Got Kids? 27 Ways to Low/No Cost Summer Vacation Fun

[pretty cheap jewelry]

It's almost that time, and best to have a plan to save your sanity with a houseful (or even just a couple) of grade school kids this summer.

'Box Full of Mystery'
Have this on hand before school lets out. It will turn things around faster than you can say the word 'b*r*d'.

1. Decorate a covered box, can with a plastic lid, or something similar with leftover wrapping paper, foil, or any silly material like glitter. Cut a small slit in the lid.

2. Write one fun activity on a slip of paper. Write one household chore or less fun activity on another slip of paper. You can do the writing with or without the kids.

3. Repeat step 2 for as many activities as you can think. Try to make sure there are plenty of fun things as well as chores.

4. Fold up the slips individually, and into the box they go!

5. When the time comes during vacation (you know, "I'm b*r*d!") send the culprit to the Box of Mystery. Let them shake out one slip. They must do what ever is on the slip, good or bad.

Planning and Rules:
Be careful what you write parents! If the slip says 'Go Swimming', you better be prepared to go swimming in short order.

Write the same things more than once if you run out of ideas.

The kids MUST agree to do the bad things if that's what comes out! Your recourse is they balk at doing the un-fun things, you will resist doing the fun things!

Finally, if necessary, limit trips to the Box of Mystery to 3 per week or however paced so you don't run out.

Now for the fun Part
Here are some activity ideas - I welcome more low/no cost posts!

Fun
Ride bike to the ___ (park, playground, friends house)
Make a big ice cream sundae
Trip to the video store
Trip to the library
$5 Free Shopping Spree to the Dollar Store
$5 Free Shopping Spree to the Thrift Store
Play Cards with Parent
Play Board Game with Parent
Outdoor Game of 10 Pt Soccer/Basketball
Go Swimming
Go to the Beach
1 Hour Extra on the Video/Internet Games


Un-Fun
Wash the Car
Wipe out Inside of Car
Walk the Dog
Vacuum the Floor
Dust Mop the Floor
Dust the Shelves
Wipe Down Knickknacks
Scrub Bathroom Tubs
Cut the Grass
Clip the Bushes
Clean Up Room
Cook/Plan Dinner/Lunch
Help Organize Garage
Take in Recycling
Help with Laundry

OK folks, that's 27. Anymore?

[LuxLiving]

FUN:

28. Camp out in the backyard tonight.
29. First clear day, float a local river in a canoe. (rental costs)
30. Hike a local nature path.
31. Invite friend over for sleepover.
32. Stay up 2 hours later tonight.

Un-Fun:

Rearrange, clean & dust all the cans & boxes in the pantry.
Clean the windows.

[LuxLiving]

FUN:
33. Tell ghost stories in the dark.
34. Play foosball, air hockey or video games at an arcade.
35. Run through the sprinklers.
36. Climb up in a tree with a book & read together.
37. Have a bubble contest - either gum or soap. Winner gets a prize.
38. Make paper sack puppets & put on a show.
39. Do finger paints.
40. Make/put together a model car or plane.
41. Hula hoop.
42. Play the limbo game.
43. A weird one my kids & I used to do - have an underwear party. Everyone wears their clean funderoos on the outside of their clothes to dinner and another clean pair as a party hat. They always thought it was hilarious.
44. Kidnap dad from work and take him to the park for a picnic lunch. (Warn Dad so he can get away from work.)
45. Roller skate.
46. Go bowl a game.
47. Frisbee golf or frisbee football.
48. Take a bus ride around your city.