Great Kids Activities
These great kids activities and ideas are to help those families
wanting to have fun quality time together without having to spend a
lot of money they don't have. We have tried to include something for
all the age groups so that even those trying to get through the teen
years with their children can experience some inexpensive bonding
time.
As you read our activity ideas keep in mind that quality time isn't
about how much money you spend; it is truly about the time. Not
everyone has the means to take for elaborate ideas but this just
means you will have to kick up the imagination and find ways to make
family time a fun time. Try these kids activities for after school
programs, classes and youth groups as well.
Kids Cooking Activities Teaching Materials
Make teaching easier with our activities and recipes compiled in theme sets and books with an easy to read format
Perfect for teaching!
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Kids Kitchen Activities
Cooking together can be a delightful way to spend the evening and
since dinner must be served; take the initiative to make it a family
event. By cooking together several things can happen; mom is in a
better mood because she isn't doing all the work, the little ones
feel like they are super heroes because they are helping cook,
teenagers will grumble at first but, then find themselves having
healthy conversations with their parents, and even tired working
dads will want to join the family in the preparation. In this
chapter we will give you some fun food ideas as well as some ideas
that take place in the kitchen but, you won't be eating the end
results.
- Specialty Night- Making a family breakfast together can
be tons of fun. Let everyone choose the breakfast item they
think they make the best. If someone wants to make cereal as
their specialty; let them because this is all about everyone
being themselves. This is a great way to start a weekend morning
and laughter will fill the kitchen while you cook together as a
family.
- Pizza night- So many ideas to create pizza at home!
Check out our homemade
pizza recipes.
- Cookie Marathon- Let everyone in your family choose a
different cookie recipe. Work as a team to make each recipe as
best as you can. There are endless cookie recipes to choose
from, and with a family of different personalities, each member
is certain to have a different sweet treat in mind. Not only
will your house smell delicious, but helping your children bake
is an important skill that they can carry with them as they
grow. Not to mention that they'll be more than happy with mounds
of cookies in front of them! See our favorite
cookie recipes here.
- Smoothie and Game Night- make homemade
smoothies and play board or card games.
- Homemade play dough- An easy and cheap way to make
homemade play dough.
- Have a theme dinner night. Choose a favorite movie,
color, animal, etc and plan dinner around that theme. See our theme ideas here.
- Have an international dinner by choosing a country and
try some new foods from the country. Dress up and create a
dinner menu for fun. see our world
cooking section.
- Have leftovers for dinner. Have the kids be the
waiter/waitress and include all the options (leftovers) of what
the chef is preparing tonight. (warming up)Here are some ideas
of what
to cook with leftovers.
- Favorites- Let each member of the family choose their
favorite dish and prepare it for a family feast. If you'd like
to keep from having 5+ main dishes, assign a category to each
such as vegetable dish, main dish, appetizer, dessert, etc.
- Random Dinner- Have each member of the family choose an
item from the cupboard or fridge and as a family figure out how
and/or what to make for dinner with the items chosen.
At Home Activities
Being stuck in the house can drive parents and children alike a
little over the edge. There are varying reasons that families may be
stuck inside the house; for example, rain, snow, extreme heat, or
maybe there just aren't extra funds available for going out for some
extracurricular activities. You and your family can still have fun
while being "trapped" inside the house. These 10 inexpensive ideas
can create hours of fun and memories.
- Family slumber party and pillow making night
See our food ideas for slumber
parties and have each child create a pillow or pillowcase.
- Coupon challenge game
See our coupon
game tutorial here.
- Using your recycling game
See our recycling
game tutorial here.
- Dance off
Try on some music and have a dance off.
- Movie Night
Try some of our movie
theme food ideas here.
- Family vision board
What are your goals for the family, where to want to travel, see
and do. Cut pictures from magazines and glue onto a large poster
board. You can also have each person do their own vision board.
- Family craft day
Create your own crafts from
items in your kitchen.
- Read a thon
Read out-loud and read to yourself. Keep a list of what was read
throughout the day. For a reading and cooking activity see our cook with books section.
- Stuffed animal tea
party
Create some fun party size food
and gather all the stuffed animals for a tea party.
- House Design
Using kids blocks and play animals and people, create a house
made out of blocks for all the little people and animals to live
in. Design a room for the kitchen, family room, bedrooms, shed
outside, garage, etc.
Outdoor Activities
When you wake up to find it's a beautiful day and
everyone is home get out there and enjoy what nature has to offer.
The ideas could be endless with all the wonderful things there are
to do free or relatively cheap in the outdoors. So in the essence of
time here are 10 great ideas that the whole family can enjoy.
- Take a walk
- Create an obstacle course- Use your yard and items you
already have to create an obstacle course. Items you might use
are hula hoops, hoses, balls, boards, tires, or whatever else
your imagination comes up with. Take turns running the course
and time each other. This is something you can make a
neighborhood event by inviting other children to join in the
fun. Once again you will be getting the kids out of the house,
enjoying the outdoors, and keeping everyone's metabolism
bouncing.
- Animals- Visit a petting zoo, animal shelter, or
other park with animals.
- Local Sites- Check out your local parks and recreation
department to discover new parks in your area.
- Tour a factory- Many factories offer tours to the
public at no charge simply for the word of mouth publicity it
will earn them. There is a web site available that lists over
500 companies in the USA that offer tours called
factorytoursusa.com. If you don't find what you are looking for
don't be bashful call a factory in your town and ask if they
offer or would consider a tour of their facility. This can be
both educational and enlightening for the young and the older.
See our tips
on adding these ideas to cooking lessons.
- Bowling in the backyard-Collect milk jugs or 2 liter
bottles and go bowling in the backyard. This may take some
planning ahead to save up 8 pins, recycled bottles. Set up your
bottles and find a good size ball such as a basketball, soccer
ball or volleyball. No need to take score just enjoy playing a
round of bowling. If the pins fall over too easily, pour a
little sand into each bottle.
- Family Bike Rides
- Family or neighborhood sports.
- Host a treasure hunt. Here are some scavenger hunt ideas as well.
- Outdoor reading- Pack up a few snacks and a pile of
children's books. Find a tree either in your backyard or at the
park. Lay out a blanket and read under the shade of a tree.
More Kids Activities Topics
See more ideas for children by clicking on each circle.
Seasonal Family Activities
Every season can bring about new and exciting ways for your family
to have fun being frugal. Let's run through the seasons and explore
some ideas that might get you motivated.
Visit
our seasonal activities.
Here are some seasonal activities to include through the year.
- Grow your own veggies
- Go horseback riding
- Picnics
- Fly a kite
- Wildflower picking
- Paper airplane flying
- sidewalk chalk
- splash in the puddles
- make homemade popsicles
- water balloon fight
- water games outside
- bird watching
- family car wash
- collect autumn leaves
- visit a pumpkin patch
- visit a farmers market
- make a scarecrow
- family football
- paint rocks
- gather pinecones and make decorations
- Neighborhood potluck
- bob for apples
- hot chocolate night
- make a snowman
- make homemade bread
- paint the snow with food coloring
- play freeze tag outside
- make a terrarium-a mini landscape with plants in a bottle, out
of a large glass bottle or plastic bottle.
Building Family Foundations- Key Points to Remember
As well as all of these great kids activities and ideas we've talked
about on this page, here are some quick reminders on building family
relationships that last.
- Have complete focus on family when spending time together.
- Spending time together doesn't have to wipe out your wallet.
- Listen to the answer when you ask your children a question.
- Know your children's behaviors and look for changes.
- Get things organized to allow more time for family.
- Play games, talk, snuggle, have a tickle fight. It doesn't
matter what you do as long as you are together.
- Sit down together for dinner.
- Take interest in your children's interests.
- Remember first times cannot be repeated; they are gone
forever.
- Make traditions.
- Treat all children the same no matter if you have more in
common with another one.
- Focus on the positive and reward good behaviors.
- Deal with the negative and move on. Don't dwell on mistakes or
make it a prime focus.
- Don't think that material things show your love. Your actions
show your love.
- Be a parent first and then a friend.
- Be thankful for all that you have.
- Remember that you and your family are unique so don't compare
your lives to others.
- Teach your family to be loving, caring, giving, sharing,
responsible and honest.
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Pass the Rolling Marble The next game will take a bit of balancing and may cause a lot of laughter in the house. It is inexpensive and can entertain …
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Right now, you are probably wondering what coupons could possibly do with having a fun family night. Well surprisingly I have found ways to make cutting …
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