All The FREE Activities You Can Do With Your Kids This Summer

Many are in the same boat when it comes to summer vacations. Prices keep rising while paychecks don’t keep up, leaving little room for expensive outings and travel. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun-filled, affordable summer. With company-sponsored activities and the wide world of technology, there are free options around every corner. So let’s take a trip of our own and discover new, amazing opportunities that will fit any budget. After all, everyone can afford “FREE”!

Home Depot

Both leading home improvement stores, Home Depot and Lowes offer workshops for kids that are loaded with building their creativity and skills. Kids will have hands-on experiences and they will get to keep their craft along with receiving a certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, and a commemorative pin.

Michael’s

This craft store chain offers a free kids club for ages three and up. They can choose from 30-minute projects which they can proudly complete and take home.

RecreationGuide

This is a great resource for keeping kids busy. They can learn multitudes of crafts and skills like knitting, sewing, drawing, painting and so much more. Simply click on the images at RecreationGuide to read the latest issue or download a copy of your own.

Joann

JOANN fabric and craft stores offer classes and events for kids to learn knitting, crocheting, sewing, cupcake and cake decorating…to name just a few. Then they can take their skills home and use them as fun activities for the upcoming holidays!

Apple

Reminiscent of school days, this is an apple of a different kind. The Apple of technology gives kids a free opportunity to learn, create and do more with their Apple devices including photography, photo editing, music making, coding, art, and design. Visit their website to check out the classes happening this summer then register your kids to join in on the free sessions at your nearest Apple Store. Don’t wait, they fill up fast!

Free Bowling

A popular summer program that has been running for a long time is bowling. Search here, “where kids receive 2 free games of bowling every day all summer long” to find bowling alleys all over the United States and Canada that participate.

Disney Store

The Disney Store has awesome in-store events that take place a few times each month in their brick-and-mortar locations. Activities include singing songs, listening to stories, and receiving free gifts, all in a cool indoor, air-conditioned setting. These events are on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure to arrive early, especially if there is a giveaway!

Lego Stores

Each month, Lego Stores have free events for kids between the ages of 6 to 14 where they can come in and build a mini model, which they get to take it home, also for free. There is a limit of four children per household per event, and children must stay for the entire event to take home the Lego kit.

Williams-Sonoma

William-Sonoma locations offer a variety of cooking classes. Though many are for adults, they also have classes for kids between the ages of 8 to 13. Most classes are free, yet a few do have a fee, however, those fees are donated to a nonprofit making it a win-win.

Made with Code from Google

This is a free program for kids 12 and up that teaches them how to create GIFs, make emojis and compose music. Click here to read all about it!

Happy Camper Live

Make kids truly happy all summer with their favorite sports, arts and crafts, photography, and magic. Happy Camper Live will give children a real camp feel and experience at home with summer activities and an awesome virtual campfire!

Community Centers

Check with your local bookstores and libraries for free storytimes and other kid-oriented events as well as free tickets to the zoo and other cool places.

Local Parks

Along with free playgrounds and the perfect place for picnics, public parks often host free kid workshops and activities during warmer months. Beyond summer, pumpkin-carving activities are popular at Halloween, egg decorating and hunts at Easter, and craft projects such as making ornaments or building gingerbread houses at Christmas.

Peanuts Virtual Art Camp

Bring out your kids’ artistic side with Peanuts Worldwide and Paige Braddock, who is the Chief Creative Officer of Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates. They have launched a series that’s of interest to kids and adults alike, including short, fun, and instructional videos, entitled “How to Draw Peanuts Characters,” on the Snoopy YouTube Channel.

Woof Wag Dogs

This is the place to be for free virtual summer camps for kids and teens to learn positive ways to train their dogs. There is a fee for some programs called “pay what you can”. Or click here for totally free fun and games for kids and canines!