Top 5 Cheap Thrills For lil' Guys and Girls

Picture it: the sun is shining and all you want to do is sit and soak up some rays, with a good read in one hand and a cold one in the other. Instead, a certain someone is tugging on your sleeve, saying, "I'm borrrrred! I'm borrrrred!" Or it's pouring and you're climbing the walls, looking for new and inexpensive ways to entertain your lil' prince(ss).

Try these tips on for size:

Even some of the more pricey tots programs and attractions offer free trial classes, or concession periods, which are indispensable for getting out of the house on rainy days and hump days. In my immediate area alone, we have tried Rainbow Songs, Gymboree, and Kidnazium... The ROM in Toronto also offers a free window for dinosaur gazing on a Wednesday afternoon. By all means, sample a class and if you think it's worth your buck and your child had a blast, then sign up for one paid activity or membership per season. Otherwise, 'taste' away till your heart's content.

Mothercraft and Parks Canada offer a wide selection of first-come, first-serve early years programs from play gyms and sing-alongs to swimming and gymnastics. Crucially, such centres offer drop-in times so you can easily schedule visits around naps and errands. Even the paying programs are so affordable you needn’t sacrifice the college fund for Hickory Dickory Dock. And while your beloved gets to trash a play room other than yours, you get to let your hair down among likemindeds. A clear win-win.

It may seem obvious that parks are there for the taking. And yet many of us, for whatever reason, simply don’t take. In this country we pay a truckload of taxes and are blessed with a multitude of seasons. Parks can be used year-round: from splash pads in summer to leave-kicking in fall and tobogganing in winter. So why not make the most of hospitable temperatures and get your monkey out swinging, sliding and splashing? Better still, awaken the dormant monkey in you. The fresh air and vitamin D will do you both wonders. If nothing else persuades you, consider this: kids are less likely to tantrum in the great outdoors. As if you needed another excuse.

No longer the dark, musty places of our youth, today’s libraries are so much more than books; they’re bright hubs of information and technology. If you don't already have a library card, what are you waiting for? These days with the click of a mouse, you can reserve and renew whatever your heart desires, including DVDs. The best bit: it's still absolutely free. Be sure to get your child their own card, because the late fees are substantially cheaper than the adult cards. Most libraries also feature 'storytime' for babes and toddlers. So stretch out and let someone else put on the silly reading voice for once. Not only is book lending is green, have you seen the price of books lately? In this house the stack of books is constantly circulating. After all, no one can put a price on literacy.

What kid doesn't like a picnic, I ask you? It may seem like the same auld lang syne to you, the short-order chef, but whip out a blanket on the balcony or grass and—presto—you've embarked on an alfresco adventure! Something about eating outside has the power to magically transform the dining experience for kids and adults alike. Don't believe me? Just look at the heaving terraces during the summer. Having a meal or drinks is way more enjoyable and luxurious when said meal or drinks are doled out on a patio somewhere, even if the rush-hour traffic is roaring past. Try serving up last night's leftovers for a no-waste solution and a no-brainer lunch. As food guru Jamie Oliver would say, "Happy Days."

So remember, you don't have to spend a small fortune to have a blast. The best times as a family often arise out of the blue, on a shoestring. So go on, the next time you feel that tug on your sleeve, indulge in some good cheap fun. Your bank balance—and kids—will thank you for it.

Top 5 Cheap Thrills For lil' Guys and Girls

Keep Them Entertained Without Breaking the Bank