Want some fun and free things to do with your kids, that we loved doing when our kids were younger? And yes, they are all simple ideas that don’t really cost anything other than your time! Most of the ideas below are stay-at-home kid games, so you don’t even have to leave your house to have fun!
Maybe you are asking yourself “what can I do for fun with my kids”? You’re looking for ways to spend time playing with your kids, but you’re not coming up with many ideas. Or possibly you’re left with questions of “how” or “what” to play with them?
10 Fun And Free Things To Do With Your Kids
Your kids will love the time you spend with them, and they will love playing as well! Be a FUN parent; take time to play and laugh with your kids.
The years go by so quickly, so choose to make the most of them, and have fun ON PURPOSE.
What activities can you do with kids at home?
1. Huckle-buckle-beanstalk
Choose a little toy to hide, and show it to the kids. (we used a Fisher-Price little person) Have them all go into the other room, while you hide it in the family room. When you’re done, call them in to find it.
The first one who sees it calls out, “Huckle-buckle-beanstalk!”. The one who
found it then gets to hide it.
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2. Have a sock fight.
Roll matched socks up in a ball, choose teams, and fire away.
3. Have a scavenger hunt.
I have them all go upstairs, and while they aren’t able to watch, I hide a list of items throughout the downstairs rooms.
I call the kids down when I’m done, give them the list, and they go hunting to find the items.
They don’t say anything when they find an item but check it off on their list. That way it doesn’t spoil the fun for those who are still looking.
4. Have a treasure hunt.
Hide clues around the house that will take them to a treasure. My kids always loved this, and often the older ones would do it for the younger ones after I had planned one for them.
Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes... in You and Your Kids
Passionate Parenting: Enjoying the Journey of Parenting TeensSolving A Crisis in Christian Parenting: Why so many prodigals?[(Child Training Tips : What I Wish I Knew When My Children Were Young)] [By (author) Reb Bradley] published on (August, 2014)
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How do I keep 5-year-olds, 10-year-olds, and 13-year-olds busy?
All of the ideas on this list can be adjusted to meet different ages, but the following ones may be the MOST applicable to all ages.
5. Bean bag toss.
Line up 5 bowls with the biggest one closest to the starting line, and the smallest one farthest away. They get five points for getting it in the smallest bowl, 4 for the next one, etc.
Have them stand at the line, and give them 3 bean bags to try to toss in the bowls. (You can keep score for several rounds, or if the kids are younger, don’t even keep score – just have fun!)
6. I’m Thinking of a Person.
Give your child 20 pennies, and they put a penny in the cup for each question they ask. They try to figure out who the person is by the questions: is the person still alive? male or female? etc.
The goal is to guess the person with 20 or fewer questions.
7. Tic-tac-toe or Hangman on a dry erase board or chalkboard.
Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids for Free or Cheap
8. “Bowling”.
Stand up empty 2-liter pop bottles (or 20 oz), mark a line to stand behind, and “bowl” a kid-size ball at them.
9. Musical freeze march.
Play music (or for us, I’d play the piano) while the kids march around a certain path over and over. (Around the island to office, to the living room, to the hall, back to around island – this was a big circle they could go round and round)
When the music stops, everyone has to freeze. Whoever is in the designated “out” spot, is then eliminated from the game.
Play till only one child is left. Start again with a different spot being OUT.
10. Match the lids.
Get several different-sized plastic bowls & lids from the kitchen. Put them all in a bag, and have the kids take turns seeing who can get the lids & bowls matched up & put on the fastest. (we used empty prescription bottles, empty cottage cheese or sour cream containers, and different sizes of storage containers)
Fun and free bonus idea: Teach character lessons that include games & role-playing to make it fun! To help you with that, here is a week of free character lessons that your kids will love!
