Unexpected Long Term Stays: Keeping Grand-Kids Entertained on the Cheap

Most grandparents welcome their grand-kids anytime. Unexpected long term stays are the norm around here. Most of the time when my grand-kids come to visit, they want to stay as long as they can. This time there was a bit of a twist. Yesterday my daughter called me at 6:30 am. It seems they had decided, spur of the moment, to head for Houston for a week. There was only one problem. My youngest granddaughter had no desire to go. She just wanted to stay with Grandma. Fine by me. Now, how will I entertain her? Money is tight right after Christmas. Plus I really wasn't expecting this.

Good thing there's a dollar store nearby. Some people bash the quality of dollar store toys. Personally, I love them. I'm just selective about what I buy there. The first thing I did when I found out I'd be having a long term house guest was head to the dollar store for toys. We got play-do, puzzles, fairy dolls, and a lot more. It cost me a whopping ten dollars for a weeks entertainment. We even got a few after Christmas sale toys for half price. That really stretched our cash.

We'll likely take a day trip or two. Scenic drives don't cost a whole lot. My granddaughter wants to see some horses. I know just where to go for that. We'll head out to the Colorado plains one day. Since we live right on the edge of town, it's a short drive. I even know where she can get close enough to pet them. The only thing it will cost me is gas money and picnic food. It's a short drive, well within the budget.

My grand-kids love making soap with me. Plus we have tons of other craft stuff around here. No need to make a special shopping trip for that. We'll probably paint some wood shapes or something like that. I have a bunch of unpainted yard signs and wind catchers. I bought them on sale at the end of the summer. I've also got some miscellaneous craft supplies I got for cheap at an estate sale. I like to think that wonderful lady is happy to see them being put to such good use.

If you have grand-kids, you need video games. You might not play them yourself, but they're great for those unexpected long term visits. We also downloaded some game previews onto the x-box. It's free and works well for kids with short attention spans. They can play one for a few minutes, then move on to another. We subscribe to Netflix too. My granddaughter and I have been watching a lot of movies, basically for free. It's a lot cheaper than renting them. Plus, she can watch movies while I work.

We have a lot of old fashioned fun. When the grand-kids come to visit, we break out the board games. Everyone has a good time. Right now my boyfriend is playing Chutes and Ladders with my granddaughter while I write. When grand-kids come to visit, don't forget to have them spend time with other family members too. It's great for social skill development. I never panic when I have one or more of my grandchildren for an unexpected stay. I just keep it simple and have fun with it.

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