Before I had Haven (my first baby), I had visions of taking her all over the place with me. I’d carry her in a Moby baby wrap, and we’d explore the zoo, the aquarium, shop, go to the movies, eat at my favorite restaurants with my sister, and whatever else I wanted to do.
Fast forward to when she was born and reality hit. I realized two things: I didn’t have all the money for those things, especially now that we were a one-income family, and dragging a colicky baby around to a dozen different places was definitely easier said than done. My visions were unrealistic and best left in my imagination.
Fast forward to now, when I have three little kiddos. My two oldest get excited about going out, but ten minutes into the car ride, they’re always asking when we’ll be home. Staying in the house and watching Miraculous Ladybug on YouTube just feels like a better option for all of us a little too often.
But what kind of life is that? Sometimes when I’m still in my PJs at 5:00 p.m. while the kids watch TV and I scramble to get things done until hubby gets home, I ask myself, “What will my kids have to remember from their childhood?”
Doing meaningful, memorable things doesn’t have to be big, expensive, or take a huge chunk of time out of the day.
Here are some ideas for creating memories for FREE (or at least with the stuff you have):
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.
1. Bake or Cook Together
Confession—this one is hard for me sometimes. Baking is a whole lot easier without little hands getting into the ingredients, but my kids absolutely love it! How great does it feel to create something and see how it turns out?
Let your kids in on this little treat. Sure, you may have to sweep up flour that gets tossed on the floor, but that’s cheaper than a day at the zoo (nothing against the zoo, I promise!). If you have really little kids, you could try pretending to bake or cook.
Check out this blog post for more tips for success when baking with your kids!
And if your kids are serious about baking like mine are, you could get them these cute little aprons for your special baking time!
2. Go on Walks
This is one of my favorite things to do with my family. You can just stroll in silence or walk and have a deep conversation. If you have young kids, try pointing out different colors you see or even do a little scavenger hunt, searching for things like flowers, sticks, rocks, or whatever you tend to find on your walks.
Try a nature book like this one paired with these binoculars to get your kids more excited about the outdoors! (We have these binoculars and love them! I got my kids this book for Christmas, but forgot to get Haven’s friend a birthday present, so this ended up being for him, haha!)
3. Work Together
This was my childhood. My dad owns a firewood company, and my siblings and I worked for him when we were kids. It wasn’t always fun, but I remember lots of conversations that wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t worked together.
You don’t have to start a business to work with your kids (obviously). I personally had the desire to spend more one-on-one time with my kids, but I felt like I was so busy with my work-at-home job and then trying to catch up on the house. I realized I could spend time with my kids by having them join me on the things I needed to get done. They don’t always want to, but sometimes they do, and we get some extra time together.
Work on a family project together. Plant a garden and then weed together. Have them join help you sort laundry (this is one chore my kids actually won’t complain about).
4. Go to the Library
Simply exploring the library can be so much fun, but the library also has so many activities to take advantage of, like storytime, free movie showings, and so much more. Check out what your local library has to offer and then actually GO to it!
5. Have Fun with Water
What you do will depend on the age of your little ones. Try a water balloon fight—your kiddos will probably love being able to toss things at each other or you without getting in trouble for it.
Get creative with your inflatable pool. We have this one and my kids will just play in the water, fill it with ball pit balls, play with toys in the water, and whatever else their hearts desire.
If you have really little ones, you could give your kiddo one tote or container with water and one without, then have them transfer water from one to the other with a cup or a measuring cup. It sounds so simple, but I bet your little one would be entertained for hours.
6. Go to Community Events
So many communities do free events you can easily take advantage of. If it’s near a holiday, check to see if your city holds any free events. Many communities also show movies in the spring and summer months, while some even offer concerts. Look to see if there’s anything that your kids would enjoy and wouldn’t cost you a thing.
7. Dance!
It doesn’t have to be anything formal—just turn on Spotify and start shaking it! There’s nothing better than seeing kids dancing, and they love it too. Here’s the family-friendly playlist we use for parties and everyday dancing in the kitchen.
I hope we do enough dancing in my home that my kids won’t be embarrassed by it when I turn on some tunes during breakfast when they’re teenagers.
8. Camp in the Yard or the Living Room
There’s nothing better than camping when you have access to a real toilet, right?! I get nervous about camping with my little ones for real, but when it’s so close to their real bedrooms, the pressure’s off.
Pull out the sleeping bags (these are adorable if your kids don’t have any) and camp out on the living room floor! Or set up a tent in the yard and have a small adventure together.
Roasting marshmallows and eating your other favorite camp food could make it a more authentic camping experience.
9. Go on a Picnic or Have a Picnic in Your House
We do lots of picnics, but mostly on our living room floor! Usually it’s just with pizza, a blanket spread out on the floor, and a movie, but sometimes we get creative. My kids love it, even if it’s food we eat all the time.
It’s also easy to slap together a few pb & j’s and head over to the park. There’s something about a change of scenery and the typical routine that can add a little excitement.
Let your kids help you pack a picnic basket. Sometimes, I’ll have everyone choose one thing they want to add. It’s fun to see what everyone picks!
10. Go for a Hike
Find an easy trail and take your kiddos out to enjoy nature! You could also have them try to point out things they see, like different colors if they’re young and still learning, or different types of trees or birds if they’re a little older. This would be a great time to whip out a nature book and binoculars, too.
This probably goes without saying, but just in case you’re forgetful like me…don’t get to bring lots of snacks and water for your kids, or family fun can turn into a frustrating experience…
11. Explore Your City
It’s super common to live in a city and not explore the things it’s well known for. What is your city known for? Have your kids seen it? For example, I live just outside of Salt Lake City, which is home to the beautiful Temple Square, a place that is completely free to tour. Research what’s free to tour or look around in your city.
Recently, my kids and I dropped off my husband to a play right in downtown Salt Lake City and my kids were floored. We rarely go into the city, but they loved seeing it. It reminded me how much we have to explore nearby!
12. Go to Museums
There are a surprising number of free museums you can take your kids to visit. Search for free museums in your city and take advantage of the service! You can also check to see if there are free (or cheap) days. We
13. Explore the Pet Store
It’s no shock that kids love this! My kids love to walk around the pet store and discover all the different animals that could be pets. Just don’t do this if you think there’s any chance your kid will start begging you for a hamster after seeing on in action…
14. Check Out Nature
I love how amazed kids are by nature. Take advantage of this! Watch birds with this book as your companion. Do some stargazing and learn about the constellations together. Even just lying down in the grass together and looking up at the sky can be special. Kids would also love to explore the night sky with a telescope like this one.
15. Let Your Kids Decide the Adventure
Sometimes it surprises me what is fun for kids. My kids love making “potions” from random ingredients and will spend a lot of time doing this!
Ask your kids what they want to do and be open to the idea! I don’t always love to do what my kids want to, but I love the joy they get when I join them in something they choose.
Are there items I’m missing? DM me on Instagram and let me know what would be a good addition to this list!
