This semester is rapidly coming to an end, which although exciting for kids everywhere, can be a total nightmare for some parents. Not that having the kids home everyday is bad, but finding ways to entertain them on a budget and can be pretty frustrating. Kids need stimulation during the summer months and without a few activities to keep their bodies and minds active you will be looking at several month of chaos. With these ten tips you will find simple ways to keep your children busy during the summer without having to worry about the money you’ll spend to do so.

1. Swimming
One of the best ways to keep cool during the summer is to hit the pool, however paying for pool entry or even buying your pool can cost you a fortune. If swimming is a must for your kids try to checking around town for pool passes. Many public pools will offer passes at the beginning of summer and will only cost you a fraction of what you would pay to visit the pool even once a week for the summer. If a pool passes isn’t an option for you try signing your children up for the YMCA. Many YMCAs offer free to low cost memberships for children and some will even open up their pool for free on certain days. Calling local hotels to find if they offer open or low cost pool times might also be to your benefit. This will help keep your kids safe as there is less of a crowd and will keep them cool during the warmer months. You might also look into swim less as many cities will offer them at colleges and high schools for free!

2. Movies
The movies are a great way to take a break from busy schedules and keep cool during the summer; however, movie prices can cost you quite a bit. The best to take in a movie is try to find a discounted theater in your area. Some places will offer movie tickets for $1, but the movies won’t be the newest on the market so be prepared to see something that already be available to purchase. During the summer some theaters will offer $1 movies on Wednesday mornings for children, which can make a great weekly outing for your family. A lot of libraries will host a movie once a week during the afternoon which is great for younger kids to meet up with their friends and enjoy a movie that is meant for them to enjoy and learn from. If you aren’t wanting to go out then host a movie day at your house. This will allows your kids to have their friends over, watch their favorite movies and enjoy homemade snacks.

3. Summer Programs
During summer break many schools and libraries will offer summer programs that are designed to keep your children’s minds working over the break. These programs are usually free and will allow you and your kids to sit down and schedule the classes they would like to take. A lot of these classes involve teaching your children different crafts or allowing them to perform science experiments designed to teach them how to ask questions and find solutions. One of the most popular programs is the reading for rewards program that most libraries offer. This will encourage your children to explore books during their vacation. The more your child reads the better the prizes he or she will be able to receive. Many schools even offer programs that help teach children how to play many sports that they don’t always get to play in school. Utilizing the school and library can take up a lot of your summer and can help your children ease into the school year.

4. Cooking
Most kids love to snack, which is why teaching them to cook is a great way to occupy some of the lazy summer hours. If you are worried about your child getting injured in the kitchen then start out slow, especially with younger children. Little kids will love making snacks that involve foods that resemble things they love, such as ants on a log. This snack is healthy and pretty simple for little one’s to create. You can also try foods like rice crispy treats, laying out cookie dough or snow cones. Older children, of course, would have more freedom and might even be advanced enough to use a pan to make foods like grilled cheeses or soup.

5. Crafts
One of the best ways to keep your kids busy during the summer is to craft with them. This will give you plenty of bonding time that you don’t normally get throughout the year. There are many crafts that can made with things you find around the house. For instance, you can take old magazines and cut images out to make a collage or you can roll pieces of magazines into beads for adorable magazine necklaces. There are also many other crafts that can be made that your children can actually play with. For instance, you can easily make a paper mache mask that will suit each child’s interest and will give you a fun project to make together. You can also build a kite with your children that will make a great activity to partake in on windy days. Crafting is also a great way to make gifts for friends and family for the holidays. Scrap booking, pipe cleaner art and macaroni art, make wonderful gifts for grandparents and other family members. The key to summer crafting is to have though and with it costing you little money you will be able to come up with some interesting ideas that keep you and your kids busy for hours.

6. Nature Hikes
It is important to get exercise during the summer, but the hot weather often keeps people locked up inside. If you’re looking for a great way to entertain your kids then you might try to plan a hike. It is best to schedule these activities in the morning or evening as it will be slightly cooler so you can stay out longer. Try to find a local trail that has some interesting sights for the kids. If you want you can even make a scavenger list that will keep your kids interested in the hike for much longer. You might even offer a prize to the child who finds the items first. Hiking is a great way to bring family’s together and can even encourage your child to take more of an interest in what is going on in the world they live in.

7. Science Projects
Like crafting science projects can be a great indoor or outdoor activity that will keep your children busy for hours. There are a wide selection of projects that you can do with items from your own home, so you won’t spend too much money. It is important to find age specific projects that will keep your children using their brains though. Perhaps, try building a working volcano that will both excite little kids and teach older children some chemistry basics. Another fun project is building your own rocket ship. You can even make a day out of this task where you take the rocket to be launched and the kids can have snacks while they watch. You can research many different projects online that can help keep your children entertained. This pass time will even help them out in school as they will continue to use their brains and will develop an interest in the exciting world of science.

8. Weekly Freebies
Most cities will provide you and your family with weekly freebies, but it is up to your find these little gems. A lot of museums, zoos and aquariums have open house days that will allow your family to discover many things without a charge. If you live in a city that is filled with culture then you might be in for a great summer that will open up your kids’ minds and will help them do better in school when they return in the autumn. If you can’t find any open houses then try to look around for discounts, coupons or memberships that won’t cost you a whole lot. You can also try to take your child to the beach, lake or river. Many of these places now cost a small fee, but some are still open to the public which means you will save big on a full day’s outing. There is always a wide abundance of parks in most cities, which make great places for your children to meet with friends, get some exercise and even have a nice picnic.

9. Summer Sports
Summertime is filled with sports that will keep your child active and having fun during the break. Most Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and other city youth programs offer summer sports for kids at a low price. Your child will receive a uniform, placement on a team and trophy for less than you would pay for an evening at the movies. These activities will allow your child to have some fun with kids their age during the summer and will teach them how to work as a team, keep active and occasionally will place them in a leadership role. If your family is looking into taking the kids to a real sports event then look into the minor leagues. The tickets will be far less and you will still get an exciting game that won’t cost a fortune. If you want to save even more then take your children to their friends little league games, so they learn how to supportive of people, even if they don’t play for the same team.

10. Scheduling
One of the easiest ways to keep kids entertained during the summer is to schedule their day. It is lot harder for children to get bored when they have to keep up with a pre-made schedule. Most children thrive on structure, so make sure to schedule plenty of mental activities for your child to complete during the day. For instance, have them read before bedtime instead of watching a movie, or add in a puzzle or worksheet hour that will help keep them refreshed for school. Chores are another important aspect to add to the schedule. Children who do chores learn responsibility and the value of money sooner than children who do not, so a simple chore period can help your child immensely. You might even want to add in some spontaneous items that will surprise your child like a family game night or visit to the ice cream parlor. You can even allow your children to choose some of the activities to be added in during the week, such as a watergun fight or slumber party with friends. Make sure to add in some free time too, which will teach children how to entertain themselves.

Most children tend to be excited for summer break, but grow tired of it after the first few weeks of having nothing to do. This summer you can give your child the break of their dreams without having to worry about spending too much money. You will love how happy your kids are and won’t have to worry about them losing the information they gained during the school year due to inactivity. With these tips the entire family will find the summer to be a great period of relaxation and refreshment from the school year.

Author: Chelsey McQuitty