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Cheap, Fun Ways To Stay Cool This Summer

June 17, 2021 | Leave a Comment

Cheap Fun Ways to Stay Cool This Summer

After a long, cold winter, most of us embrace the warmer summer temperatures. . .until the weather becomes uncomfortably hot. We’re in Arizona and going through a heat wave; the daily highs will be 114 to 115 degrees for the next week. However, just because it’s hot doesn’t mean you and your kids have to be confined to the house all day. There are many cheap, fun ways to stay cool this summer.

Outdoor Activities

Play in the Water

Slap some sunscreen on and break out the sprinkler! My girls are 11 and 12, and they still love to run through the sprinkler and cool down.

If your kids are too young for a sprinkler opt for a kiddie pool or water table. When our kids were little, they could play for hours splashing water and throwing stuff in the water of their small stand-up water table. This is cheap, easy entertainment while still enjoying the summer.

You could also take the kids to the local community pool. Once a week my husband takes the kids to our community pool to cool off for a few hours.

Enjoy the Shade

Trust me, I know, some days even shade doesn’t cut it, but for the other days, plan a day of shaded activities only. One fun idea is to build a fort outside with sheets to play in! You’re protected from sun yet burning off some energy while enjoying fresh air.

Eat Some Cool Treats

Experiment with fun, cool healthy treats. Freeze smoothies into popsicles, eat some frozen fruit or jazz up water with frozen fruit for added flavor. Making homemade ice cream and experimenting with flavors is another option.

Indoor Activities

Walk Inside

If you need the A/C, try getting exercise at the same time. Super hot summer days are a great excuse to go to the mall…for a walk. Malls are air-conditioned and have wide halls that make a great walking path. If a true shopping trip isn’t in the budget, go to the mall and maybe grab a small treat like an ice cream at the food court. As long as your child knows the stipulations for the trip to the mall, whining should be limited when they can’t get the t-shirt/teddy bear/cell phone that they need.

Go to the Summer Movies

Every summer, theaters around the country offer discounted movie tickets for kids and their parents. Often, you can buy tickets for as little as $1. True, you don’t get to choose which movie you see at that price; you have to see the movie that the theater company designates. However, who can argue with a cheap movie and two hours of air conditioning while you watch?

Go Bowling

Fun Cheap Ways to Stay Cool This Summer

Photo by Todd Diemer on Unsplash

Likewise, bowling alleys also offer discounted bowling rates for kids. While this activity is fun, it’s probably the least frugal activity on the list because the price of renting bowling shoes can add up quickly. If your kids have their own bowling shoes, then this activity becomes much cheaper.

Final Thoughts

Hot summer days don’t mean all fun has to be zapped. While it is more difficult, it isn’t impossible to find cheap fun ways to stay cool this summer.

What are your favorite ways to stay cool this summer?

Read More

12 Free or Cheap Things to Do with Kids This Summer

How to Eat Well in the Summer

Cleaning Poop and Other Jobs Your Kid Can Do This Summer to Earn Money

Melissa Batai
Melissa Batai

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.

Filed Under: Stuff to Do Tagged With: Cool, Stay Cool, Summer, Summer Activities, Summer Treats, Water Fun

How I Spent My Summer Vacation!

August 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Union Station was one of the places we visited in Kansas City

(via PhotoCommunity)

I haven’t written for Kids Ain’t Cheap for a couple of months now. I was on hiatus while Brian was busy moving and making improvements to the site. I am glad to be back and I can’t wait to jump back into doing my weekly posts here.

So what exactly have we been up to this summer? A lot of things — including becoming very coupon savvy, which I promise to write about in a future post.

Kansas City, Missouri

My family and I also did a little traveling. Our first trip was to Kansas City, MO and then down to the family homestead in southern Kansas. I had never been out that way before and it was such a treat! Not only did the boys and I get a chance to meet family we had only heard about; we also got to spend a lot of time with my husband’s grandparents. It was wonderful!

Kansas City was amazing!  I loved the old buildings and rich history of the city. We visited Union Station. It was so neat to hear Chris’s grandfather describe what is was like when he stepped foot in it for the first time at the tender age of 17. We then visited a family fun place called Deanna Rose Farmstead. It was almost like stepping back in time. There was a one room school house – very similar to the one my husband’s grandfather attended in Kansas. The boys got to fish, ride horses, bottle feed baby goats (yes, it was as adorable as it sounds), see all kinds of animals, go on a hay ride and a lot of other fun things.

While we were in KC we also enjoy lunch delivered by train. I kid you not — a train drives on a track above the restaurant patrons and drops off the food. If you want to see what I’m talking about visit Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant. Just scroll down to see the video; it’s pretty cool.

Kansas

We then took a road trip down to visit the old family homestead in southern Kansas. It too, was rich in history. The home that we stayed in, is over 1oo years old. The boys each had their photo taken in a 200 year old chair, which made its way to Kansas via covered wagon. There was a lot of family around, fun times to be had, great food to eat and interesting stories to hear.

Back at home the boys and I have been spending a lot of time at our local parks. I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that I only knew of a few parks in our area but we have explored quite a few this summer. I had no idea there were so many fun parks! We have enjoyed meeting friends and even going on our own. Parks are definitely budget friendly and kids have so much fun!

We have also participated in a summer reading program through our library. The boys don’t know how to read on their own — but our local library has developed a fantastic way to let younger kids participate. Each month you go to the library and get a flyer with about 20 different activities to do with your child and they also want you to list all the books you have read together. The boys love it! After they have completed a form I take them to the library, where they proudly walk up to the librarian and hand it in. Then they get to choose a prize from the prize box. It’s all very exciting — and free!!!

Idaho

Our next trip was to Idaho where we took in a baseball game, ate yummy food and spent time visiting with family and friends. It’s so nice to relax and enjoy being with family. We always look forward to our Idaho vacations. Since my husband and I are both from there it is also interesting to see all the things that have changed and the things that have stayed the same.

Wow! I can’t believe summer is almost over! We still have some other things planned but the boys start school in a couple of weeks. Even though we haven’t had a lot of summer weather out here; I am really looking forward to fall. It’s my favorite season!!!

Stay-tuned for articles which will include recipes, not so crafty crafts, information about couponing and other ways to save money, I’ll probably talk a little about football (just because I love it), and much more!!!

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Did you do anything special for the summer?

Brian
Brian

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

 
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Filed Under: Random Musings Tagged With: Idaho, Kansas, Kansas City, Summer, Vacation

3 Summertime Activities for Kids that Cost Almost Nothing

April 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Homemade playdoughIt’s about that time of the year again when the sun is shining the brightest and hottest and kids of all sizes and ages are taking out their swim gear, bikinis, board shorts and goggles. In a tropical country, this may be a funny thing to hear but believe it or not, it is not always summertime in the Philippines. Yes, there are basically two seasons- wet and hot, but around this time of the year (March-May) the sun shines the brightest, school is out, and the kids are raring to be out of the house.

For my kids, the significance of summer vacation has not really hit home yet. They are preschoolers so school is a wonderland of books, crafts, stories, and songs. This is not yet that tough institution created to make knowledgeable and skilled individuals. This is still that enjoyable break from the possible monotony of home, a place to see friends and to talk to older, wiser, people who have so many fun ideas they want to implement. The challenge for me at this time of the year then, is coming up with creative ways to occupy the kids that are also informative and budget-friendly.

The fact that they are not yet so into going out of town to the beach or nagging me to go take that six hour derive to the mountain province that is a popular destination during summertime is a great thing because this means I have the freedom to think up things that are not expensive. So, here are the things I’ve come up with so far.
The old-fashioned games of kids

Remember way back when, when there were no Nintendo’s or PS3’s or X-boxes or Wii’s? Yes, there was a time before Atari decided to change it all for kids forever. During these times, the TV was just a box to watch a show on; Or a movie on Betamax or VHS. Back then, kids took their trusty bike’s or roller blades, or if they didn’t have either, a rock and a piece of chalk, and could pass the time in joyful, gleeful, outdoor play.

My favorite outdoor games were hopscotch, Chinese garter, tag, and hide and seek. I really think there is a lot to be said about these games and about outdoor play in general. I really believe it strengthens the kids physically, gets them in touch with nature, and really builds more character. Plus, the great thing about this is that there are so many places to go that are free. You can take you pick of parks, football fields, picnic areas, or even the handy sidewalk right outside your house. I have so many memories of meeting friends for outdoor play and I really am thrilled that my kids can experience the same thing today. Of course, they still want their Wii but I can hold off for some time on that still.

Making clay from scratch for play inside or outside

I loved Play dough when I was a kid. Now, before anyone starts to say I am transferring what I liked to my kids and I am ignoring what THEY like, know that they do really love play dough themselves. In fact, at times when I have to take them out to stay with generous friends while I do an errand or a job, I pack a jar of play dough each and that keeps the super occupied, and super sociable with other kids as well. The thing is though, that buying jars and jars of Play dough builds up in expense. It is a good thing that there is a way to make play dough from scratch. This way, you will always have play do when you need it and the kids can get in on the fun as well as this version is a non-cook one. Here it is;

No-Cook Play Dough recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 7-8 drops of food coloring
  • Water
Step by Step Method
  1. Mix the flour and salt.
  2. Add oil and food coloring to water.
  3. Add water until desired consistency is reached.
  4. Mix well.

Storing the No cook Play Dough

This play dough will keep for about 1 week if kept in a sealed plastic bag or container and slightly longer if stored in the refrigerator.

“Cooked” Play dough recipe

If you want to have Play dough that lasts longer, and you don’t mind making this yourself, here is a recipe for ‘cooked’ play dough;

Ingredients
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • 7-8 drops of food coloring
Step by Step Method
  1. Mix the flour and salt.
  2. Add the cream of tartar, water, and oil.
  3. Add some food coloring.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Cook over medium heat until ingredients form a ball. This process almost automatically forms a ball of the dough on the stove and its not to hot to touch. (Does not take more than a minute on stove).
  6. Turn out and knead until smooth, about 1 minute, and let it cool.

Storing Play Dough

This play dough recipe will make play dough that will keep for at least two months if kept in a sealed plastic bag or container and longer if you store it in the refrigerator.

Play dough can be used for so many creative activities inside and outside the house. You can even think of this as combining point number one and this points. In a nutshell, the material here is supposed to be something used for learning and fun during summertime downtime.

Cook

I am so impressed by the Junior Masterchef show from Australia. The youngest contestant was 8 years old! And these kids made real good dishes! Not your simple boiled egg. These were dishes with French names and showing a lot of technique.

Now, my kids loved the show as well and now they want to be chefs as well. This is great. In my country, the kids used to be taught how to cook very young as they were tasked to help their moms prepare meals. This also came from the fact that families were so much bigger then. My grandmother had nine kids and so my mom learned how to cook when she was 7. I know my kids are a couple of years too young for serious cooking but helping out in preparing dishes and helping me when baking is something they can do, and have done, and really enjoy at that.

If you already bake a lot then there is no additional expense. In fact, since you already cook anyway, the bonus here is that you have little helpers. Just be careful that you cook simple dishes when you involve them and always take care around the oven. This will surely keep them occupied for some hours during summertime.

So far, these are the things I have come up with. I am sure there are heaps more ideas there for summertime activities that are learning experiences and budget friendly as well.

What are your ideas for free summertime activities?

Brian
Brian

Brian is the founder of Kids Ain’t Cheap and is now sharing his journey through parenthood.

 
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Filed Under: Family Time, Stuff to Do Tagged With: Cooking, Fun Activities, Games, Outdoor Play, playdough, Summer

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Basic Principles Of Good Parenting

Here some basic principles for good parenting:

  1. What You Do Matters: Your kids are watching you. So, be purposeful about what you want to accomplish.
  2. You Can’t be Too Loving: Don’t replace love with material possessions, lowered expectations or leniency.
  3. Be Involved Your Kids Life: Arrange your priorities to focus on what your kid’s needs. Be there mentally and physically.
  4. Adapt Your Parenting: Children grow quickly, so keep pace with your child’s development.
  5. Establish and Set Rules: The rules you set for children will establish the rules they set for themselves later.  Avoid harsh discipline and be consistent.
  6. Explain Your Decisions: What is obvious to you may not be evident to your child. They don’t have the experience you do.
  7. Be Respectful To Your Child: How you treat your child is how they will treat others.  Be polite, respectful and make an effort to pay attention.
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