Cheap things to do with your kids

Posted by Don on April 20, 2009

I went on a camping trip with my oldest child last weekend with a program through the YMCA called adventure guides.  This is a program where dad’s and their children spend time together.  Two weekends of the year we go to our local YMCA campgrounds and about 120 dads, sons, and daughters spend a weekend doing things.  We shot BB guns, we canoed, we grilled over a camp fire, and we talked.

I started thinking about all of the things we did and really how inexpensive they were to do and other things I could do with my kids that are fairly cheap.

1. Play soccer in the yard.  A soccer ball costs about $8 and odds are if you have a child over the age of 6 you probably already own one.
2. Go fishing.  I live in the midwest and we have 7 lakes within an hour of our house so we already have 6 rods and reels so the only cost is some worms and my fishing license which is $25 for a year.  This also makes a good father’s day present for dad.
3. Go camping.  Most state parks have camping spots with electricity and public bathrooms for about $10 per weekend.  Other state parks even have cabins you can rent and stay in if you don’t want to spend the weekend in a tent.
4. Go on a bicycle ride.  Almost all kids have a bike, if you don’t you can rent one or even better borrow one from a neighbor.  Go for a quick one hour ride around the neighbor hood you will get some exercise and some time to talk to your children.
5. Spend an evening sitting on your porch looking at the stars, or like I did this weekend sit on the covered porch and watch the lightning from a rainstorm and explain what you know about lightning, weather, and God.

None of these items are completely free, but they all allow you time to speak to your child and do things that will create memories that will last the rest of their life and will mean more to them than anything you can ever buy them.  This is also a great time to pass on your beliefs on certain subjects and on life.