20 Inexpensive Ways to Keep Your Kids Creative This Summer
Updated: Jul 20, 2022
Nurture Your Kids' Creativity without Breaking the Bank
Right now, across the USA gas prices are the highest they've ever been. And grocery prices aren't much better. If you're like most parents, now more than ever you are watching your spending. But, don't fret! Finding inexpensive ways to create memories this summer with your creative kids, while keeping them engaged and inspired instead of bored and restless, is totally do-able!
Use these suggestions to build a fun-filled summer itinerary that will ensure that your kids will grow intellectually this summer and not become stunted playing non-stop video games.
They'll thank you later!
Get Outdoors
Summer time is the season for free outdoor concerts and festivals! I'm in South Jersey so I have the list of concerts on the Camden, NJ Waterfront and directly across the river at Penn's Landing, which is the Philadelphia Waterfront. Find out where there will be complementary tunes playing in your community and take the kids for a picnic!
Visit the museums! Nothing is more inspiring than museum-hopping, taking in art from the greats! Pack sketchbooks and pencils so your kids can whip them out as inspiration hits. Most museums have a FREE DAY every month or even make kids free daily. Also, check with your local library. My local library provides FREE museum passes to numerous museums.
Speaking of the library, check with your local library for FREE creative workshops for kids. Mine has everything from gaming to crocheting for the little ones.
Host an epic movie night in your yard! Lay out a blanket, roast some marshmallows, and pull out a screen and projector to set up your family's favorite movie! Get both a projector and screen from Amazon for under $80!
Speaking of movies, if your children are at an age where they have cellphones, have them use them creatively by recording snippets of these summer outings to edit and produce a memorable short film! Use a service like animoto.com to get it done with ease.
Make an obstacle course in the yard. A slip-n-slide, some hoolah hoops, a tunnel and a jump rope can lead to hours of outdoor fun! Check out my little obstacle course for inspiration: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CfhRy1DvClc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Create Together!
Pimp out next year's school uniform with cool trim to prepare to standout in the crowd this fall! I have a video here to show you how: https://youtu.be/dR5WCeSGJYg
Instead of the costs of an art-based summer camp, consider purchasing craft kits for a fraction of the price if you have self-motivated kids. They can learn to build robots, make jewelry or almost anything crafty they can think of, all with a kit! I provide 2 kinds of DIY Kits, perfect for keeping kids creative: African Waistbeads Kits and African Photo Frame Kits.
You and your creative kids can remix humble flip-flops into stylish sandals together here.
Register them for inexpensive online creative classes. They can join a class in thousands of topics and learn LIVE from an expert online. Use my link to save $20 your first class: https://outschool.com/?signup=true&usid=9Z2sqEyv&utm_campaign=share_invite_link
Deep Dive into any area of interest. I'm a Girl Scout Troop Leader and last summer I had our girls earn a badge they made up. Basically, this entails deep diving into a topic they have always been curious about. Some choose cooking, braiding hair, painting, making jewelry; and with a mentor who does this thing very well to turn to for mentorship, they are sure to gain a level of expertise in the subject. So have your kid choose his or her own topic to deep dive in, and then present their findings to a mentor of choice for feedback and guidance before they show you the result of what they have learned to do! Not only will they learn a thing or two but they will broaden their network by building a relationship with a mentor.
Together you can update your kid's wardrobe without spending a dime by upcycling last year's school clothes that no longer fit OR by hosting a fashion swap! I give details on how to do both here!
Cultivate Culinary Skills
Visit a local farmer's market or fruit stand. Let your kid pick out fresh fruit or veggies they like and show them how to chop them into a salad or a cook as a side dish for dinner.
Go try a new restaurant and order dishes you’ve never had before. My daughter and I recently checked out a new Japanese/Ramen spot, just the two of us here.
Make your own ice cream and frozen treats. Target has a cute, affordable ice cream maker that's very easy to use.
Cooking is a science. While your kids are making something yummy to eat, they are also learning to measure, experimenting with flavors and textures, and chemical reactions. Here are many recipes made specifically for kid cooks: https://youtu.be/NkEL5b3MkBE
Focus on Family
Create your family tree. This summer, I'm spending my time creating a beautiful family tree with my kids tracing our roots to the plantation on our African-American side and the Reservation for our Native American. I only wish I could trace us right back to Africa but the way our enslaved ancestors were sold like cattle, it's not very likely. Just knowing what I do know though about my ancestors has brought me so much pride and has deeply strengthened my self-identity. I want to share that legacy with my kids through a family tree.
Organize your kid's childhood photos into a scrapbook together. Not only does this help deepen your child's memories, the bonding experience is a new powerful memory your kid will treasure. Scrapbooking is a fun, crafty activity for any creative kid and at the end, the finished book can be a gift you give your child at some point. I'm giving my daughter hers at the Coming-of-Age/Going Off The College Picnic I have planned for later this month.
Read Books That Explore Creative Activities
Here are some wonderful books that will keep creative kids inspired and engaged all summer:
a. "19 Things to Do Before You Finish High School" by Steven Jenkins
b. "Exploring Nature Activity Book for Kids: 50 Creative Projects to Spark Curiosity in the Outdoors" by Kim Andrews
d. "Secrets of Storytelling: A Creative Writing Workbook for Kids" by Natalie Rompella
e. "ENVISION: The Young Accessory Designer's Guide To Collection Development" by Meca McKinney (this is ME, by the way. :) )
Conclusion
As you can see, nurturing creative kids can be done for very little money. Creative kids, like all kids, just need the tools and support to explore and grow into the innovators that will someday change the world. Kudos to you, parents, for all that you do!
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