Entertaining your child on a budget

?We have all been there, pinching pennies and looking for ways to engage and entertain our rambunctious toddler. If you are getting tired of watching Blippi, or you feel like you are beginning to sound too much like Mrs. Rachel, then here are some budget friendly activities that will help you from losing your mind and keep your toddler entertained!

Picnic at the park

Make lunch time a fun time and pack up your child’s favorite meal and head to the park. This is a great way to wear out all of your toddler’s energy before nap time if your child still takes one! From one parent to another, I am very jealous of all parents who have a toddler who still naps! I swear, naps are wasted on the young. The best part, aside from the cost of food, is that this is a completely free activity, and you can hang out at the park for as long as you like.

Sensory bin

Sensory bins are a great way to keep your toddler entertained and learning through hands-on play. Head on over to your local Dollar Store and pick up small toys such as cars, dinosaurs, or dolls and place them into a bin. You can fill this bin with everything from sand, dry beans to pasta. Hide the toys within your chosen filler and let your kids dig to find them.

Play copycat

With the game copycat you and your toddler take turns mimicking everything the other one does. You can jump up and down, make silly sounds, dance like no ones watching, make funny faces, and so much more! Once your little one is done copying you, it is your turn to copy them!

Fort out of boxes

Gather up boxes you have around the house and build a fort for your little one. You can let them color with markers or paint all over the box to make it their own and let out their creativity! If you have one really big box, this works well also. I kid you not, my toddler played in the giant box that our couch came in for days!

Paint with sidewalk chalk

I stumbled upon this one by accident. My son’s sidewalk chalk was left outside and sure enough the sprinkles got them wet. When we went out the next day to play, the chalk drew on the cement more like paint than chalk. This would be simple to recreate by dipping chalk into water and proceeding to paint with it. My son had so much fun getting his hands covered and making handprints on our back patio.

Play in nature

The best activity I have found that is completely free is taking your little one into the mountains. Let your kiddo’s wild child spirit come out by letting them play in the dirt, make flower crowns, build huts out of sticks, or splash around in small stream. Letting your kids connect with the earth is a great way to lower their cortisol levels. You will likely see less tantrums and more smiles.

Go to the library

A lot of times your local library will have a kid’s activity for an hour, sometime during the week. These activities are free and gives your little one a place to meet new friends, learn and get all their wiggles out. Check your local library to see what free kids’ activities they offer.

Stickers

What kid doesn’t love to play with stickers!? The Dollar Tree normally has a variety of stickers to choose from. Buy a notebook and let them make a fun collage with all their stickers.

Body paint

I know what you’re thinking, this sounds messy. And yes, it will be messy, but your kid will have a blast. Find nontoxic paint that is ok to go on the skin and let your kiddo paint themselves or you. When I was a child, my mom painted a sunflower on me. This simple activity became a core memory for me and, to this day, makes me smile. Make sure you and your kiddo are wearing clothing you don’t mind getting paint on and let the artist in you come out!

Shadow puppets

Once it gets dark, turn off the lights, get out a flashlight and take turns with your kiddos making shadow puppets on a blank wall. This is a fun activity that will get your little one working on their hand eye coordination.

Blanket forts

Break out all of your blankets and gather your dining room chairs and make a blanket fort with your child. You can place blankets and pillows inside to make it cozy and comfy. This will be a perfect place for you and your little one to read, talk, or play with toys. This is a great way to go camping in the comfort of your own home!