10 summer activities that cost $0
No matter where you live or how you enjoy spending your free time, you don't have to spend money for summer adventures. Just tap into your imagination and create your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1. Let the dogs out. Grab your friends and spend a few hours walking dogs from a local shelter. If you’re in the market for a pup, it’s a good way to determine if one is a good match for you.
2. Just add water. Turn on the garden hose and let the family fun run wild. Liquid jump rope? Target practice? Water balloons, anyone?
3. Create your own variety show. Whether you prefer Dancing with the Stars or American Idol, tell your friends and family they have a week to practice before their debut Saturday night. Take turns being judges or contestants. The prize? Bragging rights.
4. Have a citywide treasure hunt. Create a list of items to find in your town. They can be significant to your area (a slice of pizza in New York, for example), silly (a digital photo of yourself hugging a statue) or random (an inflatable parrot). Use riddles for clues to keep things interesting.
5. Play Make Me Laugh. It’s a 1970s game show that still works with kids today. The contestant must endure 60 seconds of antics from a family comedian without cracking a smile. If the contestant can stay stoic through three comics, she wins.
6. Rediscover your town. Whether you live near a forest, a beach or a desert, wander around outside and wonder what it must have been like living here 300 years ago – before iPods! Or if you’re a die-hard city dweller, see if area museums have free-admission nights. Act like a tourist in your town, and you might discover something new.
7. Learn a new skill. Figure out how to juggle or speak Italian or perfect a cartwheel. Find free how-to videos online or check out a book from the local library.
8. Make a time capsule. Gather magazines, photos, toys and other artifacts and put them into a waterproof container. Have everyone write a letter to the future and stash your time capsule away.
9. Host a contest day. Who in your family can stand on one foot the longest? Who can count backward from 1,000 by sevens? Who can draw the most creative picture? Who can throw a paper airplane farthest? Create a fun marathon and spend the whole day sharing your new-found talents.
10. Pay it forward. Grab some trash bags and clean up a park. Or stop by a nursing home to listen to stories of days gone by. You’ll never feel richer than when you're doing something for someone else.
