Summer is expensive. A weekend trip out of town can easily break the bank, leaving less room in the budget for the fun things to explore in the city. Summer camps can leave you feeling drained, causing you to look for inexpensive and free things to do in Edmonton with kids.
Don’t worry, there’s lots to do in Edmonton, for free, through the summer. We’ve got you covered. Try out some of these activities to have cheap fun in Edmonton.
1. Check out the top spray parks you’ve got to cross off of your summer bucket list in Edmonton
2. Go to one of the many free Edmonton outdoor movies
3. Run through the colored fountains outside of the federal building at dusk. Don’t forget the glow sticks!
4. Attend a pop-up playdate
5. Stop by your local Green Shack and play a game, meet local kids in the community and take part in the free programming through the summer months
6. Stop by Fort Saskatchewan and check out the sheep that roam the community
7. Find a new favourite local playground – follow along on our Youtube channel here, to find the best playgrounds in Edmonton on our video tours
8. Play two free bowling games every single day over the summer
9. Join the Sprouts Kids Club at the Southwest Edmonton Farmer’s Market for free kids fun (and credit to the Farmer’s Market).
10. Get free admission to the Art Gallery of Alberta on Tuesday and Wednesday nights
11. Head on down to the Edmonton Street Performer’s Festival
12. Attend one of the free Family Nature Nights in Edmonton
13. Download the Geocaching app and go treasure hunting in your own community. Use our handy guide to getting started with Geocaching to kick off your adventure
14. Explore the playground, and hit up the ten+ pokemon Go stops at Broadmoor Lake (pictured above)
15. See the CP Canada 160 Train when it stops in Edmonton
16. Spend an afternoon planting trees for the future (July 15, 2017)
17. Take a walk through Mactaggart Sanctuary
18. Take the kids to the monthly workshop at the Home Depot and build something to bring home (activities are themed monthly)
19. Catch frogs in the marsh at the Sherwood Park Natural Area
20. Take your tubes and plan an afternoon spent on the river – at Range Road 23 Park
21. Check out a local Fire Station open House
22. Come Fly Kites at YEGKiteDay on June 3rd
23. Check out the free Peewee Golf Night at the Highlands on June 3rd
24. Paint a birdhouse and hang it on your favourite trail near your home – better yet, paint a few and create a fun new home for those feathered friends
25. Check out one of the many free showhome events in the city where there are free activities and entertainment, refreshments and food and more. You can find those on our event calendar!
26. Park near Sheriff Robertson Park (111 Ave and 81 St) and take a walk through the Kinnaird Ravine. Look at the murals, and climb on rocks that look like ‘hoodoos’.
27. Pack a picnic dinner and head down to Churchill Square for Movies on the Square
28. Watch the K-days Parade and eat pancakes at one of the many local pancake breakfasts
29. Head to the local Mall for the monthly activities for little kids that take place all summer long – they’re a fun way to get out of the house!
30. Head out to the Cat Cafe, it’s free for parents + children between 9-10 am on Sunday
31. Head out to Pembina river with friends and go tubing. Bring your own tubes, and carpool to the starting and ending point to make it free for both families
32. Make a temporary tattoo stand. Grab some tattoos, set up like a lemonade stand and offer a little bit of summer to passerbys with a free tattoo
33. Get in the car and head out for a day trip adventure to the kid friendly tubing at Red Deer Discovery Canyon – bring your own tube, it’s free. Plus, there’s anew design this year – and it looks incredible!
34. Take your tubes and plan an afternoon spent on the river – at Range Road 23 Park
35. Check out the FREE kids golf course at Stony Plain Golf Course
36. Ride on the Zipline and climb the fun structure at Florence Hallock School Playground
37. Get a Free Lego mini build set from the Lego Store – register for the mini build on the 15th of the month for the next month.
38. Take part in the family craft events at Michaels a couple of weekends a month. There are fun events like tie-dye, where you bring the item and they provide the supplies!
39. Celebrate Parks Day at Elk Island Park (July 15th)
40. Spend the evening at one of the Dark Sky Preserve Parties
41. Stay up late and spend the evening browsing the Night Market in Edmonton
42. Stay up late and visit the Neon Sign Museum on 104th
43. Free recreational swim at Kinsmen Leisure Centre on June 7th
44. Attend the 2017 Picnic in the Park on July 16th
45. Make the trip to Leduc and spend an afternoon playing at the Zipline playground – it’s one of the best outside of the city!
46. Take part in one of the many parent link playdates at the local parks, from ice cream socials to park dates to meet local parents
47. Get dirty at the celebration for International Mud Day on June 29th
48. Head over to Nitza’s pizza, where the kids can get in the kitchen and create their own pizza – for free!
49. Hitch up the bikes and head over to the Strathcona Bike Skills Park
50. Play at Kids Fringe, and bring a picnic for entertainment and activities for kids of every age during the festival