Life’s too short to worry about the small things. Or is it? These days everyone is counting their pennies and hoping to make them stretch further. Take the same income and give it to a single person and a parent.
The single may complain it doesn’t go very far, but a parent will really know the money doesn’t go far when days out and childcare are factored in. Spending time with the family is the most important aspect of family life. Frequently, it’s put aside because there’s not enough money. But fun for the family doesn’t have to cost the earth.
Know Your Child
Is your child a budding scientist? Everyday household objects can be used to create wacky experiments that can teach your child something fun about science without having to purchase a science kit. A hard boiled egg and an empty bottle can teach your child about air pressure which in turn teaches about how your lungs work.
Experiments are great fun, but be sure to follow the directions and warnings before use.
Use the Outdoors
Outdoor activities are always a favorite with families, if the weather is good, pack a few sandwiches with the kids and get walking! A walk can become educational too, research some types of trees and wildlife and encourage your child to try to identify the different types. Keep a nature journal for your child so they can stick leaves and flowers into the pages.
These make wonderful keepsakes for life for both child and parent.
Indoor Fun
Art is always a subject to discuss, and who hasn’t noticed the magical effect a packet of crayons and paper has on a child of any age? Discover your inner artist and plan a family art project. Materials like a large canvas are cheap to pick up, and other items can be recycled onto it.
Lay down some newspaper and make sure you all wear old clothes and go crazy! Use some street art as inspiration or even copy a famous artist’s masterpiece. Draw the outline of the masterpiece, like the Mona Lisa and let each family member color in and clue and stick until all the areas are filled in.
Role-Playing with your Child
Do you have a connection to someone famous in the family? Why not try tracing a family tree? A little research on the internet could help trace back many generations. Encourage the children to act like reporters and quiz their older relatives about their parents. Get a roll of paper and draw out the tree, and let the children write in names, paint in pictures and even get them to imagine what their ancestors looked like!
Toys for the Family
Playing with dolls may seem old fashioned, but it’s an activity everyone in the family can enjoy. Hold a themed Victorian tea party! There’s no reason why the boys can’t enjoy taking part in tea parties, and vintage style dolls can encourage a sense of history, you could teach the family about old fashioned manners and how to sip a cup of tea with the little finger held out!
Click here to learn about five inexpensive but memorable family night ideas.
