I spent much of last Saturday afternoon playing at a local gymnastic studio with my daughter. It was a blast. She had been invited to a birthday party by one of her preschool playmates.
As I watched her tumble, hang, somersault and spin (with a grin that lit up the room) I immediately went to the front desk to find out the class rates for the summer. I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks. A class for one child cost thirteen dollars per three hour session.
While that wouldn’t break our budget too badly, I realized that my son (who is just a year younger than my daughter) would love the class too. Suddenly I am looking at a monthly gymnastics bill that would cost more than a weeks’ worth of groceries. I was bummed.
As I drove back from the school with two exhausted preschoolers snoozing in their car seats behind me I was wondering how I could get them involved in summer activities with our limited budget.
I was reminded of a friend of mine who suggested that we should take our kids swimming together on a bi-weekly basis at a local pool. I thought of another friend who will be teaching her first preschool class this fall. She is fantastic at coming up with quick and easy projects for kids.
Personally, I am the artsy type. I could quite literally spend hours crafting with my kids. A few days ago, I was talking with a gal I’d met at a local park. We talked about the gymnastics program I was still clearly obsessing about. She commented that she used to take her daughters to a local art studio for art classes in the summertime but the artist quit her business. I could do that, I thought.
Like I said earlier, I have two active preschoolers and I am desperate to find something that is not only educational and physical, but something that will wear them out too. When I thought about all of the resources I have available to me that are free (ie: talented friends, city parks, pools and church basements) I am fairly certain we can keep our children busy on a budget this summer by starting an activities “co-op”.
Take a moment and think about the resources you may have available as well. Do you know someone who enjoys swimming who would teach a lesson once a week? What about your friends who attend aerobics or yoga every day? Who wouldn’t have fun teaching a group of toddlers and preschoolers how to “downward dog”. Do you have friends who enjoy crafts? What about cooking? How about reserving a church basement for a fun cooking class or “clay day”? I am sure you can round up other talented moms and dads who will be more than willing to share their skills to keep everyones’ kids active (and exhausted) this summer.
Do you have clever ideas for keeping your kids busy this summer on a budget? Share them with us in the comments section.