So if you’re going through a situation where you’re going to have to cut costs to bare essentials to live and survive, such as when your family is divided due to incarceration, it’s crucial to find things for you and your kids to do for free. This is more so targeted to parents of younger children, since that’s the stage our kids are in.
If you live in a somewhat decent sized city, this may be easier to do. In the city we live in, there are a ton of parks. I’m thankful for this, because there are so many parks to explore from the inner city to the beaches. This will be especially nice when the weather gets sunnier and warmer. There is even a park that just has hundreds of blueberry plants that one can pick from around August when the blueberries are ripe. We did that last summer and made a cobbler from the blueberries we found. There are parks with splash areas in them, which is gold when it comes to hot summer days. Kids can stay there all day without complaint. Just take a picnic with you and voila. Pierce County invested a lot in remodeling several of its neighborhood parks, and it’s just fantastic for everyone in the area.
Some of the parks have newer playgrounds as well. Even when it’s cold outside, I try to make a point to get out to the parks. A good place to start is your favorite search engine and just look for a new place to explore. Go beachcombing and play in the rocks and sand. Here, we have both kinds of beaches. Maybe even try a short hike or go walking around one of the parks.
Another thing that has started popping up in our area recently is painted rocks. Yes, painted rocks! People from all over town paint rocks and then hide them in obvious and not so obvious places for people to find. What you do with the rock is up to you, but it’s a fun activity to do. Many are hidden around our local hospitals, parks, and on sidewalks. So far, our daughter has found two. You can also paint rocks with your kids if you so choose to join a group or go solo. The supplies for this might even be around your house and you can check out Pinterest, or a similar board for ideas. The groups I found were through Facebook (it said it on the other side of the rock) and there was another group that was at our daughter’s school.
If you live in a major city, or near a major city, you may even have access to museums or the zoo for free. There may be certain days of the month where admission is free. In Tacoma, you can even check out passes from the library for some of the museums around the area, such as the Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass. They have a similar program in Seattle, so you can go to some of the museums there. The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium also has a free day for residents of Tacoma about twelve times a year, so that might be something else for you to check out if the city you live in has a free day as well. Our local children’s museum also has a free day every month, and it’s also a pay what you can museum on other days, which is really nice. They have a nice water play area, indoor playground, art room, and more.
Speaking of libraries, that’s another free thing to entertain the kids. Check out your local library. The libraries around us have nice reading and play areas for kids. You can get a membership and check out a lot of books and DVDs. Reading to your kids everyday is also imperative for their development. It helps them build a vocabulary, learn the basics of speech, helps them build a better imagination, teaches them about the world around them, and it’s a great bonding experience overall. You can also have a movie night and check out some DVDs. There are plenty of titles to choose from. In addition to this, many libraries have storytelling times and other events, so check out your local library’s calendar.
Check your area for festivals or music in the park or movies in the park. The summer time is great for these kinds of activities. There are several parks in our area that have movies under the stars in the summer, which is when they play family friendly movies in the evening and you can bring your own snacks. You may also find concerts in the parks once it starts getting warmer outside, which for us is usually in May and June. Another thing to check out are local festivals. Seattle has several festivals throughout the year at the Seattle Center that one can check out for free. You can see live dancing, magicians, and other artists, which is also a great way for your kids to experience other cultures and broaden their horizons.
Planting a garden is something else you may consider if you have the room. Actually, you don’t need much room. You can even start off with a small pot. Plus, sometimes neighbors are trying to get rid of their excess plants if you’re lucky. Another option is to check out your local dollar store, as they usually have all of the supplies from seeds to gloves.
Cook or bake up a storm. This will be a great learning opportunity if your kids are of age. With adult supervision, a child can learn how to cut fruit or vegetables. This is something that children in Montessori schools do. Our daughter learns how to cook and wash dishes in school and I think it’s great that they teach the children how to do this, as it’s an important life skill to have. One day she came home from school so excited to wash the dishes, because they learned how to do it in school. I was excited, because I had a helper! So, check out an old or new recipe or wash dishes and get busy. While you’re in the kitchen, you can also make play dough. My guess is that most people have flour and salt in their cupboards somewhere and possibly some food coloring.
Do some crafts. If you’re like me, you might have some supplies stocked up over the years, such as paper and paint and glitter. If not, the dollar store again is a great source for such craft items. Maybe you can paint or draw a picture for your loved one (and then take a picture of it since paint, crayon, and glitter drawings usually aren’t allowed in prisons). That evil crap gets everywhere and they don’t want any sparkles on the incarcerated population. Actually, I’m sure there is a good reason for this and I have a theory since they have edible glitter nowadays.
If you want to teach your kids a real life lesson and they’re old enough, go volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen. Right before my husband found work after he was released on bond, he volunteered at the Tacoma Rescue Mission, which one of their missions is to feed low income and homeless people? It’s a great lesson to learn. Some people have this attitude that they’re better than others and lack compassion and understanding. They might see a homeless person and think the worst of them without knowing their back-story and why they became homeless. Volunteering helps people stay grounded; it’s a great way to help others and do something good in your community.
Dance party. Need I say more? Yes, have a dance party in your living room or wherever you choose. You can choose a theme, such as 80s or 90s hits, or just play a mix of music. This actually will probably have several benefits. It’ll help release tension and stress, it’s exercise so you’re burning those calories, and it’s a lot of fun. Why not just be silly and act like no one’s watching. Dance parties are awesome, so as long as you don’t have neighbors who complain.
Remember the days when you were a kid and made a fort or tent in the living room or your bedroom? Just gather your supplies from around the house and make your own magical kingdom. Go on an adventure. As our daughter just told me, “I’m climbing a mountain.” Be silly, be creative, and let your guard down. The kids will appreciate your efforts and it’ll be something they may remember for a lifetime.
Again, obviously this is not all-inclusive, but some ideas, especially if you have younger kids such as myself. Having to be a single parent is tough, so I’m learning tricks, brainstorming, and resorting to old ways to do things for free as that’s what I did as a kid. So go out there, and show your kids you can still have fun and stay strong as a family while you ride out the storm.
Toni Andersson's Blog 
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