Frugal Grandparenting: Why the Best Summer Memories Cost So Little
Recently, we’ve had eight of our grandchildren here at one point or another. Some stayed for a few days, some stayed for a week, and while it certainly made for a busy house, it also reminded me of something important about frugal grandparenting: Creating meaningful summer memories doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
With the cost of nearly everything going up these days, it’s easy to feel pressure to spend money on entertainment. Grandparents want their grandchildren to have fun. We want them to enjoy coming to visit. We want them to remember summers spent at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
But after years of having grandchildren visit, and especially after this summer, I’ve realized something.
Some of their favorite memories cost very little.
The things they’ve talked about the most weren’t expensive attractions, amusement parks, or elaborate outings. Instead, they were simple moments spent together. Moments that required more time than money.
If you’re looking for ways to enjoy your grandchildren this summer without draining your budget, here are some ideas that have worked well for us.
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Why Frugal Grandparenting Matters More Than Ever
I think many grandparents put unnecessary pressure on themselves.
We see advertisements for expensive attractions, summer camps, water parks, and entertainment venues. Before long, we start thinking we need to spend a lot of money to make summer special.
In reality, children don’t usually remember how much money was spent on them.
They remember how they felt.
They remember laughing.
They remember being included.
They remember the traditions.
Most of all, they remember the people who took time for them.
That’s encouraging news for grandparents who are trying to be careful with their money.
Focus on Experiences Instead of Entertainment
One thing I’ve learned through years of frugal grandparenting is that experiences often matter more that entertainment.
Entertainment usually means paying someone else to create the fun.
Experiences are the memories you create together.
Some of our grandchildren’s favorite activities this summer included painting, swimming, baking, fishing, playing games, roasting marshmallows, riding bikes, and going out for ice cream.
None of those activities cost very much, but they created plenty of memories.
Frugal Summer Activities Grandchildren Love
1. Have a Craft Day
This was one of the biggest hits of the summer.
A few of my granddaughters have always enjoyed art projects, so I took one to Hobby Lobby where she picked out a paint-by-number wood project from the Spring Shop section. (It was 50% off, making it a whopping $5.00, which included the wood piece, paint and a couple of brushes).
The other girls chose unfinished wooden pieces from Dollar Tree and painted their own creations.
They absolutely loved it.
The cost was minimal, but the enjoyment lasted for hours.
Also, while we were shopping, I also let the girls pick out one additional item from Dollar Tree. Their choice? Press-on nails.
You would have thought they had won the lottery.
It’s funny how children can find so much excitement in something that costs so little. Sometimes we adults overcomplicate things when simple pleasures are all they’re really looking for.
2. Go Out for Ice Cream
If I asked my grandchildren to name their favorite activities from the week, I suspect ice cream would make the list.
Our local creamery (What our town is famous for) is a busy place in the summer and for good reason! It’s open for tours, Monday thru Friday and for only $1.00, we get a huge scoop of our favorite ice cream! It’s fun and a super cheap outing that they look forward to every time they come to stay with us.
Sometimes the simplest outings become the most memorable.
3. Teach Them a New Game
This summer, we taught several of the grandchildren how to play Sequence.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how interested they’d be, but to my surprise, they loved it!
Not only did it keep them entertained, but it also gave us opportunities to sit together, talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. They also enjoyed the competition.
4. Let Them Help in the Kitchen
One of my granddaughters loves baking. She helped me make cake mix cookies and even helped bake a birthday cake for her parents.
Children enjoy feeling useful, and cooking together creates natural opportunities for conversation and learning.
Try this easy, fun and delicious recipe: Quick & Easy Cake Mix Cookies
5. Go Fishing
Fishing remains one of those timeless activities that children never seem to outgrow.
Whether it’s a neighborhood pond, a friend’s property, or a local fishing spot, the memories often last much longer than the fish.
6. Spend Time at the Pool
Swimming is one of the best summer activities because it provides hours of entertainment without requiring much planning.
A friend’s pool, a community pool, or a country club membership you already have can provide days of inexpensive fun.
7. Make the Most of What You Already Have
One of the biggest lessons from this summer was that children don’t always need something new.
In fact, we already had bicycles in the garage, a basketball goal in the driveway, and a ping pong table that we picked up from Facebook Marketplace for $50, a couple of years ago.
The boys spent hours riding bikes, shooting hoops, and challenging each other to ping pong tournaments.
Sometimes the best entertainment is simply making use of what you already own.
8. Visit the Library
Libraries offer much more than books these days. While we didn’t get to do this on this particular visit, we have done it many times before.
Many have summer reading programs, activities, crafts, and special events for children and best of all, they’re free!
9. Host a Movie Night at Home
Pop some popcorn, grab a few blankets, and let the kids stay up a little later than usual.
Children often find these simple traditions just as exciting as expensive outings.
10. Roast Marshmallows Around the Fire Pit
Some of our favorite evenings this summer ended around the fire pit.
After dinner, we’d gather outside, roast marshmallows, and talk while the sun went down.
It wasn’t fancy and it certainly wasn’t expensive, but those simple evenings often became the highlight of the day.
Children don’t need elaborate entertainment every minute. Sometimes a bag of marshmallows, some skewers, and a little time together are all it takes to create a memory.
11. Make Simple Summer Treats Together
Children don’t need fancy desserts to feel special.
One evening, I bought fresh strawberries and dipped them in melted chocolate. Strawberries were in season, and a bag of chocolate wafers only cost a couple of dollars.
The grandkids absolutely loved them.
In fact, they were every bit as excited about those chocolate-covered strawberries as they were about some of our bigger activities. Sometimes the simplest treats create the sweetest memories.
Better yet, invite the grandchildren into the kitchen and let them help. They’ll remember making the treats together long after the dessert is gone.
Let Them Stay Up Late and Talk With You
One of the most meaningful parts of our summer wasn’t an activity at all.
It was the conversations.
Several evenings, the grandchildren stayed up a little later than usual, and we talked. They asked questions about growing up, work, relationships, faith, and all sorts of things I never expected.
Children are naturally curious, and I’ve learned that some of the best connections happen when we’re simply sitting together and talking.
Those conversations didn’t cost a dime, yet they became some of my favorite moments of the summer.
Not Every Activity Will Be a Hit
One thing I learned this summer is that every child is different.
For example, I was convinced my older grandson and granddaughter would enjoy thrifting. After all, I love treasure hunting at thrift stores.
We browsed clothes, books, and shelves full of interesting finds, but nothing really captured their attention.
It simply wasn’t their thing. And that’s okay.
Part of grandparenting is learning who your grandchildren are and discovering what interests them.
Sometimes the activity matters less than the willingness to try something together.
The Tradition They Ask for Every Time
Every family has traditions, and ours revolves around pancakes.
Whenever the grandchildren come to stay, they fully expect Paw Paw to make pancakes every morning. In fact, they start talking about it before they even arrive.
The funny thing is that pancakes are probably one of the least expensive things we do all week.
Yet if I had to guess, years from now they’ll remember those pancake breakfasts far more than they’ll remember any outing we could have spent money on.
The simplest traditions are often the ones that stick.
You Probably Already Have More Than You Think
Before grandchildren arrive, many of us already have the ingredients for summer fun sitting right at home.
We have card games.
We have bicycles.
We have kitchen tables for baking cookies.
We have driveways for basketball.
We have fire pits for roasting marshmallows.
We have craft supplies tucked away in a closet.
We have pancake recipes that have become family traditions.
Sometimes creating memories isn’t about buying more. It’s about using what we already have.
My Grandchildren Taught Me Something This Summer
This summer reminded me that children don’t need constant entertainment.
They don’t need every day planned.
They don’t need expensive attractions to make memories.
What they really want is connection.
They want someone to play a game with them and someone to listen to their stories.
They want someone to answer their endless questions and someone to teach them how to bake cookies, paint a project, or catch a fish.
And…most of all, they want our time.
Frugal Grandparenting Is About Presence, Not Presents
If you’re a grandparent trying to watch your spending this summer, don’t feel guilty if you can’t afford elaborate outings or expensive attractions.
The truth is that some of the most meaningful memories cost very little.
This summer, we spent less than $100 on activities, yet our days were full.
There was ice cream.
There was painting.
There was swimming.
There was fishing.
There were bicycle rides and ping pong tournaments.
There were card games and conversations.
There were marshmallows around the fire pit.
There were chocolate-covered strawberries.
There were pancakes every morning.
And there was plenty of laughter.
The beauty of frugal grandparenting is that it focuses on connection rather than consumption and at the end of the day, grandchildren don’t need a perfect summer. They simply need grandparents who love them, enjoy spending time with them, and are willing to create memories alongside them.
And that’s something money can never buy.
Do you or someone you know have any grandparenting tips or activities you do with your grands that are frugal and have created some great memories? I’d love for you to share in the comments!
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