20 cheap summer holiday ideas for kids: at home and in your area

Looking for new places to visit and exciting events? Download the Unitee app and discover more!

The summer holidays do not have to be expensive to feel special. Children often remember not how much an outing cost, but the shared adventures, small surprises and time spent together as a family.

Even without a big trip or costly theme parks, you can create varied holiday days. Many activities are free or can be done with things you already have at home.

Here you will find 20 affordable summer holiday ideas for at home, outdoors and in your area.

1. Organise a scavenger hunt around the neighbourhood

A homemade scavenger hunt turns an ordinary walk into a real adventure. Hide clues or make a list of tasks.

For example:

• Find three different flowers.

• Look for a house with a red door.

• Count five bicycles.

• Discover something that looks like an animal.

• Find the next clue under a bench or by a particular tree.

At the end, a little picnic, an ice cream or a homemade certificate can be waiting.

2. Discover free events at the library

Many libraries offer free or low-cost programmes for children during the summer holidays. These often include:

• story sessions

• picture-book cinema

• craft sessions

• holiday reading clubs

• games afternoons

• small workshops

• children's cinema

Check your local library's website or ask in person about their holiday programme.

3. Make use of what family centres offer

Family centres, neighbourhood houses, multigenerational centres and youth clubs regularly hold free family events.

These can be open play groups, creative afternoons, family breakfasts, small fetes or outings. Many are open without needing to book in advance.

4. Find free family events with the Unitee app

There are often more events nearby than you would think. The trouble is just discovering them in time.

In the Unitee app you can search for child-friendly events, workshops, days out and family-friendly places near you. This way you might find free fetes, craft activities, story sessions or open family meet-ups without having to search through lots of different websites.

It is worth checking regularly for new events, as many holiday offers only run on certain days.

5. Go on a playground marathon

Visit several playgrounds in your area in one day. The children can rate each playground:

• Which one has the best slide?

• Where is the highest climbing frame?

• Which playground has the most shade?

• Where is the best spot for a picnic?

On foot, by bike or on public transport, this turns into a little day trip.

6. Hold a picnic in the park

You do not need an elaborate meal for a lovely picnic. Pack sandwiches, fruit, vegetable sticks, water and a blanket.

Children can help with the preparation and put together their own picnic menu. Bring along a ball, a card game or pavement chalk as well.

7. Go on a nature treasure hunt

Make a list of things to look for on a walk.

For example:

• a round stone

• a yellow leaf

• a feather

• a pine cone

• something that smells nice

• three different kinds of tree

• a particularly tiny natural find

The finds can later be used for crafting or a nature picture.

8. Organise a water play day at home

On hot days, simple things are often enough for hours of fun:

• bowls of water

• sponges

• cups

• spray bottles

• small watering cans

• water balloons

• a homemade water slide

On a balcony, a small bowl of water can already provide some relief from the heat. In the garden, you can also use a tarpaulin as a water slide.

9. Open a living-room cinema

Choose a film together and make tickets. Darken the room, build seats out of cushions and prepare some popcorn.

One person can run the box office while another hands out snacks. That turns an ordinary film afternoon into a little holiday experience.

10. Plan a bike ride with surprise stops

Plan a simple route through parks, quiet neighbourhoods or along a river. Along the way you can build in different stops:

• a playground break

• a drinks break

• a photo stop

• a picnic

• a little search task

• a visit to an ice-cream shop

Even a short route can become an adventure with several stops along the way.

11. Create a holiday-abroad day at home

Choose a country and design a holiday day to match it.

You could:

• cook a typical dish

• listen to music from the country

• learn a few words of the language

• make a flag

• look at pictures and videos about the country

• try a matching game

That way you travel, at least for a day, to Italy, Japan, Mexico or wherever you like.

12. Look for street art in the city

Turn your city walk into a street-art safari. Look out for murals, stickers, colourful utility boxes or unusual sculptures.

The children can photograph the artworks and then choose their favourite. At home you can create your own piece of street art.

13. Take advantage of a free museum day

Some museums offer free entry days, family afternoons or free entry for children. Smaller local history museums and exhibitions are often affordable or free too.

Find out beforehand about:

• free entry on certain days

• holiday activities

• family tours

• free children's trails

• discounts with a family pass

14. Open your own holiday café

Children can set up a little café at home. Make a menu, decorate the table and prepare simple snacks or drinks.

Suitable options include:

• fruit skewers

• homemade lemonade

• waffles

• sandwiches

• yoghurt with fruit

• ice cream made from frozen bananas

Parents or siblings play the guests and can pay with homemade play money.

15. Create a game world with pavement chalk

Pavement chalk is not just for drawing pictures. Design a course with different tasks:

• hop on one leg

• follow a line

• jump over numbered squares

• spin around in a circle

• walk like an animal

• land on certain colours

A whole city with streets, houses and car parks for toy cars is possible too.

16. Hold a discovery day

For simple experiments, you usually only need things from around the house.

Try, for example:

• What floats and what sinks?

• How does a rainbow appear in a glass of water?

• What happens when you mix colours?

• How does a bean grow on damp cotton wool?

• How do you build a boat out of paper or natural materials?

Children can record their guesses and observations in a little discovery notebook.

17. Organise a swap afternoon

Meet up with other families and swap things you no longer need:

• children's books

• puzzles

• games

• clothes

• toys

• craft materials

That way, children get something new without you having to spend any money. At the same time, they learn that things can be reused.

18. Go on a night walk

A walk in the evening feels quite different from one during the day. Bring torches and pay attention to sounds, shadows and animals.

In a familiar, safe area you can build in tasks:

• Find the moon.

• Listen quietly for a full minute.

• Look for three different light sources.

• Watch for bats or night-flying insects.

Younger children can instead do a torch treasure hunt in the garden or around the home.

19. Create a child-friendly weekly plan

Do not plan every holiday day down to the last detail. Instead, make a shared list of possible activities together.

Every family member can write down their wishes. Then you can sort the ideas into categories:

• for sunny days

• for rainy days

• for at home

• for out and about

• completely free

• small special outings

That way, you can decide spontaneously depending on the weather, time and energy levels.

20. Hold a "light yes day"

On this day, the children get to choose several small activities. To keep it affordable and relaxed, agree on some rules beforehand.

For example:

• The activity must cost nothing, or at most five euros.

• It must take place nearby.

• It must be safe and doable for everyone.

• Each person gets to make one wish.

Possible wishes include an ice cream, a visit to a new playground, a picnic in the living room, or staying up a little later.

More affordable summer holiday ideas

These activities are also easy to fit into your holidays:

• making ice cream together

• painting stones

• building a cushion fort

• sleeping out on the balcony

• visiting a flea market

• borrowing books together at the library

• floating paper boats

• setting up a barefoot path

• writing a letter to grandparents

• holding a photo competition

• baking a cake together

• organising a family olympics

• watching animals in the park

• exploring a new part of town

• visiting a public splash pad

How to find free offers in your area

Check regularly with libraries, family centres, youth clubs, museums and local associations. Many holiday programmes are only announced through small notices, newsletters or social media.

You can also discover family-friendly events and places in the Unitee app. This makes it easier to bring your search for suitable holiday activities together in one place – especially when you need a spontaneous idea for the next day.

Conclusion

A lovely summer holiday does not depend on your budget. A scavenger hunt, a picnic, a library visit or a shared water play day can be just as special as a big outing.

What matters is turning ordinary moments into small adventures. With a little creativity, free offers nearby and family-friendly event tips, you can make the holidays varied without constantly spending money.

This article contains affiliate links. If you buy something through a link, we may receive a small commission. There is no extra cost to you.