No plans for Spring Break? Time to get serious with a little frugal creativity.
Last year, we saved our rainy day dollars, along with hotel and airline points, and went on a wonderful vacation over Spring Break – skiing in Vail. But, we can’t do that every year and so this coming break I am looking around our area for fun ideas that are economical and still engage the kids during the week so they aren’t sitting around the house watching TV and playing video games.
Here are some of the ideas I came up with:
Game Day: Pull out those dusty board games and puzzles filling the closets. Invite over a few school friends or neighbors and have a game marathon.
Cooking Day: Plan a day of cooking fun recipes together that will last throughout the week. Make your kids a part of the planning process. Help them understand the budgeting decisions you make as you shop and cook up your specialties.
Take a hike: Look for trails, parks and more. Get outside if the weather permits.
History in the making: Find local museums that cost little to nothing and learn about the area you live in. I find that I do this more in places I visit than where I live and there are many hidden treasures right in my backyard.
Spring Cleaning: Offer to pay the kids to help you clean out and get organized. Take one messy closet at a time and you may find a few treasures that will spark a new artistic adventure.
Scavenger Hunt: Create clues and have your kids go in search of a prize. Taking the time to create a complex set of clues may keep your kids busy for quite awhile. Just don’t make them so hard the kids get frustrated and walk off. Give a teaser for the prize to keep the kids motivated.
Inventory your resources: Have a membership at the Y? The zoo? Discount coupons to the movies? What have you already signed up for that you aren’t taking advantage of?
Drama Days: Download the script to a simple tale – perhaps a nursery rhyme – and have the kids dress up and perform a play for the family.
Whatever you do, kids will remember the times you spend with them not how much you spent to keep them busy without you. Make sure to carve out those precious moments to connect, listen and love.
What are you doing to save money but have still a fun time together?
In the Phoenix, March 13, 2010
