The Abundant Wife

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:

1. Play in Dress-Up Clothes
2. Hammer Nails into Scrap Wood
3. Make Paper Bag Clothing
4. Laugh at Yourself
5. Write Your Kids’ Names with Pancake Batter
6. Color in Coloring Books
7. Make Homemade Play-Doh
8. Organize Art Supplies with Ice Cream Tubs
9. Wash the Dishes
10. Fold the Laundry
11. Play with Legos
12. Make Leaf Rubbings
13. Put Multi-Colored Ice Cubes in the Bath Tub
14. Print Morning & Nighttime To Do Charts
15. Paste Tissue Paper Leaves on your Windows
16. Make a Jack-O-Lantern using Construction Paper, Tissue Paper, and Markers
17. Draw on Butcher Paper
18. Visit a Museum
19. Build with Toothpicks and Marshmallows
20. Go on a Field Trip
21. Paint Faces
22. Play with Play-Doh
23. Go Outside
24. Make Handprint Flowers
25. Play in the Sandbox and Water Table
26. Draw with Sidewalk Chalk
27. Mix up some DIY Finger Paints
28. Paint a Thank You Note
29. Remove the Couch Cushions
30. Do a Science Experiment
31. Visit Your Relatives
32. Play with Animal Magnets
33. Recycle Plastic Containers
34. Make Homemade Cards
35. Make a Gingerbread House
36. Play Outdoors
37. Put Glow Sticks in the Bathtub
38. Assign Age-Appropriate Chores
39. Play with Found Objects
40. Make an Oatmeal Container Straw Game
41. Trace Sidewalk Chalk Outlines
42. Draw on Hard-Boiled Eggs
43. Paint an Autumn Tree
44. Assemble Chocolate Acorns
45. Make Homemade Pizza
46. Create a Box-of-Fun
47. Practice Counting
48. Play Beauty Salon
49. Make the Best of a Rainy Day
50. Play in the Pool, Play House, or Climber
51. Dig in the Garden
52. Read a Book
53. Hang Balloons in a Doorway
54. Throw a Party
55. Take a Nap
56. Put on a Movie
57. Bake Cookies
58. Decorate the House
59. Go on a Stay-cation
60. 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?