---
title: 50 ideas to keep the kids amused without breaking the bank
description: 50 ideas to keep the kids amused without breaking the bank.
---

[NZ Home Loan Blog](https://blog.nzhl.co.nz/articles)

# [50 ideas to keep the kids amused without breaking the bank](https://blog.nzhl.co.nz/articles/50-ideas-keep-kids-amused-without-breaking-bank)

 Written by [Emily Doran](https://blog.nzhl.co.nz/articles/author/emily-doran) | Monday, 10 July 2017

School holidays, you either love 'em or hate 'em and more often than not it's a bit of both on any given day or hour. If you're looking for things to do with the kids these holidays here is a brain dump of ideas of things you could do:

1. 1. Go to your favourite playground
     2. Go to a playground you've never been to before
     3. Visit a different playground everyday (for those in larger cities / towns)
     4. Build a fort
     5. Go for a fluffy
     6. Go for a 'nature walk' and collect leaves, sticks, stones etc
     7. Tidy / sort out toys and those that aren't used anymore sell or donate
     8. Have a giant bubble bath
     9. Go to the muesuem
     10. Go the the zoo
     11. A playdate with a friend
     12. Make a treasure hunt (either indoors or outdoors depending on weather)
     13. Painting pictures
     14. Paint nails
     15. [Teach your kids about money](https://nzhl.co.nz/articles/teaching-kids-about-money/)
     16. Bake
     17. Have a teddy bears picnic
     18. Visit a pet shop
     19. Visit your local councils website for local / free things to do in your area
     20. Go for a bike ride
     21. Have a movie day (at home), make popcorn, turn the lights off and put a movie on.
     22. Visit a rest home
     23. Fly a kite
     24. Make a kite
     25. Play a card game
     26. Play a board game
     27. Play a computer / xbox / playstation game
     28. Origami
     29. Learn a magic trick
     30. Cook a meal
     31. Indoor swimming pool
     32. Let them get bored (they might surprise you with what they come up with)
     33. Plant something
     34. Make jewelry
     35. Go the library
     36. Make some home made playdough
     37. Write a story
     38. Have a dance party
     39. Play rugby / soccer / netball / basketball (out of the house of course)
     40. Visit a farm
     41. Go bowling
     42. Make a 'creation' (get all the odds and ends you can find around the house, some glue, cellotape and scissors and see what they come up with)
     43. [Make a family tree](http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/craft/535805/how-to-make-a-family-tree)
     44. [Make a rain gauge](https://www.rmets.org/weather-and-climate/observing/make-rain-gauge)
     45. Indoor rock climbing
     46. Hula hooping
     47. Go to the beach and build a sandcastle (just wrap up warm)
     48. Watch TV
     49. Read a book
     50. Go for a drive and play i-spy

*The information contained in this article is of a general nature and should not be taken as advice. It reflects the opinions of the writer only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of New Zealand Home Loans.*

[View full post](https://blog.nzhl.co.nz/articles/50-ideas-keep-kids-amused-without-breaking-bank)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Emily Doran"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2019-06-18T02:03:56.558Z",
  "datePublished" : "2017-07-10T21:28:21Z",
  "headline" : "50 ideas to keep the kids amused without breaking the bank",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 350,
    "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/5029003/kids1250x350-1.jpg",
    "width" : 1250
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://blog.nzhl.co.nz/articles/50-ideas-keep-kids-amused-without-breaking-bank",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60.0,
      "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/5029003/NZHLfavicon-1.png",
      "width" : 60.0
    },
    "name" : "NZ Home Loan Blog"
  }
}
```