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Spring is here, and we are ready to have fun on a shoestring budget. If you are like us with multiple kids activities can get expensive. They don’t have to be this year! Trying something new to add in a variety for kids to try on their spring break takes imagination and not the money tree. Bonding with each other as a family is always the most important part of the budget list. When they grow up, all of the toys, milkshakes and video games are going to be remembered. The time spent teaching them, guiding them, laughing and living life with them will keep them coming back for years. We don’t have to give them money to visit us, break out the photo albums to pass the time.
Setting up a spring bucket list is an intentional way to spend quality time with the kids doing something they plan. Any bucket list doesn’t need to become a chore. We write out a list of three per kid. Then as a family focus on crossing those three off of our bucket list.
No Shoes Day
I thought this was a fun item to add to the list. But, if you know they child who wrote it, you would see how it matches his personality. Every morning for school I asked him to get dressed down to shoes. For me, I have always been ready to conquer the day when I am fully ready. All of my makeup, shoes, clothes and hair done. Therefore, I thought this would be a good idea to implement with my boys’. It wasn’t. So he wants to take it a step further and go all day. We will see how this works out, but I am going to say yes. Not sure how it will work out as we head to their practices for the day, but life is an adventure!
My prerequisiteis that our bucket list has to be frugal and on a shoestring budget. Here are more ideas they came up with while worked on our lists.
Hiking On A Shoestring Budget
Next on our bucket list is the hiking. We all love hiking and dove into it headfirst during covid. Since then, life has become more normal and all sports are back in session. We still hike, but not as much. Which, I believe is why it ended up on our list. The boys’ love hiking. Here is how we do this activity on a shoestring budget.
Hiking poles are good, but it is easy enough to make your own. That is what we did. I had my husband measure how tall the boys’ are and we bought a large closet rod. After that, he cut the rod to match the exact height each child needed. Then, I gave them paint, string and feathers to decorate them. Finally, the ending touch was a bell. Just in case they got lost. They didn’t, but the bells were a nice touch.
Kids In Charge
In addition to the other requests we come to one of my favorite’s. They want a kids’ in charge day. I am not sure how this will work out, and will need to place a few boundaries in place. All in all I think it is a great idea, and hopefully very memorable.
Implementing a kids’ in charge day seems a bit daunting because I am sure it is going to include some junk food for meals, and extended tv time. As time goes on my realization has become really that they aren’t babies and will be entering adult hood before I know it. My yes days need to be more frequent to be slightly more indulgent in silliness. Really, what is childhood without some silliness?
So, we will have a kids in charge day on a shoestring budget. Operation costs of this day will be minimal.
Kite Flying Skills
Who doesn’t love kite flying? My first instinct would be to buy a kite, but since we are working on a shoestring budget, we will try to make one. I am sure it is not that hard. Part of the fun will be the work put into the kites.
Kite flying is going to be an interesting experience to say the least. I love that they decided to think outside the box on this one. Follow me on Instagram
Build A Fort
Fort building on a shoestring budget means my yard will have all of the sticks picked both big and small. building a fort is part of being a boy, and I allow them this time to be one with nature and it’s a win win situation. They build something and create teamwork amongst themselves and I get my yard work done. There are kits online where kids can build forts inside, but outside is always better.
One year they built fort in the rain. We threw on rain gear and headed outside. Yes, it was slippery, muddy and wet, but they had fun. Once it was built they were able to get out of the rain.
Scheduling Time To Plan
Each season we sit down to plan our bucket list. It is really a brainstorming session and we all love it. My favorite part is hearing what great, imaginative ideas they come up with for us to try. For more tips on how to have fun as a family on a shoestring budget sign up for my newsletter!
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