9 Bargain Activities For Kids (and they’re easy)

My children have plenty of toys. They’re very fortunate to have a family that treats them and this blog brings with it great opportunities to test out and review toys and products regularly. We’ve lots that they love, but do you know the things that I can guarantee will hold their attention are often the things you’d probably be able to find in a pound shop! So here’s my list of top activities for little ones that’ll cost you pennies rather than pounds…

9 Bargain Activities For Kids

1. Bubbles. A crowd pleaser every single time! Just a cheap little bottle of bubbles can keep my kids happy for ages. Now, add in the excitement of different shaped wands, or more people playing, and they’re in their elements!

2. Pavement chalk. A game of hopscotch, drawing pictures, scribbling, practising their letters and numbers. This is one that adults can join in with, too, as my husband will be quite content to sit there and draw with them for hours! There’s something really novel about being allowed to draw on the floor or fences, so just assign them an area and let them enjoy.



3. Balloons. What is it about a balloon that has children going mad for them?! You can normally pick up a decent sized pack of them for no more than a £1, and as long as you’ve the puff to keep on blowing them, they’ll keep on playing with them. Chasing just 1 balloon can burn off a lot of my children’s energy, and the laughter and giggles it can elicit is priceless.

4. Colouring In. If we could do with a little quiet time, I pop onto the computer and print them off whatever colouring in they’re most into at that time. Yes, we have stacks of colouring books, but they can’t compete with me grabbing them a picture of Elsa to colour in just after watching Frozen, or the Gruffalo just after we’ve read it. I keep a Pinterest board with the best I find, so can go straight there and print things off.

5. Recycling Materials. Have a rummage through your recycling box, or better still, search through it with the kids, and I can guarantee there’ll be things to create with in there. Kitchen roll holders are always popular here, as who can resist a pirate’s telescope?!

6. Sensory Play. Be it jelly, custard or cream, stick it in a box or on a tray and they’ll be delighted! Just buy the cheap stuff, as they’re only going to destroy it, not eat it! Just running their hands or toes through it is great fun, but for extra play, add in some other toys that won’t be destroyed by the food, such as little Happyland people or cars.

7. Music. Yes, just put that iPod on and the possibilities are endless! Musical Statues is very popular here, as is crazy dancing, Musical Chairs (proceed with caution, as small ones can get wild and dangerous with this one) and a personal favourite is to learn dance moves – my 4 year-old is a dab hand at the Time Warp!



8. Den Building. A sheet, a few chairs and you are set. I wrote a step by step guide to indoor den-building here for you, if you’re in need of inspiration.

9. A Cardboard Box. The ultimate treat. Interest in the box’s contents tends to be fleeting, but the desire for the box? Intense and can last for days!

Word to the wise – do not do all of these things on the same day – your kids may well spontaneously combust with excitement!

Which of these activities do your kids love to do?

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26 thoughts on “9 Bargain Activities For Kids (and they’re easy)”

  1. Probably not the most ‘bargain’ activity/toy, but still relatively cheap; I saw a woman in the park yesterday with a sort of helicopter/propeller contraption. It was pretty small and plastic, all she did was wound up a handle on it, and the propeller went vertically up in the air at a really good height. Her son was captivated and looks like he would have spent ages happily chasing it, catching it and fetching it. And all she did was stand there winding it up. Minimal effort, great toy. More of an ‘ease’ bargain than financial bargain, but I can’t imagine that it was expensive. Sorry, that was a bit long-winded, but must see if I can find it on Google! x

  2. I agree with all of them.
    Imaginative play – making a car with cushions and bits and pieces lying around etc or a tea party for teddies always good in my household!

  3. We love all of those except colouring in as H sees that as boring and is as likely to just scribble over it in a hurry as anything else. We have been doing lots of pavement chalk drawing this summer.

    1. My daughter loves to colour, though Little Man’s still at the scribbling stage, so we’ll see if he ever grows out of it!

  4. yep yep yep all great ideas that we love. i NEVER understand how balloons can be so much fun but they keep Z happy for ages! we love chalking in the yard too. #LetKidsBeKids

  5. Why are bubbles so good? Monkey will try and blow those for hours. Although he ends up spilling most of it on the florr. Brilliant list to keep the kids entertained. We’ve done ‘making dens’ and but love the idea of just having a dance around to music. #letkidsbekids

    1. I don’t know, but they so love them, don’t they?! Dancing about is a hit with my two – enjoy 🙂

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