Free Things to Do This Summer

I often lament that everything costs money! And everything adds up! Because it does. But, not everything actually costs money. I have created a list of things to do specifically for summer that cost not a thing! Here it is!

Take a walk around your neighborhood, the park, or a pond. You may want to do this by yourself for some nice quiet alone time, or you can invite a friend to chat with! Walking is such good exercise, and it doesn’t include the lift of a pinky!

Go outside on a clear night and look at the stars. They are so beautiful. Locate some constellations and keep your eye out for a shooting star! Can you believe God knows the number of the stars and gives names to each of them? (Psalm 147:4)

Go to the library. Take your time and browse the bookshelves. Pick up books and read the summaries about them. Read the books there or check them out and take them home. If you have a DVD player, you can take movies too with hopes the discs aren’t scratched.

Take advantage of free events in your city. Parades, fireworks, outdoor markets, etc. You don’t even have to pay for gasoline in your car if you live close enough to walk. You don’t have to buy the expensive snacks or merchandise- just walking around taking in the sights can be fun.

Attend a high school baseball game. All the high school baseball games I’ve ever been to besides maybe some tournaments have been free from what I recall. It’s fun to watch the games, especially if you know someone on the team and if the team is having a good season (and if you know what is going on!).

Sit or lay outside in your yard. I like to lay in a reclining lawn chair, soaking in the sun in the privacy of my backyard, reading or listening to music while working on a tan. If you don’t like to be directly in the sun but want to enjoy the outdoors, though, there are options such as swaying in a hammock under a tree, or swinging on a porch swing! While you’re out there, how ’bout reading that book you got out of the library? (-;

Go to the park. A few ideas you can do there is swing, feed fish if there’s a pond (and as long as there are no rules against it), take a walk or hike, and have a picnic.

Go outside in the evening and watch lightning bugs (aka fireflies). There is just something about them that’s so fascinating and beautiful. They’re bugs that literally light up! How cool is that? Isn’t God’s creation just amazing? It’s a plus if you can hear cicadas up in the trees, too!

Have a bonfire. Gather some wood, grab some friends, and start up a fire in your backyard! You don’t have to roast hot dogs or s’mores to make it fun- just spending time with your buddies, watching the flames and being warmed by them is enough!

I know it can be hard at times to figure out what to do with friends when you’re on a tight budget, so I hope this list gives you some ideas you and your people will enjoy! I know I plan to check off everything on this list this year! Who wants to join?! (-;