If you’re staying home for Spring Break, be prepared for the “I’m bored” syndrome with a Frugal Family Fun Jar!
Here’s how:
- Write down frugal family fun activities on strips of paper – it really is possible to have fun on a budget!
- Fold up the strips of paper and put them in a jar.
- Each day let your children choose an activity or two from the frugal family fun jar!
- Enjoy the spontaneity, enjoy new activities and enjoy your family!
Of course, I’ll help you get started with all sorts of ideas for frugal family fun!
- Have a Pizza Taste Test and a Movie – Buy an assortment of frozen pizzas and have a taste test for dinner while you enjoy a movie. Think of all the possibilities beyond pizza taste tests! I’d vote for an ice cream taste test!
- Make Ice Cream Sundaes – Here’s your chance to taste test ice cream!
- Try Minute to Win It Challenges – Host your own Minute to Win It event. The silly challenges use everyday household items, and the possibilities are endless! Check out some Minute to Win It challenges that are easy enough to do at home.
- Watch Family Videos – Pull out the old family videos for some FREE entertainment! My teenagers always get a laugh out of watching themselves as crazy toddlers!
- Host a Cooking School – Stop watching Food Network and start cooking! Your kids will love learning to cook and eating their creations. Add to the fun by letting them choose the recipes.
- Take a Hike – Pack a picnic and take a hike on a nearby nature trail. When our children were little, they loved going to Skidaway Island State Park and walking on the trail with bridges, marsh, fiddler crabs and even a tall tower where we enjoyed our picnic! Go exploring and save money.
- Try a Backyard Campout – Pitch a tent, tell ghost stories, play flashlight tag, catch fireflies and cook s’mores on your grill.
- Organize a Game Night – Put a fun twist on family game night by allowing the winner to choose tomorrow night’s dinner menu.
- Enjoy a Bike Ride – Doesn’t a family bike ride sound like fun? You could even stop for ice cream along the way!
- Visit the Library – Check to see if your library has any special events planned for spring break.
- Tackle a Puzzle – When’s the last time your family sat around a table working on a puzzle?
- Have a Lemonade Stand – Don’t limit your lemonade stand just to summer!
- Plant a Garden – Fruits and Veggies just taste better when you plant them yourself.
- Go on a Factory Tour – FactoryToursUSA.com offers a state by state listing of factory tours, and most tours are free!
- Spend a Morning at The Farmer’s Market – When you get home with all your produce, have a veggie plate for dinner!
- Check out a New Playground – There’s bound to be a playground or park in your area that you’ve been wanting to try!
- Go Berry Picking – Use all those berries to make a pie or how about Strawberry Jam?
- Learn a New Craft – Has your daughter always wanted to learn to knit or has she been begging to make a scrapbook? Now’s your chance to teach her.
There you have it, 18 frugal family fun ideas to get you started! What ideas can you add to this list?
[…] cuddle up for a family movie and popcorn night is some of the ideas I have. I would like to make a Family Fun Jar and all of us take time to write down 52 ideas for the year and put them in the jar and every […]
Thank you for this list. I”ll certainly need it.
Let me know if you have any fun ideas to add to the list.
WHat a fun, creative, budget savvy idea! My kids are still toddlers but I’m going to file this idea away for rainy days or breaks when we need some activities. A fun game for all ages is called Rummicub or Rummicue – it’s a tile game fun for all ages!
Leigh @oneandoneequalstwinfun
This is a great idea, and I bet it could be altered for date nights for Mommy and Daddy too. Thanks! following from voiceBoks.
Love it! I love taste testing, but never thought to do it as a family or with frozen pizzas! We will definitely add this to our list of activities. So fun!!
Blind taste tests are fun to do with store brands vs. name brands to see if your family can really tell the difference! If not, you’ve found another way to cut your grocery bill!
I love doing this! I used to have one of these jars for rainy days, but I haven’t pulled it out in awhile. I’ll have to get it and add some of your great ideas. Thanks!
Let me know if you have any ideas to add to the list!
Wow these are some great ideas!