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If your kids are anything like the average small humans, they might be glued to screens all day, or maybe they are constantly whining that they are bored. If you don’t want to spend money on memberships to parks or pools or are in a pinch for money and can’t afford extra expenditures right now, here’s a few ideas for fun, easy, and affordable ways to get the little angels out of the house (and out of your hair.)
- Backyard Treasure Hunts – Skip buying the treasure and burying it with an X, instead, encourage your kids to explore your neighborhood looking for everyday treasures. Get a map of your town or neighborhood (or draw one yourself) and go for a walk. Whenever you see some “treasure,” mark the spot on your map where you found it. Treasure can be anything from an old pop cap to an interesting looking tree or cool sign. Not only do your kids have a whole afternoon of entertainment, but they learn about their neighborhood, and how to read maps!
- Chore Point Challenge – This works especially well if siblings can challenge each other to see who can get the most points, but even if you have one child, rewards challenges are a huge motivator. Draw a tracker, like a thermometer or an empty battery symbol. The kids can collect challenges for chores, then spend those challenges on rewards like TV time (or just control of the remote after dinner), special dessert, or their choice on the family game night. Challenges can be chores folding laundry, making their bed, helping wash the dishes, or even just spending time outside, reading a book, or helping mom and dad around the house. It’s amazing how helpful kids become when they want to!
- Lemonade Stand – An age-old activity for kids of all ages – the classic lemonade stand. Help your kids construct the stand out of tables and poster board in an area of your neighborhood with heavy foot traffic. Usually around swimming pools and parks is a great option. Make the lemonade, but instead of a price tag, ask for donations or even jokes as payment. Give customers the option to write down a funny knock-knock joke or leave whatever donation they feel is appropriate. Then, encourage your kids to chose a local charity to donate the cash to. Not only will kids learn about charities and donations, but they get to know their neighbors and be a little creative as well! (Make sure you or a trusted adult always monitors the lemonade stand, just in case!)
- Bubble Paint – Mix up some paint, dish soap and water, and let your kids blow bubbles on the grass, the sidewalk, or paper. Kids will love helping you mix up the concoction and choosing the colors as much as they will love blowing the bubbles. You can even have them wear white clothes (or any old clothes), and make their own tie-dye outfit. Kids love activities that make a mess, and hey, as long as the mess stays outside, you don’t have to clean it up!
- Backyard Camping – Find a bit of grass in your backyard, set up a tent, and have a picnic! Invite your neighbors to have potluck dinner, tell spooky stories, and play yard games. Kids will love eating “camp food” even if it’s not exactly cooked over an open fire. And this way, you get all the fun of sleeping in a tent without the added hassle of showering in a campground shower or using a port-a-potty. It’s a win-win situation.
With a little bit of creativity and without spending a lot of money, there are a ton of great ways to get the kiddos outside. And if you happen to hit a snag in your budget and need a little help with fast cash loans, don’t hesitate to contact or visit us! Whether you have good credit, bad credit, or no credit history, Tio Rico tries to provide financial loans to all people.
