Do you ever feel like your life is dry and boring because you can’t spend any money on anything? It can be difficult (especially at first) to think of free activities to entertain your little ones while you’re on the road to debt-freedom. Well, just because you’re poor, broke, or in-debt-up-to-your-eyeballs doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun! Here are 60 free (or almost free) activities we have done with our toddlers and preschoolers over the last 4 years:
- Play in Dress-Up Clothes
- Hammer Nails into Scrap Wood
- Make Paper Bag Clothing
- Laugh at Yourself
- Write Your Kids’ Names with Pancake Batter
- Color in Coloring Books
- Make Homemade Play-Doh
- Organize Art Supplies with Ice Cream Tubs
- Wash the Dishes
- Fold the Laundry
- Play with Legos
- Make Leaf Rubbings
- Put Multi-Colored Ice Cubes in the Bath Tub
- Print Morning & Nighttime To Do Charts
- Paste Tissue Paper Leaves on your Windows
- Make a Jack-O-Lantern using Construction Paper, Tissue Paper, and Markers
- Draw on Butcher Paper
- Visit a Museum
- Build with Toothpicks and Marshmallows
- Go on a Field Trip
- Paint Faces
- Play with Play-Doh
- Go Outside
- Make Handprint Flowers
- Play in the Sandbox and Water Table
- Draw with Sidewalk Chalk
- Mix up some DIY Finger Paints
- Paint a Thank You Note
- Remove the Couch Cushions
- Do a Science Experiment
- Visit Your Relatives
- Play with Animal Magnets
- Recycle Plastic Containers
- Make Homemade Cards
- Make a Gingerbread House
- Play Outdoors
- Put Glow Sticks in the Bathtub
- Assign Age-Appropriate Chores
- Play with Found Objects
- Make an Oatmeal Container Straw Game
- Trace Sidewalk Chalk Outlines
- Draw on Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Paint an Autumn Tree
- Assemble Chocolate Acorns
- Make Homemade Pizza
- Create a Box-of-Fun
- Practice Counting
- Play Beauty Salon
- Make the Best of a Rainy Day
- Play in the Pool, Play House, or Climber
- Dig in the Garden
- Read a Book
- Hang Balloons in a Doorway
- Throw a Party
- Take a Nap
- Put on a Movie
- Bake Cookies
- Decorate the House
- Go on a Stay-cation
- Visit the Library
Entertaining your toddler or preschool-aged child need not be expensive, time-consuming, or even well-planned. Many of the activities listed above were spontaneous, accidental, or planned the same day. As often as possible, I try to use what I already have on hand so that I don’t have to go out shopping for more supplies.
This list is not exhaustive by any means! What free (or almost free) activities do you like to do with your toddlers and preschoolers?