What is it about winter?! It’s cold. It’s snowy. (At least in my neck of the woods.)
And after just a few days of being at home with my kids, I am clawing at the walls.
They are bored, so, they ask for snacks every 15 minutes, want to watch way too much TV, and are destroying every room of the house.
It’s days like these when I know I need to get us all out of the house. We all need to go somewhere and do something that doesn’t cost a fortune.
So, to save my own sanity, I put together this list of inexpensive places to take kids in winter.
13 Inexpensive Places to Take Little Kids in Winter
1. Take advantage of memberships.
This is the time to make the most of those memberships you purchased. Whether it’s the children’s museum, the aquarium, or the gym, your littles will be entertained, and you won’t have to spend any additional money.
2. Visit your local library.
I have enjoyed going to the library since I was a kid, and I want to pass that tradition on to my girls. In addition to story time, our local library has other kids’ events, a puppet show area, a lego table, coloring sheets, iPads, and more. And, if your child has a case of the “gimmes” and wants to take everything home, they can do so for free.
3. Check out the arcade.
Who doesn’t love a good game of skee ball, basketball, or air hockey. (My 5-year-old loves air hockey.) Take a small amount of cash to the arcade and trade it in for tokens. Let your kids go crazy playing games.
4. Go watch a movie.
We all know that movie tickets keep getting more and more expensive. But there are ways to go see a movie and not blow your entertainment budget. Go to a matinee or a discount theater. Check out a movie from the library. Pick up a movie from Redbox and drop by the grocery for some popcorn. No matter what option you choose, it will still get you out of the house for a little while.
5. Treat yourself to dessert or drinks.
Eating out is pretty inexpensive if you are just having dessert or a drink. And if you want to get something at a nicer restaurant, consider splitting a dessert with your kids. My kids love ice cream and frozen yogurt even in winter. And don’t forget about ½ price drinks at Sonic during happy hour from 2-4pm.
6. Shop at a thrift store.
Take your kids to your local Goodwill or other thrift store, and let them browse through the books or toys. Sometimes we will allow our girls to get a toy if it’s something we were already looking for, but other times, we warn them before we go in that we aren’t buying anything. We don’t want them to expect to get something every time we go into a store.
7. Explore new area of town.
While we are great at exploring when we go on vacation, most of us don’t do the same in our own town. There are always new areas to visit and different things to see. But, if you know your town like the back of your hand, drive to a neighboring town and explore there.
8. Take a tour of free places.
There are many places you can roam for free. Many government buildings, historical sites, and nature attractions, let you tour their buildings for free. You may even have businesses or factories in your area that give free tours.
9. Go window shopping.
Just because you go shopping, doesn’t mean you have to buy something. I love browsing the aisles of bookstores, craft stores and beauty stores just to get ideas of things I might like to do later or add to my wish list.
10. Take cookies to your local fire or police station.
This idea is a win, win, win. You get out of the house, your kids learn about generosity, and your local first responders feel appreciated. You can apply this to other places too, such as hospitals or nursing homes.
11. Pick a craft to do at a craft store.
Michaels has very inexpensive foam crafts that my 5-year-old loves to do. And, if they aren’t already on sale, you can use a mobile coupon to save 40% on one item. If you want to spend a bit more, they also have science experiments, jewelry-making kits, and plenty of paint supplies.
12. Go to the grocery, and pick something to bake.
Even a routine trip to the grocery store is more exciting when you let your kids pick ingredients to make a cake, cookies, muffins, etc. If you are being health conscious, you could get strawberries or other fruit, and teach your kids how to fondue.
13. Set up a playdate.
I’m willing to bet that you aren’t the only mom who feels cooped up. Text a group of friends to see if anyone wants to get together for a playdate. It doesn’t have to be complicated; just put the kids in a playroom together and let them play with toys you already have out. The kids can play and you can have a few minutes to talk about adult things with adults. Imagine!
No matter what you decide to do, just get out of the house. Even a walk around the block will help everyone burn off some of their energy and stir craziness.
If you want more ideas for entertaining your young kids at home, follow me on Facebook or Instagram where I occasionally share things I do with my girls that are easy and inexpensive.
More Posts You May Like