Summertime means fun for both parents and kids, and offers the opportunity to bond with them in new ways, and create fun new activities outside to do together.
We’ve come up with this exciting, fun, and budget-friendly list of Awesome DIY Outdoor Activities For Kids so you can make memories this summer that are sure to last!
1. Frozen Popsicle Chalk
For those hot summer days, you can give your children these exciting Frozen Popsicle chalk sticks to bring their creativity and imagination to life either on the pavement or your driveway, and all considering this is a pretty mess-free way of playing with chalk and being artsy at the same time.
It’s pretty simple to make these, and will only require basic supplies like cornstarch (frozen), water, and washable Tempera paint along with popsicle molds – all for less than $5! These are perfect for drawing beautiful, vibrant shapes and colors, and is sure to keep your kids busy for hours – just make sure they don’t try to eat the popsicles afterward!
DIY Details: readingconfetti
2. Light Up The Night With Glow In The Dark Bowling!
Who says your kids can’t have fun out back once the sun goes down?
This is a spectacular DIY Project that will allow you and your children to play bowling, and enjoy an exciting glow-in-the-dark game that’s sure to give your kids a magical experience, teach them how to bowl, and improve their motor skills.
With DIY Backyard Night Bowling, you’ll use mostly recycled or unwanted items from around your home, like six tall empty bottles, a couple of glow sticks, and a hamster ball to use as the bowling ball – how neat! This is sure to be tons of fun, is budget-friendly, and the perfect way to spend those summer nights.
Check out the Growing A Jeweled Rose link below for more details.
DIY Details: GrowingAJeweledRose
3. DIY Water Balloon Paint Project
This DIY Backyard project and game is sure to bring your kids tons of fun and memories this summer. Combining their favorite paints, colors, and water balloons they’ll be able to have a ‘splashing’ good time.
Using simply water-balloon and child-friendly watercolor paints, your kid can dip the water balloons into the paint, and then chuck them into a pool for lots of fun, and create their own unique, abstract designs.
Best of all, this is easy to set up, and shouldn’t cost you much time or money.
As a budget-friendly DIY Backyard Game and project, this is a favorite among parents and a great way of bringing out your kids ‘crafty side.’
All you’ll need is water balloons, a hose, kiddie pool, water-paints or other chemical-free and child-safe paints, and a large sheet to put into the mini-pool so they can save their work hang it up the next day for keepsake.
DIY Details: letslassothemoon
4. Giant Water Blob For Endless Backyard Fun!
This is a budget-friendly, simple way to have hours of fun bouncing, sliding, and floating on this DIY Garden Water Blob.
Best of all, it’s easy enough to build, will require little to no money, and is a great alternative to a more costly slip n’ slide purchased from the store. Better, it’s cheaper and easier to make, and you can make as many as you need throughout the season without paying much out of pocket.
All you’ll need to make the DIY Garden Water Blob is some duct tape, scissors, a hose, tons of water, plastic sheeting, and a small towel! Simple, right?
The Water Blob is a big favorite among kids and by far one of the most fun DIY projects on our list.
DIY Details: fabulesslyfrugal
5. A DIY Ginormous Bubble Solution For Endless Hours Of Fun
This Big DIY Bubble Maker And Wand is the ultimate solution for keeping cool on those hot summer days, playing in the water, and will require little more than a bubble solution, small plastic pool, and a hula hoop.
All you’ll have to do to make your own Giant Human Bubble is have your little one stand in the center of the pool, dip the hula hoop in the solution, and you’ll instantly have hours of bubbly, wet fun!
You can also add to the excitement by using different sized and style wands to make all sorts of cool shapes and sizes.
6. Chalk Spray
If your kids love chalk, or, even better never tried it before, chalk-spray is a ton of fun, and, will make your kids feel like artists in no time! The ingredients are easy to find, and, include tempera paint, dishwashing soap, cornstarch, and hot-water!
Simple enough, right? This is also a lot cheaper than having to keep replacing chalk from the store, and, will keep your kids busy for hours!
DIY Details: thirtyhandmadedays
7. DIY Glow In The Dark Sand: A Recipe For Unlimited Fun!
There’s no need to go to the store spend a lot of money on expensive glow in the dark sand because now you can make it at-home yourself from scratch! Even better, you’ll be able to do it entirely using everyday household products, and won’t be limited in how much or how often you make it!
Kids will have tons of fun playing with this either outside when the sun goes down, or they can bring the fun inside by just placing the sand in a safe plastic tote or tub – so you can still keep an eye on them while they enjoy their creative side.
To create your glow in the dark sand, all you’ll is a few zip seal bags, Epsom salt, and glow in the dark or fluorescent paint to add that ‘lightning’ vibrant touch for unlimited fun!
Best of all, your kids can leave the sand and their creations out overnight, and it’ll be there in the morning!
DIY Details: growingajeweledrose
8. Real Life ‘Angry Birds’ Game
Crazy right? As you can see from the picture, with a few cardboard boxes, bricks, or wooden blocks and paint you and your kids can have fun playing real-life Angry Birds!
9. Giant DIY Homemade ‘Slip N’ Slide’
Using simple household items, like a hose and water, and a large sheet of plastic, you, your family, and friends will have an awesome DIY ‘Slip N’ Slide’ in no time!
This is an awesome way to stay cool this summer, and have tons of fun in the process! Even better, if you have a hill in your backyard, you can make it all the more exciting by providing the ultimate downhill experience!
All for less than ten bucks, you really can’t beat this DIY project, and it’s sure to make your kids popular with the neighbors as well.
Check out more details at the Idsym link below.
DIY Details: ldsym
10. DIY Squirt Gun Paint For Kids
Combining Art and your children’s favorite water squirt gun toys, this is a must-try for any DIYers looking to have new, and exciting fun with the family!
You can set up sheets of paper outside on the lawn, or allow them to spray the fence as long as you use water-paints, or other chemical-free natural paints so that their perfect art doesn’t wind up permanently on their hands or your backyard fence.
This entire project should cost no more than $10, and will only require simple things like an easel for squirting their work onto, liquid water-colors, watercolor paper, and their choice of dollar-store water squirt guns!
This is a pretty easy DIY Backyard project for kids that’s sure to bring smiles, and allow them to have their own outdoor “paint wars” and adventures. See more details on how to get started at the Fire Flies And Mud Pies link below.
DIY Details: FireFliesAndMudPies.com
11. The DIY Water Balloon ‘Pinata’
This DIY Water Balloon Pinata is the perfect solution for keeping your kids busy this summer, and unlike regular pinatas, it will cost you under a dollar – and they can play with it all day long!
Combining exercise, imagination, and action this is the perfect way to boost your kids physical and mental spirits on those hot days – all while staying cool!
To get started you’ll need a secure rope or twine to hang the water balloon – or balloons – from, a sturdy tree branch, and a plastic whiffle ball bat to start swinging away’!
This activity is sure to get the kids pumped up and is the perfect way to let them play until their hearts are content, so they sleep well at night.
Check out more awesome DIY, budget-friendly games at the Fire Flies And Mud Pies link below.
DIY details: FireFliesAndMudPies.com
12. Outdoor Ball-Throwing Sports!
This is a great way to encourage your kids to be active and get exercise! Known as a “passing practice wall”, this fun, simple carnival game can be made by simply using a tarp, markers, and a few colored balls.
You can even adjust the distance or difficulty by simply adjusting the tarp, size of the holes, or where you place them!
13. A ‘Day at the Beach’ in your own Backyard!
Going to the beach with your kids can be expensive, especially if it’s a long business and you work busy hours!
But, now it’s possible to provide your children with the luxuries of a beach, right in your own backyard! All you’ll need is a bit of sand (ideally a sandbox), a children’s pool, and a little bit of creativity! {found on wraysist3rs}
14. Outdoor Climbing Wall
What better outdoor activity for your kids and their friends than a climbing wall? This is a fantastic DIY activity for your kids, and will also ensure lots of exercise and fun on those bright summer days!
Just consider laying down a mattress and extra padding to keep your kids and their friends safe from unexpected falls.
15. Explore The Galaxy With Your Kids With This Fun DIY Activity!
This DIY Backyard Star Game is great because it won’t involve an expensive telescope and having to worry about the kids accidentally breaking it, or struggling to understand how to use it to look at the night stars.
Instead, the DIY Backyard Star Game will allow your kids to have lots of fun projecting their star constellations and creations onto the walls – while also teaching them astronomy at the same time.
Combining both education and creativity, this DIY project should take no more than an hour to make, and will require simple things like a flashlight, cupcake liners, constellation cutouts templates which you can print out online, scissors, a 2″ hole puncher, and glue sticks.
DIY Details: pagingsupermom
16. Explosive Water Fun: Cup Races And Water Guns!
Now you can create a DIY Backyard Obstacle Course with just a few simple steps, that’s guaranteed to give your children endless summer fun filled with adventure, challenges, and exercise!
All you’ll need is a string, cups, scotch or preferably duct tape, a pair of scissors, and their favorite water guns. One child each can pull a water cup and race them, while the others play and shoot the water cups with water to try to slow them down – a fun game for either teams or 1 v. one challenges!
There are also tons of variations you can create with these simple everyday household items, which means you’re in complete control of how big or small you want their next “obstacle course” to be!
DIY Details: allfortheboys
17. DIY Outdoor Music Fence!
Making outdoor music with your kids can be lots of fun, isn’t hard to assemble, and is very affordable!
All you’ll need is a small fence, and any old wooden spoons, pots, pans, and anything else lying around your house that will be fun to make noise with!
You can also add personality and fun to the activity by painting the fence, or even wooden spoons with your kids!
{found on creativelyblooming}.
18. DIY Easy Bake And Shape Clay Sand Creations
This Easy DIY Bake And Shape Sand project is perfect, and an awesome activity to let your kids make imprints of their litter fingers and toes, or create molds of basically anything else they find in their outdoor excursions!
Best of all, these sand clay creations will last years to come, which means your kids will be able to collect them each summer you do this activity with them. To get started, all you’ll need is sand, clay, cornflour, bicarbonate soda, and water – and you’re set!
When finished, heating the clay is fast and simple, and making unlimited dough for your kids and their friends to play with is the perfect way to give them endless adventures!
Check out more neat ideas like this, as well as a step-by-step tutorial at the Paging Fun Mums link below.
DIY Details: pagingfunmums
19. Ice Cream Playdough
These DIY Playdough Icecream cones are sure to make your kids imagination run wild, and they even smell sweet and tasty – just make sure they don’t bite into one!
Kids can make these DIY ice cream cones by using home-made playdough, and combine pastel colors to create not just vibrant colors and texture, but also get their hands ‘dirty’ in a fun and safe way.
To add the final touches you’ll need a little bit of icing mixture of sugar, and the dough is made from a Premade frosting mixture or combinations of your choice.
You and your little ones can have these made in just four simple steps, and done in less than an hour, giving you something to do together, or let them make on their own when they get bored on those hot summer days inside.
Click the Paging Fun Mums link below for more SWEET DIY ideas and tutorials!
DIY Details: pagingfunmhttps://amzn.to/3rpg7O4
20. Easy DIY ‘Sand Slime’ For Kids!
Activate your kid’s senses and let them have a blast with this awesome gooey-sand creation! This is also fun for adults to play with, and the rustic look you’ll get from this Sand Slime is a one of a kind, earthy-look, for sure!
Whatever your kids decide to make with their gooey sand slime, we’re sure you’ll love it. To get started, you’ll just need clear Elmer’s glue, a bucket of water, some Borax, hot water, and sand. Simple enough, right?
Depending on how sticky or gooey you and your kids want the slimy sand to be, you can customize your creation by adjusting how much of each ingredient you use.
Check out the Paging Fun Mums link below for a step-by-step guide to getting started now!
DIY Details: PagingFunMums
21. The Perfect DIY Outdoor ‘Tic Tac Toe’ Game
This DIY Outdoor ‘Tic Tac Toe’ Game is the perfect solution for giving kids something fun to do on those warm summer days, and great for family and friends to enjoy playing with one another too!
Kids love playing classic games like this when you teach them how, especially when it’s as interactive as this, moving around their rock-pieces, and challenging one another in your yard to a round!
Sure to last for years to come, this wooden and rock DIY Tic Tac Toe game will require little supplies or tools other than things you already have lying around your home and garden. All you’ll need to play set are pebbles, boards, white paint, wood sealer, and a bowl to get started!
Check out more awesome DIY ideas and projects at the Design Dining & Diapers link by Taryn Whiteaker link below.
DIY Details: DesignDiningAndDiapers
22. A Cute ‘Ice Cream In A Bag’ Activity For Kids!
This DIY Ice Cream In A Bag project is great for both kids and adults alike to have fun in the backyard, bond, and make memories full of yummy goodness! Also, this is a great way to stay cool on those hot days, and what kid doesn’t love ice cream?
The texture and flavor of these exciting, chilly snacks are sure to be enjoyable, and all your kids will need to make theirs is heavy whipping cream, half and half, vanilla, and a bit of sugar. Then, your kids can shake’ up the bag, and have a blast while making their favorite snack!
Kids can chase each other around with these cute sealable bags of ice-cream, or simply take it on the go.
DIY Details: growingajeweledrose
23. A DIY Fun ‘Waterfall Wall’ For Kids!
The DIY Waterfall Wall For Kids project is great for kids to play in and make exciting memories all summer long!
Using various recycled materials like plastic bottles, a bucket, a few unwanted or unused pots and pans, a recycled wooden pallet, and tubing you’ll have this DIY Backyard project up and going in no time!
You’ll also need plasticine and hosepipe cut-offs, as well as duct tape and a few extra containers to catch the water.
You can even add to the fun by letting your kids drop their super-balls down the hoses, and watch their waterfall project come to life!
This is a unique, exciting project that will not only be fun for kids, but also teach them basic physics, the environment, and will take no more than a few hours to setup.
DIY Details: playingbythebook
24. DIY Color Powder
These DIY Color Powders are tons of fun for kids, and will allow them to be creative and imaginative at the same time, and enjoy getting their hands in these playful colored powders.
A lot like Play-Doh, except it won’t cost you more than a $1 to make it, and you can make tons more!
For any summer day, this is a great project for kids, and you can even include them in on the project while you make it together! All you’ll need is cornstarch, color paste or gel coloring, and disposable plastic gloves!
Simple enough, right?
You’ll heat the ingredients together in a pan, and can even combine colors to make the experience all the more enjoyable.
Kids will combine imagination, creativity, motor skills, and occupy themselves in your yard with a nice project that will still allow you to keep an eye on them – just don’t let the little ones eat the powder!
Find the full details for this DIY project at the Dukes And Duchesses link below.
DIY Details: DukesAndDutchesses
25. Creating DIY Big Screen Backyard Cinema
Making your very own outdoor movie cinema is easy, and just takes combining a white tarp or projector screen, a projector, pillows, sleeping bags and even tents for outdoor camping afterward.
This is a great way for kids to bond with each other, as well as to picnic and enjoy time outdoors together as a family.
Having your own personal home theatre doesn’t have to require investing in equipment that’ll easily reach the $10,000 or more range,
This DIY Home Theatre be done for just a few hundred dollars or less, using supplies and technology you likely already have around your home.
This is the perfect way to encourage your kids to enjoy the outdoors, and you can play all their favorite television shows and movies with this DIY Movie Projector setup.
Overall, this project should be relatively easy to make, other than the technical side of things. That is, as it’ll require things like a movie-screen or projector screen, a laptop, and speakers.
What better way to enjoy your favorite Netflix shows, movies, and bond with your family, and friends than this exciting backyard DIY project?
26. DIY Potting Plants For Roasting S’Mores
Not everyone can afford, or has the time to take their family and kids camping all the time – but have no fear!
These DIY S’mores pots will give you a lot of the nostalgia and pleasure of camping right in your own backyard! This is a super simple, fun, and tasty DIY project for anyone that loves making memories and having fun, late-night cook-outs or nights filled with storytelling with the kids by a warm fire.
For less than $5 you should be able to buy all the potted plants you’ll need for this project, outside of the necessary graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate of course!
DIY Details: bellathehttps://amzn.to/46LFvO7
27. Outback Zip-lining
Typically reserved for outdoor tropical rain-forest adventures and get-aways, now creating your own outdoor Zipline can be done in the luxury of your own backyard!
Your kids are sure to have endless hours – and even years of adventure – and we’re sure they’ll be that much more popular, and involved with the neighborhood kids.
Just make sure you invest in the safe equipment and professional installation where applicable.
28. Outdoor Tepees
Create endless adventures and memories with your kids by purchasing or using materials from around the house to create your very own, sturdy, and weatherproof tents!
Installation won’t be difficult, and you can even make an activity out of building these tents together!
29. Chalk Board Wall: Great for Games and Learning!
If there isn’t much space, safety, or opportunity for your kids to draw with chalk in your backyard, then getting them a chalkboard to draw and play on can be made just as easily – and be even more fun for a personalized experience!
30. Ol’ Fashion Tire Swing
There’s nothing too “old fashioned” about a tire-swing, and it’ll be sure to bring endless summers of fun for you and your kids! Making a tire-swing doesn’t have to be hard or costly.
In fact, all you need is a recycled (safe) tire and a durable chain which you can hang each tire-swing from – ideally from a sturdy, good angled tree.
Just always check that it’s secure first before use! {found on livedan330}
31. Lawn Twister!
Making a good ol’ fashion game of TWISTER in your own backyard can be lots of fun, and making more than one board for family, friends, and get-togethers is easy!
All you need to make this game is different spray paint colors, and you can make your own ‘stencil’ out of cardboard to get the circles just right!
And, while it might wash away in the rain, making another one is fast, easy, and pretty affordable too! This is also a great outdoor DIY activity for party’s as well!
{found on youplusmeforalways}.
32. Fun Water Balloon Games
Water balloons can be used in many ways for different outdoor fun – not just throwing them at each other!
In fact, for outdoor BBQ’s and party’s, you can fill up water balloons and either hang them from a clothing line or even trees to make an activity of throwing water balloons at them until they pop!
What cooler pinata then a water balloon pinata?
{found on ziggityzoom}
33. A Recyclable Wall of Adventures
This is a simple, budget-friendly, and fun activity that you can build with your kids. All you’ll need is a few recycled bottles or containers, and either nails or adhesives and string to tie them to the fence.
You can cut out each one and make an activity by connecting them to drip water into each other, or even send super-balls bouncing through!
{found on site}.
34. An ‘Old School’ Tree House Adventure
A must-have for any child and backyard, a tree-house can be set up fairly easily with just a bit of basic wood, patience, and creativity. This is by far, of course, ours as well as a family favorite and rated (naturally) as the best DIY project for the backyard.
As you can see by the picture construction isn’t very difficult, and won’t take long to build just the basics! The rest is up to you and your little ones!
{found on site)
35. A Free, Fun, Outdoor Sprinkler!
For those hot summer days, a sprinkler is a must-have for your kids and their friends! Making one out of a recycled plastic bottle is easy, and all you’ll need to do is simply connect and secure your hose to it.
Just make sure you supervise or poke the holes in the bottle yourself for added safety – and enjoy!
{found on site}.
36. Outdoor Splashing and Adventures
If you’re looking to save a bit of money and avoid the costs of installing and purchasing an outdoor pool, then simply buying and installing some non-slippery tiles, and rigging hoses to your trees can be lots of fun for your kids, and will give them hours of joy and serve as a way of keeping everyone cool’!
Alternatively, ground-installation for water-spouts is an option with this outdoor DIY activity for a more long-term setup
{found on apartmenttherapy}
Please feel free to post your experiences with your little ones in any of the above mentioned DIY Outdoor Budget Friendly Projects, Snacks, And Fun!
We always love to hear from our visitors, so if you have any ideas or exciting backyard DIY projects for kids that are fun and also budget-friendly, please feel free to contact us!