Fifteen Cheap Ways to Keep Your Kids Happy

Keep Your Kids Happy With Little to No Money

by Adam Hilliard

Here are some ideas to keep your kids entertained with little to no money.  Get yourself in the right mindset by recalling how parents entertained their children before PSPs, DVDs, and $15 movie tickets!

1. Have lunch at a park.  The same food you were going to have at home, pack it up and eat it outdoors over a blanket.

2. Is it raining?  (check that there’s no lighting before doing this, of course) Get your kid in a bathing suit or perhaps just some old clothes and go out with him/her to get wet!  Do you remember what it felt like getting wet in the rain when you were small?  Let him/her feel it too.

3. Do a puzzle together.  Generally you can find all sorts of puzzles at the 99-cent stores.  Puzzles will take a good chunk of time, and you will have fun too.

4. Cook together.  This will be doubly beneficial – teaching them and keeping them busy.

5. Teach them to garden.  Even if you don’t have a large backyard, you can still plant mint or basil in a pot.  Imagine your child’s face when she/he sees a plant growing from what used to be just seeds.

6. Play a game board or a card game together.  A set of cards is inexpensive and so are game boards at drugstores like CVS and Walgreens.

7. Walk to the library.  If your child is small, read him/her a book.  If your child is big enough all you’ll have to do is point her/him to the proper area.

8. Encourage your kids to read at home.  Bring books from the library and dedicate some TV time to read instead. In fact, The Children’s Reading Foundation recommends reading with your child 20 minutes every day.

9. Watch a movie.  Borrow one from the library and make it a mommy-and-me experience.  Put a bag of popcorn in the microwave, make some lemonade, and you’ll have the same fun of going to the movies without spending the $50 it takes.

10. Make bubbles.  Bubble sets are cheap at the 99 cents stores.  They’re normally small bottles that you can afterwards re-fill with dishwashing liquid and water for more fun.

11. Plan play dates with family members, perhaps with little cousins or grandparents.  Being in a new environment will feel to your kid like a day trip.

12. Play with chalk on the sidewalk or the backyard when there’s concrete to draw on.  Chalk is inexpensive and easily found in 99-cent stores.

13. Visit your region’s website and become acquainted with the family activities it offers.  Normally there are free activities at the libraries and parks you can plan to attend.

14. Visit a museum.  Generally there is at least one museum in each city.  It doesn’t have to be a big art museum, perhaps just one that holds the history of the area.  Both you and your child will leave knowing something that you never knew before.

15. Camp in the back or front yards.  If you’re not much of a camper yourself, can dad camp out there for a night?  Your kid will love it!