Any ideas what to do with a 10 yo girl and 2 yo boy during hot summer holidays, on a tight budget?

Question

As i work from home i can be quite flexible but i dont want them to be bored on the times we have to stay in!

Sorry, I am in the UK. I am looking for ideas for when i HAVE to stay indoors to work...which means my daughter will need to entertain herself and my son will need to be close by...our outings are planned as much as they can be but i do still have to work!

I forgot to mention, as i'm a craft retailer, we do all kinds of crafts already but dd is wanting to do something a little different....lovin all the great replies coming in!! Thanks so much!!

Answer 1

play in the sprinkler
take a walk in the morning or evening when it's not as hot
go to the park
bake something together
play games, cards, etc.
have a picnic
look for free festivals in your area (we had an Animal Planet Expo here last week that was very cool.....free bounce house, face painting and a climbing wall!)

Answer 2

If they can go outside, anything involving water is good. You can get a small kiddie pool, fill it with cold water from the hose, and they can keep themselves cool and entertained. Any kind of sprinkler is also great, it's amazing how long kids can be entertained by that before getting bored.

If they have to stay inside, of course there's always TV and video games, but those aren't reccomended. As you've probably learned by this point, reverse psychology can be surprisingly effective, as can competition. You could probably have your kids cleaning the house by racing to see who can get tasks done the quickest. The "silent game" can get very competitive if you hype it up right.

When I was growing up, you could give us a board game and we'd entertain ourselves for hours, but kids expect something shinier and more expensive now it seems. Give a shot at the old school arts and crafts: drawing, painting, building things out of popsicle sticks, tie-dye, etc. If your kids are good at sitting still, challenge them to complete a jigsaw puzzle by the end of the day. Then the next day, challenge them to do it upside-down. It will probably take them longer than a day, and you can use the same puzzle twice.

If you're stumped for ideas and on a budget, try going to the Salvation Army or another kind of secondhand store (a popular one around here is Savers). You'd be surprised what you can find at a very good price, and you'd find things you wouldn't normally think of.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

Beach is the best, but if you can't get away try setting up a sprinkler and a mini pool. Also, for the 10 yr old (as she might get bored quicker) you might want to pick up something like a cheap sno-cone maker. I had Snoopy one when I was a kid and remember getting hours of enjoyment out of it in the backyard. Also, if she has a bike she'll be able to find lots to do on her own.

And blowing bubbles is always a great summer activity for any age=)

Answer 4

Finger paint, sock puppets, and other crafts have them paint and then make a scrapbook with them. You also need to make sure you have break time to spend with you. Set a timer and when it goes off they know that you are all theirs. Your 10 year old needs a friend to go with once a week to give her some fun time without the baby. Find a friend who is willing to have her over or even a few of them and work out a schedule.

Answer 5

FamilyFun.com is a great site for activity ideas - really. You can thnk up something fun to do that will involve both kids on the days when you have to stay in. Also, take turns with the kids. Maybe your 10-yr-old has a fav movie or book or video game that he/she wants to share with you - give the two-yr-old a safe activity within eyesight and indulge your 10-yr-old.

Answer 6

have arts and crafts times
crayons paper
play Doe


My kids make greeting cards
we put up who all is haveing a birthday or anniversery ect for the month and then they each make a card for the person

the dollar store will have cheap supplies
like glitter stick glue works best with the little ones

playdoe will keep them busy for a long time too

they can make statues and art pieces and then let them dry

puzzles and coloring books

Answer 7

The park, a friends pool. Go take them to get a slurpee or icee. Or Rita's if your on the east coast. Or you could buy them computer games that teach you things. Like Reader Rabbit or something along those lines.


The dollar store also has play dough

Answer 8

One of those little splashy pools and some toys like Barbies or floating fish would keep them cool and occupied you could work right out there with them. Take your laptop outside. Water guns are fun too. Bubbles Toys R Us and Wallgreens have those battery operated bubble guns they do lots of bubbles and are really cool.

Answer 9

we took a weekend and went to the pool, got ice cream and let them pick one thing they wanted to do... They chose to go to pet stores to see different animals. Only cost we had was for gas, lunch and ice cream..... It worked pretty well.... our kids are 9, 5, and 4... Look for some museums in the area. some places have some that are low in price and high in fun... good luck, I know your low budget pain

Answer 10

Find and catch frogs, shrimps, and small fishes in the creek. If you cant find these living creatures anymore in your creek, teach your kids about the natural environment. Most likely you can stiil find one. The activity cools-off the kids, provide them with manageable adventure and excitement, and gives you the opportunity to play teamwork with them. You need to bring fish-catching nets and first aid.