12 ways to entertain the grandkids without spending a fortune
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For many of us, looking after the grandkids is a lovely treat, but it's no secret that keeping them entertained can be a costly affair. However, with a little bit of creativity and imagination, you can have plenty of fun without spending a fortune. Here are 12 great ideas to get you started:
Coming up with cost effective ways to keep the little ones entertained can be a fun challenge! Source: OpenAI (AI Generated)
1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt
With the prevalence of screens these days, anything that gets kids outside and interacting with nature is a winner in our book. Put together a list of things for them to find on a nature walk – leaves, pinecones, feathers, etc. – and see how many they can tick off.
For older kids, or for younger ones who want more of a challenge, try downloading a free plant identification app like Plantnet (on android and iphone) onto your smartphone. These apps will give you the scientific and common names of plants just by pointing your phone's camera at them. It's a great way to teach kids about the natural world around them.
2. Make homemade pizzas
Pizza is always a hit with kids, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Pick up some pre-made pizza dough from the supermarket, along with some tomato sauce and cheese, and let the kids get creative with their toppings. You can even turn it into a competition to see who can make the most interesting pizza.
If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can even make your own dough from scratch. There are plenty of easy recipes online, like this one in the video below. Just make sure you have some extra flour on hand in case your first attempts aren’t up to scratch!
3. Do an art project together
There's no need to spend a fortune on art supplies – chances are you already have everything you need at home. Recycled materials are great for this - paper towel rolls, egg cartons, and toilet paper rolls can all be transformed into works of art with a little bit of paint and imagination.
If you want to get a little bit more creative, try making your own paint. All you need is some flour, water, and food colouring (but put some newspaper down on your table first to avoid any stains!). Just mix together equal parts of each until you get the desired colour, and voila! You've got your very own homemade paint. See the video below for more information:
4. Teach them to play cards
Card games are classics for a reason – they're fun, and they can be played over and over again. If the kids are too young to understand the rules of things like Poker or Blackjack, there are plenty of simpler card games they can learn, like Go Fish or Old Maid.
5. Plant some flowers or vegetables
Kids love getting their hands dirty, so why not get them planting? You can pick up some cheap flower seeds or seedlings from your local garden centre, or even just raid your own cupboards for things like old potatoes or onions. Spring onions are a great, fast-growing option for budding gardeners.
Planting is a great way to teach kids about where their food comes from, and they'll be excited to see their plants grow over time. Just make sure you help them to water and care for their plants so they don't end up disappointed.
6. Do some simple science experiments
Science experiments are always a hit with kids. They love seeing things fizz, bubble, and change colour, and there are plenty of simple experiments you can do at home with everyday items.
One of our favourites is the lava lamp experiment. All you need is a clear jar, some water, vegetable oil, food colouring, and an effervescent tablet like Alka-Seltzer. Just add the water and oil to the jar, then add in a few drops of food colouring. Add the tablet and watch the show!
7. Do some simple origami
Origami is a great way to keep kids entertained, and it's actually not as hard as it looks. There are plenty of easy origami tutorials online, like this one from Origami Guide. All you need is some paper – construction paper works well as a budget option – and you're good to go.
8. Learn some magic tricks together
Kids love magic, and it's not that hard to learn a few basic tricks. There are plenty of resources available online that don't require any special equipment, like this list of tricks below:
9. Make some homemade instruments
Making music is a great way to entertain kids, and you don't need to spend a lot of money on equipment. There are plenty of homemade instruments you can make with things you probably already have around the house, like empty plastic bottles, rubber bands, and paper towel rolls. Beware, you may need a headache tablet after this one!
10. Have a picnic in the backyard
Picnics are a great way to entertain kids without spending any money at all. Just pack up some snacks and drinks and head outside. If you don't have a backyard, your local park will do just fine.
11. Make some homemade ice cream
Ice cream is always a hit with kids. Why not try making some from scratch?. There are plenty of recipes available online, like this one from the New York Times. All you need is some milk, cream, sugar, and your favourite flavourings.
12. Play some ‘old-fashioned’ games
Kids these days are used to being entertained by screens, but there's nothing wrong with good old-fashioned fun. Games like hopscotch, hide-and-seek, charades, and tag are all great ways to get kids up and moving.
So there you have it – 12 great ways to entertain the grandkids without spending a fortune. Just get creative and use your imagination, and you'll be sure to have a great time.
Do you have any extra tips to add to the list? Share them with us below!
Coming up with cost effective ways to keep the little ones entertained can be a fun challenge! Source: OpenAI (AI Generated)
1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt
With the prevalence of screens these days, anything that gets kids outside and interacting with nature is a winner in our book. Put together a list of things for them to find on a nature walk – leaves, pinecones, feathers, etc. – and see how many they can tick off.
For older kids, or for younger ones who want more of a challenge, try downloading a free plant identification app like Plantnet (on android and iphone) onto your smartphone. These apps will give you the scientific and common names of plants just by pointing your phone's camera at them. It's a great way to teach kids about the natural world around them.
2. Make homemade pizzas
Pizza is always a hit with kids, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Pick up some pre-made pizza dough from the supermarket, along with some tomato sauce and cheese, and let the kids get creative with their toppings. You can even turn it into a competition to see who can make the most interesting pizza.
If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can even make your own dough from scratch. There are plenty of easy recipes online, like this one in the video below. Just make sure you have some extra flour on hand in case your first attempts aren’t up to scratch!
3. Do an art project together
There's no need to spend a fortune on art supplies – chances are you already have everything you need at home. Recycled materials are great for this - paper towel rolls, egg cartons, and toilet paper rolls can all be transformed into works of art with a little bit of paint and imagination.
If you want to get a little bit more creative, try making your own paint. All you need is some flour, water, and food colouring (but put some newspaper down on your table first to avoid any stains!). Just mix together equal parts of each until you get the desired colour, and voila! You've got your very own homemade paint. See the video below for more information:
4. Teach them to play cards
Card games are classics for a reason – they're fun, and they can be played over and over again. If the kids are too young to understand the rules of things like Poker or Blackjack, there are plenty of simpler card games they can learn, like Go Fish or Old Maid.
5. Plant some flowers or vegetables
Kids love getting their hands dirty, so why not get them planting? You can pick up some cheap flower seeds or seedlings from your local garden centre, or even just raid your own cupboards for things like old potatoes or onions. Spring onions are a great, fast-growing option for budding gardeners.
Planting is a great way to teach kids about where their food comes from, and they'll be excited to see their plants grow over time. Just make sure you help them to water and care for their plants so they don't end up disappointed.
6. Do some simple science experiments
Science experiments are always a hit with kids. They love seeing things fizz, bubble, and change colour, and there are plenty of simple experiments you can do at home with everyday items.
One of our favourites is the lava lamp experiment. All you need is a clear jar, some water, vegetable oil, food colouring, and an effervescent tablet like Alka-Seltzer. Just add the water and oil to the jar, then add in a few drops of food colouring. Add the tablet and watch the show!
7. Do some simple origami
Origami is a great way to keep kids entertained, and it's actually not as hard as it looks. There are plenty of easy origami tutorials online, like this one from Origami Guide. All you need is some paper – construction paper works well as a budget option – and you're good to go.
8. Learn some magic tricks together
Kids love magic, and it's not that hard to learn a few basic tricks. There are plenty of resources available online that don't require any special equipment, like this list of tricks below:
9. Make some homemade instruments
Making music is a great way to entertain kids, and you don't need to spend a lot of money on equipment. There are plenty of homemade instruments you can make with things you probably already have around the house, like empty plastic bottles, rubber bands, and paper towel rolls. Beware, you may need a headache tablet after this one!
10. Have a picnic in the backyard
Picnics are a great way to entertain kids without spending any money at all. Just pack up some snacks and drinks and head outside. If you don't have a backyard, your local park will do just fine.
11. Make some homemade ice cream
Ice cream is always a hit with kids. Why not try making some from scratch?. There are plenty of recipes available online, like this one from the New York Times. All you need is some milk, cream, sugar, and your favourite flavourings.
12. Play some ‘old-fashioned’ games
Kids these days are used to being entertained by screens, but there's nothing wrong with good old-fashioned fun. Games like hopscotch, hide-and-seek, charades, and tag are all great ways to get kids up and moving.
So there you have it – 12 great ways to entertain the grandkids without spending a fortune. Just get creative and use your imagination, and you'll be sure to have a great time.
Do you have any extra tips to add to the list? Share them with us below!
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. I picked up 7 and 6 year old grandsons recently, drove home along the sea front, on a whim pulled over and they asked what we were doing so I said I needed a walk for my bad back (part of the reason I stopped). They had races, marking out start and finish lines with their feet, and I set them a challenge to see if they could get from one end of a huge patch of seaweed mounds to the other without touching sand. A bit of problem solving required, at one stage there was too big a gap to jump so 7 year old picked up a handful of the seaweed he was standing on and threw it in the middle of the gap to step across 
