Fun And Free Kids Activities: You Don't Need To Spend Money To Have Fun!
Free Kids Activities That Provide Cost-Free Family Entertainment
As gas prices rise and families feel the corresponding financial crunch, more and more people are opting to stay home with fun and free kids activities rather than pay for more expensive activities or trips. If you're like many, you're looking for some new ways to entertain your kids -- ways that are both fun and free. We've got some ideas for you!
Be Crafty
Homemade crafts are a staple of the rainy day activity list. To begin preparing, save just about anything that is clean and salvageable from the trash -- including paper towel and toilet paper rolls, milk jugs, baby food jars, old magazines, egg crates and rubber bands.
Search through any of the parenting magazines that you subscribe to, or do an online search for kids' crafts. You will find a myriad of suggestions for children of all ages using the items you've collected, as well as common household goods.
Children love getting messy, so make sure you are crafting in an area where it will be easy to clean up after the project. If they are not excited about the particular project that you have chosen, be open to ideas -- sometimes their creativity is the best guide you can have!
Find Fun In The Kitchen
Cooking is another activity that older children can participate in and enjoy. Depending on their ages, they can help measure ingredients, chop foods, or simply mix everything together.
Pancakes are a fun starter food -- they can be made in various shapes, and with additives such as berries or chocolate chips that most children love. Best of all, when they are slathered in syrup at the end of the cooking experience, they are sticky, sweet and delicious.
Create A New Game
If you're not up to making something crafty or edible, create a new game. Put place mats on a carpeted floor and challenge your children to jump from "island" to "island," without stepping in the "water."
Or you could put on children's music and have a karaoke or dance contest, or beat on plastic food containers with wooden spoons (take some pain medication to ward off a headache first!).
Maybe place a bucket on its side and have your kids attempt to throw small balls into it.
The best thing about free kids activities is that you can try as many as you want and if your kids don't like a few of them, you haven't wasted a dime!