I want some ideas to entertain my kids without having to spend any money. NONE! I don't have enough to spend on a day trip or buying anything. Any ideas you can think of that would be age appropriate for ages 8 and almost 10??
2007-10-19 13:52:49 · 13 answers · asked by SDC 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
Fishing
2007-10-19 18:05:52 · answer #1 · answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Call your local post office and ask the postmaster for an inside tour - kids love to see this (a big office near you is best) - and sometimes they let the kids help sort mail.
If you have a factory that is not too dangerous maybe they will also give the kids a fun tour to see how their product is made.
There are lots of volunteer programs that welcome kids, just check out agencies to see if they need help.
Is there a farm that may let the kids come to visit?
Look through the yellow pages for local businesses or ideas.
I think you can have a great time for free - just needs some research!
2007-10-19 23:03:14 · answer #2 · answered by SA38 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Picnic - ya gotta eat so make it and take it
Park (where you're having picnic)
take along blanket
football - or some kind of ball to kick around
kite
bubbles - I'm sure you have some around
You didn't mention boys or girls..so I am going with one of each. Most parks have an area that is fenced in so they can play on the equipment once they get bored playing with you. (just kids - not actually you).
You can always do this in your own yard or home...make a tent out of sheets...they will do this part for you. Toss them some sheets and tell them to build a fort. (give them the kitchen chairs also).
Pop some popcorn
Make some cookies together
Make some crafts...just construction paper, glue, glitter, anything...kids "really" love to do crafts. My son loves it.
Hmmm...carve a pumpkin...it's about that time. (if you already have it..if not wait for another day)
Just take a walk.
Final note: board games is one thing we try to do once a week as family. Kids love this and it's gives you quality time with your kids.
Kudos to you for 'wanting' to have fun with your kids.
2007-10-19 21:29:26 · answer #3 · answered by OMGiamgoingNUTS 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
This is right up my alley. My kids and I live in a town that EVERYTHING costs. This is what I found to keep them entertained.
1. Have picnics. We go to park, pack stuff for day and spend the ENTIRE day at the park we bring picnic food, snacks, and stuff for sand castles. We bring a ball to toss around etc.
2. Jammy day - once a month or so, we pick a day sat. or sun. and make NO plans for the day. We stay in jams, get movies from the library and backwards meals..supper for breakfast and lunch is still lunch, then breakfast for supper. We do nothing but, stay in our jams, watch movies play games, or something else.
3. Fort day! We make a fort out of things we have whether it be blankets, sheets whatever, and we make it inside or outside depending on the weather. We eat in the fort, and sometimes sleep in the fort. they like it, and what the heck is day with the furniture out place?
4. Attend soccer games or the like in your town that are free.
5. Take a scavenger walk. make a list of things you might see, and put them on a list. the rules are simple. Keep quiet and mark your stuff down. Where you saw it etc. and then when you get home the winner gets to pick dessert or a meal.
6. Bake. We have a tradition that the first snowfall is baking hot cocoa day. When the first real snowfall hits anything over an inch, we bust out what we have to bake, bake it and have hot cocoa.
7. go for bike rides, in areas you don't normally go. because they are out of the way or just not on your normally traveled roads.
8. Play cards...look up old games and games you forgot the rules too. like old maid, slap jack, goldfish, and others.
9. Check your local paper for Free events like museums having free admissions days, or concerts some where.
10. All else fails give them something broken, and let them take it apart and see how the can put it back together again in a new way. I gave my son a small precision screwdriver set and an old VCR ( i had gone through it before hand removed anything dangerous such as capacitors and the like) handed it to him and said here, you can take this completely apart and do what you want with it. He actually made me a statue out of the parts he had. The cost...nothing. I had the VCR, and the screwdrivers were s Xmas present. He was 8 when he did this. Obviously I was with him the whole time, but, it was great to see how his mind worked, and I learned a lot about what was going on in his life as we took it apart.
11. science experiments, look on the web and there's lots of experiments you can do with normal everyday items in the house.
12. paper airplanes. My kids and I have paper airplane contests, you get two sheets of paper, scissors, and tape or glue, and 10 minutes to make an airplane. them we see whose flies the farthest, who has the craziest, etc.
That's just some of the things I can think of, if I can come up with anymore I will put them in here.
2007-10-19 22:26:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
Go and spend some time with some elderly folks at a nursing home. I know it's far fetched, but they LOVE kids, and some rarely get visitors. Maybe you guys could make brownies and take them over. I am a (former) hairdresser and I go twice a month and do nails and haircuts, free of charge. It makes me feel so good and those old folks are so grateful. It's also a great lesson for your own kids. 2 birds, 1 stone. :O)
2007-10-19 21:22:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Would you consider a short car ride spending money?
*pack a picnic lunch and take them to a park you've never been to before
*look online for free events in your city, most cities have something going on
*have a pot luck lunch/dinner with family and friends at your home. Each family brings a dish and ya'll have fun!
2007-10-20 01:20:47 · answer #6 · answered by paperpenandtea 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
go to a local park and have a picnic with home made food.
go to the beach and do the same thing. or even in ur backyard.
u and ur kids can even decorate ur apt or their room with old news papers and some taps and make it look like a party day. then bake a cake or cookies with them and eat in their room , take some pictures . and then at the end of the day u all clean it up together.
play in house games. like board games etc..
play football or a racket game in ur backyard.
make a house from old cardboard boxes and then color it.
2007-10-19 21:00:30 · answer #7 · answered by jennifer 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Go to the supermarket and get the bigget scardboard boxes you can and good selection. then you can build a castle that they can sit inside. You might need some wood glue and tape or staples though. Danger is cutting! need som eadults to cut. They can design and paint.
2007-10-20 09:37:53 · answer #8 · answered by J M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to a park or a free museum.Or stay home and play board games.
2007-10-19 20:59:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My library card is almost worn through. Free movies, music, and ofcourse books and the kids can use computers there. My library also has different kid specific programs (Board games and even open mic if you can believe it). I recommend checking out your local library.
2007-10-19 20:59:12 · answer #10 · answered by anonimitie 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋