Necessity is the mother of invention, especially with family bonding activities! A friend of mine was the perfect example of that one afternoon when her kids were getting on each other’s nerves. She’d had enough and ordered everyone outside. She proposed they convert their driveway into a life-sized Chutes and Ladders board. Her older kids created the grid, and the younger ones colored in the squares, chutes, and ladders. Making that board and playing the game entertained the whole family for nearly three hours, and it didn’t cost a thing.
Kids love it when their parents get creative. Sometimes, a mom’s creativity comes from a need to cut back on spending, but the kids don’t need to know that. When you’re trying to get the kids out of the house but you’re working on a budget, try one of these 10 affordable family bonding activities.
1. Backyard Campout
Take the camping gear you may already have (or borrow some) and set it up in your back yard. Pitch a tent, roll out the sleeping bags, and roast hot dogs or marshmallows. For the full camping experience, don’t forget to tell stories or sing songs around the campfire with your kids.
2. Playground Championship
Get a list of every playground in town. Create criteria for kids to rate parks based on what they like best: the size of the equipment, necessary pieces, unique features, and the like. As you tour every park, have your kids rank them and keep a running leaderboard. Once you’ve tried them all, crown the best park with as much fanfare as possible.
3. A Cheap or Free Swim
Many pools have slow times when they lower their prices to try and get people in the water. Some will offer free swimming while others may have a one- or two-dollar swim weekly or monthly. Use Google to find out when and where to take advantage of a pool’s off hours. As a bonus, you may discover a new favorite family pool.
4. Backyard Waterpark
When you can’t get out to the local pool, find ways to turn your back yard into a waterpark. If you’ve got a backyard playset, add a sprinkler and an inflatable pool to make a waterslide. Create a slip-n-slide with a roll of poly sheeting, water, and dish soap. Want more water games? Here are 5 your kids will love.
5. Laser Maze
Take a roll of masking tape and some crepe paper or yarn to create a laser maze in one of your hallways. Kids have to try to climb through the maze without touching the “laser beams”—the strings of crepe paper or yarn—that zigzag across the hallway. For added effect, dim the lights and play the Mission Impossible theme as they navigate the maze.
6. Next-Level Fort Building
Whether it’s the leftover boxes from appliances, couch cushions, or an intricate setup of ropes and blankets, there’s no limit of ways you can build a fort with your kids. Level this activity up by giving your kids a set amount of time to build and decorate their own fort, and then have the whole family camp in them that night in the living room.
7. Yard Sales
Give everyone a few dollars and spend an afternoon going from yard sale to yard sale. See who can make their money go the furthest and who can bring home the most exciting or most valuable gift. Try this in a thrift store if it’s not yard sale season.
8. House Swap
Find another family who lives in another neighborhood or town and swap houses for the weekend. Spend the time acquainting yourself with everything you can in the other community: exploring parks, hiking trails, notable landmarks, and even the local church community.
9. U-Pick to the Table
Look up a u-pick farm in your area, and take your kids for an afternoon picking. Armed with the fruits (or vegetables) of your labor and a recipe, make a meal with your kids using the produce they’ve picked. You could also use this experience as inspiration to get your kids involved in your own garden in the future.
10. Volunteer
Family bonding activities connect you even more when you give back. There are always opportunities to serve others in places like food banks, soup kitchens, and nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Volunteering somewhere as a family will bring you closer together while making a difference in the lives of those in need.
What are some other family bonding activities you can do on a budget?
