Summertime is one of the best times for family togetherness. The kids are out of school and the warm weather outside is a perfect combination for fun and quality time. But how do you keep the kids entertained (and exercised) while having fun as an entire family? Here are several creative summer activities that families can enjoy in the outdoors without getting bored and without breaking your budget.

Scavenger Hunt

When’s the last time you sent your kids on a scavenger hunt? This can be a fun thing to do during the summertime. Depending on the age of your kids, you can spread out the hunt throughout the neighborhood or just around your yard. You can make it fun by providing hints about what they should be finding instead of just a list of what to find. Take the entire family out for ice cream following the hunt to top off a fun afternoon.

Seed Spitting Contests

Nothing says summertime like eating watermelon slices outside. But what do you do with all of the seeds? One of the creative summer activities you can do is have a seed spitting contest. Remind your kids that it is rude to spit unless they are participating in a seed spitting contest and then tell them to gather the seeds as they eat their watermelon. Then make “targets” and see who can hit the targets by spitting seeds. The first one to hit each target wins!

Planting a Garden

Have you ever tried to plant a garden with your kids? It’s a great way to spend some time together while teaching them about responsibility. Go to the local nursery or garden center and let your kids choose which plants or flowers that they want, and then show them how to put them in the soil. Create a schedule of gardening chores that need to be done throughout the week, including weeding, watering and fertilizing, and encourage your kids to complete those chores. They’ll be excited when they see their plants starting to come through the soil, and you’ll teach them some valuable lessons at the same time.

Hose Targets

Summer just isn’t complete until you break out the water hoses. But instead of creating water fights that can end ugly, make a game out of it. Set up targets for your kids to knock down with the hose’s spray around your yard. Make the targets of varying difficulty for maximum fun. Also, offer a prize for the person who can knock down the most targets in a specified amount of time.

Entertaining your kids with creative summer activities doesn’t have to take a lot of money or resources. It just takes a little imagination. The important thing is that you spend time together as a family and create memories that you will all cherish for a lifetime.