6 Great Activities to do With Your Grandchildren on a Budget

1. Bubble Blowing: There is nothing like having a wand up your sleeve to whip out when boredom strikes! Bubbles are especially great for the really little ones. Cheap and widely available, stash some bubbles in your car and on the back porch...   
2. Sidewalk Chalk: It’s always fun to draw big! Not only is a bucket of chalk cheap but the older kids can take it a step further by creating elaborate hopscotch games.
3. Baking in the Kitchen: Grandma or Grandpa, save a recipe such as oatmeal raisin cookies made with applesauce for a rainy day. It’s never too early to start teaching kids their way around in the kitchen. And if you have any special family recipes, that’s even better! They will cherish the memories you make today when they enjoy those foods in the future.
4. ​Planting Seeds: Permission to get muddy makes this one fun! Whether it’s out in the garden or in a kitchen pot, pick out some flowers or vegetables that you can plant together. They’ll love coming back and checking on them whenever they see you. The garden is a great place for telling stories about when you were a kid too.  
5. Building Forts: Storm the linen closet! It’s time to gather your blankets & sheets to create indoor forts. Put chairs together back to back and provide a few flashlights so they can keep a good lookout.
6. Dress Up: Have a basket or trunk that is full of costume clothes. Save pieces from Halloween costumes here and pick things up at thrift stores when you see them. Fun items include cowboy hats, capes, crowns, eye patches, big glasses, wigs, a cane, an old trench coat, wands and fake swords. Encourage them to have a short skit ready for after dinner (even if it’s a one-act!).

Thanks for reading! Now good luck keeping up with them! ;)