“A win-win for all”: five foolproof ideas for entertaining children on a budget
The life of a part-time worker and a single mother allows me to balance work and child-oriented activities, but it is not really lucrative. Over the past two years, I have settled into a rhythm of economic activities that not only appeal to my son, but also to me.
With school holidays here again - so soon? – it can be difficult to come up with ideas to entertain young children. But I have a few favorites that I always fall back on. They may be simple things, but my son really loves them and, even better, I really love making them too. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
Buy used LegoCost: from $10
There are large bags of Lego bundles, grouped by themes like Technics connectors or animals, and they arrive in the mail in a large sandwich bag with no instruction booklet in sight. In my house, it sparked hours of tinkering with gears and axles to create complicated contraptions and expand on existing completed builds. I was completely confused when presented with these pieces, but my son had endless ideas.
Dig into the local swap meetCost: $5 plus transportation
This is a day trip, with a price at the end. We like to visit our local weekend swap meet on a Sunday morning. I encourage my boy to spend $5 of his pocket money and we decide on the way what to watch out for. It becomes a scavenger hunt to scour the market, and when the toy is found, he waves it victoriously in the air. I taught my son the pleasure of negotiating, which boosted his confidence.
He feels so proud when he holds his new find after serious negotiations with a seller friendly. There are also often new treasures for me to discover.
Do a toy drainCost: You earn (a little) money
This can easily take an entire morning - negotiating what to keep or sell, taking the pictures and listing the toys for sale online. The cash is definitely worth it, and we split the proceeds 50-50. The decluttered bedroom is just a bonus.
Find a new playground or nature preserveCost: Free
The life of a part-time worker and a single mother allows me to balance work and child-oriented activities, but it is not really lucrative. Over the past two years, I have settled into a rhythm of economic activities that not only appeal to my son, but also to me.
With school holidays here again - so soon? – it can be difficult to come up with ideas to entertain young children. But I have a few favorites that I always fall back on. They may be simple things, but my son really loves them and, even better, I really love making them too. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
Buy used LegoCost: from $10
There are large bags of Lego bundles, grouped by themes like Technics connectors or animals, and they arrive in the mail in a large sandwich bag with no instruction booklet in sight. In my house, it sparked hours of tinkering with gears and axles to create complicated contraptions and expand on existing completed builds. I was completely confused when presented with these pieces, but my son had endless ideas.
Dig into the local swap meetCost: $5 plus transportation
This is a day trip, with a price at the end. We like to visit our local weekend swap meet on a Sunday morning. I encourage my boy to spend $5 of his pocket money and we decide on the way what to watch out for. It becomes a scavenger hunt to scour the market, and when the toy is found, he waves it victoriously in the air. I taught my son the pleasure of negotiating, which boosted his confidence.
He feels so proud when he holds his new find after serious negotiations with a seller friendly. There are also often new treasures for me to discover.
Do a toy drainCost: You earn (a little) money
This can easily take an entire morning - negotiating what to keep or sell, taking the pictures and listing the toys for sale online. The cash is definitely worth it, and we split the proceeds 50-50. The decluttered bedroom is just a bonus.
Find a new playground or nature preserveCost: Free
What's Your Reaction?
