Cheap Family Entertainment: Keeping Kids Entertained on a Budget

Finding family activities is easy, but if your family is anything like mine, many of the family activities available are just too expensive to do every week. Keeping within your budget and still keeping the kids entertained can be a challenge in itself.

There are plenty of family activities available that are both cheap and entertaining. You just need to snoop around a little.

Variety is the key - doing the same thing week after week will get old fast. Pick something different to do every week or mix-and-match as needed to keep everyone happy and your wallet full. Most importantly, it's not what you do or how much you do, but the quality of the time you spend with your kids.

At Home:

Board Games - Though they can seem expensive, board games are an investment. They provide years of entertainment if well taken care of. Many ca be found inexpensively at garage sales and thrift stores. Don't forget cards, checkers and dominoes - all cheap and easy for even the youngest of your troop to play.

Puzzles - Puzzles can provide you hours of family entertainment. A variety of inexpensive puzzles can be found at your local discount stores. Even the youngest ones in your group will enjoy trying to put pieces together with mom or dad sitting next to them. If you're worried about pieces getting lost, you'll probably want to invest in a storage case for when you're not working on the puzzle.

Movie Night - Want to see the latest and greatest blockbuster but can't afford $10 a ticket? Just wait 6 months until the movie is out on DVD and then rent it. Even buying a video at $20 is cheaper than spending $40 for a family of four to go to the movies. Best of all, you can watch it again and again. To get the best bang for your buck, wait until one of the large discount electronic stores in your area has the video on sale. Don't forget about your local library - many are now lending out DVD's for your family's enjoyment.

Family Art - You don't have to be Picasso to make art. Spend some time on your kids' level, painting, coloring and gluing together your next masterpiece. Art supplies are cheap and last a long time. Display everyone's art on a special wall of the house, for everyone to see. Your local library has plenty of art books to fuel your imagination.

Read - Pick a book that everyone will enjoy and read out loud every night. To bolster kids' reading skills and give mom a break, take turns reading.

Around Town:

Take Local Transportation - Remember when you were a kid, and your parents would go for a drive? Nowadays, gas prices and environmental concerns stop us from exploring where we live. Get some change (or a day pass), jump on the bus and go exploring where you live. Your local mass transit goes into areas you may never have thought of exploring. Best of all, you're not wasting your own gas and you can center your attention on your family, and not on the road.

Local Talent - attend plays and shows put on by local groups. These are usually inexpensive and will be great practice for your children for when you do get to enjoy more "upscale" settings.

Local Sport Teams - Support for local team by attending their games. Minor league and even the local college or high school teams can provide a few hours of inexpensive entertainment. Bring a picnic and be ready to cheer for the home team. You never know - you may actually see the next up-and-comer!

Free Events - Many cities, counties and parks host free events, like concerts, shows and festivals. Call your local government for a calendar or check the newspaper for a list of up-and-coming events.

Free Days at Zoo or Museum - many museums and zoos have one "free day" a month, where anyone can enter and enjoy the facilities for free. What better way to entertain the family cheaply than free admission?

Family Memberships - Invest in a family membership to your local zoo or museum. These membership give you free admission all year long and usually pay for themselves after a couple visits. Buy a pass to a different place every year.

Parks - The cheapest place to spend a day with the family is your local park. While the kids run around and play on the jungle gym, you could lie out on a blanket and read. Make sure to pack a picnic and plenty of drinks and snacks, along with cards or a few board games, for when the kids are tired of running around.

Take a Hike - Ask around or look online for a hike you and your family will enjoy. Make sure to take into account the smallest one's abilities - you may need to bring along a stroller so you don't end up carrying them back to the car when their legs give out.

Library - your local library not only has books and DVD's for your enjoyment, but many also have programs and events for you to enjoy. Some have classes and reading programs to entice your kids to read and there's always story time for the youngest ones. Don't forget - most libraries have a wide variety of magazines for your enjoyment, so even if your teen hates to read, she may find a magazine to flip through.

Volunteer - if your kids are old enough, spend a few hours volunteering as a family. Not only will you be helping others out, but you'll also have some great memories.