Believe it or not, it is possible to keep your kids happy and entertained all weekend long without busting your budget on expensive toys. While there are toys out there with some pretty intimidating price tags, there are also plenty of options that will easily fit into even the tightest budgets without leaving your kids feeling bored. There’s no need to rush out and buy the latest overpriced gaming console – these classic options are great for every family, regardless of your income.
1. Puzzles: Parents and kids of all ages can get days of fun out of a puzzle, particularly if it presents a proper challenge. You can buy jigsaw puzzles for sale at a great price online, and there are plenty of options to suit each age group in the family. Set it up on a table in your home and let the whole family take turns trying to find the right pieces – you can even set up time challenges to take the game to the next level of competition.
2. Play dough: Play dough is an old favourite for toddlers, as it lets them get creative and enjoy the tactile sensation of the dough without creating too much mess for mom to clean up afterward. Get play dough in all different colours to give your kids plenty of options to choose from – just try to keep the colours separated to avoid a total dough meltdown.
3. Finger paints: Painting is fun for kids of all ages, but finger paints are particularly thrilling for the littlest members of the family who haven’t quite mastered the paintbrush yet. Best of all, finger paints are often inexpensive, giving your kids months of creative playtime without splashing out on expensive toys. Some newer paint kits even come with a mess-free formula that makes it easy to clean up after the kids, so you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle as well as a fair amount of cash.
4. Colouring books: These picture-packed books are available for reasonable prices at most major bookstores, as well as at toyshops. You can pick books with themes that suit your kids’ personalities, match them up with a set of crayons, and let them go wild. Colouring is great for your child’s imagination and helps them to develop their drawing skills, and it costs next to nothing.
5. Construction blocks: When you stay away from the pricier special edition sets, most construction block kits are highly budget-friendly while providing fun and educational entertainment for your little ones. Buy stacks of blocks and let your kids spend hours creating their own imaginary worlds. These games also help your child to learn about collaborating with others and give them the opportunity to develop strong social skills, so it’s a win-win purchase.
6. Old-fashioned board games: Newer board games can come with some fairly hefty price tags, but some of the old classics can easily be bought at much more budget-friendly prices. Scout out traditional games like Chess, Jenga, Connect 4, Cluedo, and Checkers – these games are just as fun as the more expensive brands, and your kids will never know the difference, anyway. Get the whole gang together for a family game night once a week and teach them how to play your old favourites.