Creating a Rich Environment for Kidsby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 22 Sep 2008 11:07 AM
With our frugal budget, we can't quite compete with all of that. But what we can do is create a rich environment for our kids. I think we have managed to do that, since our house is the current "hang out house" for the kids in our neighborhood. We do provide our kids with toys, usually second-hand, but we try to choose ones based not on the latest trend but on their ability to foster creativity and interaction. Kids are incredible at putting things together in new ways. Some simple sidewalk chalk and a couple of bikes or ride on toys can become everything from a race track to a space station. And most of the times, these types of toys are inexpensive and can be found pre-loved. We encourage exploration of the outside world. Our yard may not be professionally maintained, but it is filled with sticks to make fairy houses, seed pods for "golfing," trees to climb, worms and toads to meet, dirt to grow things such as popcorn, a creek to explore, even logs, stumps and vines to build with. We make sure to provide our kids with lots of time spent with us. We have family dinners (and usually have between one and three extra kids joining us), during which we chat and sing songs together. With our smaller house, I can hear what is going on no matter where the kids are. We work on family projects and chores together. And when inspiration strikes the kids, such as the invention of a new game or a request to build the "world's longest tunnel," we try to be available to facilitate whenever possible with materials, advice or help. None of these things require much money. The kids current favorite possessions? A big wheel picked up for a dollar at a yard sale, an inexpensive ball, a bike, a special lamp. Recently, one little boy was bragging about his latest Wii game that he was going to go play. "Oh yeah?" Said my oldest son. "Well, we are going to make homemade pizza!" "Cool," said the other boy. "Can I have dinner at your house?" Click here for more articles by Mary Ann Romans. Keeping Your Children from Feeling Deprived
Just look to the right of this blog and find the subscription center (it looks just like this picture, although you'll have to find the "real" one just above the category listing ). Click on "Subscribe via Email". You'll be instantly subscribed and the email address that you registered at Families.com with will receive an instant notification whenever we post a new Frugal Living Blog! Don't miss a thing - subscribe now! Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments jonesx6 (1606) 22 Sep 2008 01:07 PMCan I come play at your house? Now I see why everyone wants to come to your house. Laura  Mary Ann Romans |
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