It’s summertime, and there are a million fun things you’d like to do with your kids while the days are warm and long. However, cash is not exactly falling from the sky, so a vacation or a trip to a pricey theme park aren’t good options. So how do you keep the fun going for two months without going broke?
The good news is that small children can rarely tell the difference between an activity that costs a lot of money and something equally fun with a next-to-nothing price tag. It sounds cliche but it’s true: All they really want is your undivided attention. Here are 10 free (or next-to-free) ways to keep them busy—and you all bonding—during the next few weeks.
1. Hit the Beach. Of course, this one is a no-brainer unless you live in the Antarctic. Grab your towels, pails and shovels and head for the white sands nearest you. Sure, you may have to pay for parking, but the rest is free: Build a sandcastle and knock it down. Toss a frisbee. Collect shells of all shapes and sizes. And don’t forget to splash around in the water with the kids—it’s much more fun for them if you get wet too.
2. Get crafty. Those pretty shells you find on the beach can be turned into works of art with a little paint, glitter and a glue gun. Have the kids go nuts decorating them and turning them into jewelry, catch-alls for art supplies, or collages. Alternatively, hunt for rocks in your neighborhood and turn those into paper weights, make leis out of flowers from your yard, or create colorful sand art inside recycled jars.
3. Food for thought. The kids will adore making homemade popsicles. Just create your favorite smoothie in a blender, pour into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours. You can also whip up your own slushies with this colorful and reusable slushy and shake maker from Zoku. If you’re itching to get out of the house, head to the park or playground for a mommy-and-me picnic, or to your local farmer’s market, where the kids can help you choose some produce for dinner. If you’ve got a pick-your-own farm nearby, you can grab those berries directly off the trees. The best part? Going home and cooking together.
4. Get wet. Remember running through the sprinkler when you were kid? Relive those memories with your children by taking them to one of your local park’s sprinklers, or setting up one in your own backyard. If you’ve got a lot of outdoor space, set up a kiddie pool or a Slip N Slide. Wanna be the coolest mom in the neighborhood? Assist the kids in making water balloons (watch that younger children don’t put un-inflated balloons in their mouths) and engage in a full-on water balloon fight. And if you’re OK with toy guns, give the kids some colorful ones and watch them soak each other while laughing like crazy.
5. Explore your backyard. Play lawn games like bocci ball, ring toss or bowling. Assemble a badminton or volleyball net. Create a hopscotch board or a twister game on the sidewalk with chalk. Set up a lemonade stand in front of the house. Head to the backyard with some binoculars and do a little birdwatching, or use a magnifying glass to do a little insect watching. Take a stroll around the hood and try to identify the names of as many plants and flowers as you can. If you want to venture further, hop on your bikes, take a hike, or hit a nearby lake where you can take a paddleboat out for a spin for only a few bucks.
6. Listen to a little night music. During the summer, many cities offer free concerts in the parks. Check your local papers for listings. Grab a blanket and a picnic basket and head out to the grass to listen to your favorite band or orchestra while the kids get up and dance. Bring a few glow sticks with you if the event is at night. And don’t forget the snacks.
7. Take a rain check. If the weather isn’t cooperating with you and your plans, have no fear because there are plenty of ways to entertain the kids at home. Sit and listen to the pitter-patter at your window while you play a board game or together assemble that long-forgotten puzzle. Build a fort in your living room, or make one of the aforementioned tasty treats (see the “Food for thought” section) or crafts (see the “Get crafty” section). Hide some household objects around the house and send the kids on an indoor scavenger hunt; the one who finds everything on the list first gets to choose what you cook up for dinner.
8. Get groovy with a movie. If family movie night seems too “been there, done that,” put a summery spin on the event. Take the film out to the backyard for a cinema-under-the-stars evening. Spread a few blankets, set up a projector (if you don’t have one, borrow one from a friend) and invite some pals over for some drive-in-style fun. Serve popcorn and theater-style candy to complete the ambiance. While you’re out there, look up to the sky and search for constellations and shooting stars.
9. Get stoked for September. Keep their little minds sharp during the school hiatus by joining your local library’s summer reading club. And then, as school approaches, hit the stores for some back-to school shopping. Just about now, the stores are putting all that reading-writing-and-arithmetic stuff on steep discount, and it’s fun to stock up. Let the kids not only pick out what they want to bring to school in the fall, but also some cool art supplies they can use all year. How can you beat 20 pens for $1, or a dozen markers for $2?
10. Make a summer journal. After all you’ve done and seen this summer, why not commemorate these past fun-filled months? Compile all your digital photos into an iBook album, or buy an old-fashioned scrapbook and together fill it up with photos, captions, and cool memorabilia like ticket stubs, maps and brochures. By the time your little ones are putting on their backpacks and heading back to school, you’ll have a beautiful collection of memories to look back on.
What are you and your kids doing this summer? Do you have cheap ideas for making the most of this precious time? Please share them with us! And for some fun summer kids products, check out Red Typewriter’s Pinterest page, and follow us on Pinterest!
