Finding fun things to do with kids at home that won’t break the bank can be fairly easy and really fun!
We are always saying how bored we are (not just the kids say this😅) so coming up with some fun activities to do at home really helped.
This also kept us from going for drives or doing something out of the house for twice as much.
Also with technology now a days we sometimes find ourselves glued to our devices which we all know isn’t the best, we need meaningful connection, especially with our families.
This is a win-win for everyone, so set aside some time and pick a few from the list below! 😘
1. Make your own pizza night!
This is a huge hit in my house having all boys, sometimes it isn’t exactly “cheap” since my family loves tons of meat.
However, the pizza lasts at least two days and it is always a fun evening. For us also on pizza night we allow them to sit in the living room and watch a movie while we eat.
2. Campfire night.
You can do this during any season, we actually prefer the colder months since the snow blocks the fire and it keeps us all nice and warm.
Have some hot-dogs, marshmallows and s’mores!
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3. Board game night.
This is actually a great one and popular since we all would like our kids to cut back on their screen time.😏 Some fun board games to try are:
- Twister
- Monopoly
- Sorry
- Chess
- Checkers
- Battle ship
- Guess who?
- Clue
4. Camp in backyard.
All you need for this is a tent and some decent weather! Kids love camping, even in the backyard! 🏕
5. Movie night.
Get some popcorn and other movie theater related snacks and watch a movie with the family. If you are feeling motivated, setup a canteen and let your kids choose what snacks they’d like. Just like being at a real theater! 🎥
6. Rootbeer floats party.
Rootbeer floats were very popular when I was a kid, so I am sure they still are or would be. Throw a mini party with games, and of course the rootbeer floats. 🍺
7. Evening trail walks. (Hiking)
This one all depends on where you live, since this is a post about fun things to do with kids at home, so if you have trails near your house or even some woods you could take your kids on an evening trail walk. 🌲🌳
8. Scavenger hunts.
Scavenger hunts are so much much, even creating them and doing the set up is a ton of fun! The kids LOVE this, mine are always asking to do more.
9. Bike rides.
Want to get some exercise and have fun with the kids? Get some bikes! See if you can rent bikes near you or purchase your own if you plan on making this a common occurrence.
10. Girls nights (for mom’s and daughters)
This is always a fun thing to do with your kids so you can do some girly things. Naturally you can mix this up and do a night for mom and son.
11. Boys nights (for dad’s and sons)
Same as the Girls night except of course for boys!
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12. Make your own ice cream sundaes.
This is one I just started doing once per month, it is fun for the entire family and also delicious!😝 I just went to our local dollar store and picked up a few things to use.
13. Picnic.
This is pretty versatile, you could picnic outside on your lawn or even in your house! I usually search Pinterest for some interesting and fun things to do during a picnic with kids.
14. Taco night.
I know a ton of families who already have a taco Tuesday, everyone seems to love tacos so why not? You can make let your kids make their own!
15. Family paint night.
This is again where your local dollar store would come in handy as you can get all the supplies their for very cheap. Paint nights are becoming very popular so why not create your very paint night to enjoy with your family! I am sure Youtube would have tons of How-to videos to help you.
16. Family karaoke.
My family has the Kinect for the PS3 and we have a karaoke game with the mic, this is very fun and hilarious. You can also just get a Karaoke system.
17. Let the kids cook.
Choose a day a week and let your kids choose the meal and allow them to cook it! Of course you will probably need to help them out a bit, but this will teach them how to be more independent and also provide a fun activity to do with your kids. 🍳🍪
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10 Best Frugal Living Tips for Beginners
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18. Family Hide and Seek.
Ok, my kids LOVE hide and seek, so when we all get involved I swear I never hear them laugh as much as when we do this together. In the summer months we play outside, but even inside is still fun. (I am running out of hiding places so please share some of yours!)
19. Outdoor movie night. (need a projector)
Watching a movie outside would be similar to a drive-in only better! Make it a family tradition or invite some of your kids friends over and set this up in your backyard.
20. Kids sleepover buffet.
This is having some of your kids friends over and setting up a snack buffet and play a movie or have some mini games. Great idea for Birthday parties as well.
21. Yoga night.
Yoga is an amazing stress relief and helps your body in so many ways! Your kids will enjoy learning something new and it is great exercise for the entire family.
22. Pretend You-tubers.
This idea I got off a Facebook Group and I know 100% my kids would flip over this. Some ideas for this are to videotape you and/or your kids revealing something (youtube reveal) OR talking about something they love to do, create their own challenge, and well so much more.
Of course you don’t actually upload the video to Youtube, unless you want to. We just do it for fun, or as my oldest says “Practice for when he is old enough to be a real youtuber!” 😅
23. Fancy in-home dinner night.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much my boys enjoyed this. I set up a nice candle lit dinner and explained to them that we were being a pretend royal family and we had to dress in our nicest clothes and be on our best behavior.
We actually tried to talk proper and it ended up being very funny, it was a great memory that they ask to repeat almost every night now.😏
24. Living room camping.
This one is pretty easy and actually a huge hit with my kids and their friends. We just set up a tent in the living room, let the kids hang out and tell scary stories. We also buy them a few snacks to enjoy.
25. Build in-door forts.
I remember having a ton of fun doing this as a child so naturally my kids enjoy this also. If you don’t have a ton of furniture you can make into forts, Amazon has some ways to make forts without using couch cushions.😋
26. Craft night.
You can do almost anything with this. Again I use Pinterest to get some ideas and shop at my local dollar store.
27. Dress up.
Do you have a slew of old Halloween costumes? Use them for dress up parties! Everyone can dress up and even create a theme, you can have food, games, and anything else you can think of related to the theme you choose!
28. Dance party.
Get a disco ball for this one, because well what’s a dance party without fun lights flashing all around! 💃
Toddler Activities
1. Soapy Water
Toddlers seem to love this, fill a bin with warm soapy water, toss some measuring cups or water toys in and let them play!
Tip: Lay down a couple towels underneath for easy clean up!
2. Make Moon Sand
Your toddlers will love driving their trucks around in this cool sand.
How to make:
- 8 cups of flour
- 1 cup oil (we use baby oil)
You can lessen the recipe if you want, I just added flour and oil until I had my desired amount.
3. Play-Doh
A simple yet effective activity for toddlers. Give them cut outs to use or teach them how to make a snake!