Inspire me with free or very cheap activities to do with DD 2.5

[Yanda]

I'm trying to save abit of money and have realised that it can cost abit taking DD to do things so I'd like to expand my repetoire of free/very cheap things to do that she will still enjoy.

We enjoy the usual playdoh, sticking, making cakes etc so I thought someone might have some more unusual suggestions?

Going for walks, splashing in puddles, collecting interesting leaves and sticks.

Library (ds1, 2.5, loves this atm even though the library itself isn't very good).

'Helping' with things around the house - cleaning, washing, tidying etc.

At the mo DS1 2,5 likes library
kicking leaves around
collecting leaves of different colours
using chalk sticks to make pictures on dark coloured paper
going to supermarkets (although this can be expensive!)
water play in the sink (i'm not too sure about this one)
Really interested to see this thread as i want ideas too. Its harder in winter with an active toddler.
We are planning to take him to an industrial museum locally tomorrow as he is interested in trains, boats etc and there is an exhibition on of model ones. But i don't know how successful this will be. But at least its free.

I spend a lot of time thinking of cheap stuff to do so interested in everyones ideas, ds1 is 2.5 and we do...

library (ours does bookstart crawl so ds get stickers for going which he loves and when he gets for stickers he gets a certificate)

garden centres - usually look at all animals, run round outside, buy bulbs to plant in garden, some days have coffee (and sneak ds's their own beakers and snacks)

free art galleries and museums

we do water play in bath in middle of day

'nature' walks - a plastic bag and then when they find anything you put it in bag to take home

tea parties (usually lunch) under dinning room table

threading pasta that he's painted

and a box of buttons keeps him entertained

we also found out about our local childrens centres as they run free stay and play sessions

def agree the local childrens centre always has loads to do cheap or free

we made crowns the other week

fabulous

cheap kept hem occupied and then weeks of still loving playing with them

Library, swings, church(sounds odd, but if no-one is in there, a good place for a run around), making puddles in the garden, cooking, playdoh, painting, sticking, chalks on garden path, washing stuff (clothes, dollies, carrots!) in the sink, making a 'den' (sheet over the table, usually have a tea party in there), getting sofa cushions, mattresses etc to make soft play in the lounge (huge mess). Oh and Cbeebies

oh salt dough, making photo albums, making musical instru, makeup, treasure hunts and flower pressing.

water painting - mess and money free
sticking cocktail sticks inplaydough to make hedgehogs (hours of fun)
'washing up'
making 'trees' - collect leaves in park, then sellotape to toilet roll
museums
sticking anything to paper (pasta fav at mo.)

things we do for free-watching trains. feeding crusts to ducks, riding bike in park or to anywhere, kicking a ball about.Library , museum, art gallery. play dates at home/ friends houses. walking through town being trains.

cheap- getting a train one stop , watching some more trains then returning to home station. going to cheap cafe for a cuppa. any of the drop in groups at surestart childrens centre. going to shop by bike to buy smallest bag of sweets or post a letter. taking train to seaside with a ball to kick about on beach.

Can you tell I have a boy who likes trains and we live near the sea.

AT home- washing up.dusting ( if I'm desperate) making bread/ cakes. playdoh. cutting and sticking. playing with some of the toys hes got already. jigsaws we swap around with friends to keep them fresh. rolling hoops has been a new one this week. football & cricket are old favorites. on piss wet days we might do cebeebies web site or similar together, some good games for small people on there also coloring sheets.

Some excellent ideas here.I don;t see myself as a very 'crafty, arty' person but I think even I can manage painting pasta and threading it, and putting cocktail sticks in playdoh.
Having said that, my DS is probably still tooyoung to be messing about with cocktail sticks - he's only 19 months.
Laughed at the trains going through town!

I get craft things from one of these. Perhaps there's one near you?

I have memberships to a few places. They are an expensive initial outlay, but over a year, not too bad. I bought a couple with money from GP's for Christmas. The kids really didn't need any more toys, so this assuaged their 'guilt' over not spending much.

SureStart groups are often cheap - sometimes the people running them (e.g. signing classes) run really expensive classes normally, but the SureStart organisation is subsidising them.

Look out for vouchers on Ebay for expensive places you'd like to go to. Perhaps go with a friend on a BOGOF voucher and split the cost.

Have you checked out what the NCT is doing in your area? They're only £1 to join if you're in receipt of any benefits.

Take your own drinks and snacks anywhere you go. Buy a small thermos flask (I have a one cup one which you drink directly from). This can save you £5+ on every trip out you make. I even buy FruitShoots in bulk from the supermarket. I hate giving them to the DS's, but I know that otherwise they will have a massive tantrum until they get one (thanks to MIL who let them have their first one ), so I may as well buy them at £3 for 12 as pay £1+ when we're out and about.

Gateau - my 18 month old does the cocktail sticks (with sharp points snapped off)

cornflour mixed with a little water - if you get the amount right it is the most amazing solid/liquid phase change goop to play with. With food colouring, obviously.

Gloop with glitter is lovely too as I discovered at 'stay & play' this week.