FREE ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY WITH YOUR FAMILY

Blowing Bubbles

Making your own bubbles couldn't be easier! You can use liquid hand soap and a bit of water to do this. All you would need is a bubble wand, which you could create out of a bit of thin wire(left over Easter Egg wire dippers would be excellent for this), and a container for the bubbles(you could simply use a bowl or plastic container for that) and you're all set.

For smaller children, try picking up some "tear free" shampoo to create your bubble mixture with. Do remember that the more "foamy" a liquid soap is, the lower quality your bubble mixture will be. Now, to create your own bubbles, simply take 1/15 cup of liquid soap(actually it is said that dish washing liquid works best) mixed with 1 cup of water inside whatever container you want to store it in.

Bubble mixtures of liquid soap and water can also be mixed with glycerin, sugar, or corn syrup as well. For even more bubble recipes, check out these websites: http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/bubbles1.html, http://bubbleblowers.com/homemade.html.

Board Games

Almost every family home has one form of board game or another. Whether it be your standard board game such as Monopoly, Sorry, Trouble, etc., or a DVD type trivia game, these can provide hours of fun.

While DVD style games are fun, the classic board games are better as you will never have the same outcome. Meaning, even though you are playing the exact same game, the winner is unknown until you have finished the game.

Try spicing up the game by playing for different types of prizes, but be sure that everyone will win something. The prizes could be dividing up chores that are to be done, having the 1st place winner getting the easiest household chore and the last place winner receiving the more difficult, or the chore that is least preferred by all family members.

You could also try having the prizes consist of allowing the 1st place winner pick tomorrow's activity, 2nd place winner picking the following day's activity, and so on.

If you don't have a board game lying around, why not invent your own games? Activities such as "treasure hunts" can be fun and educational at the same time. You can create your own maps or clue lists and let the first place winner(s) have first pick at the treasures. And, of course, the treasures can be anything you can think of that would have significant value within your particular family unit.

Also, a good game of hide and seek can also be hours of fun for all ages. And, hide and seek can be played both indoors or outdoors depending on the weather.

Coloring

Always a great way to pass time on a rainy day, coloring pictures is a fantastic way to have some fun while developing artistic skills. Not only that, but you can turn an otherwise boring day of coloring into an "in-house" art contest. But, be sure that you have prizes for everyone so that each time everyone is a winner ;-)

If you don't have any coloring books, you can always print out pictures from websites like: http://www.free-coloring-pages.com/, http://coloringbookfun.com/, and http://www.kidprintables.com/. Don't forget to check out all the other free information within those websites for other terrific family oriented ideas, tips, and more.

Now, if you don't have any new crayons for coloring, the best time to pick some up is right before the new school year begins. You can get a box of 24 count crayons for 20 cents or less. So, if you need to stock up, this is the best time to do so.

Coloring doesn't have to be limited just to crayons and coloring books. You can do some fingerpainting, watercolor painting, or creating clay sculptures too.

Play Card Games

Almost every "dollar store" sells decks of cards for a buck. And, almost everyone knows how to play card games. Whether it's "Go Fish", "Old Maid", Gin Rummy, or 5 Card Draw Poker. Obviously, you wouldn't want to teach your child how to become a poker virtuoso, but playing a card game such as "War" or "Go Fish" can help develop your child's math skills.

Now, you don't have to have a special deck of cards for games like Go Fish, Old Maid, or War. Any standard deck will do. So, when the kids are awake, you can play those card games that are child oriented, and when they go to bed, you and your friend, or significant other can play a more adult oriented game such as poker or Rummy.

Always have some sort of "prize" on hand if you plan on having a family Go Fish tournament. And be sure that everyone is a winner with the prizes going down in value or size. This is especially important for younger children so that no one every feels as if they are a "loser". And, no one likes to feel that way, even older children. Although they might never admit it.

Working On Puzzles

If you need a bit of quiet time, then working on a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle may just be what you need. Not only does this type of activity build a child's problem solving skills, but it also helps develop their multi-tasking skills when you add conversation into the mix.

There are other forms of puzzles you could work on together, including crosswords, word finds, and of course the ever popular Sudoku. Any one of these can help develop yours and your child's brain power while spending some wonderful quality time together.

If you don't have money to spend on "paper" puzzles(meaning those other than jigsaws), you can always print some out from these websites for free at: http://www.teacherhelp.org/puzzles_and_games.htm, http://www.mirroreyes.com/crossword/, http://www.billybear4kids.com/jigsaw-puzzles/main-page.html, and http://www.sudoku.com/program.htm.

Remember too, that if you don't have a "physical" jigsaw puzzle, there are plenty of free online jigsaws you can do together available from websites such as: http://freejigsawpuzzles.com/, http://www.jigzone.com/, or http://www.thekidzpage.com/onlinejigsawpuzzles/index.htm.