The summer holidays can feel wonderfully full of possibility at the beginning. Six weeks without uniforms, homework or the morning school run sounds lovely—until the children are bored, everyone is asking for snacks, and every suggested day out appears to cost a small fortune.
After years of planning summer holidays for children of different ages, I’ve learned that the most memorable days aren’t necessarily the expensive ones. A picnic beside a river, an evening playing games in the garden or an impromptu trip to the beach can be just as enjoyable as a costly attraction.
Whether you are trying to fill the entire six-week break or simply need a few inexpensive ideas for the days when everyone is getting restless, these free and cheap things to do during the summer holidays will help you create plenty of family memories without putting too much pressure on your budget.
How to enjoy the summer holidays without spending a fortune
Before you start planning every day of the holidays, remember that children don’t need six weeks of elaborate entertainment. In fact, having some unstructured time gives them the opportunity to rest, use their imagination and work out what they actually enjoy doing.
It can help to create a simple summer holiday list together. Ask everyone to choose a few activities they would really like to do, including things for sunny days, rainy days and those occasions when nobody wants to leave the house.
You could also give each week a loose theme or aim for a mixture of:
- One day out
- One outdoor adventure
- One creative activity
- One home day
- One activity chosen by the children
- One slower day with no particular plans
This offers just enough structure to prevent every morning beginning with, “What are we doing today?” without making the holidays feel like another timetable.
Free outdoor activities for the summer holidays
Summer is the perfect time to make the most of parks, woodlands, beaches and local green spaces. Pack drinks and snacks from home and many of these activities needn’t cost anything at all.
1. Have a picnic in the park
Let the children help prepare sandwiches, fruit and a few favourite snacks before heading to your local park. Bringing a ball, frisbee, pack of cards or blanket can turn a simple lunch outside into an entire afternoon.
2. Go on a nature scavenger hunt
Create a list of things to spot, such as a feather, something yellow, a butterfly, an interesting leaf and a bird’s nest. Younger children can tick off pictures, while older children could photograph their discoveries on a phone.
3. Explore a new walking route
Look for public footpaths, riverside walks, country parks and woodland trails near your home. Choosing a route you haven’t tried before can make an ordinary walk feel much more adventurous.
4. Visit the beach
A beach day can be one of the cheapest family days out if you take a picnic, drinks, buckets and spades with you. Check tide times, parking costs and whether there are toilets nearby before setting off.
Check tide times, parking costs and whether there are toilets nearby before setting off. It is also worth reading the RNLI’s beach safety advice, particularly if anyone plans to swim or paddle.
5. Build a den
Gather fallen branches, blankets, cardboard boxes or garden furniture and challenge the children to build their own hideaway. If you are in woodland, only use loose materials and dismantle the den before leaving if the site asks visitors to do so.
6. Go on a bike ride
Plan a family-friendly route away from busy traffic and stop somewhere pleasant for a snack. Don’t worry about covering a great distance—the adventure matters more than the mileage.
7. Try geocaching
Geocaching is essentially a real-world treasure hunt using GPS coordinates. You can create a free account, search for nearby caches and discover places you may never have noticed before.
8. Paddle in a stream
Find a safe, shallow spot where children can paddle, skim stones or look for tiny creatures. Water shoes are useful, and children should always be closely supervised around water, even when it appears shallow.
9. Visit a local nature reserve
Many nature reserves are free to enter, although there may occasionally be a charge for parking. You can use The Wildlife Trusts’ nature reserve finder to discover places near you, then take binoculars or see how many birds, insects and plants you can identify.
10. Watch the sunset
Choose a clear evening, pack a blanket and head somewhere with an open view. Take a flask of hot chocolate or a few treats and make the occasion feel special without spending much at all.
Cheap summer holiday adventures away from home
You don’t have to visit a major attraction to enjoy a day out. Local communities often have far more available during the holidays than families realise.
11. Visit a free museum or gallery
Many UK museums and art galleries offer free general admission. Smaller local museums can be particularly interesting because they tell children more about the history of places they recognise.
12. Join a library reading challenge
Local libraries frequently run free summer reading activities for children. Alongside borrowing books, look out for crafts, storytelling sessions, author visits and themed challenges.
Children aged 4–11 can take part in the free Summer Reading Challenge through participating libraries or online. Alongside borrowing books, look out for crafts, storytelling sessions and other free activities offered by your local library.
13. Become tourists in your own town
Walk around your nearest town as though you are visiting for the first time. Look for historic buildings, statues, old street names and unusual details you normally pass without noticing.
14. Visit a local market
Give each child a very small budget and let them choose a piece of fruit, a second-hand book or something for lunch. It is a simple way to practise budgeting while supporting local traders.
15. Look for free community events
Check council websites, local Facebook groups, libraries, shopping centres and community noticeboards. You may find free festivals, outdoor theatre, craft sessions, sports days and family fun events.
16. Take a bus somewhere new
Choose a nearby village or town you haven’t explored and make the journey part of the adventure. Look for family or group tickets before travelling, as these can be cheaper than purchasing separate fares.
17. Visit an airport viewing area
Children who enjoy planes may love watching aircraft take off and land. Some airports have official viewing areas, but check parking restrictions and local guidance before visiting.
18. Explore a garden centre
Garden centres can be surprisingly entertaining on a rainy day, particularly those with fish, pets, outdoor displays or seasonal exhibitions. Set expectations before you go so children understand that visiting doesn’t automatically mean buying something.
19. Go charity-shop treasure hunting
Give everyone a small budget and set a challenge to find the funniest book, best board game or most unusual ornament. Alternatively, search for inexpensive materials for a craft or upcycling project.
20. Attend a free sports session
Local clubs and leisure centres sometimes offer free introductory sessions during the holidays. Look for opportunities to try football, cricket, tennis, athletics, martial arts or dance without committing to a full course.
Free things to do at home during the summer holidays
Home days are not a failure. They give everyone a chance to recharge and can be some of the happiest days of the holidays—especially when children have been busy or away from their usual routines.
21. Create a home cinema
Close the curtains, make tickets and let one child choose the film while another prepares the snacks. Popcorn made at home costs far less than a cinema trip and children can bring all the blankets they like.
22. Hold a family games tournament
Choose several quick games and award points throughout the day. Card games, dominoes, charades and games using paper and pencils are ideal if you don’t own many board games.
23. Camp in the garden
Pitch a tent, eat dinner outside and bring torches for evening games. Children still get the excitement of camping while you retain access to your own bathroom, kitchen and comfortable bed if the weather changes.
24. Build an indoor fort
Use blankets, cushions, chairs and fairy lights to create a cosy den. Once it is finished, children can read, watch a film, eat a picnic lunch or pretend it is anything from a castle to a spaceship.
25. Hold a family bake-off
Choose a simple recipe using ingredients you already have and let everyone decorate their creation. It doesn’t need to be technically perfect; the fun is usually in the tasting and judging.
26. Have a water fight
Buckets, reusable cups, sponges and clean washing-up bottles can be just as entertaining as expensive water pistols. Agree the rules first, especially which areas and people are out of bounds.
27. Create a summer playlist
Ask each family member to choose several songs and combine them into one playlist. Put it on during car journeys, garden evenings or kitchen discos throughout the holidays.
28. Swap bedrooms for a night
If the children are willing, let siblings swap rooms or camp on each other’s floors. The novelty can make an ordinary night at home feel like a sleepover.
29. Organise a “yes afternoon”
Let the children plan an afternoon using activities that are free, safe and possible at home. Establish the limits first—such as no purchases and nothing involving permanent hair dye—and then see what they devise.
30. Create a family quiz
Each person writes questions about their interests, favourite films or family memories. Older children and teenagers may enjoy creating a music round or putting the quiz into a digital presentation.
Creative and educational summer activities
Not every educational activity needs to look or feel like schoolwork. The holidays offer children time to follow their own interests without tests, targets or deadlines.
31. Start a summer scrapbook
Collect tickets, postcards, drawings, photographs, pressed flowers and notes about the things you do. A scrapbook can include very ordinary days as well as holidays and bigger adventures.
32. Make art from recycled materials
Save cardboard boxes, tubes, bottle tops and clean packaging for a creative challenge. Give the children a theme—such as robots, animals or dream houses—or allow them to make whatever they imagine.
33. Learn a new skill online
Use free videos and tutorials to learn drawing, juggling, sign language, photography, coding or simple magic tricks. Let the child choose the subject so it feels like a personal project rather than extra homework.
34. Write and perform a play
Children can create characters, make costumes from clothes they already own and perform their play for the family. Filming the finished production can make it feel like a proper premiere.
35. Make friendship bracelets
Embroidery thread is inexpensive and can make a surprising number of bracelets. Younger children can use beads or practise simple plaits, while teenagers may enjoy trying more complicated patterns.
36. Create a stop-motion film
A phone or tablet and a free stop-motion app are all you need to get started. LEGO figures, toys, clay models or drawings can become the stars of the film.
37. Press flowers
Collect fallen or responsibly picked flowers and leaves, place them between sheets of paper and press them inside a heavy book. Once dry, use them to make cards, bookmarks or framed pictures.
38. Start a mini garden
Use yoghurt pots, food containers or old plant pots to grow herbs, cress or salad leaves. Children can decorate their containers and take responsibility for watering their plants.
39. Create a family newspaper
Include interviews, weather reports, puzzles, recipes, cartoons and stories about what the family has been doing. Teenagers may prefer creating a digital version or editing a short news video.
40. Learn about the night sky
Choose a clear night, lie on blankets and look for stars, planets or passing satellites. A free stargazing app can help you identify what you are seeing, although simply watching the sky together can be enjoyable in itself.
Cheap activities for older children and teenagers
It can be harder to suggest summer activities that appeal to teenagers, particularly if they would rather spend the day on their phones. Giving them some control—and avoiding anything that feels too childish—usually helps.
41. Try a photography challenge
Choose a theme such as “summer colours”, “hidden details” or “our town from a different angle”. Everyone can use a phone and share their favourite photographs at the end.
42. Have a charity-shop outfit challenge
Set a modest budget and challenge teenagers to create an outfit, find something to upcycle or choose clothes for another family member. The unusual restrictions are often what make it entertaining.
43. Plan and cook a family dinner
Give older children a budget and let them choose the meal, write the shopping list and prepare it. They learn useful life skills while taking responsibility for one evening’s food.
44. Create a garden spa evening
Use towels, music, bowls of warm water and homemade refreshments to create a relaxing evening. Add face masks or nail polish you already own, but keep skincare gentle and suitable for younger skin.
45. Hold an outdoor games evening
Play rounders, football, badminton, swingball or garden versions of party games. Inviting another family can make the evening feel more sociable without anyone needing to pay for a venue.
46. Go on a no-spend date with your teenager
Take a walk, sit somewhere with a good view or bring drinks from home. Teenagers sometimes talk more easily when you are side by side and there is no pressure to maintain constant eye contact.
47. Rearrange or refresh a bedroom
Moving furniture, decluttering a shelf and displaying favourite photographs can make a room feel different without buying new furniture. Always let the young person lead—the room should still reflect their taste rather than ours.
48. Volunteer together
Look for community litter picks, fundraising events, animal charities or local projects accepting family volunteers. Check age requirements carefully, as some opportunities are only suitable for older teenagers or require an adult to remain present.
49. Plan a dream UK road trip
Ask everyone to choose the destinations, calculate the distance and create a pretend itinerary. Even if you cannot take the trip this year, it can introduce children to budgeting, geography and travel planning.
50. Create an end-of-summer awards evening
Finish the holidays by celebrating the funniest moment, best picnic, muddiest walk, favourite film and biggest unexpected success. Print certificates or make them by hand and look through your summer photographs together.
How to make cheap days out feel special
Children often remember how an experience felt more clearly than what it cost. Adding one small detail can transform an ordinary activity into something they talk about long afterwards.
You could:
- Let the children choose the picnic
- Take hot chocolate in a flask
- Invite a friend or another family
- Give the day a silly name
- Take photographs or make a short video
- Create tickets, maps or challenges
- Stay out slightly later than usual
- Finish the day with ice cream at home
One thing I have learned from family life is that trying to create the “perfect” summer usually adds pressure rather than enjoyment. Some ideas will be a great success, others will last ten minutes, and there will still be days when everyone is tired or grumpy. That is normal family life—not proof that you are doing the holidays wrong.
Frequently asked questions
How can I entertain my children during the summer holidays for free?
Use the resources you already have and combine home days with visits to parks, libraries, museums, beaches and nature reserves. Local councils, libraries and community organisations are also good places to find free holiday events.
How do I plan six weeks of summer activities?
Avoid planning every day. Choose a handful of bigger outings, create a list of easy home activities and leave space for rest, spontaneous plans and changes in the weather.
What can children do at home when they are bored?
Children can build a den, create a film, bake, make recycled art, play cards, organise a sports tournament or start a longer summer project. It is also perfectly reasonable to give them time to find their own solution to boredom.
What are some cheap summer activities for teenagers?
Photography challenges, charity-shop trips, cooking, volunteering, room makeovers, outdoor sports and no-spend outings can work well for teenagers. Giving them a say in the plan is often more important than the activity itself.
How can I save money on family days out?
Take food and refillable drinks from home, check parking charges, search for family travel tickets and look for free-entry venues. It is also worth checking whether attractions offer reduced prices at quieter times or through existing memberships and loyalty schemes.
What can families do when it rains during the summer holidays?
Try a home cinema, library visit, museum, indoor picnic, baking challenge, board-game tournament, craft session or stop-motion film. Keeping a separate rainy-day list can make disappointing weather easier to manage.
Making summer memories on a budget
Finding free or cheap things to do during the summer holidays isn’t about denying children exciting experiences. It is about recognising that fun, connection and family memories don’t always need to come with an expensive admission ticket.
Choose the ideas that suit your children’s ages, interests and energy levels, and don’t feel that you need to complete all 50. If everyone reaches September with a few funny stories, some time spent outdoors and the feeling that they were able to slow down, that sounds like a successful summer to me.