backyard.

    #8 Jul 5, 2008 at 8:41 am
  • Vickie Couturier said:

    my grandaughter likes to run thru the sprinkler an ride her bike,but shes a bit bigger,but my 3 yr old grandson likes for Mamaw to go out an play bubbles with him an watch him play in his little pool,I walk him in the stroller to the park an watch him slide an he wants me to watch him run like”super Jacob” an of course he runs sooooooo fast an is the fastest little boy ive ever seen,lol,I just loooove being a gramma,thanks

    vlbelk@hotmail.com

    #9 Jul 5, 2008 at 9:27 am
  • Kristen M. said:

    We are fortunate to have a park at the end of our block. Our favorite no-cost activity is walking the dog and going to the park.

    #10 Jul 5, 2008 at 10:39 am
  • Betsy said:

    We love to play in the sprinkler and go on nature walks.

    #11 Jul 5, 2008 at 1:03 pm
  • 3boyzmom said:

    My favorite free thing to do is play out in your front or backyard, or just go on a walk checking out the neighborhood!! We always make new friends doing that!!! We also like to go swimming at grandma and grandpas!!!

    #12 Jul 5, 2008 at 1:05 pm
  • 3boyzmom said:

    My favorite free thing to do is play out in your front or backyard, or just go on a walk checking out the neighborhood!! We always make new friends doing that!!!

    #13 Jul 5, 2008 at 1:05 pm
  • Megan Reed said:

    Well we love going to our local splash pad and having a “splash”. Or just playing out in the kiddie pool in our yard.

    #14 Jul 5, 2008 at 2:15 pm
  • Shay said:

    We mostly play in the yard or garage (it’s my studio).

    #15 Jul 5, 2008 at 2:20 pm
  • Melissa said:

    going to the park or play dates.

    #16 Jul 5, 2008 at 5:19 pm
  • Christi said:

    We enjoy checking out new playgrounds in the area (though not free since GAS is so high!) and going to local Vacation Bible Schools!

    #17 Jul 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm
  • jenny m said:

    playing in the kiddy pool in the back yard

    #18 Jul 6, 2008 at 12:20 am
  • Katie Murphy said:

    We go to the local mall about an hour before any of the stores open with my daughter who is about to turn 2. It is air conditioned and while there are some people their walking, it is pretty empty except for people getting the shops ready. She runs up and down the halls and looks in the stores and has a wonderful time. We take her dollie stroller and she pushes it around — perfect for a day when it is too hot to be at the park outside.

    #19 Jul 6, 2008 at 1:27 am
  • Susan C said:

    The wading pool, swingset, and sandbox are in constant use in the summer.

    #20 Jul 6, 2008 at 8:06 am
  • Ginny said:

    My kids spend a lot of time in our pool. They also enjoy going on bike rides & roller blading.

    The park is another cheap place to go, especially if you bring a cooler with your drinks & food!

    #21 Jul 6, 2008 at 1:22 pm
  • Andrea said:

    I would loooove this book! Our favorite activities include picnics, walks, swings, and backyard pools!!

    #22 Jul 6, 2008 at 10:29 pm
  • Sabra McCaughey said:

    We love bike rides and gardening. The garden is great because it is a great way to be “green”, it is great family time, good excercise and it really does get the kids to eat their veggies. It gives them a great pride in that they harvested food from a tiny seed they planted.

    #23 Jul 6, 2008 at 10:34 pm
  • Teresa Hoyt said:

    We like to go swimming in the river near our house!

    #24 Jul 6, 2008 at 10:37 pm
  • Vicki Wurgler said:

    we do a lot of swimming, water gun fights and if it’s not too hot bike rides down by the river

    #25 Jul 7, 2008 at 10:52 am
  • Shelly said:

    It is tough to beat running through the sprinkler

    #26 Jul 7, 2008 at 4:26 pm
  • Caryn Bailey said:

    My son absolutely loves the park and the beach!

    #27 Jul 7, 2008 at 9:58 pm
  • Stacy said:

    Running through the sprinkler with the dog!

    #28 Jul 8, 2008 at 9:17 am
  • Kathy Conley said:

    Swimming at my sister’s pool!

    #29 Jul 8, 2008 at 2:30 pm
  • Elisabeth said:

    I have a 6 month old so I am looking for ideas! Right now we go to the library for their free classes for moms or dads and babies.

    #30 Jul 8, 2008 at 7:06 pm
  • Kathy Scott said:

    Hunting for fireflies. Thanks for the chance.

    #31 Jul 11, 2008 at 2:52 pm
  • Ann Fantom said:

    I would love to win this. Please enter me.

    #32 Jul 11, 2008 at 2:57 pm
  • Frances Watson said:

    we live next to a big lake alot of water fun

    #33 Jul 11, 2008 at 3:03 pm
  • Mya Brooks said:

    Good old-fashioned reading!

    #34 Jul 11, 2008 at 3:21 pm
  • hetal gandhi said:

    play in the park. with drive way chalk, teach them phonics.

    #35 Jul 11, 2008 at 3:37 pm
  • Heather said:

    going to local state parks for the day and hiking on there trails :)

    #36 Jul 11, 2008 at 3:51 pm
  • Heather said:

    Going to the park or swimming at the lake are my favorite summer activities

    #37 Jul 11, 2008 at 4:09 pm
  • Ana said:

    swimming in an inflatable swimmingpool

    #38 Jul 11, 2008 at 4:14 pm
  • Angel said:

    picnic in the park

    #39 Jul 11, 2008 at 4:15 pm
  • Maja said:

    swimming in a local river

    #40 Jul 11, 2008 at 4:15 pm
  • Gina Stratos said:

    It’s a toss up between the pool or the skatepark (I prefer the pool)
    gkstratos@ yahoo.com

    #41 Jul 11, 2008 at 4:52 pm
  • susan varney said:

    the kiddie pool

    #42 Jul 11, 2008 at 5:05 pm
  • Brooke Allen said:

    Going to the library.

    #43 Jul 11, 2008 at 5:15 pm
  • c. clemens said:

    1 word- Swimming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Best thing to do in summer, its fun and great excerise.

    #44 Jul 11, 2008 at 5:23 pm
  • Catherine copeland said:

    Off to the pool for us and weekend road trips to see all the natural resources that are available to us

    #45 Jul 11, 2008 at 5:36 pm
  • Brian said:

    Touching nature before it is gone.

    #46 Jul 11, 2008 at 5:50 pm
  • Gwen L said:

    I like making coffee-can ice cream. You can find the recipe on the Web with any major search engine. The kids start to get tired of rolling the can back and forth (it takes quite a while to get done), but they really want to eat the ice cream, so we think of variations on how we can roll it. It’s a great way of teaching delayed gratification!

    #47 Jul 11, 2008 at 6:09 pm
  • Louise Brouillette said:

    The garden hose…kids love it!

    #48 Jul 11, 2008 at 6:18 pm
  • victoria lynch said:

    we go fishing at the lake. the kids love it. My son who is 6 has caught 2 fish in the last month.

    #49 Jul 11, 2008 at 6:33 pm
  • Adrienne Gordon said:

    Hiking

    #50 Jul 11, 2008 at 6:35 pm
  • christopher h said:

    swimming!

    #51 Jul 11, 2008 at 6:48 pm
  • Lee said:

    To the pool!!! when we have extra time and going to the library.

    #52 Jul 11, 2008 at 6:58 pm
  • Jillian Sorenson said:

    Running a lemonade stand, teaches kids about business at a young age!

    #53 Jul 11, 2008 at 7:00 pm
  • Denise said:

    Digging in the garden.

    #54 Jul 11, 2008 at 7:09 pm
  • Jenn S. said:

    Playing in the sprinkler in the backyard, or taking nature walks.

    #55 Jul 11, 2008 at 7:10 pm
  • Pamela White said:

    My low cost activity is to map out all of the city parks and each week we pick a new park or two to visit. We bring our park kit which has lunch, kites, pail and shovel and other toys.

    #56 Jul 11, 2008 at 8:11 pm
  • Meredith Peters said:

    Going to the beach is a summertime activity that can’t be beat as long as you live near enough to one not to have to pay a lot for gas!!

    #57 Jul 11, 2008 at 8:15 pm
  • sarah woods said:

    Keep the children occupied with fun educationa learning opportunities!!!! Many Thanks SW

    #58 Jul 11, 2008 at 9:10 pm
  • Veronica Garrett said:

    bicycling

    #59 Jul 11, 2008 at 9:56 pm
  • Elaine said:

    Colored chalk for the kids to play hopscotch or get creative on the sidewalk/driveway.

    #60 Jul 11, 2008 at 10:40 pm
  • Miranda Kuskie said:

    We love to get the kids in their swimsuits and let them run through the sprinklers. We found a really cool sprinkler attachment for about $7 and it makes it more fun. We also found a fun recipe online for sidewalk chalk paint that’s made with things you normally have around the kitchen. We’ve been tight on money this summer but we’ve still made it lots of fun for the kids.

    #61 Jul 11, 2008 at 11:24 pm
  • Lily Kwan said:

    going to the library

    #62 Jul 11, 2008 at 11:56 pm
  • Terri D said:

    Going to the beach.

    #63 Jul 12, 2008 at 12:41 am
  • Smart News Blog - Smart Television Alliance » Word’s Out about our Outsmart the Summer Spike campaign said:

    [...] Mamanista mentioned our new campaign in a post on summertime activities for kids. [...]

    #64 Jul 14, 2008 at 2:48 pm