Cheap Ways to Have Fun: 20 Free or Low-Cost Activities for Families
Introduction
I love spending a day doing a special outing with my child. Days where we randomly take off work or have an unusual holiday, I like to go to the children’s museum or zoo at the nearest big city. There are plenty of budget-friendly options for families to enjoy quality time together on the weekends or special days. I will be sharing some hacks for saving money on family fun activities.
Outdoor Adventures
Outdoor activities are often free or very low-cost, and they provide great opportunities for family bonding. These are some of my favorite activities. We love to camp and camping can be extremely frugal. One of our local state parks offers free rentals of camping equipment such as a tent and campsites are very affordable. Or if that isn’t your thing there are still some other nature based options that are low cost or free.
Go on a Nature Walk or Hike
Despite living in an area known for the chemical industry, our area has quite a few parks to explore. We love going for walks on our local nature trails, especially in the winter when it is cooler. If my daughter isn’t in a particularly happy mood about the walk I can usually give her a nature scavenger hunt checklist. If you don’t have a printer you could draw the options on a piece of paper. Bring along binoculars and a magnifying glass if you have one.
Family Picnic in the Park
Pack a homemade meal and enjoy it at a local park. We love having family picnics at the beach or near a playground. One of our favorite meals to bring is chicken salad and crackers. My child would report Chick Fil A is the best picnic lunch. Sometimes we get gift cards for presents from there and will grab a quick lunch. Bringing a ball or kite can make the trip even more fun.
Camping in the Backyard or at a Local State Park
Camping is a big deal for my family. Our first camper we bought was a $2000 pop-up we bought off of Craigslist in cash. The AC worked and it had beds. Those were our standards. You can keep it even cheaper than that if you borrow a tent. If your state park doesn’t have a program allowing people to borrow tents, try asking around. Many people have tents they don’t use in their attics. Stick to state parks for other local parks to save money on camping fees. Even cheaper, you could camp in your backyard. Set up a tent, roast marshmallows and stargaze. Play stories, play flashlight tag or our personal favorite: flashlight stomp. Just stomp on the stop where someone shines the light.
Visit a Local Beach or Lake
If you live near water, enjoy a day at the beach or lake. We live near a beach and don’t do this nearly enough. My family loves chasing the waves as they come in and out. You can also collect seashells. We always pack lunch, snacks and sand toys.
Bike Ride Around the Neighborhood
One of my favorite childhood memories was riding our bikes to go get ice cream. I guess the ice cream part canceled out the health factor but I loved it. To keep it even cheaper you could hide ice cream in your freezer and call it your special ice cream for after a family bike ride. Your community may also have bike paths or trails to go on.
Indoor Fun at Home
Indoor activities can be just as fun, especially when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Family Movie Night
Our local library has DVDs we can check out, but our Amazon prime membership also has free movies. We use our air popper to make some popcorn. You could also make a blanket area to sit on the floor and turn the lights down low to create a movie theater experience.
DIY Craft Projects
If you are a crafty family, consider making some fun art projects. I have seen social media accounts dedicated to creating art out of trash. You could also do simple activities like rock painting, pinecone bird feeders, or a garland from found items. Check out Pinterest for some frugal craft ideas.
Cooking or Baking Together
As a family we love making things together in the kitchen. Breaking eggs and measuring are two of my child’s favorite activities. Well, I guess throwing flour everywhere would be the absolute favorite. Mess aside, cooking teaches life and math skills. Temperatures, chemical reactions, and fractions can all be learned in the kitchen. Hands-on experiments with baking and cooking are a great way to learn. Recently we made a box cake that cost under $2 with homemade frosting to celebrate Halloween.
Board Game or Card Game Night
I still remember playing Monopoly as a family when I was a child. Set aside the phones and play a board or a card game. My child is still young, but the favorite game in our household is Monkey Around. We have played it with kids up to age 8. A cheaper option would be to do a matching game. See if you can find board games at the thrift store or used options online. Also, if your family enjoys puzzles, having a puzzle night could also be fun.
Pillow Fort Building Contest
Let the kids use cushions, blankets, and pillows to create forts. We also like to use sheets and chairs from the breakfast table to make a fort. Have a fort competition or let the kids decorate their forts (i.e. make a garland out of recycled boxes).
Low-Cost Local Adventures
Explore local attractions that offer affordable entertainment for the whole family.
Visit the Library
I’m not sure if our library is just exceptional or the norm. Our library has a large variety of family events like family paint night or scavenger hunts. They hold workshops about things like gardening, tech hour and even offer help with taxes. Story time is held for young children. My child’s personal favorite though is the children’s area. They rotate the toys frequently and many hours have been spent there playing. Libraries are a vast resource.
Explore Local Museums or Zoos on Free Days
The children’s museum in the nearest large town offers a free entry day once a week. Our zoo occasionally will have free entry days. In the town I live in we have a shockingly large amount of museums. All of our local museums are free. Not just free to residents, free to anyone. Consider looking around at your nearby towns to see if there is anything similar. One museum is hosted at the community college, one is a small city museum and another is hosted by the county.
Attend a Community Festival or Farmers’ Market
Facebook is a great resource for finding local events that are free. I have found a variety of free or low cost events on Facebook. A small airport has a fly in event nearby in the summer that we go to for free every year. The large event in the big city near us charges entry fees. The local-ish wildlife refuge has a free Migration Celebration every year. One town near me has a farmers market every weekend.
Go to a Free Concert or Outdoor Event
My local city has free movie nights during the summer, a summer concert series and the local community college has low cost plays. I took my child to see Alice in Wonderland for free at the local community college and it was a hit.
Explore a Nature Center or Botanical Garden
Nearby we have a wildlife refuge, bird sanctuary and a state run aquarium. All are free to get into. The nature preserve has a volunteer run nature center that is very informative. They also offer some days where they have special activities and animals the kids can see. Look to see if there are any nature preserves near you at the National Wildlife Refuge System’s website.
Creative, Free Activities for the Whole Family
Get creative with free activities that engage the imagination and promote fun.
Host a Family Talent Show
As a child I remember putting on dramatic “fireworks shows” in the pool. I was just splashing a ton, but my grandparents acted amazed. Try getting the whole family involved in a talent show. Whether the talent is singing, dancing, modeling or telling jokes almost everyone can get involved. Make sure to record the show so one day you can look back as a family on the night.
DIY Obstacle Course
I once made my toddler a backyard obstacle course using pool noodles, duct tape and gardening stakes. Since all of my items were water friendly I turned on the sprinkler. You can also use chairs, hula hoops, or cones. Time everyone to see who can complete the course the fastest.
Have a Fancy Dinner or Tea Party
Dress up in your fanciest clothes, get out some candles and use whatever fancy items you have around the house (i.e. table clothes, flowers from the garden, garlands). You don’t have to cook anything you wouldn’t normally cook. Spaghetti can make a fancy cheap dinner, especially if you add in an element you wouldn’t normally such as meatballs or garlic bread. You have to eat anyway, find a way to make it fun.
Geocaching Adventure
I have never gone Geocaching, but I know a lot of state parks participate. My niece and brother-in-law have participated when we were camping before. I’m directionally challenged, so I’m not sure I should participate. I hear that all you need is a smartphone. This is a real-life treasure hunt so kids would love it!
Volunteer as a Family
My child isn’t quite old enough to volunteer yet, but we love to donate gently used items (i.e. our dogs food bowls when he passed away or the canopy bed our big dog is afraid of) to our local animal shelter when we can. I have heard of programs that have kids read to shelter dogs which is a win-win all around! If you volunteer, that is a completely free way to teach your kids to give back and a sense of community.
Conclusion
Family fun doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of free or low-cost activities that can bring your family closer together and create lasting memories.One bonus idea I have is to buy a zoo pass or a museum pass as a family Christmas present. While it is expensive, it will last all year long.
What does your family do for frugal fun? Also, I’m interested to hear does your library let you check out tickets to museums? Feel free to comment on the post with your favorite frugal family activities!
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