For parents on a tight budget, keeping your kids entertained can be a challenge - especially if you’re trying to deal with debt problems or save for something special. But there is no reason why you and your children can’t have a huge amount of fun and make the most of activities close at hand; even if you need to watch the pennies in the process.
Parenting on Female First
If the kids are on a bit of a post-summer come-down, here are some ideas for a timely boost without spending a fortune.
1. Plan theme days
Creating themes for the weekend can help fire up your children’s imaginations and get them excited for their two days off school. Of course, it’s good to be flexible and adaptable but it can really help to give yourself and your little ones some kind of structure to plan those days that can often quickly come and go in forgettable fashion.
2. Create a list of fun (and free) games
You might be surprised at just how easy children are to entertain and how keen they are to get involved in tried and tested games that don’t cost a penny to play or to organise. Some games though will probably turn out to be more popular with your kids than others, so it helps to have a list of options up your sleeve.
3. Make the most of the great outdoors
When the weather allows, there is nothing better for children or for adults than to enjoy the great outdoors and visit local beauty spots in your area. Anything from parks to local nature reserves or the seaside, if possible, can provide the perfect backdrop for fun days out that don’t have to cost the Earth.
4. Check out your nearest free museums
Not all museums are free to enter but many are and they can be fantastic places to take the kids when the weather isn’t so great or when you’re looking to try something different. You might find that certain exhibits at museums cost money to enter while others are free to access and there are often areas designed specifically to engage young and enquiring minds.
5. Get educational
One of the best ways to engage children is to find ways of helping them learn new things. Integrating educational elements into your activities isn’t always a recipe for success but it is well worth a try. Adding in a competitive element can help too.
6. Make food in fun ways
One of the most challenging aspects for parents looking after children on a budget is keeping costs down when it comes to making meals. A good way to kill two birds with one stone is to bring the kids in on the process of putting their meals together and making food preparation a fun family process rather than a chore.
7. Sign-up for Netflix
However inspiring or imaginative you can be and whatever lengths to which you go to keep your kids entertained during the summer, it always helps to have fall back options up your sleeve as well. It’s a good idea not to constantly plonk your youngsters down in front of a TV screen and leave them to it but there are times when some good programming can be a godsend. Netflix is a great option in that regard because it costs less than £10 per month and it offers instant access to a huge range of TV shows and movies for kids.
8. Get other kids involved
Our final tip is to get other children involved and to have your own little ones play around with their cousins or friends as much as possible. If you can handle the bedlam, you might be surprised at how much fun a group of young children can find for themselves without costing you any money at all.
Good luck!
John Baird has been involved in personal insolvency and finance for over a decade and he specialises in advising people facing financial distress. He offers this support though the website Scotland Debt Solutions.
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