Forget a day at the beach, here are 7 quirky ways to keep the kids entertained.

One of the biggest challenges of parenthood is coming up with fun things to do every weekend.

There are always plenty of kid friendly activities going on, but sometimes you don’t want to travel too far or commit to expenses that will leave you with no cash for the weekly necessities.

Try some of the following ideas for outside-the-square fun that kids will be excited to talk about all week long.

1. Paint a mural.

If you’re brave enough, choose a wall in your child’s room, head to the local hardware store for some cheap sample pots and let them go nuts with their imaginations. At best they’ll come up with some artwork that is truly inspiring, at worst you can always paint over it while they’re at school.

Not keen on that idea? Grab a roll of butcher’s paper and lay it flat outdoors. Your kids can come up with a masterpiece that will be far less permanent.

2. Hunt for treasure.

For young kids, the whole world is ready and waiting to be explored. Even the backyard can be an archaeologist’s dig site – you never know what is under the surface. Equip your kids with shovels and torches and see if you can unearth some ancient dinosaur bones… or even just a few cool old bottle tops.

Add another level to the adventure by sealing your finds in a geocache and leaving them in a special spot for some other keen treasure hunters to come across.

3. Visit a hobby farm.

Kids love animals and visiting a hobby farm is a much cheaper option than the zoo. Generally located on the outskirts of the city, a lot of farms welcome little visitors who are keen to explore and are even designed with children in mind.

Let them get up close with some chickens, ducks and bunnies and learn all about life on the farm.

4.Water fight.

Now that the weather has warmed up, it’s time to come out with all (water) guns blazing. Don boardshorts and rash vests and head to the garden or a local park. Set some sportsman’s rules and then watch the kids go completely crazy, or join in the fun yourself.

And if you’re feeling really adventurous, why not try building your very own backyard waterslide? Before you bark back, “Who has time for that?” let me explain. All you’ll need is a clean tarp, a garden hose, a bottle of cheap shampoo and a small slope.

Easy-peasy.

5. Jump to it.

Kids full of beans? Trampoline gyms are the perfect way to wear them out, especially on a rainy weekend. Entry is generally not budget breaking and the kids will have a blast hopping around and trying out their acrobatic skills.

Trampoline gyms have a section reserved for little tackers between two and seven who need their own pint sized play area. Plus there’s coffee and chairs for adults – bliss.

6. Build a mini greenhouse.

Teach your kids how important the environment is by helping them create their very own mini greenhouse – also known as ‘terrarium’ in hipster-talk. It’s pretty simple, just cut a recycled soft drink bottle in half, fill the bottom of the bottle with sand or gravel for drainage and top with soil. Next, plant your mini greenhouse with seeds or cuttings from the garden, add in a few building blocks for fun or my kids’ favourite – a toy dinosaur, secure the top of the bottle back on with sticky tape and watch your creations reach for the sky.

After all this, you’ve done your bit for the environment, taught your kids the ins and outs of sustainability and tired their little bodies and brains out just in time for bed. Now that, my friends, deserves a pat on the back.

7. Walk a dog at the shelter.

Many local dog shelters have community programs where they invite families to take the more placid dogs who are waiting for a home out on an excursion.

This is a lovely way to teach kids social responsibility and can give them some puppy love if you’re not in the position to have a dog at home full time.

Get your kids excited about exploring the world around them and believe you me, the weekends will fly by.

How do you keep the kids entertained?