Free Fun Activities With Your Kids

Do you ever find yourself running out of ideas of things to do with your kids?  Most parents know that children get bored quite easily.  Our lives are filled with things to keep us entertained, but sometimes you hit a lull in the activity, and the kids are ready to do something fun.

Many folks will rely on the television for a built-in babysitter.  That is fine from time to time, but most of us do not want our children to become dependent on the over-stimulating TV.  We want them to learn to be entertained in other ways as well.

By far, the best choice is for us to actually play with our kids.

Now, how old your children are impacts the activities you can do.  Try to avoid doing the same things over and over again.  It takes effort to get up from the couch and do something.  One of the best things you can do is write a little list of things that they like to do, and refresh your memory with it when you hit one of those boring down times.

Personally, my children enjoy hide and seek.  It's free, easy, and has no time constraints.  A game can be as short as 5 minutes, or we can play for an hour.  Sometimes, just for some spontaneous fun, in the middle of watching TV, I'll start counting really loudly.  They know to scramble and hide right away, and the chase is on!  Tag is another good freebie if you have the numbers for it, but it can be a little loud and rough and may be better suited for outdoors.
The following list gives free, simple activities that can be done either indoor or outdoor.  Use this to get started, then add ideas of your own. (Or even ask your kids!)

Indoor:
- card games, or their favorite board game
- hide-and seek
- download free coloring pages, and color with them
- do charades, helping them out depending on their age
- do an item hunt.  Hide their favorite toys, dolls, or even use a card deck and hide the cards around.  Use the "warmer/colder" way of assisting them.
- make up a story.  Start the adventure, and ask them what they think the characters should do next.  Go with it.  Be creative, silly, and goofy.  If you're clever, you can even work out some good moral values to weave into the story.
- Have rubber band wars, after building forts out of sofa cushions and blankets.

Outdoor:
- tag
- toss a ball
- throw a Frisbee
- do an item hunt, but outside
- Use chalk to draw on the driveway or sidewalk
- play hide and seek, or "sardines" (where one person hides, and as people find the hider, they hide with them)

We have a responsibility to interact with our children, and playing is healthy for them and for us.  But sometimes we just need a little boost with some ideas.