I had a conversation this week with a person who was complaining about how much kids’ toys and play items cost. She was agonizing over the fact that she would have four kids for the week (her two nieces and her two young children) and that it was going to be “an expensive six days.”

As a parent of two young children myself, I offered the following idea – take all sorts of junk and recycling items and make a movie. Yes, a movie. The cost? Close to nothing.

I shared with her how my children – ages 6 and 8 – will spend hours using SAM Animation software to make movies using mainly junk or recyclable trash. Need to make a boat? A milk carton works great.  How about a mountain? Grab some rocks and dirt. What about a stage? That Amazon box about to be tossed is perfect. Add a few markers, some glue, and paper and voila – instant hours of fun and almost no cost.

Plus, there are some other side benefits to this approach. First, kids see that a person doesn’t need to spend money to have fun. Second, they see that junk and trash can be recycled and put to good use.  Third, they are actually learning without even knowing that what they are doing could actually be a
school project.

So, as a parent, when one of those rainy summer days rolls in or the heat gets too hot to venture out, try using SAM Animation with a bunch of stuff around the house. Want proof kids love this? My kids spent six hours – yes that’s six hours – last week making a movie on a 100+ degree day. The cost of the materials was zero. The price on keeping my sanity – priceless.