Cool Summer Family Activities

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Cool and Frugal Family Summer Fun!

With the price of gas soaring lots of families will be spending summer weekends close to home.

That doesn't mean you can't have fun. Most of these activities can be done right in your own backyard, or even the local park.

Build a Weekend Waterpark. It doesn't take much more than a hose and a few toys, store bought and homemade, to create your own backyard weekend waterpark, and have an entire weekend of wet summer family activities.

Set up a Lemonade Stand. Teach your kids how to make lemonade from scratch and they're sure to make their first million on the front lawn! -- OK well...at least a dollar or two.
Go Bowling--for free! Click here to see if your local bowling center is participating in this special summer program offering 2 free games a day with the purchase of a discounted family summertime pass.
Plant a Victory Garden. Whether you have a huge yard or containers on your patio, planting a victory garden is a summer family activity that promotes good health and green living.

Go Fly a Kite! It's even more fun if you make the kite yourself. My youngest two wanted to try this so I found this really neat video and we gave it a try. It worked! If there is no wind they fly pretty well in front of a fan too.

Start a Summertime Shell Collection If you're flying your new kite at the beach take a break and hunt for pretty shells and rocks.

Have a Yard Sale. No time like a lazy summer afternoon to have a yard sale. Just a couple of tables with things that can be carried out of the house easily.-- Old toys, books and clothes gathered after certain people have cleaned their rooms work well. Set up your lemonade stand on the same day to entice the crowds. ;-)
Watch the latest movies for $1 a night. Kill two birds with one stone. The next time you go to the grocery store pick up a movie for the night using Redbox or Blockbuster Express. These movie dispensers are popping up all over the place and they're a great way to rent a movie at an affordable price. You can even find the kiosk nearest you on the net and reserve your movies ahead of time!
Walk the Local Nature Trails. Rub on some sun block. Pack some G.O.R.P, some bottles of water, and go off on an expedition of your local nature trails.

Go for a Swim. Don't have a pool? We don't either, but we still get to take summertime dips by visiting a nearby state park that has a very affordable water park. If you don't live near a public beach or pool, call your local hotels and motels. Some open their pools to the general public for a small fee, especially during the week when occupancy tends to be lower.
Pack a Picnic. Use some of our easy picnic recipes to pack a quick lunch and go enjoy it at the local park, or even in the back yard for a summer family activity you can do again and again.

Make Ice Cream in a Bag. One of our favorite summer family activities is to make our own ice cream. Everybody can have their own flavor if you follow these quick and easy instructions to make ice cream in a bag.
Play a Game of Dominoes. A relaxing past time for anyone. Be it little kids, or grown ups, dominoes is perfect for playing outdoors because it's portable, and the weighty game pieces stay put even in a summer breeze. Gather round your patio table and teach your little ones how to play dominoes.
Blow Bubbles. One of the simplest summer family activities that can be the most fun is to make some dish soap bubbles and then sit outside and set them free. :-)

Tie Dye T-Shirts. Alot of fun on a warm summer afternoon. You can make tie dyed t shirts in your kitchen, but it can be messy so we do it outside. Plus, a great tie dyed shirt is perfect for summer wear. This is a lot of family summer fun for us.
Make an outdoor volcano. All you need is an empty bottle and some dirt or mud. Partially dig a hole to sit your bottle in about 1/3 deep. Then build up the sides of your volcano with dirt and mud so you end up with a little mountain. Stuff a tissue in the top of the bottle or keep the cap so nothing gets inside while you build. You can let it harden for a sunny day or two, then use the 'how to make lava' directions to make it errupt.
Go to a ballgame. Minor league, even little league games can be a fun and exciting way to spend a summer afternoon. Not to mention, much more affordable than a professional game.
Explore a new hobby. Do some online reasearch and take up a new hobby like face painting, scrapbooking, or roller skating.