Kids' Summer Fun on a Budget
May 31, 2016
The kids are out of school this week. The freedom, the sunshine, and the promise of endless hours of playing have my children bouncing around the house even more than usual.
I‘m lucky. My children will be spending a ton of time with their grandparents over the summer, which is a big help for our peace of mind and our budget with two working parents. Still, summer can be an expensive time of year even if you aren’t factoring in childcare. Registrations for summer camps and recreation programs are only the tip of the iceberg. You also need to consider transportation costs to and from these programs that you don’t normally attend during the school year.
But summer break doesn’t have to break your budget. You can still afford to take some quality family time-and you can do it all on a dime. Here are some great ideas to keep your children entertained while you are at work, and some fun family activities that are easy on the wallet.
1. Have a camp out in your yard. If you can’t take time off work this summer, take advantage of the great weather and go camping in your own backyard. Put away the electronics and enjoy nature with the convenience of your own bathroom being just a few feet away.
2. Remember the drive-in movies from your own childhood? You can treat your little ones to some awesome movies this summer with a short drive to Wabash’s drive-in movie theatre.
3. Go to a movie or concert in the park. Gas City and Marion both host concerts in the park throughout summer, and it makes for a fantastic evening. Bring a picnic, hit up the playground when the little ones get antsy, and enjoy an evening out as a family.
4. Visit the library. Free to residents, the library offers numerous programs to help keep kids busy. And even if you don’t find a program that interests your child or your family, you just might find a few books you’ll like!
5. Make your own water park. If you have grass available to you, set up sprinklers, fill up some squirt bottles and water balloons, lay out the camping tarp, and get the hose ready. Let your kids of all ages loose on a homemade water day.
Summer doesn’t have to take a lot out of your pocketbook. A little creativity and exploring the resources we have right here in our hometown go a long way. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.