Cheapest leisure you can get !

Murphy_The_Cat

We went to our local duck pond today with some stale bread and fed the ducks for 1/2 hour or so.

Cost us nowt, made some strangers happy by sharing some of my bread with another family who were breadless (sometimes it's nice to give something when you know you will get nothing back other than a smile and a thank you), got entertained by the ducks, chewed the fat with some people while walking around the pond and enjoyed the fresh air.

Ducks rule OK.

MTC

MATH

We have a country park near us, you know the sort of thing lots of deer and little trees with fences around them. During half term I took my three kidz and we spent a whole afternoon cycling/walking/scootering through. Cost us nothing and we had loads of time to talk about the things in nature we saw, history cos the park belong to a once very powerful family and why little trees have fences around them:) Later in the week all three kidz declined a trip to the pictures in favour of going back to the park. How pleased was I! The pictures would have cost me a least £15

moggins

I had productive leisure today, me and the 3 year old spent the afternoon out in the garden planting veggie seeds.

I think baby fingers are designed for placing tiny seeds in compost Then we came in, washed our hands, made a very late lunch and ate it in front of the fire. She had a wonderful day.

johannamse

You know what, I always take my 4 year old niece ot the ducks and swan (v scary), and she almost lobs herself in the river trying to throw the bread in! It is always fun. Kids love this sort of thing. I remeber when I was little and I would go for walks with my dad for hours and hours. I would walk over trees and pick flowers and skip etc. kids dont just see things as we do. Simple things are really fun. Keep it simple and down with video games! boo. planting sounds like great fun.

Sarahsaver

hunting for worms/woodlice/other bugs in the garden
planting stuff or pulling out dead things
puddle walks when its raining - wellies on and permission to splash wherever possible
big long scooter/bike/trike rides in the park - this is what they chose on friday, 'treat day' instead of going to the sweet shop:)
We have a responsibility to our kids to teach them that you can have fun without money.

Trow

We went climbing trees - which is no mean feat when we live on an islands known for having no trees

Great fun and, as you say, free.

Pink.

My family went to the beach today.......it was gloriously sunny here and we had lots of fun poking about in rock pools.

Our four year old had a fantastic time collecting various shells, stones and bits of seaweed. He loved the wide open space and spent ages just running around. Unfortunately, while out of my reach, he decided to go for a quick paddle (well if you can call up to his waist a paddle) fully clothed. I was aghast, but it didn't bother him. Fortunately I keep a load of clutter in the boot of my car.....so found a towel to wrap him in to bring him home.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows and flakes by the fire for every one, and a bath for the little one.

Today was one of those days when memories were made and it didn't cost a penny!

Pink

Queenie

Sarahsaver wrote:

We have a responsibility to our kids to teach them that you can have fun without money.

I agree - lets never lose touch with the simple pleasures in life.

I enjoy taking my children on nature walks, beach walks - even being a tourist in our home town, not paying the entrance fee's but showing them our local heritage.

I'm always amazed at how much money people spend/borrow to go abroad on holiday and yet, neglect/fail to take a good look at their own surroundings.

I've laid on my back in the garden with my boys and watched the clouds - good old fashioned "day dreaming". We've camped in our own garden and watched the stars; walked through the village into the town learning about our environment and local history; famous residents of the past etc.

Ahhhhh, the joys of simplifying life

Lillibet_2

MATH wrote:

We have a country park near us, you know the sort of thing lots of deer and little trees with fences around them. During half term I took my three kidz and we spent a whole afternoon cycling/walking/scootering through. Cost us nothing and we had loads of time to talk about the things in nature we saw, history cos the park belong to a once very powerful family and why little trees have fences around them:) Later in the week all three kidz declined a trip to the pictures in favour of going back to the park. How pleased was I! The pictures would have cost me a least £15

My husband is a countryside ranger in one of these parks (Bedfont Lakes near Heathrow) . The ranger team always have loads of info on hand for adults & children alike & welcome enquiries from visitors: wildlife to spot, rare plants to find, fungus trails to follow in autum, butterfly hot spots in summer, wild flower lists, trim trails to follow, interpureting the enviroment through moss & litchen, the food chain, purity of water identified by fish, not to mention the history & archelology of the park itself, they are a wealth of info in themselves if you care to talk to them & ask them about things. They will be thrilled to share their knowledge with you if you just ask!

Liz19

Spent the day yesterday baking with the kids (cost pennies), walking the dog (free) and watching The Princess Diaries 2 dvd (free from dvd rental trial)

Galtizz

MATH wrote:

We have a country park near us, you know the sort of thing lots of deer and little trees with fences around them. During half term I took my three kidz and we spent a whole afternoon cycling/walking/scootering through. Cost us nothing and we had loads of time to talk about the things in nature we saw, history cos the park belong to a once very powerful family and why little trees have fences around them:) Later in the week all three kidz declined a trip to the pictures in favour of going back to the park. How pleased was I! The pictures would have cost me a least £15

Not sure if this is the same one but there is one in Notts with a big Hall and the Hall is free to go around on weekdays (about £1 at weekends and bank holidays). I went is quite a lot as a kid, it is a sort of natural history museum with loads of collections of stuffed dead things, I don't enjoy it now but, as a kid, it was worth it just to watch the ant farm and look at the big fossil collection - it kept me quiet on a wet day in the summer hols.

It isn't advertised unless you actually go in the hall so it might be worth having a look at the halls and houses in your local parks to see if they have free museums, if nothing else it's a free wet day activity for the school holidays.