Cheap and Free Family Fun, by PlayPennies.com

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Over at PlayPennies we like to think we’re practically experts at seeking out fun activities for the family that won’t break the bank. So to celebrate the 1st birthday of Families Recommend we’ve come up with some of our favourite fun family pastimes (try saying that in a hurry) – and only cheap or free activities made it onto the list!

CHECK OUT THE LIBRARY
These days libraries are a mine of fun and free activities for the whole family. Apart from the books you can leaf through magazines and borrow DVDs, music CD’s and audio books for a fraction of the price that it would cost to buy them. Many libraries run Rhyme Time sessions for pre-schoolers and their parents or carers, as well as art and craft activities for older children and even book clubs or topical talks for adults. Libraries are also a fantastic resource for finding out about other family activities going on in your area. If you haven’t visited your local library for a while why not drop in? And if you’re already a regular why not cash in on all the delights by spending an hour or two checking out everything that’s on offer, instead of just checking out your usual pile of books.

FEED THE DUCKS

We recently rediscovered the joy that is to be had on a walk to our local river and an hour spent feeding the ducks. I don’t know about you but in our house crusts are NOT popular so we save them all up and indulge the ducks in a treat every Friday after school. So far this year we’ve been lucky enough to happen across a nest of duck eggs and we’re hoping to get to see the ducklings hatch sometime very soon! For extra fun, try taking paper and pencils and sketching your ducks, or take a camera and let the kids capture the moment on film.

MAKE YOUR OWN PLAYDOUGH
Playdough has to be one of the best things ever invented. Kids adore it and parents get absorbed in its therapeutic properties! But you don’t have to invest in expensive tubs of the stuff. Try this recipe and if you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge it should last for months. We made ours before Christmas and it's still going strong!

In a saucepan over a low heat mix slowly together 3 cups of flour, 1½ cups of salt, 6 teaspoons of cream of tartar, 3 tablespoons of baby oil and 3 cups of water. It’s ready when the mixture comes away easily from the sides of the pan. Add whichever food colouring you like best - and use the rest of the cream of tartar to make old-school scones one wet Sunday afternoon!

COOK UP A STORM
Speaking of scones, I don’t think I’ve ever met a child who doesn’t love to bake. Try these utterly perfect and completely foolproof vanilla cupcakes (from 200 Cupcakes by Hamlyn):