Do you know of any fun and free/cheap things to do with kids?

Question

I have a friend who just became a stay-at-home dad in the Princeton, MN area and I think he'll quickly get bored. He doesn't have a lot of money, he is staying home because he got laid off. If you have any suggestions of things to do that would be great. He has girls ages 10 and under. Thanks!

Answer 1

ohh awesome, i live in brooklyn center minnesota :)

well in the summer, its always nice to go swimming at the lake. we are, after all, the land of 10,000 lakes lol. and sand castles are super fun.

also, make a home made scavenger hunt. if i was a kid, i think that would be really fun! make a map for all the kids, and hide items around the house, or yard, and the first one to get all the items gets a prize (if your low on cash, maybe the prize can be a trip to the video store, and the winner gets to pick the movie. that way, everyone wins).

bike rides on a trail, rollerblading/skating. going to the como zoo.. it has free admission. the como zoo is the best!! :)

Answer 2

Your friend should get moving. Exercising, playing sports and just plain playing with his girls is a great way for him to entertain and stay healthy at the same time.

He should spend time at the local part, or playing a game or two of softball with the girls. Even a trip to the local swimming pool can be fun and inexpensive.

I recently created a semi-water park in my front yard for my son and for less than $100 I got a pool with a sprinkler and slide, a really cool slip and slide and a friend lent me her jump house to play in. All the neighborhood kids had a blast and the parents too.

The key here is to just have fun and spend time with the children.

Answer 3

Check into the local library activities. Go to community parks, the beach, etc. I googled Princeotn, MN and looked at their home page. Looks like it is a big year for the city. Link to page below. Good luck. Staying at home isn't easy, but can be fn if you try hard. Just keep the kids busy, busy, busy.

Answer 4

I'm not sure what is in that area but I know that if there is an Amusment Park anywhere it's usually worth it to spend the money on a Season Pass. That's what I did with my son, I spent $70 for each of us and we can go ALL summer. Brandi =)

Answer 5

A fun experiment is to mix equal parts of water and corn starch. After mixing it, wait until the corn starch settles on the bottom. Now let the kids give a punch inside the bowl. It would be solid. Then, tell them to softly introduce their fingers in it. It would be liquid. Believe me, they would be amazed that such a thing can be posible.
Other thing would be cutting out patterns they can build into a solid shape.
Hope this helps your friend.

Answer 6

I used to throw water bombs at my kid and his friends. I lived upstairs in an apartment at the time with huge windows. The apartment had a large grassy area in back and the kids would run around the building and when they were in my sight I would throw the water balloons at them. Safe, fun, and cool, and I had a good time too. The water balloons are cheap enough. little girls like coloring, or anything with their hands. have fun

Answer 7

A park, the library, it's summer go to the pool. Spend time reading together. Make dinner together. There are lots of things to do.

Answer 8

Hide and go Seek. It's pretty fun. I play that all the time with a bunch of girls. They're all in their 20's though. But it's cheap and fun.

Answer 9

there is always the park.

what about the zoo?
picnic in the yard. just do things with the kids and you will be surprised what the kids remember when they get older.

playing in the park and reading to them will surely be memories that the kids will keep forever

Answer 10

Sheets, blankets and pillows are great to make "girls" club fort. Going to all the parks - making games of free stuff.