A very big welcome back to the second article under the Women and Money Series!!

If you are thinking of saving more money or spending more quality time with your children this year, this article is for you. In this edition, we will be sharing 3 wallet friendly activities for young parents to bond with their children.

It is not unknown to parents that bringing up children in Singapore is an expensive affair. After the mundane 5 days’ work routine, parents are eager to spend family time during the weekends. Common bonding ideas include watching movies together, dining out and surprising your children with new toys. However, with those activities, expenditure can easily chalk up $100-$200, amounting close to $1000 in a month!

The good news is that it is possible for you and your children to have fun together without spending a bomb! As a working mum with two young children aged 6 and 3, I have discovered many fun activities to play with my children that do not cost much, some do not even cost a cent! Many of these activities are also educational at the same time, and practical for both sunny and rainy days. :)

Here are 3 of my children’s and my favourite activities.

#1. Outdoor Playgrounds

Over the past few decades, I realised many childhood activities have moved indoors. This resulted in numerous negative effects such as poor health, insufficient social skills and dependency on technology.

Take the weekends as a chance to get out in the open and associate with nature. Below are some of the benefits that outdoor activities bring.

• Improve physical health – Sunlight is the best natural source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D aids the body in promoting bone growth. Children spending more time outside give them a clearer and better eyesight, reducing risk of myopia.
• Develop practical skills – Outdoor activities help to develop children’ sensory and social skills. Sandcastle building allow them to be creative as they use their imagination. It also helps to foster interaction among the children, strengthening language and communication. The climbing structures assist to build their psychomotor skills without having to spend on indoor gym classes.

The best option for an outdoor activity is heading to the outdoor playgrounds in Singapore. There are many fun and exciting playgrounds available island wide which involves no cost at all. If you would like to get some sandcastle building equipment, you may head to Daiso or NTUC Fairprice and purchase it at minimal cost.

Below are some of my favourite playgrounds that have sand play areas and different varieties of structures to cater to different age groups.

Admiralty Park Playground

The newly opened park features 26 slides – the most number of slides in Singapore. It consists three main areas that cater to children of all ages – Junior Play, Adventure Play and the Family Terracing Play. There is even an inclusive play area for children with special needs.

(Left) Double Barrel Slide – At 23 metres long and 9 metres tall, it is the longest and tallest tube slide in Singapore.(Credit: Motherhood)

(Right) Curved Roller Slide – 34 metres long, it is the longest outdoor slide in Singapore.(Credit: Motherhood)

East Coast Park and Pasir Ris Park

These 2 parks are our all-time favourites because they have a huge playground and is located close to the beach. This makes it perfect for a family bonding outing, with the sun, sand, sea and fun! My family enjoy going to the beach, the kids love to play with sand while the adults get to enjoy the superb sea view over a picnic. Older children can also cycle or scoot along the park.

Neighbourhood playgrounds

And of course, how can we miss out the playground we walked past every single day. It is also a good place for family to hang out at your neighbourhood playground, smiling and greeting to all the familiar faces of your neighbours and enjoying the windy cooling breeze.

#2. Baking

Baking is my personal favourite :) It is a fun filled activity that is also rewarding at the end with a satisfied tummy! Baking also is a good indoor activity for rainy days. Children love this activity, especially when it comes to their favourite cakes, desserts or cookies! Baking is not just a cooperative activity that allow families to build better relationships and trust, it is educational for children.

• Maths – Baking involves calculations, such as measuring ingredients and counting quantities.
• Science – Children get to learn the chemical reaction between baking soda and hot water for instance. And when you put it in the oven, it expands. All these changes are awesome to observe.
• Healthier selections and knowing their intake – There are many ways to bake healthily. Children can opt for healthier, natural ingredients instead. For instance, adding fruits and yogurt instead of cake sprinkles, brown sugar or honey to replace white sugar.
• Joy of giving – Sharing what you bake with your friends and families are simple happiness. Of they are happy, so are your children when they see their expressions.

The cost of baking is cheaper than buying from patisseries. Simple and basic ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, egg and lemon can churn up a delicious lemon cake, and it is not even half the price from outside. There are plenty of healthy yet delicious recipes from the web. Below are some recipes that I have baked together with my children, and the results are awesome!

Honey Corn Flake Treats – great for CNY too

(Source: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/corn-flake-treats-341258)

Pancakes with Fruits toppings

Lastly, arts and crafts activities are also a great indoor activity for family bonding.

There are endless possibilities to arts and crafts from colouring, finger painting, playing with play dough to DIY activities like origami and popsicle sticks. It is a good way of connecting with both my children, to find out what is going on in their minds. Besides, arts and crafts are beneficial for child development.

• Build creativity and imagination – Has no limits for children to think with an open mind, and expressing their feelings with colours, brush strokes or designs. This allows them to think out of the box or linking different ideas into one.
• Improve fine motor skills – Folding origami, kneading playdoh, painting brush strokes, colouring a picture – all these require practice and coordination. As time goes by, they create better art piece, while improving their fine motor skills.
• Satisfaction and appreciation – When your children see their final art piece, it gives them a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. As they share their art piece with other children, they learn to appreciate others’ creation as well.

Depending on the type of materials required for the different activities, Daiso is the best place to shop, offering wide varieties of materials at low costs. Ikea has a very interesting art corner in their children section. If you intend to get good quality materials, Art Friend is the best choice with a comprehensive range of materials. One great source to look for ideas is using YouTube.

Below are 1 interesting activity I have tried with both of my kids, and we had so much fun and memories together!

Hand Painting fun

With a bit of creativity and efforts, there are many activities that doesn’t require a lot of money and can still allow you to bond, have lots of fun and connect with your children.

In the end, my belief is that children don’t need more toys or gifts or the latest gadgets. What they truly need is simply your presence to engage with your children.

What are some of your favourite wallet friendly activities? Do share them in the comments below!

To Your Success and Happiness,

Yong Hui