9 Cheap Kids Activities at Home: Fun Ideas for $1 or Less

Are the kids getting antsy and you need new ideas—fast?

When we lived in the desert, the kids often had to stay inside all day to avoid burning their skin on park equipment and seat belts. Until the sun started to set, necessity often forced us to entertain them indoors.

Looking for cheap kids activities that won’t break the bank? Here are a few kid-tested, two thumbs up ways to spend an afternoon—most of them cost $1 or less.

Don’t assume big kids won’t have fun with these ideas, they might be your most enthusiastic participants!

Cheap Kids Activities for All Ages

1. Barbasol

Remember those cheap cans of shaving cream? Give the kids a can and a tabletop, and they will think of original ways to use it up. They can draw pictures, smear and start again. Practice ABC’s and math facts.

Play games like Tic Tac Toe. See how high of a tower they can make before it starts slipping. Add a few action figures or Lego people, and whole new games emerge. I’d recommend putting a plastic tablecloth down first. It didn’t ever damage my table, but it was challenging to get the “feel” off.

2. Chalk

Bring back the old-school fun of Four Square and Hopscotch. Create drawing challenges! This can be done in the garage with the fan on and swept off fairly easily.

3. Bubbles

If your kids are small, put them in the tub and let them blow! Bubbles are easy to make, but they are so cheap to buy at Dollar stores, that might be the cheapest way to go.

Don’t settle for little wands—take wire and create your own shapes and predict which ones will work best.

4. Marble Runs

Do you have marbles lying around the house? Cardboard? Older kids can imagine some pretty awesome marble runs with a few toilet paper tubes (gift wrap tubes, paper towel tubes, PVC pipe).

Just the game of marbles is fun, and much harder than I remember from my own childhood.

5. Playdough

This is super easy to make, and by adding a pack of Kool-Aid, it will smell great too. Give specific challenges when the fun seems to start fading. Who can create __________? I heart home has a great recipe here from ingredients around the house.

6. Puppets

Let kids create a theater, and either act out their own shows or mimic popular stories. They can use socks or sketched character faces attached to sticks. Puppets can be made out of so many things, and here’s a great link to make your own little theater!

7. Rock Painting

Find some rocks with flat surfaces and let them paint or draw faces and/or characters. Not sure why simple rocks are so entertaining, but every kid I’ve done this with really enjoyed it.

8. Silly Photography

The library often has books on doing trick photos, and laughter is sure to follow when trying these out! (Here is the book my girls loved that gave this cover photo)

9. Pretend Play

This one seems obvious, but always remember how much kids love to imagine scenarios from adult life. My kids used to love to create TV shows, restaurants, and (my fave) nail salons. Just the prep work can take an entire hot afternoon.

 

I hope these ideas bring you peace and joy during those moments when you need a break.

And when the weather calls for it, don’t forget to take a break outside—grab the hose and splash around!

P.S. If you’re craving more creative, budget-friendly activities to keep your kids entertained all summer long, click here for even more fun ideas—perfect for kids of all ages!

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I do/would use myself. This post contains affiliate links that at NO additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission to help support this blog.