A night of skating or a trip to the movies for one child ends up costing between ten and twenty dollars. Even if the night out is limited to just one night a week, that will add up to between forty and eighty dollars a month. That takes only three to four hours a day, so what can your child do the rest of the time or instead of that expensive trip. A day trip to an amusement park would fill more hours, but the cost is a lot more too. Even if you buy a season pass, it can cost close to or over a hundred dollars per person. Just the thought of trying to afford ways to keep my son from being bored this summer sent me into sticker shock.
As I thought back to the summers of my youth, I realized that boredom is not always a bad thing. Back years ago when my children think that I claim to have to walk ten miles uphill both ways to and from school, money was tight but time for my parents to take me places was even tighter. Did I ever sit around the house whining because I was bored? Maybe, but I am sure that it never did me any good. First and foremost, my parents were at work, so they were not there to hear my complaints. Second, if they heard me whine, then I would have been given a chore to do instantly. Since they owned their own business, there was always work to be done. A smart child would learn quickly to not whine and find a solution instead.
It was not always easy to find a solution. Sometimes we did not have the equipment we needed to play the sports we wanted. No football? No problem. Grab an empty milk jug. So what if it does not pass very well. We were not that skilled at catching the ball anyway. Running also gives you more exercise. All it took was an empty spot in the yard and what would have been garbage if we had not saved it from the trash can.
Races were a given. Foot races, bike races, or any other type of race we could think of trying. If we were “working” in the garden, we would race to the end of the row hoeing. If we were cleaning house, we would race to clean the room. If we did not have anything else to do, we would get out and just race around the yard. It did not matter if it was work or play, having the challenge of the race made it fun.
The inexpensive fun did not end with the “good ole days.” Your children can still have fun today without breaking the budget. Take a look around the house. See what you have that can be modified to be used for an activity. Clothes baskets and a bottle or jug can be basketball, soccer, or hockey. Got a Frisbee? Have a contest to see who can ring a clothes basket from the further distance. Got a playground ball? See who can come up with the most unique “trick”.
If it is too hot or wet outside, bring the fun in. Find some old newspapers and make paper mache crafts. Old newspapers and magazines can be used to create a collage. With some copy paper, a stapler, and some crayons or pencils, they can create their own book. Encourage them to be creative. Just do not tell them that they are also learning or keeping up their skills. Let the fun be enough of a reason to do the activity.
Another fun inside activity is putting on a play. Let the children play dress up and role play different characters. They can even write their own scripts! Creativity does not cost anything but time and a few materials. In fact, challenge them to be creative. Give them a selection of materials and ask them to see what they can make from it.
Having a fun summer without spending a lot of cash only requires a little effort, time, and creativity. Take a look around your house at items that you might use. Whether it is something that you no longer need or use that they can modify, craft materials you have on hand, or even just ordinary household objects that can be used for other purposes, fun is right there waiting on you. What are you waiting on? Get out there and enjoy the summer. Nobody has to know how little it costs.
