If you have children in your life, you know that it can be hard to find ways to keep them entertained without spending a ton of money. Here are some creative activities for kids that cost very little, and that you’re likely to have a lot of fun doing together.
- Wash the car
The wonderful thing about kids is that they haven’t yet entered the world of adulting. That means they might actually find some grownup tasks fun, which—if you play it just right—can mean free labor!
You probably can’t get them excited about house cleaning, but washing the car is an outdoor activity that involves a hose; what could be more fun than that?
All you have to do is show your helpers how to scrub the car, and let them help you with the hosing off. Music can make it even more fun.
- Create sidewalk chalk art
Creating large-scale artwork can be a lot of fun for kids of all ages. It lets them express their creativity over a large public canvas, yet it’s easily scrubbed away.
You can buy extra-thick sidewalk chalk on Amazon, or at stores like Target and Walmart. Get a few different colors and your aspiring artists will be well on their way.
Remember to check with your neighbors to make sure they’re okay with the temporary art installation, and make sure the kids keep it appropriate.
- Feed the ducks
Did you grow up walking to a nearby pond and feeding the ducks? If you’re like most of us, you probably tore pieces off a loaf of bread and tossed it to them.
It turns out that bread is actually not good for ducks. But there are lots of other foods they love that are much healthier for them. You and your young animal lovers can take frozen peas, rice, cracked corn, or oats to give the ducks a nourishing treat.
- Play water balloon dodgeball
On a warm day, there’s nothing more fun than water balloon dodgeball. All you need is a package of small balloons and ideally 4 or more people. Fill ‘em up, distribute them among all of your players, and head to the yard or a park.
It’s a good idea to set some basic safety ground rules—no head shots, for example. Otherwise, there aren’t many rules to dodgeball. It’s basically kind of a free-for-all, with each team trying to hit the other team while avoiding being hit themselves. And then, of course, picking up the pieces of the balloons when you’re done playing.
- Make pasta bead jewelry
Who hasn’t made crafts or jewelry of some sort out of pasta in their lifetime? If your children haven’t yet (or even if they have), this is a fun activity you can do anywhere.
All you need is some string and pasta—pretty much any type with a hole will work: penne, ziti, rigatoni, and macaroni are all good options. (An assortment would make for even more interesting jewelry.) You can get some paint pens or paints for a little extra artistry, but that step is optional. Then it’s just a matter of stringing up pasta to make necklaces or bracelets!
