Frugal Family Activity Ideas

amandajane · 01-13-2008, 07:37 PM

I have my 9 year old son for the next three weeks solid because it's the holidays, I'm seriously tired!

If anyone has ideas for trips out that don't cost the earth I'd definately like to hear them. Apart from the obvious, walks, trips to the parks, playing board games etc I'm hitting a brick wall.

Joanne · 01-13-2008, 08:11 PM

As you know from my other posts, we're a homeschooling family so coming up with frugal family activites is our speciality.

Here's a list that I had posted on my blog...my kids came up with a lot of these ideas on their own. The ones that have links are from my unschooling blog...some of them have pictures of the activity.

Go to the library. You can participate in a free activity and borrow a video to watch when you get home
Take a walk around your neighborhood, take pictures and make a scrapbook.
Check out your local community center and the community events section of your paper
Go on a picnic
Go to a matinee or discounted movie
Volunteer
Make a time capsule
Make and play with bubbles
Ride bikes together
Go swimming at an indoor pool
Fly a kite
Play hopscotch
Fly paper airplanes
Make body paint
Set up a treaure hunt
Visit your local animal rescue center and play with the dogs
Find a pond and feed the ducks
Check out your local home improvment store for kids workshops
Invite friends for a sleepover
Draw with colored chalk on the sidewalk
Put on a puppet show
jump rope
make slime (this is very cool!)
Make a texture book of different scraps and remnants around the house.
Make your own 'play-doh'
Make a sode geiser
Make a masking tape bracelet, sticky side out and go on a nature walk. Stick stuff to it as you walk and take your treasures home.

If I think of more. I'll post them.

amandajane · 01-14-2008, 12:50 AM

Thanks Joanne, you've got some great ideas. I think the slime will go down well, lol, :0)

Quote:

Visit your local animal rescue center and play with the dogs

Hehe, he'd want to take them all home

lucille · 01-14-2008, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amandajane

I have my 9 year old son for the next three weeks solid because it's the holidays, I'm seriously tired!

If anyone has ideas for trips out that don't cost the earth I'd definately like to hear them. Apart from the obvious, walks, trips to the parks, playing board games etc I'm hitting a brick wall.

Our local zoo is fairly cheap. Where we used to have had a free zoo run by the city, it has a big conservatory, a small amusement park, antique carousel, gardens, lake with paddle boats and a city pool that is free. The rides were 50 cents each, the carousel $2 and the paddle boats you had to rent. It was really cool and most of the things were free.

I would also check museums in your area. Many of the museums in the states have free days or days where it deeply discounts admission.

farley2k · 01-14-2008, 06:53 AM

The first thing that occurred to me is board games. Boys like rules and games in general so they can be great fun. Since each game is different they also never really wear out, and since they require multiple people they are more interactive than a video game.

Check out Lost Cities, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan or the awards section of the site I found all these links.

While board games are not as frugal as some of the other suggestions I think they pay for themselves.

Joanne · 01-14-2008, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farley2k

While board games are not as frugal as some of the other suggestions I think they pay for themselves.

Pick them up at thrift shops and flea markets. I've never had a problem (so far) with missing pieces. The last two we got were Boogle and Mancala.

Annie · 01-14-2008, 12:56 PM

I'm sure this is more fun for the more arty little kids, but when I was around that age, I quite liked going to the plaster painting place. I forget what it's called, but the entire place was stocked with plaster figures and items that kids could paint and decorate. A lot of my friends had their birthday parties there and my parents liked to take me when I was bored.

Places like this are all over the country, but I don't think there's one, popular name.

Joanne · 01-14-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amandajane

Thanks Joanne, you've got some great ideas. I think the slime will go down well, lol,

Let me know if you do it and how you liked it. We used neon food coloring and it looked so cool! It actually lasts a long time if you keep it in the refridgerator.

Now that I'm thinking about it, we may have to do it again this week. LOL

Gootsy · 01-14-2008, 02:29 PM

This spring/summer I do look forward to doing some bargain hunting some Sunday afternoons/mornings at garage sales/thrift stores.

Make it a game where I (and whoever will go with me), has 5-10 bucks to spend total, and can opt to not spend it at all.

Would be pretty sweet finding some awesome deals and having a fun afternoon for a relatively cheap amount.

amandajane · 01-14-2008, 07:44 PM

Thanks for all the great ideas folks, I knew I'd get some great feedback here.

My son is out fishing with a friend at the moment so I have a couple of hours to myself, wohoo, lol. Joanne, I can't imagine coping with homeschooling, although I love the concept.

We were talking about doing the garage sales the other day, that's on the list. As is the local museum, which you don't have to pay for entry thankfully, and they have a very cool children's section with activities etc.

I think the main thing will be putting petrol in the car. Thankfully it's only a 1300 so $25 of petrol goes a long way. I'm spoilt for choice here, the natural environment here in NZ rocks. I'm just a bit wary of leaving my car parked in some places though, as they are very remote and I don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere :0)

01-13-2008, 07:37 PM	#1
amandajane Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 490 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (287)	Frugal Family Activity Ideas I have my 9 year old son for the next three weeks solid because it's the holidays, I'm seriously tired! If anyone has ideas for trips out that don't cost the earth I'd definately like to hear them. Apart from the obvious, walks, trips to the parks, playing board games etc I'm hitting a brick wall.

01-13-2008, 08:11 PM	#2
Joanne Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Originally from New York City, now in Florida since 2002. Posts: 131 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (43)	As you know from my other posts, we're a homeschooling family so coming up with frugal family activites is our speciality. Here's a list that I had posted on my blog...my kids came up with a lot of these ideas on their own. The ones that have links are from my unschooling blog...some of them have pictures of the activity. Go to the library. You can participate in a free activity and borrow a video to watch when you get home Take a walk around your neighborhood, take pictures and make a scrapbook. Check out your local community center and the community events section of your paper Go on a picnic Go to a matinee or discounted movie Volunteer Make a time capsule Make and play with bubbles Ride bikes together Go swimming at an indoor pool Fly a kite Play hopscotch Fly paper airplanes Make body paint Set up a treaure hunt Visit your local animal rescue center and play with the dogs Find a pond and feed the ducks Check out your local home improvment store for kids workshops Invite friends for a sleepover Draw with colored chalk on the sidewalk Put on a puppet show jump rope make slime (this is very cool!) Make a texture book of different scraps and remnants around the house. Make your own 'play-doh' Make a sode geiser Make a masking tape bracelet, sticky side out and go on a nature walk. Stick stuff to it as you walk and take your treasures home. If I think of more. I'll post them. __________________ My Myspace Page Forever Parents Adoption Shop

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01-14-2008, 06:53 AM	#5
farley2k Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 43 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (14)	The first thing that occurred to me is board games. Boys like rules and games in general so they can be great fun. Since each game is different they also never really wear out, and since they require multiple people they are more interactive than a video game. Check out Lost Cities, Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan or the awards section of the site I found all these links. While board games are not as frugal as some of the other suggestions I think they pay for themselves.

01-14-2008, 12:56 PM	#7
Annie Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 57 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	I'm sure this is more fun for the more arty little kids, but when I was around that age, I quite liked going to the plaster painting place. I forget what it's called, but the entire place was stocked with plaster figures and items that kids could paint and decorate. A lot of my friends had their birthday parties there and my parents liked to take me when I was bored. Places like this are all over the country, but I don't think there's one, popular name.

01-14-2008, 02:29 PM	#9
Gootsy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 283 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (24)	This spring/summer I do look forward to doing some bargain hunting some Sunday afternoons/mornings at garage sales/thrift stores. Make it a game where I (and whoever will go with me), has 5-10 bucks to spend total, and can opt to not spend it at all. Would be pretty sweet finding some awesome deals and having a fun afternoon for a relatively cheap amount.

01-14-2008, 07:44 PM	#10
amandajane Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 490 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (287)	Thanks for all the great ideas folks, I knew I'd get some great feedback here. My son is out fishing with a friend at the moment so I have a couple of hours to myself, wohoo, lol. Joanne, I can't imagine coping with homeschooling, although I love the concept. We were talking about doing the garage sales the other day, that's on the list. As is the local museum, which you don't have to pay for entry thankfully, and they have a very cool children's section with activities etc. I think the main thing will be putting petrol in the car. Thankfully it's only a 1300 so $25 of petrol goes a long way. I'm spoilt for choice here, the natural environment here in NZ rocks. I'm just a bit wary of leaving my car parked in some places though, as they are very remote and I don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere :0)