What are some inexpensive, 'self-styled' family activities for those living in very small rural communities with little community planning?

Summyr - posted on 08/23/2011

Paint
Build a tree house/Castle
scavenger hunt
build your own kites
bubbles - using your own made up wands
lay in the grass and name what the clouds look like

Laci - posted on 08/16/2011

We go fishing quite a bit with our girls they love it!
We also go on walks/ biking around town.

Nicole - posted on 02/09/2011

what are the ages of the family members and how many of you are there?

it seems like there are four of you available for some fun. thats more than enough for a game of block - remember '1,2,3 block myself!' or 'or 1,2,3 i block Jimmy hiding in oak tree!' this is a game for al ages and teaches patience, the right time, boundries, and learning to assess a situation well.

board games like monopoly can teach good business sense and teach you about each others character in business situations as well as things you didnt realise about yourself... but this takes some time! UNO is great too for all ages
Gardening is a great all seasons thing to do. make a veggi garden and learn and teach the kids how to plant, care for and harvest veggies and how much nicer they taste. saving money at the same time
get them to help you in the kitchen - ask them if they would like to help you bake cupcakes or cookies and you measure out everything and tell them what your doing and they mix and mould and make a lovely mess which you all tidy up together while the delicious treats are baking
take them out to the field/garden and aske them each to draw the pond while they listen to music from different generations. tell them about the musicians while they draw and how they lived and died.. compare the drawings in the end and reward them with a picnick and a game of catches

get some clay from a local river and thel them mush mould and play - you can bake them in your own oven at the highest temp butthey will still be quite fragile - make a bowl for teabags or t-spoons. get them to work together and make a small pot/ bown or a cup.
paint is cheap and can be alot of fun, get them to find a piece of slate and engrave a picture with a large nail or another rock - rock art..
use a wheel-barrow to take a walk through the country and collect nice rocks for a rock garden or a boarder or water feature
small town often have a music teacher- pottery class- horses- farm animals that need care and love. get them to help out at the local animal sanctuary one or two days a week. find out if the local preschool needs some helping hands.. xxx

Ana - posted on 10/13/2010

How about biking? My kids are too small for this idea but it is something that my husband and I are considering for the future. It's just packing some stuff and bike and find a place to camp with the kids....it's fun and they will love the adventure...(don't forget to bring flashlights...;o)

Michelle - posted on 10/13/2010

Trina- go to a thrift store or local goodwill type store, get some overalls and a flannel shirt. Then go to a park or field and have fun stuffing the clothes. get a pumpkin or some sort of head and decorate and then take home and put out for this halloween. The kids luv doing this, we did it and you can have a blast. You can do a nature hike as well. Are there elderly in town that would need help with like raking leaves. the kids would be happy to help and the elderly are always so appreciative for it. We live outside a small town also. So very hard to find anything family wise to do that doesn't cost and arm and a leg anymore. Have you tried a camping outting with making smores? Just some ideas. If you have any let me know, we are always looking for new things to do.

Trina L - posted on 10/13/2010

Thanks, Michelle. Actually, both my girls are school-aged, I should have been more specific. Sorry 'bout that. I'm looking for family activities for the weekend and such for myself and my husband to do with our two daughters.

Michelle - posted on 10/12/2010

You didn't say how old your child at home was. Have you tried forming a play group where your childs friends get together and you have fun activities to do at a park or one of the families homes. It can be lots of fun and is like your own little club. You can have fun outings and it doesn't cost as long as others are willing to help out.