Keeping kids entertained doesn’t have to be expensive, read this to learn budget friendly fun things to do with kids!
Every child is different and will have diverse interests, this includes siblings! Just because they are related does not mean they will enjoy the same activities. Before you go and spend unnecessary money on games, try these activities!
Entertaining activities for kids
The key to making things fun for children is to make sure it is age appropriate and planned around their interests.
Build a fort with your kids
You did it as a child and it is a great idea for encouraging imagination. Use couch cushions, sheets over the dining table or help them come up with something entirely original.
Practice your painting skills
Whether you are painting with water colours on paper, or helping a teen to repaint their bedroom, your little painters will LOVE being involved in the process. Brush up on your skills too (did you see what I did there!?) and make it a full day event!
Picnic lunch
Pack a picnic with their favourite foods and enjoy a special lunch. You don’t have to venture far from home; enjoy it in their fort, backyard or your local park. If you want to venture further afield, try a day trip by reading more about a range of ‘days out’ here.
Fun baking ideas with kids
Kids love baking. This is not only a fun way to kill some time but they are also learning vital skills for later in life and you get some delicious treats made! Check out our easy recipes here.
Sport
Not every child enjoys running around kicking or throwing a ball, but if they do, take them outside and run around with them. Teach them the tricks you learnt as a child and let them show you as well.
Workshops
Your child is always learning and they thrive on it. Take them to your local Bunnings or hardware store and let them participate in a free kid’s workshop.
Gardening
Kids; both boys and girls, enjoy getting dirty and by making a vegetable or herb garden with them they are also learning about how to sustain and grow plants. They will also be more inclined to try and like these particular foods. If you don’t have the space for a vegie patch, grass heads are a great alternative and require minimal maintenance or find your local community garden here.
Science ideas for kids
Watch their faces light up with amazement when you build a real erupting volcano, it is both educational and fun! There are heaps of ‘how to’ guide on YouTube so take a look around!
Or try these 3 simple science experiments you can do at home. We loved this ‘walking water’ experiment that is both easy and super colourful!
Movie night
Dig out those movies, cook some popcorn and get settled in for a family night of laughs and memories.
Fun craft ideas for kids
Memory books for a significant event, covering the school holidays or just because… stickers, felt pens and an empty book! Find loads of craft ideas here.
Get out and about!
A trip to the Brisbane Planetarium, for example, is a great learning experience that kids will enjoy. While you’re up there you can take a look at the beautiful Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
Kids board games
The most entertaining time we had playing board games was during a storm when the power went out – we played by torch light and lightning strikes!
Water play
With paintbrushes! Like painting on concrete paths or rapid-fire tic-tac-toe before the water evaporates – or try making this amazing water table.
A walk with wildlife bingo
Tick off the things you see along the way, like nests, certain birds, trees, yellow flowers – educational and engaging, the first to see gets the tick.
Paint stamping
Carve stamps into vegetables or dip leaves into paint and print with them.
Coin rubbing
I used to do that at my grandparents when I was little. Sometimes we’d even go into the local church and do plaque rubbings. Lay a sheet of paper over the coin and rub over it with a wax crayon to lift the image – simple!
Jigsaws
Pull them out again and remember how much fun they were.
Learn a skill
… like knitting, sewing or weaving – you can make a loom out of a cardboard box and wool, actually that reminds me, my Dad used to make musical instruments for us out of cardboard boxes and rubber bands!
Kids are so easily amused that it doesn’t take much to make them excited, tune into their interests and not only will they notice your excitement but you will also feel amazing when you see the joy on their faces.
When looking for fun things to do with kids, think imaginative and enjoyable. It doesn’t have to cost a too much at all! It’s important to take the time, when we can, to spend quality time with our kids but it’s also acceptable to sometimes let them be bored as well!
