10 Covid Friendly Things You Can Do With Your Kids For Free (or for very little $)

Spring is here!!! Is anyone else as excited as I am? After a year of being cooped up indoors and not able to do anything, it finally feels like it’s safe to start getting out a little (just a little). But since the pandemic still isn’t over, we have to do things that are fun but safe for the whole family. I’ve compiled a list of 10 Covid Friendly Things You Can Do With (or without) Your Kids For Free. Some I’ve already done and some will be on my bucket list for Spring and Summer.

1. Have a picnic! I just did this with the kids and they had the best time. We have a backyard, but I thought it was important for the kids to actually LEAVE the house, so we packed up a small cooler with sandwiches, their favorite snacks and a blanket and took them to the local park. You want to pick a large park if possible so you can situate yourselves far from anyone else and just have fun running around.
2. Go camping. This one isn’t technically free if you don’t have camping equipment and sometimes you will have to pay to rent a camp site, but it’s usually very affordable (sometimes as low as $25 a night) and you can often find tents on amazon or on sale at your local Walmart of Target. And if you don’t want to travel and have a backyard, who wouldn’t want to sleep under the stars in your very own backyard? (Or your living room haha)
3. Go to the zoo. Depending on where you live, many local zoos have designated days where admission is free. And if you choose a weekday, there will be less people making it a fun and safe activity for the family. Keep in mind, you will still have to wear your mask, and bring lots of hand sanitizer!
4. Go on a hike. One of the best things you can do is teach your kids the benefits of physical activity and what a better way to do that than take them hiking? There are plenty of beautiful parks and trails all over that are family appropriate for a nice stroll. You can even make a fun game out of it with “I spy”.
5. Have a game night! Dust off those old board games and have a blast with your kids. And if you don’t have games at home, make one! You can easily make a quick game of charades. Grab a sheet of paper and cut it up into squares. Have each person write down a few words (one on each piece of paper). Take turns picking out a piece of paper from a hat and acting out the word on the paper. Easy peasy!
6. Make a treasure hunt. Find something fun and hide it somewhere in you house or backyard. Leave clues around the house for your kids to find. Or even better, draw a map and see if they can find the hidden treasure.
7. Create an indoor or outdoor obstacle course. Find things around the house and make a fun obstacle course that your kids (and you) will have a blast navigating through it. Some ideas of items you might use are: Tables, chairs, sticks, hula hoops, pool noodles, pillow cases, couch cushions, cardboard boxes, etc. Added bonus prize to whoever gets through the course the fastest!
8. Have you ever heard of geocaching? A “geocache” is a small container with something inside that is hidden somewhere and found using GPS or a geocache mobile app. Think of it a real life treasure hunt. Geocaches are hidden all over the world and are fun activity to do together. The point of the activity is not about what’s in the box, but about the hunt. I downloaded the “Geocaching” app on the Apple store and couldn’t believe how many geocaches were in my neighborhood alone!
9. Go to the beach/lake. If you live near a body of water, this is probably the best thing you can do with your family on a hot summer day. Similar to the picnic, pack up some snacks, drinks and towels and head to the beach! Keep in mind that most public beaches do charge for admission or parking. And I recommend going early to chose the best spot away from everyone else.
10. Have a dance party. This isn’t an outdoor event but it is by far my family’s favorite thing to do and what got us through many boring nights at home during the pandemic. I absolutely had to include it. It’s simple. Just put on your favorite tunes and dance the night away! I got a little carried away and bought a disco ball and disco lights but that’s just me.

I hope you all enjoyed this list. Whether you have kids or not, there are tons of things you can do this Spring and Summer to enjoy every moment. If you try anything, let me know which is your favorite.