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There are a ton of activities that consume our kids' time. Many of the activities that they are involved in cost a ton of money. Xbox and PS3 games are a fortune. Remote control cars and action figures that talk cost enough to feed a small country. But, what if you don't have the kind of money that is necessary to pay for these extravagant toys to keep your kids busy? Never fear, there are plenty of activities available that are just as much fun, provide more physical activity and cost a whole lot less money. Consider these activities the next time you want to have fun with your kids, and save some money at the same time!

1. Bug collecting. Many adults have an aversion to bugs, but that just isn't true with children. They will spend most of the day poking around in the back yard, trying to see what they can discover. An old mason jar with a few holes poked in the lid will serve as a great "bug jar", allowing the children to examine the bugs at close range. Just remember to supervise closely enough to keep them from catching anything that might sting or bite. Also remember to let the little critters go when your activity is completed, so that they do not die in the jar.

2. Collecting nature. It is amazing what children will collect. My son currently has a collection of leaves, a collection of acorns, and a collection of rocks. He is thrilled to death to be able to go outside and find something new to add to one of his collections. We can spend most of an afternoon walking around the neighborhood, looking at different trees, and picking up leaves for his collection. There are many things in nature that can be conducive to collecting. Simply turn a child loose, and see what he comes up with for this activity!

3. Arts and crafts projects. There are many art and crafts projects that children can participate in, that do not cost much money at all. Paper and crayons or markers can consume several hours, especially if you assign various projects for the children to complete. For example, you may have a contest to see who can design the most colorful drawing. Or perhaps you could encourage the children to draw and cut out paper dolls, with all of their accessories. You may also consider taking your children to stores like A.C. Moore, Michael's, Lowes and Home Depot that have various arts and crafts workshops designed just for kids. These are typically free, or have a very nominal fee.

4. Go to the library. A trip to the library, in and of itself, can be a great activity.

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