Fun Free Things to do as a family

[NHdisneylover]

There are lots of great ideas already posted. Here are a few other things that my (admittedly crazy) family enjoys:

Dance parties: We do these about once every week or two (had one tonight). Basically someone decides we are all too energetic to shouts "dance party" and puts on some good dance music. We turn down the lights, crank up the tunes and all dance around like crazy people for an hour or so. If you have any "funky" lights set them up in the otherwise darkend room for atmosphere.

Improv nights: Basically we taught the kids the games from the old TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway and we play a bunch of those. World's Worst is their favourite.

Jigsaw puzzles: (not free, but you can buy one cheap). We like to get a big one this time of year and leave it up to piece bit by bit whenever the mood strikes.

Movie sing alongs: We pick a musical DVD we own (Grease, Footlose, Mama Mia, HSM, West Side Story, etc) and give everyone a limited time to pull together a zany costume to "watch" in. We sing and dance along and sometimes have to totally overact to various parts, etc. Kind of like our own version of Rocky Horror Picture Show with different movies and just the four of us.

Stop Action movies: The kids like to make short "films" with the digital camera and their playmobils

Spa Nights: Both kids (son and daughter) enjoy making a homemade mask (we find recipes on the internet) and trying it out as well as filing our nails, etc.

 

[Leader of the Club]

Pick up some books on kitchen chemistry or Kitchen science. There are tons of cool experiments and easy experiments you can do with stuff you probably already have.

 

[MickeyP]

Love the kitchen science! I always forget about this and must have 20 books on the subject.

 

[nexttrip4us]

Winter can definitely get long! And longer when there isn't a lot to do!

We do tend to take day trips to larger cities because we too live in a more rural type area.

But, when we do stay home, we play Wii--Santa brought us some new games, board games, have movie theme nights--pick a movie and plan a meal around it, picnic dinners--make "picnic food" and camp out on the floor....

...and then there is always planning and discussing our next vacation !

 

[ssmith010]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I created a calendar. Usually on Friday nights I let my DD open the door and see what is there - I have spa night, game night, movie night, craft night, cooking / cookie night, make your own pizz night. I have found some great ideas in Family Fun magazine.

Sometimes we have

As far as other things we do that is free - story time at the local library. We have a zoo memebership so we go there for a few hours. Also, sometimes we go to Petco to look at the animals.

Hope this gives you some ideas

 

[loonieroonie]

Not free, but cheap, check if your county has an acquatic center. We have several in our county, and most are indoors. It costs $3 an adult and $2 a child.

 

[indimom]

They usually have a good idea of free and cheap local events and activities.

I live in a pretty small, rural town. There are monthly events going on at the library, the YMCA has a few cheap activities/events, our schools have movie nights for the community with popcorn/drinks, etc. The high school is open nightly for a walking program and the gym is often empty and the kids can run around and play while I walk. Our small historical society has occasional events like pioneer days when volunteers do demonstrations and the kids do some hands on stuff. A craft store in the next town over has very cheap nights where the kids can paint a ceramic ornament or similar and our local hardware store (privately owned) has a morning craft project on Saturdays.
Sometimes it's just really hard to find out about these things.

You could also get together with neighbors/friends/family/church members (or other organizations you are part of) and plan some similar events of your own. Have an indoor picnic, go sledding or skating on a local pond (when the weather permits), go bowling (check for discounts), etc.
HAVE FUN!!!

 

[blanq]

A fun family thing to do is cook together. Create some theme dinners with cultural influences that are not ( or are) familiar to you: Indian, African, Mediterranean, etc. Research the culture on the internet, then build your menu (again, the internet is great to locate recipes), shop for your ingredients and cook. This is not a "free" thing to do, but you have to eat anyway, so you can build the cost into your grocery budget. I know you said that movie nights get old, and I agree, but you could, once in awhile, get a movie that centers around your meal theme, or play a game that meshes with your theme. There are even Disney options: Lady and the Tramp would go with a homemeade Italian meal, or Mulan with and Oriental meal, for example.