Summer time is the perfect season to enjoy water in many forms. It’s cooling, keeps you feeling fresh and hydrated and makes for some pretty awesome games. The only problem is, when it comes to this year, many places are facing a drought that has made the price of water skyrocket. Of course, buying a large swimming pool may not be the answer for most frugal families, drought or not. However, there are a good number of frugal water activities that won’t just keep everyone cool and entertained, but will save you a ton of money. So, don’t spend hundreds to keep the kids cool and busy this summer, because these ten ideas are sure to offer some money saving alternatives.
1. Don’t Drain the Pool
If you already have a pool then this is going to come in handy, especially if you’re in a drought. If you live in a mild climate that doesn’t often get freezes then there’s no reason to dump out your pool water. As long as there is no chance of the water becoming a solid then your pool is fine sitting as is during the off-season. If you do live in an area that freezes over, then get rid of some of the water so that it won’t cause cracks in the pool. When the swimming season rolls around again then you can easily shock the water with chemicals to make it clean again. Keeping a good filtration system is key too, especially if you have an in ground pool. By keeping the water in your pool then you won’t have a huge water bill during the summer months, nor will you receive a fine if you’re in a drought area. This can come in handy for current pool owners, but for those who do not have a pool, it may be best to keep this off your shopping list this season.
2. Buy a Pool Pass
Buying, filling and keeping up with your own pool can be a huge headache with an even bigger price tag. Rather than spending all of your hard earned money, you may want to see about getting a pool pass for the entire family. A lot of community pools will offer pool passes in individual and/or family packs, so make sure to call around in your community to see who can offer you the best deal. You may also want to look into getting a pass from your local YMCA or gym if they can support the entire family. This will allow you to not only enjoy swimming whenever you feel like it, but it will open up a world of other activities you may not have otherwise been able to do on your budget.
3. Water Balloons
When it comes to entertaining kids, water balloons is the way to go. You can come up with a lot of games to play with water balloons, so your kids won’t get bored playing the same thing day in and day out. If you’re shy on ideas then look online, many people have come up with their own games and uploaded the rules. There’s so many that are worth a try, you may be planning several different games a day! The best thing about water balloons is you can buy them for incredibly cheap. Try your local dollar store if you’re not planning on using too many. However, if water balloons are your bigger summer plans then buying in bulk will ensure you save the most money. You can find them sold in many stores, but you may also want to check online to see if there’s an even better deal. When you fill up the balloons try to utilize an old lotion or soap dispenser. This will fill them up without spilling or wasting water. It also makes this a more child friendly task, which is always a plus, especially if your children are in the independent stage. If you’re really feeling ambition, you can even make a DIY balloon launcher that will add hours of fun to the kids play time.
4. Car/Pet Wash
If you’re looking to cool down on a hot day but don’t want to waste water then you may want to combine chore time with play time. The best thing about this is no one is going to complain because they’ll get to cool down while having some fun. When it comes to the car, you can easily keep your chore frugal and environmentally friendly by filling up a bucket and trying not to exceed that amount of water during the washing process. Washing pets may be a bit trickier though. Try to fill up a child’s pool or the bathtub in order to get this job done. Use small sand pales to get the dog wet using the pool water. There shouldn’t be a reason to add more water to the mix as you wash though. In fact, the dog may do most of the work for the kids if they particularly love the water. Of course, you may have to quickly hose the kids down when the job is done, but try to use a water hose with a spigot to help control the water.
5. Water Gun Battles
One way to keep the kids busy for hours is to use water guns for battles. This can be a lot of fun for a little bit of cost, especially if you’re careful with the water guns you buy. Try shopping at a thrift store before you go to pricier store to see if they have some water guns that may cost you an arm and a leg anywhere else. If you have no luck at the thrift store then dollar stores a great second, although these water guns may not last as long. Of course, you can always browse around for coupons to see if you can find any worthwhile. Once you have the water guns, fill up a bucket and let the kids have some fun. Of course, there’s lot of games you can play with water guns too. In fact, once exciting game only requires white t-shirts, water guns, goggles and food coloring. Simply divide everyone up into teams and fill their guns with one color of food coloring stained water. Then, have the kids play until they get hit, which will be evident from their clothing. You can switch off colors after each round to make it easier to see who is in and who is out.
6. Public Parks
If you’re at a loss for ideas and money, then one of the best places to go is a public park. Nowadays, a lot of parks have splash zones for kids, especially if you live in a hot area. These zones are designed to allow kids to cool off, whereas other parks actually create special areas designed for water play. The best thing is, the public park won’t charge you a thing for this, so you can spend all day every day there if you really want to. These are also usually attached to other playgrounds so kids can play when they’re bored of being in the water. If you don’t have a park like this in the area, then look to see when your local parks turn on the sprinklers, most parks won’t care if the kids play in them for a little while as long as there is an adult present and they don’t tear up the grass.
7. Slip and Slide
The slip and slide is probably one of the more iconic ways to have fun in the water during the summer time. These slides can easily be made at home if you’re looking to cover a broad area, or you can buy them fairly inefficiently at your local department store. Once you’ve made or set up your slide then the fun can begin. However, you may want to consider using baby oil on the slide before you actually let the kids take it for a spin. This will allow you to use a lot less water than you would have to otherwise. It will also let the kids slide further and faster so it will be more fun for them and may even prevent burns from the material. Kids can play on this toy for hours and they’ll keep cool while doing it.
8. Natural Water Sources
One of the best ways to cool down during the summer months is to take your kids to the beach/lake/river/creek or any other natural water source you may have in the area. Having fun in the water can help make the whole family bond and feel more comfortable when the weather is over the top. Of course, when it comes to natural water sources, you should always know what safety items to bring with you. For instance, all young children should have a life vest and floaters to help keep them on top of the water if the unthinkable happens. You should also have bug spray, sunscreen and a first aid kit on hand to make sure everyone is having fun as healthily as possible. Also, you may want to consider bringing along inner tubes, boogie boards or other water toys you may have to help keep the day even more fun.
9. Utilize Sponges
There’s one item that most people already have lying around the house and that is, the sponge. Sponges tend to hold on to a lot more water than we expect which makes them a great toy when you’re trying to conserve water. Simply fill up a bucket, add the sponges and you’ll be ready for a wide assortment of games. For instance capture the flag with a sponge is always good fun. Instead of the other team tackling, have them throw the sponge to get their opponent out, or you can have the sponge as the flag as the water will make it harder to get it back to home base. Another fun idea is to use the sponges as dodge balls. The kids will get soaked in this activity which makes it perfect for a hot day. A lot of people have some pretty good sponge fun ideas, so if you can’t think of anything to add to the list then browse around and you’ll find countless ideas worth trying out.
10. Swim Lessons
Swim lessons are the perfect summer activity. They not only help keep your kids nice and cool on the hottest of days, but they also help ensure your child knows how to swim so they can enjoy other water based activities. In many areas, you can enroll your kids in a free summer program which offers swim lessons. These are usually offered by community programs, high schools or even your local YMCA. Usually your community center should be able to lead you in the right direction, but you have to do some calling around to make sure your child gets a free slot. If you can’t find a free course then ask your local public pool if they’re running courses. Sometimes they will give you a price break if you enroll more than one child in their course. Once you get your child enrolled, make sure to support the learning process by taking them to the pool to perfect their skills as this will help them retain lessons so they can further develop their skills.
Summer time doesn’t have to be miserable if your budget is on the tight end. With these ten tips you should be able to find the perfect ways to keep your kids cool without leaving your budget distraught. You may even find new ways to enjoy family time which will help your kids create incredible memories.
