Cheap Summer Vacation Activities for Children

If you are looking for some cheap activities to entertain your kids over summer vacation then you need to open your mind to activities that demand other resources. If you can't spend a lot of money to keep your kids entertained while school is out, then make a time investment in your kids and make this a summer to remember! Here are five low-cost suggestions for fun summer activities:

Put on a Play

Plays are fun for everybody! Many children are natural hams and will love to put on a show that is showcasing them! Investments in this arena can be as cheap or as expensive as you want them to be. Play scripts and books can always be handily found at any thrift store, and one script is all you need! Some extra money could be invested at a Goodwill or Salvation Army store for used costumes or suitable replacements. If you have a child in your own family, or if a friend of one of your children isn't quite comfortable acting out then they can be in charge of props or script alterations.

When everyone is comfortable with their parts and ready to put on a show you can invite over a few friends and family for a light afternoon party and put on a real performance. Your children will be delighted to pull off something as grandeur as a play, and you can bask in the knowledge that you have sparked an interest within them in theater and literature! Depending on the scope of their production this could keep your children and their friends occupied for a couple of weeks to one whole month of summer!

Music Lessons

Music lessons aren't always low-cost, especially if one seeks out a more aged and stately instructor. However, many children that attend schools with bands likely have one or more friends or classmates who have a practical knowledge of reading music as well as skills with an instrument. Encourage your child to have their friend teach them how to play their musical instrument over the summer. If one of your older children has a friend who plays the piano, he or she may be able to teach all of your smaller child how to play for a fee that would be somewhat less than a fully trained musician and your child would learn a skill that would last them a lifetime.

Cooking

Cooking is a great activity to keep your child occupied with this summer. Children are naturally curious, and this summer you can turn that curiosity to your advantage in the kitchen. Your monetary investment can be as little or as large as you wish. A cookie mix is always readily available for less than one dollar, and the basic ingredients of a sugar cookie can usually be found in any home. Throw in a couple of cans of colored frosting and some sprinkles, and you'll have a cookie making factory in no time! If you want to go a little healthier, teach your children how to make a wholesome loaf of wheat bread and involve them in the kneading and punching activities that cooking with yeast requires.

Outdoor Sports

After the kids bore of the kitchen and need to burn off a few calories, it would be a good time to participate in outdoor sports. Depending on the number of children you have and their ages, go-cart tracks, batting cages, and mini-golf courses are available in many cities and can provide a delightful day of fun. If you would rather invest in more than an afternoon, for less than twenty dollars at most retail stores you can pick up a croquet set. Croquet is an excellent game for the entire family to play and lends itself to one person practicing in between matches. Croquet is also easy to set up and tear down for lawn-mowing chores.

State Park Adventures

Another outdoor activity that can be done with relatively little cost is a camping excursion. Many state parks are very reasonably priced when it comes to admission fees and offer numerous amenities that the whole family can enjoy over the course of a weekend campout. Many parks will provide hiking trails, playgrounds, barbecue pits, showers, and bathroom stalls for your family to use. Camping out can be a wonderful bonding experience, and the bonuses that come with choosing a state park for your destination ensure you will not be bereft of all the comforts of home.

Using your imagination and thinking ahead can provide you with plenty of opportunities to provide cheap activities that will not only keep your children occupied this summer, but that will also keep them engaged this summer. Many of these suggestions involve you, which will also make this summer a great opportunity to grow closer to your children as they inch closer to their teenage years and adulthood.