* Make face paint and use it one each other's face. To make the face paint, mix together 1 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. cold cream or Crisco, and 1/2 tsp. water. After mixing, you can divide the cream mixture into small portions, then add
different food coloring to each. This way you can have many colors available. You can use either a paint brush or cotton swab to put it on.
* Have a game night. Pull out all of your board and card games, make some popcorn, and have fun!
* Take a picnic basket to a park. My kids don't care what we eat, they just LOVE the idea of a picnic!
* Go to a local beach, pack a lunch and enjoy a day in the sun!
*Plan a get together with another family (or families) and do a potluck. The kids (and parents!) will love the time hanging out with friends.
* Borrow videos from the local library. Search for the old classic movies or old television series. RedBox also offers deals for newer movies! My kids love having a family movie night with popcorn!
*Volunteer at some local charities. Volunteers are needed all year long!
* The (enter your last name here) Family Olympics. Now that the weather is shaping up, take a weekend day and hold an Olympics just for your family. Events can range from crab walks to walking with an egg on a spoon to the infamous water balloon toss. A combination of individual and team events will make everyone feel included. Use your imagination on this one -- the events are limitless.
* Make a Campfire, listen to some music, roast some marshmallows and make s'mores!
* Backwards day. Take a day during the weekend and reverse everything to create your own backwards day. Here are some good ideas: have breakfast for dinner; put your clothes on backwards; watch a movie in the morning and cartoons in the evening. Include the kids in the planning and enjoy the ideas they come up with. Anything that is out of the norm will make for a fun day and break the daily routine.
* Treasure hunts. These can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. Simply ask them to "find something yellow" and as soon as they find it and bring it back, request something else. At the end, give them a treat or a little reward. To make it more elaborate, give them a list of the things that you've hidden and let them go.
* Go Berry Picking -- You'll get fresh, cheap fruit, and you'll have a lot of fun in the process -- if you don't pick the hottest day of the year or the hottest part of the day. Keep it short and sweet, so the kids will want to go again.
* Eat like a pig. Kids love a mess -- that's not debatable. So break the rules one night this summer and have a dessert eating contest with only one rule -- no hands. Your kids will think they have died and gone to heaven. Any excuse to eat without silverware and be funny. This will be a blast for everyone. It's even better if you can move the contest to the backyard and hose everyone down when it's over.
* Plant a garden! Get the whole family involved in gardening! Even if you don't have the space for a large outdoor garden, there are great ideas online for balcony/deck gardens, or small container gardens! A HUGE plus is the cheap food you will receive from this!
* Have a themed dinner night. One of the greatest tools we have to bring a family together is the good ol' family dinner. Just tweak it a bit. Make spaghetti, put on some Italian music, and have each member of the family bring one fun fact about Italy. Cook an authentic dish from where your family roots lie and let the kids learn their history. This is a great way to get kids to try new foods, learn about other cultures, and have fun at the same time. Get them involved in the cooking process to empower them.
*Build birdhouses by cutting out the face on a Quaker Oats box, or by making a small hole, not much bigger than a quarter, a few inches up from the bottom of a dried gourd. You can also perch an empty olive oil tin on its side. Wrens and bluebirds will happily raise a family in any of these no-rent apartments.
* Have an outdoor food fight. This isn't something I would do all the time, but it shows that you can let your hair down, have a little fun, and not take yourself so seriously. Just make sure you choose a food that is easy to clean up, and doesn't hurt when you get hit by it.
* Make slime. Nothing says fun to a kid like something that's gross, oozing and slimy. Follow this recipe to make cheap and fun slime to entertain your kids for hours. It's easy to make, and it's a fun science experiment that will leave them playing for hours. This recipe was from a preschool function we were at years ago -- and I have yet to find a kid that doesn't love it.
Recipe:
1 ½ cups of warm water
2 cups white glue
Food coloring (any color)
Mix in container #1
1 1/3 cups of warm water
3 Tablespoons of Borax
Mix in container #2
Add container #1 to container #2, but do NOT stir. Pull it from the bottom and work with hands until all the liquid is gone (about 5-7 min.).
* The library also offers special events, just check online to see what they are offering. They also offer free story times for the kids! It is fun for the kids to get new books to read too!
* Visit your local pet store -- it's like a mini-zoo. If you get to know the owners well, they often let the kids play with the pets.
*Get a zoo membership, it is an awesome investment, and pays for itself after two trips! It also is good for free or half price admission at zoos all over the country!
* Top Chef Family Challenge. Playing off the popular TV show, this turns into a party. Invite 2-3 families over and have a cook off. One thing to remember is that you need to set some ground rules so no one goes hog wild and prepares grilled sea bass or filet mignon. At the very least, make each family create one dish that has a $10-$15 limit. Have everyone taste the dish and declare a winner. The best part? Potluck at the end.
* Build a gingerbread house. This can be a fun activity any time of the year. Let everyone decorate a part of the house their own way. An easy way to do it is use an small milk carton and "glue" graham crackers onto the sides with the frosting!
* Have the kids put on a magic show or skit for the family. Have popcorn to add to the fun.
* Look into music concerts or local plays offered in your city. Many are free.
* Visit a factory that offers free tours or crafters in their studios (pottery, glass blowers, etc.). The South Bend Chocolate Company is a great tour!
* Ride the public transit of your city, and see the town. I was amazed that the kids loved this.
* Go miniature golfing or bowling. Look for 2-for-1 coupons in the local paper.
* Take some old bread to a pond and feed the ducks.
* Do a jigsaw puzzle.
* Make water balloons and have a water balloon fight.
* Make sidewalk chalk (Plaster of Paris in paper cups) and cover the driveway with art.
Inexpensive Date Ideas
* Drive to the tallest place in the city and enjoy the view or drive around the outer limits of the town.
* Rummage through a flea market or garage sales.
* Visit a local art gallery or a local bookstore's poetry reading.
* Go out for coffee and dessert instead of dinner.
* Go to a matinee -- they are sometimes half price -- or find the cheap movie theater in your area. They often cost $1 per person.
* Pull out the music you used to listen to and reminisce.
* Cook something together.
* Go for a walk.
