Frugal Activities For Kids
Finding activities for kids to keep them happy and occupied can be expensive.
For instance trips to the shops or going to the movies aren't as cheap
as they used to be. Add to this the expense of visiting so called children's
fun day out experiences, like the zoo or adventure park and you could
be looking at quite a hefty bill.
Luckily there are plenty of frugal activities for kids that are available
to all of us. All you have to do is look back at your own childhood
and try to remember all the things you used to get up to. When I think
back I realise that most of the things we did cost very little money
if at all. I have wonderful memories of my mother taking my sister and
me on simple bus journeys and loving every minute. It was such an adventure
and she would always pack some sandwiches for us to eat on a park bench
somewhere. It didn't seem to matter to us that we didn't actually go
anywhere. The trip and having a nice day out with our mother was all
that mattered and she achieved this just for the price of her bus fare.
I'm Bored
We've all heard that cry from our kids I'm sure. The trick is to have
some ideas always up your sleeve ready when you hear that cry that will
provide some frugal fun. After all, to have happy kids on a budget
is our aim and by encouraging them to join in activities for kids they
will be learning at the same time. Yey happy and intelligent kids.
Here are some frugal activities for kids to get you started, but keep
those thinking caps on and find other frugal fun activities that will
delight your kids.
Indoor frugal activities for kids
Story telling - an activity often forgotten in today's electronic
world. Not only do you get to spend some quality time with your children
but you will also be giving them a head start in the world of reading
and writing. It's so frugal too, i mean what could be cheaper and
so simple to do.
Create a story - A similar activity is to get the kids to
use their own imagination and create their own story with you and
make it into a little handmade book, which they could present to the
other parent. This is a great little project that you could carry
out every night a little at a time; it might even be an incentive
for the kids to go to bed as they can look forward to creating the
next little bit of story with you.
Dress up - Don't throw away those old clothes but keep them
in a box for dress up days. Kids love to pretend to be other people
or to dress up as adults and feel all grown up. You could even suggest
that they make up a little play to perform in the evening when everyone
is at home. This will keep them occupied for hours and will help to
build their confidence too.
 Crafts
- There so many little craft projects that kids can quite happily get
immersed in and that will cost next to nothing. Get in the habit of
saving paper and foil and old buttons etc in fact almost anything can
be used in craft projects. Some simple craft activities for kids are:
Indoor camping - Kids love to camp and to create their own
little worlds, whether it be a castle or mansion house. Cover a table
with a large sheet (if it's an old sheet, the kids could decorate
it). Provide a simple picnic and some cups and saucers etc. They could
sleep in there over night in sleeping bags and a torch. I once spent
a whole week in my own homemade tent like this and had great adventures
and i didn't even realise that my parents were being frugal at all,
i just thought they were so clever to think it up.
Cooking
- sadly many kids have missed out on this frugal activity and have
found it difficult to cook healthy for themselves later on. However
it is an ideal and cheap activity for kids to enjoy with their parents.
Making simple cookies or rice krispie crunchies are an excellent and
easy early cooking experience.
Rice krispie Crunchies
Rice krispies
Bar or chocolate melted in a bowl over some hot water
Mix the two together and spoon into either paper cake cups or just
blobbed onto a baking tray and left to cool.
Juggling - This is so much fun and can keep the kids busy
for hours. Rolling up socks into a ball can make the juggling balls.
I used to spend long hours practicing this skill when I was a kid
and I used to love to delight my family and friends when I could show
off my juggling talent.
Board
games - spending quality time with your children is very important.
So why not allocate one evening a week playing a classic board game
with your kids. Turn off the TV, make some homemade popcorn and have
some frugal fun together. Board
games can be obtained cheaply via charity or thrift shops or even
at yard sales, there's no need to go out and buy the latest game.
The classics are the best anyway.
Outdoor frugal activities for kids
Getting out of the house and being outside is one of the best activities
for kids especially in the summer. The best news is "outside is
FREE". So take advantage of this world of free activities and show
your kids there's more to life than computer games.
Train Station or Airports - sounds strange I know but kids
love big shiny, noisy airplanes and locomotives. Take a picnic and
spend the day trying to see how many different planes or trains you
can see. You could even make it a competition to see who can see the
most.
Parks - Parks are great places just to get outside and be
closer to nature. Young kids love to feed the ducks and play on the
swings. Older kids love to ride their bikes and play ball games.
Library - sounds dull doesn't it (well not to me I love libraries),
but to kids it could sound rather boring. However many libraries now
hold special events for young kids, like story telling, puppet shows
and clowns. It is also a great way for kids to meet other children
and for parents to get together and perhaps arrange their own frugal
activities for kids together.
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