Quick Summary
- 💰 Budget: Most activities are free to under $25.
- 👧 Best For: Toddlers through elementary-aged kids (with several fun for the whole family!).
- ☀️ Perfect For: Staying cool during Arizona’s hottest months without spending a fortune.
Arizona summers are no joke.
By the time July rolls around, even a quick trip to the playground can feel impossible by lunchtime. And while there are plenty of amazing attractions around the Valley, taking the whole family out every weekend can add up fast.
Over the years, I’ve realized that my kids favorite summer memories usually aren’t the expensive ones.
They’re the homemade popsicles, the blanket forts, the splash pad picnics, the Danny Go! dance parties, and the evenings spent watching the stars.
If you’re looking for affordable ways to make the most of summer in Arizona, these are the activities our family comes back to again and again.
Full List of Supplies Here
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💦 Water Fun
1. Turn Your Neighborhood Pool Into an Adventure
💰 Approx. Cost: Free (if you have pool access) + $20–50 for reusable toys
👧 Best For: Ages 3+
⏰ Time: 2–4 hours
Swimming is fun, but adding a few simple toys makes it feel like a brand-new adventure every time.
Our favorites include:
- reusable water balloons
- pool noodles
- diving sticks (or even better- this!)
- goggles that kids can put on themselves
- water guns
The City of Mesa has many public pools available for a very affordable price. The drop in price for youths is $3.00 and Adults are $5.00. There are eight different public pools to choose from.
Pack a small cooler with water, juice boxes, watermelon, frozen grapes, and berries so you can stay even longer.
Mom Tip 🤍: Keep everything packed in one tote so you’re always ready for a last-minute pool trip.
2. Make Your Own Backyard Water Park
💰 Approx. Cost: Free if you already own everything | $60–80 to get started
👧 Best For: Ages 1–8
⏰ Time: 1–3 hours (as long as they’re hydrated and have sunscreen on)
Some days we don’t leave the house at all.
Instead we pull out:
- a kiddie pool
- a water table
- hose sprinklers
- those wiggly water toys that spray everywhere when you hook them up to the hose
- buckets and cups
The kids stay cool, and I don’t have to pack everyone into the car. Plus, I can watch them from inside while I do chores. It’s great for when I’m busy and they don’t want to be cooped up.
They also really love having cups of ice added in their play.
3. Pull Out the Slip ‘N Slide
💰 Approx. Cost: Free if you own one | $40-60 to buy
👧 Best For: Ages 4+
⏰ Time: 30 minutes–2 hours
It’s one of those classic summer toys that somehow never gets old. Add some dish soap and keep it well watered for extra fun! Always check clearance at the end. Kids are light and they come flying out of there!
I’ve had my slip n slide for two years now and it’s still going strong.
4. Save the Giant Water Slide for Special Occasions
💰 Approx. Cost: Free if you own one (otherwise $300 initial investment)
👧 Best For: Ages 3+
⏰ Time: Half-day activity
We also have a huge inflatable water slide bounce house.
It’s definitely a project to set up, so we usually save it for birthdays or end-of-summer celebrations. That makes it feel even more exciting when it comes out.
5. Spend the Afternoon at Mansel Carter Oasis Park
💰 Approx. Cost: Free splash pad + about $10–15 for lunch
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: 2–4 hours
One of our favorite summer traditions is grabbing a Little Caesars pizza on the way to the splash pad.
We’ll eat under one of the shaded ramadas while the kids play, then bring a small container of Cheerios to feed the ducks before heading home.
I love this splash pad specifically because it has a pirate ship, a big bucket of water, it’s shaded and it’s big. The kids get absolutely soaked.
Simple. Affordable. Always a hit.
6. Make Homemade Fruit Snow Cones
💰 Approx. Cost: About $3–10 per batch after buying the machine
👧 Best For: Ages 3+
⏰ Time: 20–30 minutes
We have a simple snow cone maker, and instead of sugary syrups we juice fresh fruit.
Some favorites:
- strawberries
- watermelon
- pineapple
- blueberries
- lemons
The kids love choosing their own flavor combinations. It’s a great way to cool off after all that fun in the water!
Bonus idea: Bahama Bucks offers buckets of 60 snow balls for $32.00. It’s a great activity for large groups of kids!
7. Make Homemade Fruit Popsicles
💰 Approx. Cost: $3–8 per batch
👧 Best For: Ages 2+
⏰ Time: 20 minutes + freezing time
One of Violet’s favorite things to do is layer fresh fruit inside reusable popsicle molds until they look extra colorful before adding juice.
Watching her carefully arrange each layer might be my favorite part.
🏛️ Get Out of the House
8. Spend the Day at the idea Museum
💰 Approx. Cost: Around $10–15 per person
👧 Best For: Ages 2–10
⏰ Time: 2–4 hours
Between the hands-on exhibits and creative art stations, this is one of our new favorite ways to escape the Arizona heat. Read my full guide here.
9. Visit the Arizona Museum of Natural History
💰 Approx. Cost: Around $10–20 per person
👧 Best For: Ages 4+
⏰ Time: 2–3 hours
Dinosaurs, history, and air conditioning? That’s a winning combination. Read my full guide and where we stayed for almost an hour here!
10. Visit the Gateway Library
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: 30 minutes–2 hours
The new Gateway Library in Eastmark is a great free outing.
You can browse books, find a cozy reading spot, meet a robot, and probably spend much longer there than you planned.
11. Go to Barnes & Noble Story Time
💰 Approx. Cost: Free (or $5–10 if you grab a treat)
👧 Best For: Ages 2–8
⏰ Time: About 1 hour
Story time often includes a craft afterward, making it an easy morning activity. Treat yourself with Starbucks while you’re at it!
12. Go Roller Skating
💰 Approx. Cost: Around $20 per person
👧 Best For: Ages 5+
⏰ Time: 2–3 hours
Roller skating is a great way to burn energy without spending the afternoon outside in triple-digit temperatures. I grew up going to the same Skateland that’s still standing today! Check skating times before you go. They have roller blades or roller skates to rent. They include wrist guards. PVC pipe helpers are available at an additional cost at the DJ booth. Lockers are available to rent but they’re $7.00. I ended up leaving our shoes and water bottles out and just put my purse in the car to avoid paying for a locker.
13. Go on a Goodwill Treasure Hunt
💰 Approx. Cost: $5–20
👧 Best For: Ages 3+
⏰ Time: 30–90 minutes
This might sound funny, but my girls absolutely love Goodwill.
To them it’s like one giant seek-and-find adventure.
Sometimes I’ll give them each a small budget and let them hunt for one special treasure.
We stay at Goodwill for a surprisingly long time and we practically have to peel ourselves away. We’re a sucker for a good deal! My daughter found a Buzz Lightyear for $3.00 that would have easily been $25+ brand new!
🎨 Stay Cool at Home
14. Have an Art Day
💰 Approx. Cost: Free with supplies you already own | $10–25 to restock
👧 Best For: Ages 2+
⏰ Time: 1–3 hours
Painting, coloring, friendship bracelets, stickers, canvases—whatever sparks creativity that day.
No elaborate Pinterest craft required.
15. Build an Indoor Fort
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: 30 minutes to…all weekend!
Blankets.
Dining room chairs.
Couch cushions.
Flashlights.
That’s all it takes.
The girls usually end up watching, coloring, snacking, and just hanging out inside for hours. I like seeing where they put their “bathroom”, secret hatches, and all the areas they have to worm around in.
16. Have a Family Board Game Day
💰 Approx. Cost: Free if you own the games
👧 Best For: Ages 5+
⏰ Time: 30 minutes–2 hours
Our family’s favorites are:
- Aggravation
- Blokus
- Uno (love the tin storage case!)
- Danger Hugs
- Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza (this version is waterproof!)
Sometimes we’ll make homemade popsicles or popcorn to go with game day.
17. Dance Along with Danny Go!
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: Ages 2–8
⏰ Time: 15–30 minutes
Whenever everyone has extra energy, we turn on Danny Go! on YouTube.
“The Floor Is Lava” is a favorite at our house and always gets everyone moving. His songs are catchy and get stuck in your head! “dancing, dancing, all around…”
18. Cook from a Kids’ Cookbook
💰 Approx. Cost: Around $10–20 in groceries
👧 Best For: Ages 3+
⏰ Time: 45–90 minutes
One of our favorite weekend traditions is letting the girls pick a recipe from one of their kids’ cookbooks.
Lately, the Bluey cookbook has been getting lots of use.
They help make the shopping list, gather ingredients, and cook dinner together. Plus, we will add a dessert!
🌅 Arizona Evenings
19. Watch the Sunset with S’mores
💰 Approx. Cost: $5–15
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: 1–2 hours
Arizona sunsets are one of the best parts of summer.
Once it finally cools down, we’ll make s’mores, sit outside, and enjoy the evening together. We usually do this at the beginning or ending of Summer.
20. Go Stargazing with Sky Map
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: Ages 5+
⏰ Time: 30–60 minutes
Download the Sky Map app and point your phone toward the sky.
It turns an ordinary evening into a fun learning experience as you find planets and constellations together. I let the kids take turns pointing to something in the sky and then we find out the name of the star, constellation or planet. We throw down a blanket and pillows and sprawl out in the grass!
21. Ride Bikes After Sunset
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: Ages 3+
⏰ Time: 30–90 minutes
Evening bike rides are one of our favorite ways to enjoy Arizona once the sidewalks cool down. This is another one that you might want to only do in the beginning or tail end of Summer.
📚 Slow Down & Enjoy Home
22. Start a Summer Reading Tradition
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: As long as you’d like
Check out a stack of library books and spend time reading together—inside a blanket fort is even better. I also love buying second hand books from Thriftbooks.
23. Have a Backyard Picnic
💰 Approx. Cost: Just the meal you were already planning to make
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: 30–60 minutes
Sometimes moving dinner outside makes an ordinary weeknight feel special. This can be hard when we’re really in the throes of Summer but a misting system can make it tolerable. Don’t forget citronella candles to keep the bugs at bay!
24. Have a Family Movie Night
💰 Approx. Cost: Free (plus popcorn if you’d like!)
👧 Best For: All ages
⏰ Time: 2–3 hours
Bonus points if you watch the movie from inside your blanket fort. I love introducing my kids to some of the 90’s classics and seeing their thoughts about the movie. Home Alone, Blank Check, Big, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and the list goes on. My youngest will gather her stuffies and have a whole crew to enjoy the movie with us. Not a 90’s movie, but the kids really liked The Wild Robot. It’s on Prime Video.
25. Just Play with the Hose
💰 Approx. Cost: Free
👧 Best For: Ages 2–10
⏰ Time: As long as they’re having fun, staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen
Sometimes the biggest laughs come from the simplest activities.
Turn on the hose, let the kids invent their own games, and enjoy an easy summer afternoon.
❤️ The Best Summer Memories Usually Aren’t the Expensive Ones
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that kids rarely remember how much an activity cost.
They remember making colorful popsicles.
Building blanket forts.
Dancing in the living room.
Looking for treasures at Goodwill.
Feeding ducks after eating pizza at the splash pad.
Watching the stars.
Playing Uno around the kitchen table.
Those little traditions have become some of our favorite summer memories, and I hope a few of these ideas become traditions for your family too.
Full List of Supplies Here
What’s your family’s favorite affordable summer activity? I’d love to hear it in the comments!
