It's easy to get caught up in the thrill of high priced attractions when you are traveling with kids - and those costs add up quickly when you have a large family, so I thought I'd share a few ideas for great and inexpensive things to do:
1. Take a playground tour - google parks and playgrounds in the city or area that you are heading to and have your kids develop a rating system - you can use categories like - number/quality of apparatus, shade, age appropriateness, wait times for swings or other popular apparatus, design and more!
- the bonus of the ratings cards is that you can sneak in some math/writing and problem solving skills into an otherwise carefree day!
2. Visit the library! Even if you can't check out books in the town you are visiting, there are sure to be activities and events that are free or nearly free and it's a great free place on rainy days... plus, most libraries offer free wi-fi too, so you can stay current with Acting Balanced while you are away.
3. Create a scavenger hunt to explore a historical district, park or garden... this takes a bit of research ahead of time, but since the internet is your friend, you can even pull up google street views and add pictures of interesting homes or businesses, find out about local flora and fauna that you might find, find out some quirky facts about where you're headed!
4. Along the same lines, you can head out on a treasure quest - create clues that your kids can solve that get them moving and end up at the 'treasure' like an ice cream shoppe, bakery or even the book store!
5. Take a bicycle tour! Whether you have fabulous devinci silverstone bicycle and Le Yéti gear that you travel with or you are renting bikes in your destination, biking can be a fabulous way to see a location and get some great exercise! Many cities have designated bike paths and bike lanes that will help you maneuver around and biking lets you set your own pace and go beyond what you'd be able to see from a car or bus!
Bonus: Speaking of buses, if your destination has public transit options you can use the scavenger hunt or treasure quest ideas, or even just create a mystery tour by purchasing a transit day pass and making the journey part of the destination!
How do you have fun without spending a bundle when you travel with kids? What great gems are there in your neck of the woods for those of us who might travel on a budget?
