Free & Cheap Activities For Bored Kids

This post is about free and cheap activites for bored kids. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. I may make a small commission at no cost to you, should you make a purchase. Read more in my Privacy Policy.

Whether it’s summer break, a rainy weekend or a school holiday, if you’ve got bored kids, try these free and cheap activities for bored kids. You can whip up some fun with little or no prep.

As a parent or caregiver, you know that keeping kids entertained and engaged can sometimes be a challenging and pricey task.

You started off the summer strong, going to all the fun places. You’re hot, tired, and possibly broke because your tiny humans think you have an endless supply of money to pay for all the magic you’ve been making.

This is when the eye-rolling and sighing begin. “Mom, we’re bored!” may be a common theme in your house.

There are plenty of exciting and budget-friendly activities to combat boredom and foster creativity in your little ones. We’ll explore a variety of free and inexpensive activities that will entertain and stimulate your kids without breaking the bank.

The other good news is that most of these require little to no prep. And you won’t need to pack up for a day-long outing. These free and cheap activities for bored kids are certain to please your tiny humans. Let’s dive in!

Explore Nature

Being outside is the best free, fun activity you can do at home. You don’t even need to stay home. Venture out and explore your area.

Take your kids on an adventure outdoors to explore the wonders of nature. Visit local parks, nature trails, or botanical gardens where they can discover interesting plants, insects, and animals. Collect leaves, rocks, and other natural treasures, and later use them for educational projects like creating a collage or a nature journal.

You don’t even have to leave your neighborhood. With my own kids and the tiny humans I work with, I never go far. A simple scavenger hunt keeps them entertained for a long time. It’s easy, free, cheap and fun. It requires zero effort. Perfect for busy moms who need to stop the boredom-induced whining quickly.

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If you are feeling particularly brave, just let the kids play in the mud. I know that sounds like a hard NO to a lot of moms, but kids love to get muddy. It connects them with nature and it’s a great sensory experience. Dress for mess and give them permission to get dirty!

I was recently at a family gathering at my brother’s house. My nieces are grown and flown, and his house is a kid-free zone. My cousin arrived with her three little guys. No toys, no playset? No problem for these kids! They found sticks and mud and were so entertained all afternoon. The success of this lies in the fact that their parents were accepting of their kids finding joy in what was available to them and didn’t mind the mess.

Water Play

Playing with water is the easiest, free activity for bored kids. Kids love to play in water, especially on a hot day. If summer isn’t on your side, head to the bathtub for fun any time of day.

I recently set up a water play center with the tiny humans I work with. They had the most fun and played for hours.

Cooking

One of my favorite cheap, fun things to do at home is to head to the kitchen. Cooking and baking with my kids is one of my favorite indoor activities. When the weather doesn’t lend itself to being outside, head to the kitchen. Warning: it might get messy. It’s ok. Just clean it up.I

When the kids were younger, I involved them in cooking and baking as much as possible. Whipping up some tasty treats is a go-to boredom buster.

Most of the time, I bake from scratch. But I always have a box of some kind of mix on hand. It’s a super quick boredom-busting activity for kids. My crew loves to cook, bake and eat some goodies.

Most kids love to be involved in the process of preparing food. With proper guidance and the right tools, your bored kids can cut, stir, cook, and assemble all kinds of fun or nutritious foods. Bonus if you manage to do both simultaneously!

If you’re looking for kid-appropriate kitchen gear, check out my post HERE to learn all you need to know about getting your kiddos into the kitchen at a young age.

Select age-appropriate recipes and let them assist with measuring ingredients, mixing, and decorating. If you need some inspiration, grab my FREE eBook on my homepage to get started.

Involving children in the kitchen is not only a fun activity but also an excellent way to teach them valuable skills.It’s a win-win situation as they learn about nutrition, math, and even science while enjoying tasty treats.

Boredom-Busting: Games

Games are super cheap, fun, at-home entertainment when your kids are driving you crazy.

When the weather permits, head outdoors and engage in classic games like tag, hide-and-seek, or red-light-green light (think old school). If you’re staying indoors, board games, card games, and puzzles are great options for quality family time.

You can also create an obstacle course using household items or set up a mini bowling alley using empty water bottles and a soft ball. Red cups make fun bowling pins too. Your kids just want to knock stuff down. No need to overthink this.

When my kids were younger, we set up bowling using empty water bottles. At some point, we needed more of a challenge, so Nugget invented what is now known in our house as the “Kid Whipper.”

The Kid Whipper started out as a way to level up water bottle bowling. Using a knee-high stocking (I don’t even know if they still make them or if anyone wears them anymore) and a tennis ball, the Kid Whipper was born. The idea was to wear this contraption on one’s head, bend over and swing to knock over the water bottle bowling pins.

We laughed a lot bowling this way. And then the kids repurposed the bowling apparatus to be a sibling repellent. By swinging their heads back and forth, they discovered it could be used as a potential self-defense tool (or battle tool), and the Kid Whipper was born.

Boredom-Busting: Board Games For the Whole Family

If you’re looking for more damage control, I recommend board games. The tiny humans I work with shrill with delight when I take out board games.

Old school board games are a novelty in a lot of homes now because technology is so readily available. Playing board games encourages taking turns, and supports fine motor skills as kids have to manipulate the pieces.

Before the kids’ schedules got crazy, and we would all be home in the evenings, every Friday night was game night. Each kid could choose a game and we’d all play as a family. Whether your kids are bored or not, you can’t go wrong with playing a game together.

All-Time Favorite Board Games

Here are a few of my favorite, classic, kid-approved board games.

Candy Land is my favorite. It never goes out of style.

Sorry is a great choice if your bored kids are about to engage in battle. A solid choice for redirecting aggression.

I love Hi Ho Cherry-O for little ones learning numbers and quantity.

Chutes and Ladders is a boatload of life lessons. If you want to think deeply, chutes in life are everywhere. Sometimes, falling down a chute isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And last, there are ladders everywhere, in the game and in life, You just have to look for them. And if you don’t want to overthink a kids’ board game, you could just play for fun.

I love to play Memory games with the tiny humans I work with. I loved playing with my own kids too. Kids and adults will enjoy this classic game that teaches concentration and focus.

Uno is another excellent choice for kids of all ages. Younger kids can play with adults and older kids. Uno brings back fond memories of my family sitting around the dining room table every night in the summer, playing Uno or some other card game. Everyone can play, the young and the old, and everyone is engaged.

Connect 4 is another classic that should be in every household, in my opinion. The rules are easy to follow and kids of all ages can play.

Apples to Apples is a hilarious game for older kids (think 9 and up) that will have your kids making crazy comparisons while expanding their vocabulary and thinking skills.

Boredom:Busting: Science Experiments

Spark your child’s curiosity with simple and safe science experiments. Explore the magic of baking soda and vinegar reactions, make slime, or grow crystals. Many resources are available online with step-by-step instructions for age-appropriate experiments that can be conducted using everyday household items.

Most of these materials are things you already have in your pantry, making them for free, cheap fun at home.

Here are a few of my favorites.

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Boredom-Busting: Make Magic Where You Can

I have a friend whose personal motto is “Make magic where you can.” She says it all the time and she lives it. And she’s spot on. When you’re exhausted and broke from taking your kids to every fabulous kid trap in driving distance, remember this. Sometimes the magic is right there all along.

Boredom-Busting activities for kids can be effortless. You’ll need to have a repertoire of free and cheap activities to keep your kids engaged and entertained.

Whether it’s unleashing their creativity through exploring nature, experimenting with science, or enjoying family games, these activities provide both fun and educational experiences. So, the next time your kids complain about being bored, pull out this list and embark on an adventure of imagination and discovery together.

Please share your free, cheap, fun ideas in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

For more ideas and boredom-busting activities for kids, check out my article about the best educational toys for kids HERE.