If FREE is your favorite word, too, enjoy our Guide to Free Things to Do in Atlanta with Kids all year long. For more summer fun ideas, we've collected many and shared them in our Ultimate Atlanta Kids Summer Vacation Guide. 

Free Summer Events in Atlanta for Kids 

Reliable, free summer activities include the Historic Fourth Ward Splash Park. Photo courtesy of the park

1. Free Spraygrounds and Splash Pads 

Enjoy summer at one of Atlanta's many free spraygrounds and splash pads—great for cooling down as well as running kids down. 

Enjoy dinner and a movie under the stars this summer!

2. Free Movie Nights 

Watch a free, outdoor movie this summer and beat the daytime heat. Or stay at home and cuddle in the air conditioning and screen a free film from a streaming app. 

3. Free Concerts 

Rock out as kids run around in the grass at these free summer events. We like Live at the DTL Concert Series, Concerts by the Springs, and Woodstock Summer Concert Series. 

4. Hiking

Yes, summertime can be hot for hiking but hear us out: Atlanta is a tree-covered oasis making many of our favorite hiking trails super shady. Head out in the morning and bring our list of hiking games for kids. 

Spend the day at beautiful Acworth Beach or other local swimming areas. Photo courtesy of Acworth Beach

5. Swimming Lakes and Beaches 

Many Atlanta swimming lakes are free, like Cauble/Acworth Beach (free admission and parking during the week) and Pine Lake in Dekalb County; others charge a small parking fee. At Poole's Mill Park in Cumming, kids can swim and play in the cool water. 

There's a ton of great things to do along the many BeltLine paths. Photo by Melanie Preis

6. BeltLine Atlanta

This 22-mile loop is an Atlanta gem and a great place to bring your kids and discover more about Atlanta. 

7. Outdoor Playgrounds

Many of the outdoor playgrounds on our list have awesome shade structures over the play areas, to stay cool in the summer and block afternoon showers. 

8. Indoor Playgrounds

Make use of active time in the air conditioning and head to one of Atlanta's free indoor playgrounds, where little ones can climb and play while parents sit and chill...literally. 

9. Kids Eat Free 

No need to spend money on picky eaters when there are great Atlanta restaurants that offer free meals and deals for kiddos. 

10. Geocaching 

Our family loves this modern "treasure" hunt, which you can do with a free app and your smartphone's GPS. Atlanta has thousands of geocaches so start hunting!

11. Free Museum Days

Atlanta is home to fabulous museums like the High Museum, Center for Puppetry Arts, and more. Our list of free museum days in Atlanta breaks down which attractions are free on certain days, and which are free all the time. 

12. Food Truck Nights 

At these free summer evening events, kids run around, families enjoy music, and parents either purchase dinner from food trucks or pack their own picnics. Great options are Fridays-N-Duluth, Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays, and Downtown Canton First Fridays. 

13. Local Libraries 

Visit your local library and check out books to read all summer long. Get involved in a Summer Reading Program with Prizes. Fulton County Library hosts a Children's Book Festival with guest authors on June 22 and June 29, 2024. 

14. Experiments at Home 

Sure, science experiments can be messy, but kids love messy! Combine the great outdoors with STEM and do these 15 Backyard Science Experiments for Messy Summer Fun.

Go on a Tiny Doors ATL scavenger hunt and find the adorable creations throughout the city. Photo courtesy Tiny Doors ATL

15. Tiny Doors ATL

Combine the thrill of a scavenger hunt with the cuteness of tiny doors (exuding the spirit of various Atlanta neighborhoods), and you've got yourself an afternoon of free fun hunting for all the Tiny Doors ATL spots.

16. Water Games 

On our list of 25+ Water Games for Kids to Play All Summer Long, we've got plenty of wet and wild activities. 

17. Farmers Markets

There's nothing like farm-grown food, and Atlanta has farmers markets where you can shop, socialize, and spend a calm morning outside.

18. Backyard Games 

Just like our water games, our list of Classic Outdoor Games for Kids includes summer ideas that utilize household items. 

19. Local Storytime 

Atlanta is full of cute local shops that offer free storytimes: Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Poe and Company in Milton, and Virginia Highland Books. 

20. Dunwoody Nature Center (DNC)

The shaded, beautiful grounds of the Dunwoody Nature Center are open from sunrise to sunset all year. Visitors pay nothing to use DNC's hiking trails, playgrounds, tree swings, and more. Join the guided hike on the first Saturday of each month. 

Bike the shaded Big Creek Greenway this summer for free family fun. Photo by the author

21. Biking

Focus on shaded bike paths this time of year. Our faves with the most shady trees are Big Creek Greenway and Silver Comet Trail. 

22. 4th of July Events

We've rounded up fun free things to do for 4th of July, including parades, festivals, and fireworks shows near Atlanta!

23. Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival - Downtown

Commemorate Juneteenth in downtown Atlanta on June 21-23, 2024 with a parade, musical performances, food trucks, and more.

24. Virginia-Highland Summerfest - Virginia Highland

On June 8-9, 2024, enjoy fun, art, food, and kids' activities in the Va-Hi neighborhood!

25. Atlanta Ice Cream Festival - Midtown

Head to Piedmont Park on July 27, 2024, to taste LOTS of ice cream in different forms (cones, cups, on a stick) and enjoy music and kids' activities. 

RELATED: Best Ice Cream Near Atlanta: Ice Cream Shops that Kids Adore

26. Alive in Roswell - Roswell

27. Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival - Kennesaw

28. Piedmont Park Arts Festival - Midtown

29. Summer Shade Festival - Grant Park

30. Little Acorns at Avalon - Alpharetta

31. Halcyon Kids Club - Alpharetta

32. The Camp at The Works - Westside

Families who head to The Works for a bite can bring kids to The Camp-- an awesome one-acre green space with art, trees, and playful objects for kids to climb. 

33. Stone Mountain Park - Stone Mountain

Though we love the attractions at Stone Mountain Park, there can be hefty admission fees. Enjoy the natural side of the area by walking around the base of the mountain or up the rock. If you enter Stone Mountain on foot or bike, there's no fee (parking requires a fee). This is one of the most popular hikes in Atlanta, suitable for all ages, entirely on smooth granite rock for about 2.2 miles. 

RELATED: Stone Mountain Park: The Center of Outdoor Adventures

34. Fernbank Science Center - Atlanta

Fernbank Science Center offers free admission year round and is a great place for science-loving kids in the summer. Note: Planetarium access requires an admission fee.

35. Centennial Olympic Park - Downtown 

This 22-acre greespace serves as Georgia's legacy of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The downtown park features the iconic Fountain of Rings, playgrounds, and expansive lawns and gardens.

36. Shoot the 'Hooch

Bring your own tube and "Shoot the 'Hooch" as we locals say floating on the Chattahoochee River. Pro tip: Bring two cars and park one at your entry point at the Chattahoochee and one at the end. 

37. Marietta Square Art Walk - Marietta

The first friday of each month, walk through Marietta Square for a free, self-guided tour showcasing local art and artists, as well as free admission to Marietta Cobb Museum of Art.

38. Babyland General Hospital - Cleveland

Kids will love visiting Babyland General Hospital and see where Cabbage Patch Kids are born. There's no admission fee, but all dolls and accessories MUST be purchased.

39. Food Halls 

Peruse the aisles at the many food halls throughout Atlanta and the outside the perimeter.

40. The Battery - Northwest Atlanta 

If you don't have the funds for an Atlanta Braves game but still want to get into the baseball spirit, spend an afternoon at The Battery.  It has wide open areas for kids to run around, plus a splashpad. During Braves games, visitors can even watch on the big screen right next to the ballpark. 

41. Slip-N-Slide Extravaganza - Roswell 

Register in advance for a free, one-hour timeslot on June 8, 2024, and let the kids slide down 200 feet of wet Slip-N-Slide fun! 

42. Tot Spot - Midtown

Bring kids to Atlantic Station for midweek fun during the summer. Depending on the Tuesday, kids enjoy free activities that can include movies, splash time, art projects and more.

43. Kids Bowl Free Program

Sign your kids up for free bowling this summer! Register on the Kids Bowl Free site and select your closest participating bowling alley to receive two free games per day all summer long.

44. Kids Skate Free

Like the bowling program, kids can sign up for this FREE skating program then find participating roller skate centers throughout metro Atlanta.

45. Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program

As an incentive to get kids reading this summer, Barnes & Noble offers a summer reading program. Kids read a designated number of books and complete a reading journal to receive a free book in-store during July and August.