Thanks to Dan Gilbert of Primrose Schools, leader in educational child care, for this great guest post!
When it comes to having kids, they will always tell you they are bored no matter what they are doing, or should be doing. Being a parent, your budget can be tight with school activities, birthday parties, everyday needs and household needs as well. When it comes do finding things for your kids to do that will not hurt your wallet, it can be tricky. Nevertheless, there are lots of fun activities you and your child, or the whole family can take part in without seeing your wallet diminish.
A little creative, ‘thinking outside the box,’ can go a long way. Preschool teachers for example, are constantly coming up with innovative ways to teach their youngsters while keeping their minds engaged. However, preschool teachers are only given a small budget to work with. Primrose Preschools, the Leader in Education Child Care, suggests that parents use the same innovative ways to stimulate their children’s minds outside of the classroom as well. Children are at risk of losing up to 60% of what they have learned in the classroom if they do not actively engage in brain stimulating activities when not in school.
Here are some things that you can do to help keep your kids entertained and your wallet full.
1. Rent Movies– With so the Netflix, Red Box and Blockbuster there are quite a few options that can keep your kids entertained. Most often times, you can get free codes online for the movie machines and get free movies all the time. Let the kids invite friends over for a slumber party and all you have to do is pay for the pizza, soda and popcorn. There are thousands of movies on the market that your kids will enjoy, as well as you and your honey.
2. Story Time at the Library– Most all libraries and bookstores offer a story time that you can attend with your children during the week. If some of your kids are getting a bit old for story time, take the younger ones and let your older children look for books or use the Internet while they wait. This makes most everyone happy.
3. Park– Everyone loves the park no matter how old you get. Whether you are playing at the playground, walking trails with the dog or digging for worms in the grass, there is always something going on at the park. For the younger kids, let them play at the playground and swing and slide until their heart’s content. For the older kids, bring a soccer ball or basketball and allow them to bring some friends. They can have their fun playing in the grassy field. Even when it is rainy outside, you can still enjoy the park.
4. Backyard Camping– No matter what season it is, camping in the backyard will always be fun. Set the tent up in the backyard and if need be, a space heater on an extension cord, and let the kids tell ghost stories and stay up all night if they can last. If you have an area in your backyard that is used as a fire pit, help them make some s’mores over a nice campfire.
5. Baking– There are thousands of things that you can bake at home. It can be as simple as a cake or cookies but most kids love to play with their food. Purchase a wide array of sprinkles, food coloring and frosting and let them decorate until they eat more than they put on the pastries. Don’t forget to teach them clean up after themselves too!
6. Scrapbooking– Most families have a ton of family pictures that just sit in a box or never leave the camera. Print off a bunch of these photos and let the children scrapbook with them by decorating pages of beach trips and zoo trips and other family gatherings on fancy paper, with stickers and other cute decorations. It will help them appreciate the time even more and keep them entertained for hours.
7. Swimming– Most towns have an indoor swimming center that your kids can go to play in the water and enjoy some good exercise they don’t know they are getting all year long. If you don’t have a public pool, most community colleges have a swimming pool that they will allow people to swim in for a small fee. Some community centers even have indoor water slides and other entertainment that will keep the kids entertained.
8. Dress-Up– Surely there are old clothes in the closet that nobody has thought of in years. Perhaps there are even more in the attic or basement from when you were younger. Let the kids have them so that they can play dress up with them. If you have any fabric dye, let the kids tie dye them for something really fun to do. It will turn a boring white shirt into something they will wear all the time.
9. Fuzzy Posters– This is fun for kids of all ages. They make fuzzy posters with dragons, kittens, unicorns and teddy bears. These posters are inexpensive and come with the markers that you need to color them. Your kids will get hours of entertainment no matter the weather. For your older kids that may want something a little more challenging, there are fuzzy posters that come in a tube that are a lot bigger and a lot more detailed and difficult. They could be coloring for hours without complaint.
10. Hide and Seek in the Dark– Hide and seek has always been a fun game no matter how old you get. It is even more fun when you play in the dark. Dress warmly if the weather is cold, and wear dark colors. This game is so much fun in the dark that you will have a hard time getting the kids to get come back in the house.
There are plenty of ways to keep children entertained; these tips can easily be adjusted to fit the needs of children of any age. Remember each child is different, so adapt to his or her likes and dislikes to make sure the child is actively engaged and will have a genuine interest in the activity. These suggestions are just a starting point, but nevertheless, they might help save you from hearing those dreaded words!
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