When you and your family are on a tight budget, sometimes one of the first things to cut back is money for entertainment.
When our 3 children were young, my husband and I were always trying to find fun things to do as a family that didn’t put a big dent in our budget.
One thing we recommend is setting aside one night a week for “Family Fun Night.” Turn off the TV and phone and do something together. It doesn’t have to be an expensive outing, but plan ahead and let the kids in on your plan.
Here are some ideas for ‘family fun on a budget’.
1. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Say hello to everyone you meet, whether you know them or not. Point out to your children some of the beautiful things in nature, maybe the beautiful sunset, someone’s beautiful flowers, the clouds in the sky.
Teaching them to enjoy and appreciate simple things is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children. When you return home, enjoy homemade ice cream.
2. A great source of cheap entertainment is your public library. In our library, we can check out family videos and puzzles, as well as books. Watch a video the whole family can enjoy and pop some popcorn (maybe the old fashioned way, some kids don’t even know there’s popcorn other than microwave!)
3. Have a family picnic in the park. Let the kids help prepare the food: make sandwiches, pack a cooler, make cookies for dessert. The city where we lived when our children were little had a nice park with many playgrounds. It was a real pleasure for them.
4. During the school year, we took advantage of the entertainment the school had to offer. For example, a couple of times a year, the high school band has a free band concert. The Christmas concert was always our favourite. Some schools have drama clubs that put on plays from time to time. If you live in a college town, you’ll have access to more opportunities for free or low-cost concerts and plays.
5. In summer, set aside a night to make homemade ice cream. Invite the grandparents to come and talk about the “old days.” Maybe you’d even like to go as far as making ice cream with a manual freezer. If your parents don’t live nearby, consider inviting an older couple or someone from your neighborhood. They will enjoy it and your children too!
6. During the winter months, when it’s impossible to get outside, make some hot chocolate and read aloud a classic book, in parts. Research shows that children who are read to from a young age are better readers.
I’m sure you get the idea by now. What you do on family night may not be as important as just doing it! Keep it simple and fun!
–Good character, like good soup, is usually homemade!