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Hey Pandas, Please Can You Help Me With Some Inexpensive Ideas For Things To Do With My 5 YO Son In The Summer Holidays?
Money is very very tight and we do already have a few things planned but I need some more inspiration so any and all ideas are welcomed.
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- Picnics.
- Have a hand paint day outside.
- Collect rocks to paint.
- Make a game of finding different leaves to take home and show him how to press them in a book.
- The library might have some free movie days.
- Check out what's going on at a community centre.
- Go for a walk and see how many different animals and species you can find.
- Teach him how to play tag, Simon Says, Red Light Green Light.
- Bring him to the playground and meet other kids to play with.
- Bake something together.
- If you have a backyard do a camp out if you have a tent and sleeping bag.
- Look up some safe science experiments you can do with him, like showing him what happens when vinegar and baking soda mix, make slime.
- Help him work on his writing and math so he's prepared for school in the fall.
- If you can, get a kiddie pool.
5 year olds don't really need a lot to keep busy. All they care about is being with their parents and having fun everywhere they go.
A good box. The one for the big boy car seat has been a car, a house, a garage, eye and arm holes turned him into a robot and, when not being played with, living room toys go in it. This has entertained him daily for 4 months so far.
My folks got a new refrigerator when I was 5/6 yo. That was a GREAT box.
I know that sometimes libraries are very included in the community and have lots of activities that people can do.
I bought some tie dye supplies, some cheap shirts, and we had a tie dye day outside. (For nieces and nephew). My nephew wore the shirt he’d designed constantly. A lot of fun! (Just do the dying outside!).
Im not sure if there is any near where you live, but you could easily occupy your five year old for the day by taking him to a public beach. My parents used to take me to the beach and we made a lot of happy memories there when I was little.
Shaving cream party! $1 or so will buy you an hour! I always let the little ones have a go with the whole can in the tub. Super fun!
We used to have it on a mirror on the wall at preschool and it was so fun. My parents weren't impressed when we used a whole can in the shower though!
My child used to love going to the parks that have sprinklers that shoot up from the concrete. She used a wheelchair, so it was perfectly accessible for her and loads of fun. She could roll right over the sprinkler or stay close by. Of course, the able-bodied kids loved it, too. Easy interaction. And so cooling on a hot day!
Arts and crafts are a great option if you already have some supplies, if not, the dollar store has tons of stuff for super cheap and craft project ideas are all over Pinterest if you need some inspiration. You got this Mama!
The beach is always an amazing day out with small kids, but if you live far away a backyard water fight with the hose works a treat! My kids love setting up a tent in the backyard and pretending to be explorers or mountain climbers, keeps them occupied for hours! Macca’s 75 cent comes on the beach (or anywhere) at sunset is another cheap but fun idea. One of my favourite memories of an outing we did as kids, we packed a hot dinner in the crockpot and drove to our local park. There were so many mozzies we sat and ate in the car in the dark. Every holidays we’d beg to have ‘Djnner in the Dark in the Car at the Park’. It doesn’t have to be fancy or big, just has to be fun!
Here's a unique one, that shouldn't be too expensive at all, take him to a garage sale. Tell him he can pick out one our more things, depending on how much things are. It will keep him amused for awhile at the actual sale, plus (depending on what it is) it will keep him occupied in the car if you need to go anywhere, and at home.
OOH, and a garden could be fun. It wouldn't be crazy expensive plus you could get fresh fruits and vegetables and/or pretty flowers.
Just spend time with him. No computers or phones. Go outside, take a walk, talk to him. It doesn't cost anything.
I’ve got a few!
Arts and crafts with inexpensive items around the house, picnics, rock painting, take him to a pool/lake/river/creek/beach, review schoolwork, libraries, walks in nature, playdates, take him to the park, baking/cooking, the zoo, and just spend some family time together! Hope you have a great summer :)
Go geocaching. There are some good apps that are free. My definition of geocaching is "using multi-million dollar satellites to find Tupperware in the woods." The app will give you coordinates and you use gps to find the cache. It gets you outside, moving, on an adventure, using your brains, learning how to navigate, and, well, just having fun. I always picked a location then looked for all the caches in the area that I wanted to find.
There are various types of caches, such as puzzle caches where you need to work out the answer to find the cache. Many caches will teach you about something in the area (cemetery, railroads, towns, whatever). It's a great way to spend the summer.
Kick a ball
Throw a ball
Jump rope
Sidewalk chalk
Collect rocks
Collect bugs
Plant flowers
Turn on some music to dance while cleaning
Make pudding
Fly a kite
Read
I found some great little science projects online to do with my grandkids that use basic household items and we had a blast.
Go on a hike. Go to the park. Go swimming. Go to any programs at the library, or in you neighborhood.
Go to the library! Children’s play section, kid’s’ books on display, kids’ books to check out, kids’ programs, reading / book clubs, dvds, computers just for kids, …
Get a net & see what wildlife you can find in a brook or stream. Put the wild life back though
Libraries often have free programs, especially in the summer, that both educational and entertaining.
Start a little tiny garden with him, my mom did that with me when I was younger and I love it!
Get him to write his life story so far.
Try restoring /painting a piece of furniture...sample pots of paint are cheap.
Ask him to help you with evaluating any hazards in the home.
See if he can. Volunteer to help a neighbour, maybe read to an elderly friend.
Vacation Bible school. Kids love it. You could also volunteer
The beach is always an amazing day out with small kids, but if you live far away, a backyard water fight with the hose works a treat! My kids love setting up a tent in the backyard and pretending to be explorers or mountain climbers, keeps them occupied for hours! Macca’s 75 cent cones on the beach (or anywhere) at sunset is another cheap but fun idea. One of my favourite memories of an outing we did as kids, we packed a hot dinner in the crockpot and drove to our local park. There were so many mozzies we sat and ate in the car in the dark. Every holidays we’d beg to have ‘Djnner in the Dark in the Car at the Park’. It doesn’t have to be fancy or big, just has to be fun!
Why does everything keep sending multiple times?!
Museum/art galleries near me often are free or have cheap kids activities during the holidays that are interactive. We took my nephews to one years ago where they could type on typewriters onto coloured pictures that were cool. Also scavenger hunts are easy to organise in the yard/house/park.
Museum/art galleries near me often are free or have cheap kids activities during the holidays that are interactive. We took my nephews to one years ago where they could type on typewriters onto coloured pictures that were cool. Also scavenger hunts are easy to organise in the yard/house/park.
