Children don’t go to school during the summer and very often they spend too much time in their rooms, playing games or living with the smartphone glued to their hands. If you want to avoid that for this year’s summer, you need to plan a few activities that will keep them entertained.
You don’t need to spend too much money to have fun during the summer months. You can find plenty of cheap and inexpensive activities that are suitable for your kids’ age. Many family activities are budget-friendly and affordable, and you won’t spend too much cash to include them in your everyday routines.
Here are a few of the possible options:
1. Go for a walk
Nature offers you a lot of possibilities. You can choose your nearby park or go hiking, and have good family time together. Teach them to appreciate the trees and plants, and the whole nature in general. This activity is good for all the family members, not just the kids.
2. Visit the public library
Summer is a good time to help the kids to read more. Allow them to choose a book and read it together with them. By visiting the library, they can learn to be responsible and read the book in the allowed time, and bring it back to the owner after they finished it.
3. Go to a local farm
Take one day to visit a local farm. They will have a really good time watching the animals and the farmers. This visit will help them learn where the food they eat comes from. You can teach them that natural and organic ingredients are better than the industrial ones. You don’t need to pay for the farm visit, but you can contribute by buying a few fresh products from them.
4. Backyard obstacle course
Build a course around your house by using ropes, stones, and other materials that you can find at home. Your kids will be entertained for the whole day.
5. Camping activities
You can turn your backyard into a camping site, using a tent and a few blankets. Your kids can play a lot of games inside and have fun. Organize the activities according to their age. This summer activity is absolutely free, and the best part is that you can always join them on the camping adventure. You can visit theconsumer.guide for more interesting ideas about your summer home camping.
6. Make a home picnic
You can have a real picnic without leaving your home. Put a blanket on the ground and serve some food and drinks. Let the children choose what they want to eat for that special day.
7. Outside painting games
Give them enough paper and just wait until they turn it into a piece of art, using their chalks and watercolors. They can keep painting for hours. Use spare time to drink your coffee alone or to read some good books. The next thing you need to do is to prepare the bathroom and help the kids wash the paint mess they made.
8. Visit a Zoo
Kids are curious about animals. So, why don’t you visit your nearest Zoo? It’s a cheap activity and very educational at the same time. They will talk about the animal species they saw for days.
9. Teach them to take care of your pet
If your kids are grown up, they need to know that the pet requires a lot of attention. You can finally teach them how to play with the dog or how much food is enough for the cat. You can also include advanced lessons like cleaning the litter, taking care of the dog’s hygiene, or cleaning up the pet’s hair from the clothes and the furniture.
10. Visit the most important spots in your hometown
Every town has a history and important landmarks. You can help your child learn more interesting things about your hometown by visiting the most important spots and historical monuments.
11. Organize a costume themed party
If your kids want to dress up, be a cool parent, and wear a costume together. You can choose themed parties, such as pirates, aliens, animals, or ninjas. You can do it at home, with the clothes you already have, without having to buy anything new. Just let your imagination do the job for you.
12. Summer movie nights
Every night can be a movie night. You can choose what to watch, or just let the children decide which movie they want. After that, they will sleep better and they will want to repeat it the next day.
13. Goodnight readings
If you don’t want to watch movies, you can read them some stories before going to bed. Children love their parents’ voices and the stories can be fun and calming for them.
14. Create a morning routine
You can exercise with them after they wake up and include a few good routines for the mornings. Since they don’t go to school, they have a lot of time and sometimes the parents are those who need to organize the whole day. Ask them to help you prepare the breakfast and serve it on the dining table. Let them decide what to have for lunch and dinner. They need to feel valuable and important.
15. Don’t remind them that they will go back to school soon
They know that they have only a few free months until they go back to school again. You don’t need to remind them. Let them enjoy the summer days, without having to think about their education. They are still kids and need to have fun. If you can’t do it, they will find a way to be entertained without any help.
This is a short and helpful guide that helps the parents to get a few ideas on how to spend quality family time during the summer months, and save money at the same time. Every one of the mentioned activities is inexpensive and free, so embrace them and have a good time in summer 2024.
