Whether it's a visit to the zoo with the whole family, a trip to the amusement park or a beach vacation: many leisure activities for families are quite expensive. With the following ideas, you can make big savings even on a small budget.
How about an adventure in the forest? Nature offers plenty of variety: for example, you can balance on tree trunks, discover forest animals and insects or guess bird calls. Simply enjoying nature on a hike with a picnic is also a great experience for young and old. Experienced adventurers can search for animal tracks or identify trees by their leaves or needles. The finds from nature (stones, leaves, pine cones, etc.) can then be used to make or paint fun figures at home.
Water holds a great fascination for all children. Whether it's a regional lake, a nearby river or a small stream: floating sticks or boats, splashing around in the water, throwing stones or building a dam - it's fun for the whole family and your child will love it. You can find lots of ideas for water games and craft instructions, including for a small water wheel or a play raft, in the child-friendly brochure Visiting Frog + Co.
A self-organized get-together for families in the park offers fun and games with free admission. Invite friendly mothers and fathers to come to the park with their children and their favorite play equipment. Whether it's ball games, bobby car racing or children's boccia: everyone can do what they enjoy. Playing and romping around together in the fresh air is fun, promotes motor skills and practises social interaction. Of course, a picnic is also part of it, and every family can contribute something.
You can get some exercise together on a bike ride and expand your radius. Perhaps you own a bike trailer or know someone in your circle of friends who lends one out? Depending on the weather, pack a blanket for a picnic, a ball and a small snack. You are sure to discover a nice playground along the way where your child can let off steam in between. If you would like to plan a longer cycle tour, you can find many cycle routes via the Radroutenplaner NRW from the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Is there an adventure farm near you? Perhaps even with free activities for children? Then it's definitely worth a visit. A number of farms are happy to welcome visitors, especially children, by appointment. Not only can you pet cute little animals such as rabbits or cats, but you can also discover goats, sheep, cows, pigs or donkeys. Maybe you can help with feeding or milking and mucking out. Some farms may also have a barn with bales of straw for the animals to run around in.
Would you like to give your child a cultural experience from an early age? Even the youngest children have plenty to discover and explore in many children's and family museums. Find out about admission-free days or family offers at the museums in your area. A good and inexpensive investment is a family pass for the public library. You can borrow lots of books for reading aloud and reading to yourself free of charge, as well as games for different age groups, audio books and films.
Little (and older) children love digging in the soil and eagerly follow how a plant grows from a seed. If you don't have a garden, you can perhaps create a small vegetable garden on your balcony. There you can plant to your heart's content with your child - whether strawberries, sunflowers or fresh herbs. Your child will learn about the cycle of nature and take on responsibility at an early age. The reward is delicious fruit that they have harvested themselves.
Spending a night in a sleeping bag under the stars is a very special experience for children and adults alike. Works just as well on the balcony as in the garden! At www.sternschnuppen-kalender.de you can check in advance when the chances of falling stars are particularly high
Eating makes you happy, especially when it doesn't take place at home at your own table. After cooking, the meal is packed up and eaten in an unusual place. Perhaps on the sidewalk right outside the house, at the edge of a field or in a friend's tree house? The more people who eat, the more fun it will be!
Start at the front door and turn right and then left alternately at every third intersection. Take a photo of striking buildings or exciting things until the predetermined time has elapsed. Who knows the destination? Have a photo show at home with friends and family and let them guess where you have been. Has your thirst for adventure been awakened? Then don't hesitate and get started!
The vacations are just around the corner and you want to go on vacation? The youth hostels in NRW offer affordable offers and exciting experiences for families. They are often located in scenic regions or are suitable as starting points for city trips. Many hostels have family rooms in which you have everything you and your children need. Catering is also provided!
A great experience - and a great adventure for children - is a camping vacation in a tent. And this form of travel is always inexpensive. New campers can often borrow the basic equipment from friends and family.
