Summer can be a difficult time for stay-at-home parents with their children. Constantly taking them out to do things to keep them entertained can be exhausting and expensive. Use these tips to brainstorm creative ideas to keep your kids busy without losing your mind or draining your wallet.

1) Water is the best friend of parents and children in the summer. A small pool is great fun for kids looking for something to do. A sand and water table can provide a toddler with hours of productive play. On rainy days, you can even let your child play in the bathtub or shower for a while. Squirt guns are fun for kids to play together, and a sprinkler is an easy way to entertain multiple kids while watering the lawn. Teach your kids about water safety every time you take them out to play in the water this summer so everyone can relax and have fun together.

2) Another fun summer activity is tie dye. Let your kids dye old sheets, clothes, and blankets in the yard. They will love to see how things turn out and be entertained for a long time in the process. They will end up with pieces of art that they can use and treasure for years to come. Get a good tie-dye kit to make the colors bright and vibrant. Experiment with different twists, rolls, and elastic bands.

3) Painting is also a fun activity that can be enjoyed inside or outside during the summer. If your kids are messy, let them paint outdoors. You can use an easel or hang artwork on the fence or on the clothesline. Sidewalk chalk is also fun and can be used on your playground equipment, deck, or privacy fence. Let your kids get their creative juices flowing by creating the backyard of their dreams without damaging anything.

4) Helping you with the housework can also be a lot of fun. Let the children choose different recipes to make together. Let them help you with kitchen and bathroom cleanup in preparation for your art projects and recipes. Teach them how to “clean as you go” so they associate the cleaning part of the job with having fun. Let them help you do the laundry and make it fun by letting them make a “warm nest” in your bed out of the hot clothes from the dryer. Let them use their own baby hangers, baby hangers and children’s hangers to hang their own clothes.