With the official start of summer right around the corner and warm weather finally sticking around in the upper Midwest, it is time to get the family outside and active.
I’ve realized lately that my kids have been watching a little too much T.V. for my taste, and I am more than ready to get them doing some fun outdoor activities…. or at least find some activities that don’t involve sitting on their rumps all day long!
I’ve spent a little time finding activities that are great for any family, and with the help of the Active Family Project, I found lots of activities that we can do to keep us busy all summer long!
Free Activities for Families
- Hiking
- Biking
- Go to the park
- Kick a ball in the back yard
- Have a backyard campfire and make smores (be sure to check local fire regulations)
- Search for fireflies at night
- Start a nature book and have kids search for items to fill it
- Geocache (most smart phones have a free app you can use to find locations to hunt)
- Visit a free Zoo (Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison WI is a great option!)
- Have a backyard campout
- Go swimming at a local or state park

A backyard campfire complete with smores!
Paid Activities for Families
For any and all paid activities you can usually (in most cases) find free or discount days. One of the water parks in our area offers free admission to kids who bring their report cards a specific weekend each year. Be sure to check with the location prior to going if you are looking to save some money.
- Attend a ball game
- Go to a water park
- Visit a zoo
- Go camping
- Visit a theme park
- Take swimming lessons

A day at the zoo, topped off with carousel ride!
More about The Active Family Project
Moms are increasingly juggling work, school, sports, errands, household chores, mundane daily tasks, appointments, and more. The Active Family Project is designed to help empower moms to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle with their families so they can live life the way they love. It aims to spotlight tips and advice for fun family activities and build a national community of moms dedicated to adopting and promoting a healthy and active family lifestyle.
The Active Family Project Activity Finder
Get tips and ideas for your family’s playtime together with the Active Family Project Activity Finder. This go-to guide offers some instant solutions to your playtime needs, and aims to promote quality time and help your family live life more fully.
Website: http://www.activefamilyproject.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/activefamilyproject
There are a variety of categories you can choose from when searcing; including zoos, parks, aquariums, museums and more so you can customize your activities according to your family’s interests. My kids love parks and we have plenty of those where we live. In fact, we looked up the parks category to find the area parks so we could try to pay them all a visit this summer.
Tell us….
What do you and your family like to do to stay active over the summer?
I received $100 from Merck Consumer Care, and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience. This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Merck Consumer Care.
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