Cheap Ideas to Keep Kids Busy This Summer

School's out for the summer and the kids are driving you crazy. Their favorite thing to say is "I'm bored". What do they think you are ....a personal entertainer? Here are some creative, yet inexpensive kids' activities for summer fun. It's a sure thing to keep the kids distracted for a while.

Start stocking up now on empty plastic bottles with squeeze type lids. Syrup bottles and ketchup bottles work really well. Rinse them out and tuck them away in a plastic shopping bag. On a really hot day, give them to the kids and let them fill the bottles up with water and chase each other around the yard. It'll bring many squeals of delight, as well as cooling them down.

While they're outside, it's a good idea to provide water for them. Use a two gallon thermal jug with a spout on the bottom, and fill it up with water or lemonade. Set it out on a table with some glasses to keep the water and mess outside. Too much summer fun can make kids dehydrated and cranky.

Keep a special box, or drawer, ready for action. Sidewalk chalk, jump ropes, and balloons are relatively inexpensive and just might save the day. Have a variety of balloons. Water bombs are always a big hit, but if you don't want the kids getting all wet, have some of those long skinny balloons on hand. The package usually comes with a hand pump, and some simple directions. You can also print directions for animal balloons off the Internet. Most kids like to be creative, and make up their own animals, flowers, and swords anyway.

Rainy days can be particularly rough. There's nothing to do, and nobody's happy. My opinion is to let them play outside, as long as it's not thundering and lightning out. It's amazing how much fun you can have in the rain. You can take some buckets and see how much water you can collect. Save the rain to water inside plants or to water the garden on a dry day. Set up a little scavenger hunt, and look for certain things that you can't find on a dry, sunny day. Frogs, toads, and worms might be easier to find when it's raining. Playing in the rain provides some kids' activities that you would miss otherwise.