Everyone loves to have a little fun now and again. Especially kids and most of us are still kids at heart. With the rising economy, it becomes more and more difficult to have money on hand for fantastic family outings. 

My hope is to help you find several ways to spend the least amount of money while still having a heap of fun with your family. Doing things together as a family creates lasting memories for both you and your child.

You may already know, or have heard, that spending time with the ones you love costs you nothing. That is true however, without some activity to help pass that time; you may just be spending time in the living room glued to the “tube”. Being stuck indoors is not much fun. We all know though that at certain times, going outdoors is not always possible.

Find inventive and interesting ways to enjoy the time you spend with your family. Both indoors and outdoors and you do not need to spend a lot of money. You can do many things without ANY money for that matter! This is always a great deal!

The most memorable activities will be those that money played no part in for you and the rest of your family. If you do not believe that, think back of one of the most terrific times you had when you were a kid. Anything about money in that memory, No I thought so.

There are twelve activities below to help you get started. Select a few, or invent a few of your own. Who knows, you may just begin a family tradition of fun! Just remember to do these as a family that is what makes them so exciting.

1. Board Games
2. Coloring
3. Play Card Games
4. Working On Puzzles
5. Home Movie Night
6. Park Outings
7. Museums
8. Library
9. Swimming/Playing In Water
10. Skating
11. Bike Riding
12. Yard Sales

This list is by no means complete. It is a starting point to get those old brain cells working again. With a little thought I am sure you will be adding to this list in know time. Once you start taking the time for your family, it becomes addictive and you will search for new ways to enjoy your time together.

In a child’s education an important factor is the parents’ expertise for this “job”. No one is born holding all the knowledge, but we can learn and understand some things from books or advice from qualified individuals. 

Here are 12 Commandments to help you along the way: 

1. Do not underestimate your child - he can understand more than you think he does and if you make him believe you think poorly of him this might affect his development. 
2. Don’t use threat - a child loves a challenge and once threatened he might probably go on and do what he wasn’t suppose to just to see if he can escape the punishment. 
3. Do not bribe your child - if you are trying to get him to learn for money for example, he will fail to understand the importance of learning, all he will get from this is the importance of money. 
4. Do not make a small child promise something - small children can’t hold promises so don’t force them to lie and then punish them because they did that. 
5. Do not keep them under a short leash - to grow up normally children need some space, some freedom. 
6. Do not use big words or too many words when you are talking to your child - keep your ideas simple and concise so he can understand every thing you have to say. 
7. Do not expect an immediate and blind obedience - it is not recommended, the child has to be learned to think for his own not to follow orders. 
8. Do not indulge him too mush - he can develop compartmental disorders. 
9. Do not compromise when it comes to the rules of a game - the trick for a game to become educative is too have its initial rules respected. 
10. Don’t impose rules that don’t go with the age of your child. 
11. Do not try to inflict quilt - quilt is not an appropriate feeling for children, especially if they are little. 
12. Don’t give your child orders that you don’t take seriously - your child will try to please you and giving him an order is drastic, and it becomes cruel if that order is a joke.

 All these “commandments” are addressed first to the parent. But they are to be referred to by teachers and educators as well. Along with the parents, they will settle upon an attitude and strategy for the education and growth of the child, so that they can give him all the things he needs to properly develop emotionally and physically.

There are many ways to encourage your child to become involved in reading.  Here are some questions to ask yourself to help stay on track:

 For Babies (Six Weeks to One Year)

• 1. Do I provide a comfortable place for our story time? Is my child happy to be here?
• 2. Am I showing her the pictures in the book? Am I changing the tone of my voice as I read to show emotion and excitement?
• 3. Am I paying attention to how my child responds? What does she especially like? Is she tired and ready to stop?

 For Toddlers (One to Three Years)

All of the questions above, plus:

• 1. Does my child enjoy the book we are reading?
• 2. Do I encourage her to “pretend read”, joining in where she has memorized a word or phrase?
• 3. When I ask questions, am I giving my child enough time to think and answer?
• 4. Do I tie ideas in the book to things familiar to my child? Do I notice if she does this on her own?
• 5. Do I let my child know how much I like her ideas and encourage her to tell me more?
• 6. Do I point out letters, such as the first letter of her name?

 Remember: Children learn step-by-step in a process that takes time and patience.  They vary a great deal in the rate they make progress and in what hold their interest.

For Preschoolers (Three and Four years)

All of the questions above, plus:

• 1. Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify letters and make the letter-sound matches?

For Kindergartners (Five Years)

All of the questions above, plus:

1.   Do I find ways to help my child begin to identify some printed words?

• 2. Do I let my child retell favorite stories to show she knows how the story goes and what is in it?

 For Beginning First-Graders (Six Years)

All of the questions above, plus:

• 1. Do I give my child the chance to read a story to me using the text, picture clues, her memory — or any combination of these ways that help her make sense of the story?

 Source: Helping Your Child Become a Reader, U.S. Department of Education