Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Summer weekends were made for fun, and there’s no reason to let a thin wallet stop you. Wisebread.com, which bills itself as the site for living large on a small budget, suggests seven cheap and kid-friendly ways your family can have some real fun this weekend:

• Mobile scavenger hunt – Make a list of 10 or 12 items everyone can search for. Head out on your bikes to complete the hunt and offer a prize to the person who gets home first or a pizza when everyone meets up.
• Throw a B.Y.O.E. party – Call a few friends or neighbors for an impromptu Bring Your Own Everything get-together. Ask guests to bring whatever food or drinks they have on hand and share it all in your backyard along with charades. Pictionary, or other games you and the kids dream up.
• A picnic to nowhere – Pack a picnic lunch, get in the car, and check out the area for a new or unusual place to picnic. (Or pack some Frisbees or a board game, too, and head to your favorite park.)
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen – Many shelters and soup kitchens would be grateful for the help, and a day spent helping others can make a positive difference in the lives of your family.
• Classic movie marathon – Parents could choose two or three films they remember fondly from their childhood. Pop some corn, make some lemonade, and introduce your own kids to them. (If you can move the TV outdoors, so much the better!)
• Find a local play, concert or exhibit – Most towns plan special summer events, so check the newspaper for ideas or look online for free or inexpensive entertainment opportunities not far from where you live – and take along a picnic lunch or dinner.
• Go garage sale-ing – Have an early family breakfast, then hit all the local garage sales you can find. You may be surprised at the number of games, books, toys and other things you can find on the cheap to keep everyone busy and happy for the rest of the weekend and beyond.

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