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30 Frugal Outdoor Family Adventures

What are your plans for this summer?  No matter what’s on your calendar, be sure to include these outdoor family adventures on your list! It’s a great way to bond with the family and make fun family memories in the process.

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From hitting the beach, to walking in the park or just enjoying an ice cream, there’s so many outside activities to maintain and strengthen the family unit during this sizzling season.

Plus, this summer, I’m focusing on frugal fun.  Let’s be real; making wonderful memories doesn’t have to cost a lot of money! So grab your daily schedule and start planning your outdoor family fun, today!

30 Outdoor Family Adventures

A day at the beach/lake

A highlight of the summer season is the variety of water activities you can enjoy. These frugal outdoor activities are the perfect way to connect as a family and enjoy each other’s company!

As you take each family member into consideration, remember that everyone has something valuable and important to contribute to planning the trip.  Plan together snacks, entertainment and even beach games.  The fun does not start on the water, but in your home as you plan your adventures.

And while you’re enjoying your time by the water, you can…

  • Use a towel as a parachute- think back to PE class and the fun of doing a parachute. Gather the family and have fun watching using your towel as a parachute against the wind of the sea.
  • Make a sand castle city- add to the fun of a single sand castle by making a city out of sand.
  • Play water bucket relay- a game that’s similar to the egg on a spoon race. The object is to be the first one to get to your finish line as quickly as possible and with the most water in your bucket.
  • Have a scavenger hunt looking for objects near and around the water
  • Build a “sandman”- use the sand to build a figure similar to a snowman, but made of sand. Add sticks, shells, seaweed, and other beach treasures to decorate it
  • Have a photo shoot or photo scavenger hunt
  • Look for and categorize sea shells

Backyard fun 

Enjoy the fun your backyard offers and stay close to home. These family fun ideas are simple but will enhance your time outside together as a family.

Spice up your backyard fun with:

  • Playing outdoor ‘I Spy’
  • In the sandbox (or large plastic tub), hide a variety of items and have kids go on a treasure hunt
  • Make a water balloon pinata- fill up a balloon with water, then blindfold a family member, spin him/her around, and see who can be the first to break the balloon
  • Have a luau- make your own backyard beach and celebrate with a luau
  • Plan or create a Bible verse scavenger hunt  to help kids memorize their memory verse
  • Make an obstacle course and see who can be the first to complete it
  • Have a movie night under the stars by making a giant movie screen.  Here’s a great tutorial from HGTV that will show you how to make this project a reality!
  • Plant a garden or plants in pots

Have sweet treats & sweet conversations

Take a trip to the ice cream shop and buy a favorite ice cream/sweet treat for the family. Instead of eating inside, take the order to go, sit outside and have intentional conversation while enjoying a delicious treat.

Conversation is a great way to start strengthening your family bond this summer!

Create an atmosphere of trust and open the lines of communication with these easy conversation cards.

Family Conversation Cards Faith Along the Way

Download the printable here

Visit the park

The park is another fun frugal family activity and the activities are endless! But you don’t have to settle for the same old park activities you usually do!

You can…

  • Go on a nature scavenger hunt
  • Have fun with a geocaching adventure
  • Plan a schedule of games, including old favorites such as jump rope, hopscotch, and Simon Says.
  • Camp (if possible)
  • Take a hike, contemplating nature and God’s creation.  Read the Bible, and teach about God through nature
  • Instruct your kids about the importance of and how to conserve nature and taking care of God’s creation
  • Hunt for and collect rocks. Look up what rocks you found and categorize them by their attributes.
  • Make kindness rocks and leave them for others to find.

Visit a historical site

Visiting an historical site is a perfect activity for the family.  Not only is it fun, it’s something you can do together to discover new things.

Is there a historical place near your home you can easily visit?  Or is there a site in a nearby town or state you want to see?  Education is a fabulous reason to take the family on a road trip!

Consider visiting your state capitol, and check out the National Registry of Historic Places for other must-see sites near you.

Let’s celebrate and give thanks to God for the seasons that He has given us to spend with our family. Let’s be intentional and take full advantage to unite, strengthen and grow the family in every opportunity we have.

Have fun!

What are your favorite outside summer activities?

How do you keep outside adventures frugal and affordable?

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Tayrina is passionate for the Word of God. She loves to read and write. Sitting in quiet place with her Bible and some encouraging books it’s her favorite hobby. She’s the blogger behind TGAWrites and loves to connect and share faith every where she goes. Tayrina is married to her husband Jesus (3 years) and has a step son. She currently lives in Puerto Rico.  You can find her at TGAWrites “Words of Comfort for your Heart” and A Tiny Mix Of, where she shares and mix faith & art.

Follow her at:  Twitter | Google + | Pinterest | Bloglovin’

25 Comments

  1. Sarah, thanks for having me collaborating with you in this great project! Blessings!

    Tayrina from TGAWrites
    Words of Comfort for your Heart

  2. I love spending time at the beach (which only happens a few times a year) or by the pool at my parents or in-laws. Our kiddo loooves the water, it’s one thing that will occupy him for hours!

    1. I agree! Anything water related and that could take up our whole day. I LOVE it!

    1. Thank you, Heather! May the cards (and these easy ideas) bless your family this summer! Enjoy!

  3. Great ideas! We are starting our summer activity challenge and I would love to incorporate some of your ideas! Hope you have a fun and active summer!

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly! I look forward to checking out your challenge! It’s a pleasure to meet you!

  4. My kids are grown, but I have two grandchildren and as a teacher I have summers off. One day during the week we have “Grammie date.” On my Thankful Fridays post each week I write about our date and where we go, what we do. Last week we visited a botantical garden, the week before that was the zoo. This week my grandson attended summer camp with me at my school while his parents took his sister one-on-one to the beach. Next week I have her one-on-one for the week. So I consider myself lucky to be able to do it all over again with my grandchildren.

  5. Love the family conversation cards. Great way to spend some time talking and away from the electronic devices.

  6. These are great ideas!! I can’t wait to do some of them!!

    1. Wonderful! I can’t wait to hear about the fun times you have!

  7. We have a huge glass jar I’m going to place these cards in and have each child taking turns picking at least one a week!

    1. What a fabulous idea! It’s always fun to start a new tradition with the family!

  8. My family really needs to spend more time together. Thank you for the wonderful ideas to share with my husband.

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