Now that we’re in the heart of summer, many families find themselves running out of fun, yet frugal, things to do with the family. Maybe you’ve already played kickball in the backyard. Perhaps you’ve already tried your hand at every craft project you could think of. Take heart; every other family out there is in the same boat. Before you reach your wit’s end, why not try these fun ways to spend a summer day.
Picnic in the Park – What family wouldn’t enjoy a fun picnic together? Pack a lunch (or dinner) into a basket or tote bag and bring along a large, comfy blanket. If you can walk to the park, by all means do. Suddenly, a routine meal is turned into a memorable event. Don’t forget to bring along a Frisbee or ball to play with after you eat.
Sidewalk Art – Let your kids show off their artistic skills to the entire neighborhood by drawing colorful designs on the sidewalk in front of your house. Most dollar stores will have buckets of sidewalk chalk for a dollar or two. Challenge your little ones to draw the best picture they can. When your spouse comes home from work, they can give him a tour of their gallery.
Marbles – Have your kids ever played a classic game of marbles? If not, now is the time to introduce them to it. A bag of marbles is very inexpensive, but your kids will spend hours perfecting the art of “shooting.” You can use sidewalk chalk to draw the necessary circles onto your driveway and turn the kids loose.
Lemonade Stand – Foster an entrepreneurial attitude in your kids by letting them host a lemonade (or Kool-aid) stand. If your neighborhood hosts a neighborhood-wide garage sale, this is the perfect day for this project. Otherwise, you can allow them to open their stand in conjunction with your own family’s garage sale. Help them post signs advertising their little venture, select flavors for their drinks, and gather the necessary supplies. The kids will love having their own spending money and may even learn to appreciate how hard money is to come by.
Science Experiments – Who says summer vacation isn’t educational? A quick visit to your local library could reveal a ton of experiments that your family could complete in your own backyard. Look for one that doesn’t require a lot of special equipment and turn your little scientists loose.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Picnics or any outdoor activity are the best to spend with family, and friends. Cheap and fun.
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As a self-proclaimed expert on the “frugal idea’ topic, I can also offer up the following suggestions:
–Most cities, towns or counties should have some type of “free concert” in the park type thing. We attend ours religiously.
–Check with your local county as well about public pools. If you can find one fairly clean, they are usually quite reasonable. Sometimes the kids are free!
–Local community centers usually have a variety of children-centered (free) kids activities. Play time, painting, music, etc.
Only a few, but could help fill up some summer days.