Fun and Affordable Summer Activities for Everyone

When you see everyone on social media doing crazy trips abroad or activities with friends and are stuck for affordable ideas that do not break the bank this summer to do with friends, this is your perfect list/guide. Most of these will surround the things that keep us alive: food and drinks.

When you see everyone on social media doing crazy trips abroad or activities with friends and are stuck for affordable ideas that do not break the bank this summer to do with friends, this is your perfect list/guide. Most of these will surround the things that keep us alive: food and drinks.

Picnic in the park, this is easy and perfect for those who like a good natter, everyone either bring their lunch or bring an item to share this could be done in a work hour with colleagues as well you need some beautiful outside space maybe a picnic blanket or that jumper you always forget to take home in your car to sit on. I would recommend communicating with one another so no one brings the same thing and that there's a variety that meets everyone's diet requirements. Remember paper cups, plates, and cutlery if needed. You don't want birds or squirrels to come and eat your crumbs off your lap. This is the perfect for people to try new foods, with people bringing dishes from their cultures.

Pizza-making party- you don’t need a pizza-cooking machine for this, but get all the toppings anyone could ever imagine. Get the tunes on Boogy around the kitchen, and eat some good food. I would even recommend making a sweet pizza with chocolate spread with marshmallows and sprinkles if you have more space in your tummy. Or, if pizza isn’t for you, take the time to make your fresh pasta with friends or family. I have gone to a pasta-making party before, and though it might seem desirous, it is more definitely worth it.

The classic summertime British dinner is the BBQ. If you have read my previous post on the musts at a BBQ, you will be all equipped for this one. Just remember to be safe. If you're in a public area, check to see if you can use a disposable BBQ; most places wouldn’t. Remember, it’s not just about cooking the food; it’s the salads, sides, drinks, and the pudding. Everyone should bring something to the table, homemade or not.

Outside the cinema—sheet and a projector. Everyone has heard of the book clubs, but what about the movie club? A member can choose the film and snacks each week and set it up. If it's warm, put on airbeds, build a fort with a projector onto that spare white sheet in the garden with a glass of something fancy, or go inside under the blankets for cocktail night—I did this last summer. Each girl brought her cocktail or mocktail to her house, enough for everyone. Then you go around and have a drink, chat, get a bit tipsy, and dance to Mamma Mia like no one is watching. You can even make them together and shake it up to shake it off by Taylor Swift.

Come Dine with Me is perfect for couples or friend duos. Each group had to make starters, mains, or puddings, and then everyone rated each element. If you want to make it a weekly occasion, the pair will cook all three courses, and everyone will judge. The week after, move to the next pair and compare the following partnerships.

For my crafty people, or if you wish to be crafty, go to Tiger and buy the paint-your-own mug, get some drinks and snacks, sit in the sun, and when it goes down, chat and paint away. You can do a mini little canvas. You could paint a bit, change with the person next to you, and keep going until it returns to the original owner. There are so many possibilities.

Water Fights might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Still, with water fights, you need cheap guns for Poundland, wet sounds, or even a sprinkler and hose. After a hot day of sunbathing and chilling with ice cream in the back garden, it’s the perfect time to prevent heat stroke and sunburn from setting in too much. Please ensure everyone has some spare clothes, but to be honest, water fights are spontaneous games and, therefore, do not come with much planning; otherwise, it somewhat takes the fun out of it.

If possible, go to the nearest beach, catch the sun, read a book, and place cricket or football on the harder sand. Chat gossip, go surfing or jump those waves, then eat fish and chips at sunset. My favourite place in the world is at the beach at sunset. It is still warm, but it’s quiet, and all the guests and day trippers have left for home, and there is this breath of fresh air and calmness when the waves crash on the shore. It's a perfect place if you have a large group. Remember chairs, blankets, towels swimming in, costumes, change of clothes, drinks and snacks, and any entertainment time. I like a castle or a massive bridge to let out that inner child in you.

There are many other ideas, like going to a pick-your-own or pick-your-own sunflower festival or even having a competition to see who can have the tallest sunflower. Go for a gentle bike ride around a lake with a stop-off at the cafe. Watch major sporting events at your local pub and pretend you are patriotic for once a pub garden crawl, the summer version being pub gardens. You can always ask your friends to put some ideas in a hat and randomly pick one out so it’s fair and anonymous, and continue taking them out of the hat as the summer goes on. I feel it’s harder to cancel plans when there’s an activity or something fun to do that’s not just coffee and cake at the same local cafe. Something everyone wants to do helps to bring people together but still be financially accessible and not break the bank.

Picnic in the park, this is easy and perfect for those who like a good natter, everyone either bring their lunch or bring an item to share this could be done in a work hour with colleagues as well you need some beautiful outside space maybe a picnic blanket or that jumper you always forget to take home in your car to sit on. I would recommend communicating with one another so no one brings the same thing and that there's a variety that meets everyone's diet requirements. Remember paper cups, plates, and cutlery if needed. You don't want birds or squirrels to come and eat your crumbs off your lap. This is the perfect for people to try new foods, with people bringing dishes from their cultures.

Pizza-making party- you don’t need a pizza-cooking machine for this, but get all the toppings anyone could ever imagine. Get the tunes on Boogy around the kitchen, and eat some good food. I would even recommend making a sweet pizza with chocolate spread with marshmallows and sprinkles if you have more space in your tummy. Or, if pizza isn’t for you, take the time to make your fresh pasta with friends or family. I have gone to a pasta-making party before, and though it might seem desirous, it is more definitely worth it.

The classic summertime British dinner is the BBQ. If you have read my previous post on the musts at a BBQ, you will be all equipped for this one. Just remember to be safe. If you're in a public area, check to see if you can use a disposable BBQ; most places wouldn’t. Remember, it’s not just about cooking the food; it’s the salads, sides, drinks, and the pudding. Everyone should bring something to the table, homemade or not.

Outside the cinema—sheet and a projector. Everyone has heard of the book clubs, but what about the movie club? A member can choose the film and snacks each week and set it up. If it's warm, put on airbeds, build a fort with a projector onto that spare white sheet in the garden with a glass of something fancy, or go inside under the blankets for cocktail night—I did this last summer. Each girl brought her cocktail or mocktail to her house, enough for everyone. Then you go around and have a drink, chat, get a bit tipsy, and dance to Mamma Mia like no one is watching. You can even make them together and shake it up to shake it off by Taylor Swift.

Dine with Me is perfect for couples or friend duos. Each group had to make starters, mains, or puddings, and then everyone rated each element. If you want to make it a weekly occasion, the pair will cook all three courses, and everyone will judge. The week after, move to the next pair and compare the following partnerships.

For my crafty people, or if you wish to be crafty, go to Tiger and buy the paint-your-own mug, get some drinks and snacks, sit in the sun, and when it goes down, chat and paint away. You can do a mini little canvas. You could paint a bit, change with the person next to you, and keep going until it returns to the original owner. There are so many possibilities.

Water Fights might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Still, with water fights, you need cheap guns for Poundland, wet sounds, or even a sprinkler and hose. After a hot day of sunbathing and chilling with ice cream in the back garden, it’s the perfect time to prevent heat stroke and sunburn from setting in too much. Please ensure everyone has some spare clothes, but to be honest, water fights are spontaneous games and, therefore, do not come with much planning; otherwise, it somewhat takes the fun out of it.

If possible, go to the nearest beach, catch the sun, read a book, and place cricket or football on the harder sand. Chat gossip, go surfing or jump those waves, then eat fish and chips at sunset. My favourite place in the world is at the beach at sunset. It is still warm, but it’s quiet, and all the guests and day trippers have left for home, and there is this breath of fresh air and calmness when the waves crash on the shore. It's a perfect place if you have a large group. Remember chairs, blankets, towels swimming in, costumes, change of clothes, drinks and snacks, and any entertainment time. I like a castle or a massive bridge to let out that inner child in you.

There are many other ideas, like going to a pick-your-own or pick-your-own sunflower festival or even having a competition to see who can have the tallest sunflower. Go for a gentle bike ride around a lake with a stop-off at the cafe. Watch major sporting events at your local pub and pretend you are patriotic for once a pub garden crawl, the summer version being pub gardens. You can always ask your friends to put some ideas in a hat and randomly pick one out so it’s fair and anonymous, and continue taking them out of the hat as the summer goes on. I feel it’s harder to cancel plans when there’s an activity or something fun to do that’s not just coffee and cake at the same local cafe. Something everyone wants to do helps to bring people together but still be financially accessible and not break the bank.