Fun and Inexpensive Family Activities

We all want to have a good time with our kids, you know, to spend that ‘quality time’ with them that is the buzz word for families today. The problem is, the things that kids see advertised on television and want to do for fun cost a lot of money. You can easily blow through 50 bucks for a family movie, another 50 for a dinner out, or you can hit one of those fancy arcade / pizza joints and blow a cool hundred bucks in one afternoon.

There has to be a better way!

There is. There are so many ways to have fun with your children that don’t require spending a lot of money or even any money at all. Below is a list of some fun places and things you can do with your children without spending a lot of money.

Public Library

Check out your local public library. Many public libraries have special children and family activities. My local library has a regular story time for preschool children all during the year, and then during the summer, they offer story time for other ages too. They also offer special arts and crafts events for children and parents, as well as puppet shows and movies. Contact your local library to see what’s available in their children’s departments.

Museums

I live in a town of only about 90K people, but just recently discovered we have a presidential museum, a petroleum museum, and an arts museum I’ve never even heard of before! We also have a historic tour of the city, all of which are free admission or very low cost. If you live in a city of any size, chances are there is a museum of some sort available to spend an afternoon at for a reasonable price. Check online or use our yellow pages to see if you can find one you and your children will enjoy.

A Day at the Park

Grab that old basketball and dust off those sneakers and take a walk down to the local park. Most every city has at least one park, where you can go to play a little basketball, walk around the playgrounds, or climb the equipment. If you can’t find a park, check out your closest local elementary school. Almost all elementary schools will have at the very least a basketball court. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it at the park with your kids for free.