It’s official! School is out for summer. Our girls are moving on to the fifth and 11th grades. No matter your kids’ age or stage, each era of parenting brings with it expenses. Summer break can be especially challenging. Keeping the kids busy without dropping wads of cash is not only possible, but also fun.
If your idea bank for this summer feels emptier than your piggy bank, check out these 10 no spend activities to do with your kids.
Clean their rooms
I know. I know. What kid wants to spend their summer vacation cleaning up a big ‘ole mess? Helping your child sort through clothes and toys sets a fresh start beginning of the summer. Crank up some tunes, set a timer and get to work together. Certainly, kids should be encouraged to tidy up their own stuff. It doesn’t hurt for you to lend a helping hand in clearing out the clutter.
Video game tournament
Odds are good you’ve got some classic video games collecting dust on the shelf. Put those gifts from Christmases past to good use. Draw up a bracket to play some serious Just Dance. Get your Wii Fit challenge on. No matter the game, be intentional with playing together. You might even pick a game per week to play as a family.
Go for a hike
Screens are great for rainy days or when the humidity climbs high. However, the great outdoors offer many affordable and free activities. Take your family for a hike at a local trail or park. Johnson County has a number of superb options for everyone to enjoy the beauty of nature without spending any money.
Host an epic movie marathon
Dust off a treasured collection, hit the library or find a series on Netflix and dive deep together as a family watching a classic or two or three. Maybe you’ll hang out with Buzz and Woody and friends while re-living the wonder of Toy Story. Or perhaps you’ll get historical with the Night at the Museum chronicles. From Harry Potter to Star Wars to the Hunger Games, no matter what you watch, pop some popcorn and turn the lights down low, just like you’re at the theater.
The great indoor camp-out
My friend Angie’s husband years ago declared himself an “avid indoorsman.” Look, I get it. Not everyone enjoys sleeping outside on the hard ground. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a family camp-out this summer, though. Assemble a tent in your family room. If you don’t have a tent, bring sleeping bags and pillows and cover the floor to have an indoor camp-out. Don’t forget your flashlights, marshmallows toasted in the oven or microwave and your best campfire stories. You could even search for the fireplace video on Netflix to set the mood or find insect noises on the internet.
Prepare a themed meal together
Keep dinnertime from turning into drudgery this summer. Plan some themed family meals together on the cheap. Consider having a spaghetti supper. Let everyone help in the preparation of the food. Look up facts about Italy and the history of spaghetti on the Internet. Find a playlist or station of streaming Italian music.
Or you could turn your dining room table into a sock hop. Fix hamburgers and hot dogs. Play classic 50s and 60s tunes. Look up facts on the cost of items such as milk, bread or gasoline in those eras and compare them to now.
Puzzle together
Dig through the closet and find a jigsaw puzzle to spend a day or two putting together as a family. Clear a large space and sit together working out the edges, corners and confusing middle. Don’t have a puzzle or looking for a new challenge? Ask friends if they have one they wouldn’t mind lending to you for a day or two.
Bake cookies — for someone else
I have plans to let my girls demolish (and then clean up) my kitchen more than once this summer. I know we don’t do nearly enough baking together. However, no one needs to eat dozens upon dozens of cookies every day. Choose to bless friends and neighbors with the bounties of your oven.
Plan a game night
Inviting friends to come over and play is fun for adults and kids alike. Consider hosting a game night for another family or group of families. Ask everyone to bring a snack and their favorite quick playing game that takes 15 minutes or less. Don’t have any board games or ideas of what to do? Do an Internet search for Minute to Win It styled fun and find a game to play with items you already have in your home.
Channel your inner Picasso
Remember all of those crayons, markers and colored pencils your kids just cleaned out of their backpacks? It’s time to put them to good use. Print coloring sheets for every age and stage from the Internet. Spend some time coloring.
Summer will be over before we know it. And while taking a killer vacation or even a weekend getaway might be out of your grasp, making memories doesn’t have to be. From playing on the swingset to attending a community concert, your family can find entertainment all around without busting your budget. Ask your kids for input and plan a no-spend day, weekend, or maybe even entire week this summer. There’s no limit to the summer fun even if you have financial limits.
