15 Free Kid-Friendly Activities for Year-Round Fun

written by Sarah Flowers June 30, 2018

Family Hacks: 16 Fun + Free Kid-Friendly Activities You Can Do Any Time of Year

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Having a family can get pretty expensive with doctors visits, sports and other school activities, and more. When you’re living on a budget, it can seem nearly impossible to find fun things to do with the family. These Super Fun + Free Kid-Friendly Activities will provide you with meaningful ways to connect and spend time with the kids – without spending a lot of cash.

For more ways to spend quality time with the kids, check out the following:

18 Fun + Free Kid-Friendly Activities for Summer

Free [or Cheap] Business Sponsored Kids Programs

Super Fun 4th of July Party Activities Both Kids + Adults Will Love

55 Harry Potter Party Ideas for the Ultimate HP Movie Night

Pin these Free Kid-Friendly Activity Ideas for later!

Free Kid-Friendly Activities Perfect for Any Time of Year

START A NEW HOBBY

Start a new hobby with your kids or introduce them to one you already participate in.

Fun ideas include fishing, gardening, bike riding, hiking, kayaking, building, playing music and singing, collecting (e.g. coins, baseball cards, found artifacts, cool rocks and shells, old photos, etc.), exploring nature (e.g. bird watching, identifying plants and animals), scrapbooking, and camping.

TAKE A FACTORY TOUR

If you have a factory near you, see if they do guided tours. Many companies offer free tours of their facilities to give consumers an inside look at day-to-day operations. For example, The Corning Museum of Glass offers guided tours and classes where you can make your own glass!

GET ARTSY

Do you have a child who enjoys art projects? Encourage that interest with art activities like painting, drawing, coloring, and more. Worried about the mess? Try Crayola Color Wonder mess free paints and markers, or limit messy projects to the outdoors or garage for easy clean up.

VISIT FRIENDS + FAMILY

Teach your children that family is important by visiting their grandparents and other family members regularly.

In our modern society, it seems like many people think they’re too busy to continue close relationships with family and friends, but it’s so worth it! Plus, these visits enrich grandparents’ lives and helps keep them from getting lonely.

BUILD A BLANKET FORT

Kids love it when you can be silly with them. Camp out inside any time of year with an epic blanket fort – take up the whole living room, family room, or playroom if you can.

Their childhood is all about making memories, and kids love it when adults act like kids. Just be sure your structure is sturdy, so no one gets hurt!

TAKE PHOTOS

Photography is a great hobby to foster with your kids. Take plenty of pictures of your family, friends, pets, neighborhood, and travels to capture memories while teaching them a useful skill.

Buy them a child proof camera or an inexpensive point and shoot if they’re older and more responsible. Check out this site for fun photography activities for kids. Need more direction?

Check out this kids photography course on Udemy (keep your eye out for flash sales on this course – I found it for just $10.99, but only for a limited time).

CHECK OUT KIDS WORKSHOPS

Many businesses offer free or low cost kids programs, including FREE kid-friendly DIY projects at Home Depot. Check your local stores for details.

See Free [or Cheap] Business Sponsored Kids Programs for more fun ideas.

Lowe’s also used to offer weekly kids workshops, but stopped their program in December 2016. However, you can still purchase building kits for kids to assemble at home.

GO TO A NATIONAL PARK

Local and state parks are usually free, but some national parks charge a fee for admission. However, if you have a fourth grader this year, check out the Every Kid in a Park program.

Fourth graders can earn free admission to national parks for them and their families. They just take a quick quiz on the program’s website and print out their park pass. Current passes are valid for kids in fourth grade during the 2017-2018 school year and expire on August 31, 2018.

HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT

Buy lots of popcorn and snacks (or raid the pantry), and have a movie night at home! Check out Amazon Prime movies, or stream movies for free on your Roku.

Willing to spend a little dough on a super fun themed party? Check out 55 Harry Potter Party Ideas for the Ultimate HP Movie Night!

Want to get out of the house? Check out these Free or Cheap Business Sponsored Programs, including movie theater discount programs offering admission to kids films for as low as $0.50 per ticket!

PLAY BOARD GAMES

Board games are another way parents can play with kids, teach them important skills, and foster memories. Enjoy kid-friendly games like Jenga, Trouble, Candy Land, and more that can be played indoors or out.

DO PUZZLES

Puzzles are a great way to teach kids about shapes, completing tasks, and patience.

COOK TOGETHER

Teach your child an important life skill (and improving little ones’ manual dexterity) while spending quality time with them by letting them help you cook.

Younger kids can perform easier tasks like mixing ingredients and decorating desserts while older children can learn knife skills, sanitation, and kitchen safety.

VISIT A MUSEUM OR ZOO

Check with local museums and zoos to see if they offer free or discounted admission for specific days or for children under a certain age.

If you’re a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch card holder, check out the Museums on Us program for free admission on the first full weekend of every month to more than 200 museums and other cultural attractions in 35 states across the country.

View the list of 2018 participants here.

TEACH THEM A NEW SUBJECT

Help your kids review what they’ve already learned, get a head start on the next school year, or teach them a brand new subject or skill like a foreign language, sewing, or bike riding.

Depending on your child’s age, you could teach or review the alphabet, counting, math skills, writing, telling time, cursive writing, and more.

Learn a new language for free at Duolingo.com!

CHECK OUT GROUPON

Do a search on Groupon under the “Things to Do” tab for your zip code to get a list of local attractions in your area. Then, get a reduced rate through the site.

Keep kids busy all year ’round with these Super Fun + Free Activities for Kids, and be sure to check out 18 Fun + Free Kid-Friendly Summer Activities for more activities just for summer!

What do you think of these Fun + Free (or Frugal) Kid-Friendly Activities? What are your favorite ways to connect and spend time with your kids? Please share in the comments below!