Free Family Adventures and Entertainment
How Parents and Children Find Enjoyment in a Slow Economy
Mar 6, 2009
Job layoffs, mortgage trouble. It's ok to enjoy family activities, children's crafts and laughter even in tough times. Adventure begins at home.
Consumers are feeling an economic pinch. Money is tight. Stocks are down. Here are fantastic family adventures, at home, at little cost or free. These ideas can bring families closer together. Parents and grandparents can learn with their children or grandchildren and bring some peace into hectic lives.
Where Can Families Find Low Cost Entertainment?
- Stock up on Play Dough or modeling clay. PlayDough cleans up more easily. Don't just hand it to the kids, sit down and play together. A great way to relieve stress and redirect anxious thoughts.
- Find a recipe for homemade PlayDough and use it while it's still warm. So comforting.
- Find a large cardboard box, the kind that appliances come in. Cut out windows and a door. Children and adults can decorate the new house with paint or markers. This play idea lasts for hours.
- Make sun catchers the crowd can eat after the craft time is finished. Line plastic shapes or cookie cutter with foil. Melt hard, colored candies like Jolly Ranchers and pour into the shapes. When dry, hang them in a window or gobble them up.
- Sing along with grandma or grandpa, mom or dad, or everyone. Karaoke is fun but the equipment isn't essential. Sitting in a cozy space, it's a riot to learn and teach old or new songs to the group. Everybody sings. Voice quality does not matter.
- Watch a good movie or read an excellent book together. Then talk about it, making sure everyone can put in their two cents worth.
- Go swimming. In season - it's the beach or local pool. Cold weather? Find a hotel, health club or YMCA that has a day rate. A large group is so much fun!
- Organize a backyard fair with penny games, easy-to-compete contests and sporting events that are age appropriate.
- Warm weather? An inexpensive bubble machine can produce jillions of bubbles that drift prettily across the yard. Dogs, kids and grownups cannot resist the urge to chase and catch them. Take photos - the results are awesome. It doesn't have to cost much to spend time together.
- Take a long walk turned scavenger hunt. With a little planning, adults can create a list of items to find in the park, at the creek, along the sidewalk. Bring the items home and make a collage.
Traditional Activities Work in Times of Economic Stress
As the world figures out the fix for economic woes and people begin to adapt to less conspicuous consumption, families will find more together time and more traditional activities to create entertainment and enjoyment. Being on the cutting edge of this trend is quite a cozy place to be. Just ask a senior citizen who has weathered times of plenty and times of less.
The copyright of the article Free Family Adventures and Entertainment in Family Travel is owned by Maryan Pelland. Permission to republish Free Family Adventures and Entertainment in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
