THE FAMILY ROOM: 6 (Almost) Free Summer Activities

Moms have to be creative in the summer. During days when our little people are underfoot 24/7, busy moms need a plan to keep those little people busy and out of trouble. While I am not opposed to some TV viewing, I don’t want my children watching TV all day. With a limited budget, I have had to be extra creative to come up with a fun summer plan. Following are some examples:

1. Table murals: We have a great kitchen table, and I have a ton of butcher paper and tape. So we make table murals. Simply tape the butcher paper to the table, and turn the kids loose with crayons, markers, or watercolor paints.

2. Farmers’ markets: Our local farmers’ market is bursting with fresh fruit, veggies, farm-fresh eggs, and even meat from local growers. It can be a fun outing for kiddos. Let them choose something new and different to bring home, and then prepare it together for dinner. Another option is to go straight to a farm. My kids and I head to a blueberry farm near our home to pick our own blueberries right from the bushes. They eat all the berries they can hold, and we take the rest home to freeze. Blueberry pancakes in December are delicious when you don’t have to pay $5 a pint for the blueberries at the store, and we remember the fun summer adventure we had picking them.

3. “Summer Bucket of Fun”: I found sturdy pink and blue buckets at the dollar store. A little puffy paint decoration later, and I had a “Mom’s Summer Bucket of Fun” for each child. While I was at the dollar store, I also picked up a wide array of fun and cheap activities that I have carefully hidden away—bubbles, sidewalk chalk, crayons, finger paint, jacks, puzzles, etc. I spent less than $50 and had well over 20 different activities for each child. I placed a different activity into the bucket each morning, along with a snack and some coloring and activity sheets I previously printed for free from websites like Kaboose.com.

4. Library: Books, books, and more books! Indoor summer fun in an air-conditioned building! The library is the perfect place to get out of the heat on a hot summer day when you don’t want to be cooped up at home.

5. Bowling: For the cost of shoe rental, children under 15 can bowl two free games every day all summer long at participating bowling allies all over the U.S. Find one near you at kidsbowlfree.com. You can also get a family pass for $24.95 that will allow up to four adults (or teens over 15) the same two free games per day all summer long.

6. Downtime: Little brains need time to relax and recharge, too. Make sure you plan some time into your day for rest. Neither one of my kids will nap for me anymore, but we still have a daily quiet time. They don’t have to sleep, but their feet need to be off the floor. They can either look at books or listen to relaxing music. Children also need times when there are no planned activities…when they are forced to be creative and find new ways to play and occupy themselves. When my kids tell me during the summer, “Mom, I’m bored,” my standard answer is, “Great! What are you going to do about it?” I don’t think it is my job to entertain my children every minute of the day. I want to teach them to be creative and come up with ideas on their own, too.