But They Sure Are Worth It
What’s in your savings account? If you’re a millennial, there’s a decent chance that there’s nothing in your account but IOUs and promises. [Read more…]
Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
Life can be stressful enough when things get financially tough, but when you have kids, especially of the younger variety, that stress can get a whole lot worse. What’s more, the usual home entertainment never seems to cut it when it matters most. While same day lending is available in the case of a financial emergency, keeping the kids entertained when you’re short on money is an art that parents are eager to learn. Here, we’ve pulled together a list of five free things to do with your kids that they will actually enjoy.
If you have a garden, front or back, then make the absolute best of it that you possibly can. Whether it’s breaking out the gardening equipment and teaching the little ones the art of perfect planting, or you set up the sprinklers during the hotter days and watch them jump around while you eagerly sip a cold drink, you can ‘spruce up’ your garden easily. If all else fails, set up a picnic in the garden for a fun way to enjoy your lunch! The fresh air will be good for them, and you get to spend some time together as a family.
Science is cool, right? Whether you actually agree with that statement or not, your kids will – at least, they will when you break out the science experiments. Mentos and Coke is a classic. Any kid will love to watch as the coke fizzes up and spurts everywhere! For something a little cleaner, you could build parachutes for toys from paper or plastic bags to see which float and which don’t. There are plenty of experiments you can find online with things you’ll have right there at home, and your kids will love watching the reactions!
There’s nothing better than mixing up a cake, eating half the batter, then cooking the rest and getting to eat all of that too – and don’t even get us started on the icing. If you have kids who love being in the kitchen with you, why not get them involved? Whether you opt for something simple like cakes or biscuits, or you get them to help with dinner, there’s plenty you can do to teach them about nutrition too. Why not get them to make up their own pizzas, or have more choice over what goes in their burger?
If your children are fans of animals but you can’t afford a pet of your own, you could visit your local animal shelter! Most animal shelters are always happy to accommodate anyone wanting to look around and play with the animals for a while, but always check before you go! You’ll need nerves of steel, though – just think about all of those literal puppy eyes looking in your direction, including your kids.
As fun as a trip to the cinema can be, it can also be expensive. While the tickets might start off cheap, the transport, snacks and more can add up quickly and turn into quite the expensive trip out. Instead, why not set up a movie night at home? You can set up pillows, blankets, snacks and drinks and put on some of your kid’s favourite movies to keep them occupied for a while. It’s valuable family time and valuable quiet time!
Keeping your kids entertained doesn’t have to be as much of a struggle as it may initially seem. Finding something they actually enjoy is a battle worth fighting, and hopefully our list has given you a good place to start.