FOLLOW US

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
    • PRs Work With Us
  • MEDIA
  • DIRECTORS CUT
  • Contact Us
Joleisa logo
  • Frugal living
  • Eat for less
  • Start a blog
  • Recommendations

Easy and Inexpensive Activities to Do at Home with Your Kids

This post may contain affiliate links

Easy and Inexpensive Activities to Do at Home with Your Kids (Inside or Outside!)

You’ve come right here on time! I’m excited to share this guest post from blogger Gayle. Check out her bio below.

Getting out of the house is always a great way to pass the time on a weekend or during the summer months. However, daily outings are not always an option. Maybe the weather isn’t right or maybe you just feel like lounging around at home but whatever the reason, here are some wonderful activities you can do in the comfort of your house (or backyard!). The best part? Doing things with your kids at home is inexpensive and takes a little effort.

Here are my favorite at-home activities to do with my children.

Water Play

Naturally, if it’s hot outside it’s time to get out the garden hose! The sprinkler and plastic kiddie pool are an obvious choice. Mix it up by adding food coloring to large bowls of water for some rainbow colored fun. Plastic spray bottles, watering cans and water balloons are also an entertaining way to keep cool. I’ve been known to do this one inside too. Just lay down some towels and give your kids some big bowls of water… or just fill up the tub!

Build a Fort

Stuck inside on a rainy day? Get out some old sheets and pillows and let your children build the blanket fort of their dreams. For added fun, let your kids have their meals in their awesome indoor-tent or even let them sleep there for the night!

Outdoor Nature Painting

Have some watercolor paints lying around? Let your child paint your yard! Watercolors can be used to paint rocks, trees, grass etc. I even let my kids paint our plastic swing set. The best part is, with a little water it all washes away! Of course, be sure to test any surface your child intends to paint so they don’t ruin anything.

Sidewalk Chalk

Design a game of hopscotch for your children or play hangman while hanging around outdoors. Or give your kids the chalk and let them draw whatever they like! I use sidewalk chalk on my backyard deck and fence and it always washes away easily.

Cook or Bake with your Kids

Another favorite for a rainy day is to get your kids to help you in the kitchen. Buy a ready-made pizza crust from the store or make your own from scratch. Get your kids to add the cheese, sauce and their favorite toppings for a fun pizza-making party. Cookies or muffins are also a great way to spend some time together in the kitchen. Let your child measure, scoop and pour the ingredients.

 

Have Halloween in July

When I worked in childcare we used to do this every summer, and you can do it in the comfort of your own home! Grab some dress-up clothes or old Halloween costumes and let your kids dress up. Buy some cheap candies from the store and hide them around the house. Give your kids clues as to where to find the candy and watch them scavenge around for them.

Have a Science Day

Search the web for some easy science experiments to do at home with your kids. If the weather is right, you can bring the science outside to avoid the indoor mess. Need some easy ideas? Fill a bottle with baking soda and add vinegar to get a volcanic reaction or get your kids to mix a variety of household liquids such as ice, water, dish soap and oil and see what happens.

Set-up an Indoor or Outdoor Obstacle Course

Get your kids to burn some of their never-ending energy by building a make-shift obstacle course. Use whatever you have around the house- chairs, skipping ropes, balls, scarves. Maybe they have to crawl under a chair, skip three times with the rope, throw the ball and jump over the scarf. Let your kids use their imaginations and go crazy! You can set this up inside or outside too, depending on the weather.

Board Games and Puzzles

I love doing puzzles and games with my kids. The best part is that as my kids get older, we can do more challenging ones together, which makes it fun for me too! You can also just bring the games and puzzles outside (as long as it’s not too windy!) If you don’t have a lot of games, try some tic-tac-toe or I-Spy.

Have a Dance Party

Turn down the lights and turn up the music! Let your kids pick the songs and provide them with some fun dance props like glow sticks, flashlights or silly hats and glasses. Want to take it a step further? Use your phone and a simple editing app to make an at-home music video with your kids.

These are just a handful of my favorite activities for at home with my kids. If none of these ideas is appealing to your children, try giving them the reigns. Let your kids brainstorm some creative activities to do at home; you never know what they might come up with! You may also check out this post with other amazing and cheap ideas to do with the kids this summer. 

Gayle Smith is a former teacher, current blogger and mommy of two. She loves doing fun stuff with her kids and is passionate about keeping life uncomplicated. You can read her blog at www.eversimplemom.com or follow her on Facebook and twitter @eversimplemom

Do pop over and show her some love.

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Related

Filed Under: Frugal

About Joleisa

« The Pros and Cons of Working From Home
How to stay within your budget (part 1) »

Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    June 12, 2017 at 3:49 pm

    I’m always looking for different ways to keep my little one entertained =) Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      June 21, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      Glad you found us then. Run back if you ever run out of ideas.

      Reply
  2. lisa says

    June 12, 2017 at 4:43 pm

    great ideas!

    Reply
  3. Atim at EffiFit says

    June 13, 2017 at 3:47 pm

    Awesome ideas! Sidewalk chalk and baking were my favorite things to do when I was a kid.

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      June 21, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      Great! And those ideas don’t cost much either. Thanks for the love.

      Reply
  4. Margaret Westhoff says

    June 13, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    These are some great ideas! My kids might be a little young for some of these, but I will keep these activities in mind.

    Reply
  5. Alexis @FITnancials says

    June 18, 2017 at 3:16 am

    We would often build forts when we were younger. We loved building them in the snow, and we would even try to make little windows and doors. It was really awesome! Now, I live in Texas and never get snow.

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      June 21, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      Oh such fun! And your fort building is definitely a frugal idea that others could consider too. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  6. Modernized Mom says

    June 22, 2017 at 8:43 pm

    Great ideas, I’ll have to use some of these!

    Reply
  7. Erica Q says

    August 8, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    This is such a great list of activities. We will have to try some of these out, this week.

    Reply
  8. Jessie says

    August 8, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    These will all come in handy with the days of summer winding down! Great ideas thank you!

    Reply
  9. Jamie says

    January 3, 2018 at 7:29 pm

    Building a fort is what we do all winter long!

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      January 3, 2018 at 9:28 pm

      Such fun for them (and us too)

      Reply
  10. Alankar Ale says

    January 3, 2018 at 7:38 pm

    These are really great ideas. I was planning to spent my holidays this time with two of my nephews. Definitely trying some of those. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Lamees says

    January 3, 2018 at 7:56 pm

    Thank tou so much for these suggestions,sometimes it is really hard and I am out od ideas to keep them entertained away from TV and tablets. I will definitely try them

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      January 3, 2018 at 9:23 pm

      Children will always remember that you spent quality time with them.

      Reply
  12. Anissa says

    January 3, 2018 at 9:34 pm

    What happen to those good old days? I use to do all of this when my kids where younger to keep them active . I think It paid off because they are in their 20s and they don’t spend a lot of time on social media , phone calls, video games etc. let’s bring the activities back! Great post!

    Reply
  13. Toni says

    January 3, 2018 at 11:00 pm

    This is great! So many awesome ideas and they’re inexpensive. Thanks for this

    Reply
  14. Kyla Matton Osborne says

    January 4, 2018 at 12:35 am

    What a great round-up! My kids love sidewalk chalk, even now that they’re older. They also really enjoyed water play and blowing bubbles 🙂

    Reply
  15. priya says

    January 4, 2018 at 8:54 am

    Thanks for your suggestions

    Reply
  16. Edwin Prasetio says

    January 4, 2018 at 10:45 am

    We can say they are the types of traditional games, but really useful for kids to develop their motor capability and social learning.. Much better than playing with gadgets…

    Reply
  17. Sara [Real Balanced] says

    January 5, 2018 at 2:15 am

    Such fun, creative ideas!!! We’re always looking for new ways to keep the kiddos occupied and entertained. thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      January 5, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      You’re so welcome Sara

      Reply
  18. Halley | Momatello.com says

    February 7, 2018 at 4:17 pm

    Lots of great ideas here! My kids LOVE doing forts and sidewalk chalk! This morning we did stickers and painting! Gotta keep those growing little brains stimulated! <3

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hey guys and gals!

Hi, we're Jo and Leisa, twin sisters and authors of Joleisa.com. Originally from the sandy beaches of Jamaica we now reside in England where we followed our calling to teach. But sometimes that call changes and our new passion is writing. We're here to give the ups and downs of it all with our lifestyle tips and tricks to help you avoid the sour lemons that can get in our way of frugal budgeting, intentional living and happiness. Join us and learn more about how we found the simplest ways to achieve easy living. Read More…

AS SEEN ON CHANNEL 5’S

We are Sociable

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Our Word of the Week is Break
  • Easter is our Word of the Week
  • Our Word of the Week is Grateful
  • Adjust is my Word of the Week
  • Hyperkalemia is my Word of the Week

MOST POPULAR POSTS

Why we left teaching

  • Be your own boss
  • Set up a blog
  • Making money from your blog
  • Using Pinterest to help your blog
  • Fixing sleep problems
  • Frugal family fun at half term
  • Having to plan a funeral!
  • Let’s show you how we save money on food
  • Our time on Channel 5’s Shop Smart, Save Money
HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs HIBS100

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2025 ·Tasteful Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

YOUR PRIVACY

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT