Planning a playdate can be a huge burden if you’re working around a tight budget. Keeping kids entertained is tough enough, but when your wallet doesn’t want to cooperate with your ideas it can seem downright impossible. There’s actually a whole lot cool ideas that will keep kids of all ages entertained without forcing you to spend a whole lot of money. With these ten simple ideas you’ll find peace with your children’s playdates and may even have a little fun yourself as you direct the kids through each of the activites you choose to incorporate into your child’s play. Now, when parents ask you for a playdate you won’t have to pass up the opportunity and you may even make some new parent friends that will make these fun activities even more rewarding.
1. Superhero Day
It doesn’t matter the age or the gender of the children you’re trying to entertain because when it comes to superheroes everyone is down. Instead of spending money to take the kids out somewhere invest a little time in helping them create their very own superhero costumes. A lot of stores will sell pre-made kits if you’re looking for a fast and easy way to create costumes, but you can just as easily use supplies around the house to create some amazing costumes. Paper plates are an easy product to use when it comes to masks and even child friendly weapons. These items can transform into superhero accessories with a little glue, markers, crayons, glitter and string. You can also use old wrapping paper rolls to create swords or other accessories for the kids. Capes are as easy make too if you have old sheets or clothing lying around the house. When the kids are happy with their costumes then head to the backyard for some playtime. You can easily create a scenario for the kids to fight off and may even get to have some fun as you play the super villain.
2. Tea Parties
When it comes to keeping little girls busy you can easily make an afternoon of it with a tea party. This can be incredibly cheap to pull off and may even cost you nothing if you already have the supplies at home. If you’re hosting older children then you might want to start the playdate off with a little baking. Let the kids stir up some batter for snacks that will be served up during the party. This should take up an hour or so of your time, especially if you work from scratch and have the kids help you with set up. When the snacks are ready you may want to pull out some dress up supplies. This can be items your kids already have or special formal gowns that you may get from a thrift store or your own personal closet. Once the kids are ready to go then play turn on some classical music, serve the tea and enjoy listening to the giggles of your children having some fun.
3. Movie Day
If you only have the kids for a few hours then pretending to spend a day at the movies will certainly entertain many children. Before your play date arrives try to go through the movies for something age appropriate that everyone will love. This can be an easy task for younger children who can generally watch movies over and over again. If you’re hosting older children then it might be wise to hold a vote, or have each child pick a movie to watch. Once the movie is out of the way then try to whip up some healthier snacks. Popcorn is usually a go to snack, but it can be very bad for younger children. Also, some parents might not want their children eating buttery and other unhealthy types of popcorn, so if you’re going to have popcorn try to make it an original bag or homemade. Crackers, fruits and vegetables can be a great option for snacks though and are usually parent approved. To make things even more theater inspired you could pass out fake money so kids can purchase their tickets and snacks for the show. When everyone’s here, turn out the lights and enjoy the movie.
4. Puppet Shows
Kids love puppet shows, which makes this idea pretty easy to run with. It doesn’t matter if you’re entertaining toddlers or older children as this will give everyone an afternoon of fun. The puppets can be made from old socks or paper bags, so you won’t have to go to a huge expenditure to give everyone their own puppet. Decorating the puppets is just an inexpensive! Try to gather up the supplies around the house to help save money. Markers, glue, glitter, cotton balls, pipe cleaners and other items will help you provide the kids with a unique way to express themselves via puppet. When the puppets are finished then let the kids rehearse for their own show. This could simply be allowing them to play or having older kids create a script and presenting it to the household at the end of the playdate. You may even find your kid’s friends asking to come back in order to put on more puppet shows in the future.
5. Scavenger Hunt
If the weather is nice then a scavenger hunt might be right up your alley for the day. Kids love finding things outdoors so take note of your area and create a list for kids to find. You can also hide cheaper items so the kids will have a lot more to look for. The level of difficulty for the hunt can be altered to work around the children’s ages. When you’re hosting a hunt for toddlers then you may want to keep the activity in your own backyard. This will provide a safe place for kids to explore and will easily allow you to keep your eyes on all of the children you’re hosting. If the children are older then you may want to extend the perimeter to a walk around the block or even a smaller hike. To make things even more fun you could also come up with a fun map that will leads the kids to the items on their list. You could even come up with a grand prize for the child who finds the most items.
6. Indoor Gardening
If you’re looking for an education experience for the kids then you might want to look into indoor gardening. There’s a lot of ways you can mix up this activity to make it a lot of fun for all the kids involved. If you’re okay with spending a little money then you may want to go to your local dollar store and pick up a few mini pots for the kids. The children can paint the pots for a custom look which will help take up some of the time. When the pots are painted and dried add some potting soil to each one. Of course, if you’re looking for a cheaper option the cut the top off of a plastic bottle and poor potting soil into this. The kids can still decorate these bottles by having them color a piece of paper and then gluing or taping it to the bottle. You can choose a number flowers to plant into the pots. Another great option is having the kids grow a bean. This only requires a ziplock and some soil, but if you’re unsure how to do it then look online for tutorials.
7. Inside fort
Camping is a pretty awesome thing when you’re a little, but on rainy days or short playdates its not possible. Instead of taking the kids into the great outdoors you can easily let them build a fort in the living room. This is a very simple idea and doesn’t require you to spend any money at all. The only items you’ll need are some chairs, sheets, blankets and pillows. If the kids are older then let them do the bulk of the work for the fort. This will give them independence while allowing them to learn how to construct things. Smaller children might need some help with these items so let your inner child kick in. Once the fort is finished you can partake in lots of camp activities like singing songs, telling stories and snacking on smores. You might also want to think of games like sock wars or capture the flag that is altered to suit the indoors. You might even bring in a play fishing hole for younger children. This can be accomplished by using a kiddie pool, toy fish, and magnets.
8. Dance Off
Children adore music, so if you need a simple idea in a hurry then having a dance off is a great way to go. Dancing is a great activity for all children, but you will have to cater the music around the age groups. This can really make your dance time successful. Of course, with the younger children it is also important for you to get up and dance too. You could also incorporate dancing games into the mix to keep things lively. If you’re not certain about dance games or the kids get bored with simply dance then turn on one of their favorite musical shows. This will have the kids up and dancing again. For older kids, there’s a lot of video games designed around dancing that will earn them points, teach them new moves and keep them entertained for hours to come.
9. Library Trip
Stories are a great way to impress children and help them develop a yearning to read. One way to do this on a budget it to take your playdate to the library. Once here you can have each of the children pick out a book for home. When you get home gather some snacks and have everyone sit and listen as you read the stories in a lively voice. Kids will respond to your fun way of reading and you’ll all enjoy the playdate a lot more. Of course, you may also want to see if the library is hosting any activities. Sometimes you can register the children for a story or movie period. A lot of libraries will also provide arts and craft classes for different ages. You may have to play your playdate around the libraries schedule, but when you see how much fun the kids are having you’ll be pleased with your choice.
10. Obstacle Course
Older kids can be a lot harder to entertain during playdates, but one way to keep everyone from getting bored is to set up an obstacle course. These courses can be set up in different areas and can be primarily made with items from around the home. When it comes to creating these courses use your imagination. You can make them team based or a solo run depending on the amount of children you have over to play. A few great items you can add to the obstacle course are horse shoes, rings for tossing, jump ropes and cones. If the weather allows then sprinklers, water balloons and water guns are also a great addition to any obstacle course. If you’re feeling really adventurous then you might want to show off some of your course making skills in the pool. This will help keep the kids cool in the summer while adding extra fun to the race. Make sure you keep an eye on the kids at all times during their time in the course though.
Playdates are an important part of growing up so don’t postpone them because of money. With these ten tips your kids will adore having friends over thanks to the cool ideas you come up from. The best thing is, most of these ideas won’t have you spending any money at all!
