Fun activities for kids – a year of free experiences
Fun activities for kids!
There are many fun activities for kids. If you don’t know where to start or feel overwhelmed with your options, then this post is for you. One wonderful experience a month will mean 12 great adventures for you and your family over the year.
Here are some ideas for fun things to do with your kids:
January: Library
Many people don’t realize the many free programs available at their local libraries. My daughter made a biosphere in an environmental program one time. It was free and very cool!
February: Children’s museum
Believe it or not, most children’s museums regularly have an evening of free admission each week. Call your local museum to find out if they do this – you’ll likely be surprised.
March: Sugarbush
You can’t miss this free experience! Most maple syrup farms have guided tours explaining the process of turning maple sap into syrup, tractor rides, and demonstrations on how syrup was made in the past.
Or… Farm
Spring is a wonderful time to visit a farm. Children are naturally drawn to animals, and the experience of seeing baby animals is priceless! Well, actually, it’s free!
April: Nature/neighborhood walks
This is so simple and a wonderful experience for your little ones. Creating a scavenger list before your walk (birds, a red leaf, etc.) will help to keep them walking and interested.
May: Art gallery
Again, perhaps a surprise, but most art galleries have a time of free admission. Many also have free guided art activities for children. Give your local gallery a call to see if they offer this. Perhaps your child will be the next greatest artist!
June: Honey farm
June is the start of the honey bee season. Learning about different types of bees and how honey is made is a wonderful experience for young children (you may even be able to sample some delicious honey!).
July: Swimming
Learning about water safety and how to swim is an important experience for everyone to have. Splash pads, wading pools, and the beach are all fun, freeways for children to learn about water.
August: Stargazing
How cool is space? The stars and planets are mesmerizing to kids and adults alike! Universities (York, Western, etc.) have free star gazing evenings in the summer at their observatories.
September: Humane society
Visit your local humane society to give your children an appreciation for volunteers and to teach them about caring for pets – as well as introducing them to a variety of animals. Make sure you call first so you can have a guided tour.
October: Market
Heading to your local farmer’s market is a wonderful opportunity to introduce your children to new cultures and foods. Choose an unusual looking fruit or vegetable to bring home (dragon fruit is a great one!).
November: Fire station
Drop into your local station for a tour. Lucky little ones can even experience climbing in the fire trucks. Older children can learn about the various roles firefighters hold.
December: Toboggan or ice skate
Find a hill and have some fun! Many outdoor facilities offer free ice skating (Tim Horton’s sponsor’s free skating at select indoor arenas) and you can toboggan for free down just about any hill you can find.
Enjoying time with your children can be very simple and inexpensive. Creating memories and experiences with your family is one of the best gifts you can give, so start creating!
What fun, free activities do you do with your kids?
Comments
Great ideas!! Thanks
Great list. We do most of these activities yearly, but I’d like to add apple picking in October and strawberry picking in July.
Opps! Not free, but we all need groceries.
I loved this article and wrote them on my To-Do list! Thanks for putting all the ideas in one place 😀
Carls: Apple picking is better in September, actually…by October, the trees are pretty much bare. October is for visiting the pumpkin patch!! 🙂
And you will be hard-pressed to find a sugar bush that is not a commercial operation complete with restaurant, wagon or sleigh rides, and all kinds of other extras that you have to pay for. 🙁 Luckily for us, we have friends with a sugar bush on their farm, so we don’t have to pay to go.