Feature Article: 5 Affordable Winter Activities for Children by Sheila Buck

The winter months are cold and, although many parents don’t like being out in the brisk weather, their children usually do. During the colder months it may seem harder to keep your children entertained than it was during the warmer months. Here are some good ideas for keeping your children busy this winter.

• Sledding is a fun activity that children enjoy. Have them get their friends together to have a fun-filled day of sledding at a nearby hill. If no hill is available, children can take turns pulling each other around. You or another parent may offer to take the children sledding someplace where there is a hill if time allows.
• Ice skating is a fun winter activity that children will enjoy as well. Look for a local ice skating rink that the children will be able to go to. There may also be a pond nearby that they are allowed to use. Always make sure the ice is safe for your son or daughter to skate on. If neither of these options is available, have the children level out an area in your yard and let them use the hose to fill it with water. The water will freeze and you will have a rink in your own yard. Ice skates are good to have, but not a necessity. Children have just as much fun skating in their boots.
• One of my favorite winter activities is making snow forts. You make them by using the snow and your hands, or plastic brick molds that can be bought at the store. Old bread pans also make good molds. Place bricks of snow in a row on the ground then repeat, stacking until your child likes the height. Children can make however many walls they want. Holes can even be left for windows and doors.
• Homemade hot chocolate is a great treat for the children when they come inside from a day of playing in the cold. You can have it ready for them when they come in, but it would be a lot more fun for them if you let them help you make it. Most, if not all, of the ingredients can probably be found in your home.
• The school has different sports for each season. If your child is athletic, he or she may want to join a winter sports team.

Even though the winter months are cold, children still need ways to keep busy. With a little help from their parents, they can stay busy all winter long. Sledding, skating and making snow forts are fun activities for kids, but can also be fun for if they give it a try.

Resources:

Cooks.com: Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipes

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Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes.

5 Affordable Fall Activities for Children

By Sheila Buck

When the fall season hits and the weather cools down, there are many activities your children may like to participate in. School has started and there isn’t as much time for extra activities as there was in the summer months. Children need to be able to entertain themselves, and possibly their friends, during the after school hours.

• After school activities are offered at the school your child goes to. Your child can join one of the many clubs the school has to offer. If your son or daughter likes to act, check to see if the school has a drama club. If your child likes to play chess, there may be a chess club as well. If he or she is into sports then the school may have a team your child may like to join. Whatever your child’s interests may be, the school he or she attends may have a program that will hold their interest. With the exception of sports, most after school programs continue throughout the whole school year.
• The library may also offer different reading programs and groups for children who like to read. Check with your local library to see what they have to offer.
• Hiking with friends is a wonderful idea. The weather has cooled down and being outside is more pleasurable. Have the kids pack lunches and bring water to drink. They can hike in the woods or on a local hiking trail. A picnic, under a tree for shade or in a field where they can also play will be fun for them. If the children are young it would be a fun activity for a parent to supervise.
• Colorful leaves that have fallen from their trees are always fun to play with during the autumn months. They can make leaf rubbings buy putting a leaf under a piece of paper and then running the side of a crayon over it. Children can also make a leaf collage by putting leaves between two sheets of wax paper and ironing it through a towel. This can also be done by using contact paper which is safer. Playing in the raked leaves is always fun even if it doesn’t necessarily make the parent’s happy. Ask your children what they would like to do with the fall leaves. They may have other ideas that will keep them busy for the season.
• Help your children plan a field day event with their friends. They can play baseball, soccer, or other sports. They can have egg and three legged races. Your child can help you make prize ribbons or certificates to give the event winners. Invite other parents as well and have a pot luck lunch. Each parent can bring a dish.

The fall season is a great time to start after school programs and also have fun. There are many ways your children can stay entertained and socialize with other children at the same time.

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Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes: Spending Less to Eat Healthy.

5 Affordable Summer Activities for Children

By Sheila Buck

Parents sometimes find it hard to keep their children occupied during the summer months. Many summer camps and other programs cost money that families may not have. The following are some ideas for summer activities that are affordable, and the children will have fun doing them.

• Summer camp is an activity that most kids want to participate in. These types of camps can sometimes cost a few hundred to more than a thousand dollars. They are still worth looking into because some summer camps offer reduced rates or scholarships if the family meets the income guidelines.
• Some areas offer summer recreation programs for free. Children are able to enjoy socializing with other kids from the neighborhood as well as crafts, swimming and other fun activities. The school sometimes sends home notices about summer recreation programs. The town or city hall may also know of such programs. You can also check with the library.
• Your child’s school may have a summer reading program for him or her to participate in. If your son or daughter loves to read, this is a good program to look into. There is often a certificate or prize awarded for program completion.
• A trip to the local playground is always fun. Your child will be able to play with other children. Have your child pack a lunch and have a picnic. Some of the local playgrounds may have a sprinkler or pool. If so, be sure your child brings a towel and change of clothes in order to get wet.
• If your child is seeking a good time with friends, but doesn’t want to leave the house, allow for camping in the back yard. Set up a tent and let your child invite some friends over for a camp out. Make sure they have plenty of blankets in case it gets cold. Let them make sandwiches and other snacks for them to have on hand. They can tell ghost stories and have a good time.

There are many ways to keep your children busy through the summer months. With a little searching, summer camp may be an option. If it’s not, brainstorm with your child to help find fun and creative ways to stay busy, that are also affordable.

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Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes: Spending Less to Eat Healthy.

5 Affordable Spring Activities for Children

By Sheila Buck

When winter is over and spring arrives, there are new activities for your child to enjoy. When the snow has melted and the ground dries up your son or daughter may want to start spending more time outside. Here are a few ideas to keep your children busy during the spring season.

• Sports at school have changed again so, if your child is athletic, he or she may want to try another sport.

• Help you child start a vegetable or flower garden. Show them how to prepare the area and plant the seeds. Some plants may need to be planted inside and taken care of until they are big enough to go out into the garden. When the garden is all planted, your son or daughter can weed and water the when needed. Your child will enjoy the fresh vegetables, or beautiful flowers, that come from taking care of their own garden.

• When fishing season starts, children can have fun fishing with their friends. Fishing supplies can be bought at a fairly inexpensive price at your local department store. Even if you have to spend a little more money for a decent fishing pole, the fish your child brings home can help with food expenses and even things out. Have your child pack a lunch so he or she can picnic with friends.

• Dig out the bikes that have been put away all winter. Biking with friends is always fun, and great exercise too. Again, if your child packs a lunch he or she can picnic with friends.

• Allow your child to have friends over for the day. Give them chalk and let them draw in the driveway. Hopscotch is a game that is fun to play. Have them play with the other outdoor toys that you had put away for the winter. Jump ropes and hula hoops are wonderful outdoor toys for children to play with. Make them sandwiches, chips and juice for lunch, and lay out a blanket on the lawn for them to sit on while they eat.

There are plenty of activities for a child to participate in on a warm spring day. Most are more fun if there is company, so allow your child to invite a  friend. On warm days, always make sure your son or daughter has plenty of water and, even though it’s spring, sunscreen is a good idea.

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Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes: Spending Less to Eat healthy.

Feature Article: Affordable Gifts Children Can Make

By Sheila Buck

Gift giving is a major part of birthdays and holidays. On these occasions, children like to give gifts to their friends and families. Purchasing presents can become expensive, and not all families have a lot of money to spend. The following is a list of gifts that children can make that are easy and affordable.

• Cards are simple to make and the materials are usually very inexpensive to purchase. Many children have most of the materials they need on hand. Materials include: construction paper, crayons, markers, glitter, scissors, and glue. Children can draw pictures and write messages. Decorating with glitter always adds a nice touch to any card.
• Poems can be found for any family member or friend in library books and on the internet. Some children even like to write their own poetry. Have your son or daughter pick out or write a poem and copy it down on a colorful piece of paper. Have him or her decorate the boarder of the paper with a nice design. Grandparents love to hang poems that tell others how wonderful their grandchildren think they are.
• Popsicle stick pencil holders are always a nice gift. The sticks are inexpensive and come with many in a package. You can buy them already colored, or your child can color them him or herself. Have your son or daughter glue the sticks to a washed tin can. Glitter or stickers can be added for extra decoration. Have your child glue a photo of him or herself to the front of the pencil holder.
• Gifts in a jar are a wonderful gift idea for the holidays. Have your child pick out a favorite cookie recipe and put all of the dry ingredients in a canning jar. Layer the ingredients for a pleasant look. Have your child write out tags that list the ingredients the recipient of the gift has to add, and how to cook them. Tie the tag around the cover of the jar. Canning jars can often be found at yard sales at a very cheap price. Many of the jars that we purchase food in can also be used for this purpose. The quart size jars work well. Wash the jars and put them away to use for this purpose.
• Framed photography is a beautiful gift that can be hung and treasured for a life time. Have your child take pictures of the local scenery, family, and friends. If you have a digital camera, photos can usually be printed up fairly cheap at the local drug store. If you have to develop film, it is sometimes less expensive to mail it and have it developed. Frames can be purchased at some stores for around dollar.

Making gifts is an inexpensive way for a child to give all of the meaningful people in his or her life something special. Your son or daughter will have a lot of fun making the gifts, and it gives them a chance to be creative. Friends and family enjoy receiving gifts made from the heart.

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Sheila Buck is the single mom of two. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes.

Outdoor Spring Activities to Enjoy with Children

Being outside is great for the entire family. The fresh air, the extra activity, and the chance to explore, are important for everyone. Watching children flourish while being outside is a heart-warming experience for parents and other caregivers. And sharing the experiences of enjoying fun activities together aids in building strong bonds.

Enjoy A Nature Walk

A morning or evening walk is a great way for everyone to stretch their legs.  Point out things you notice are happening around you and talk with your children about them. Notice animals and birds, and listen to nature sounds for a few minutes.

Give each child a pencil and a journal to record their findings, stopping at least once during the walk to allow them to add entries to it. Have them date each new entry, and maybe add the location, so they can look back over things later.

Enjoy A Picnic Together

Children have so much fun in the kitchen, so let them help to prepare the food for a picnic in the park, or out in the yard. They can make simple sandwiches, place precut vegetables into baggies, and fill water bottles.

Picnics are a great time for chit-chat, and then for some play. Bring a Frisbee, or baseball gloves and a ball to toss back and forth.

Begin A Compost Pile

A good way to teach children how not to be wasteful is by starting and caring for a compost bin. They will also learn about other important things while doing this.

Decide where you want the pile, and have the children spread some straw or dried leaves over the area. Let them shovel a few bags of soil over this dry matter, while explaining the types of waste that will be composted. Have a bucket or two of food scraps ready to be added as well.

Use a long stick or broom handle to show them how to mix the food into the soil, and explain that this action adds oxygen to the soil and will help the compost to break down more quickly.

After each meal, one child can take a bucket of scraps out to the pile and mix it in with the existing soil. By autumn or the next spring, you will be able to use the compost in a garden.

Plant A Garden

Gardening in the spring is a good way to get back into the routine of exercise after having been cooped up over the winter, for children and adults.

Place a raised bed where you want a garden located, and allow the children to help you fill it with organic soil, perhaps from a compost pile. Help them to even the soil out when they are done, while explaining how they will be planting vegetables for use when preparing meals later in the year.

Use seedlings that were started from organic seeds, demonstrating to the children how to plant them properly and showing them how to space the seedlings correctly so the plants will have room to grow.

Fun, Affordable Get-Togethers: New Years’ Eve

Get-togethers are so much fun! Hanging out with family and friends aids in strengthening bonds, and helps you to destress during the holiday season.

There are many options for get-togethers on New Year’s Eve that will be enjoyed by all who attend. Don’t go over board on the number of guests, or the refreshments you’ll be serving. Keep things casual and enjoyable.

I have only 1 idea for this holiday 🙂

Make it a family event. Play a long running game, such as Monopoly, with the children. Then turn on the television for the festivities. The children may or may not make it to see the ball drop, but you can set up ‘beds’ on the living room floor so they can fall asleep any time. The adults can play cards at the table once the children are settled.

A pasta meal, complete with a tossed salad and garlic bread can be served. And a New Year cake for dessert, that the children helped to make early in the day, will be the hit if the party.

To save money:

• Bake from scratch.

• Purchase needed items on sale, with a coupon, or using both methods.

• Have others help with the cost, or just do a potluck.

• Check out the local dollar store to see what deals they might have.

• Use ingredients you have on hand.

• Use pasta sauce made and preserved using your own garden produce.

Enjoy!

Shannon