Whether you have one kid or five kids, when it comes to extracurricular activities, it can really add up. We all want our kids to be stimulated emotionally and physically, and things like music lessons or sports leagues have a lot of value in teaching kids important life skills.

Even if you limit each child to only one activity, it can eat up a lot of your budget. Here are all my tips for how to save on activities for kids. The key is: ask around and get creative! You never know who might be willing to offer their expertise.

How to Save on Activities for Kids

Online Deals and Coupons

Websites like Groupon and LivingSocial often offer deals and discounts on various activities and lessons for kids. You can find discounted rates for things like art classes, sports activities, music lessons, and more.

Membership Discounts

Check if any memberships you already have offer discounts on kids’ activities. This could include memberships to museums, zoos, or local community centers.  Our local zoo offers kids classes for only $12 to members!

Local Community Programs

Many local community centers, libraries, and parks and recreation departments offer affordable or even free activities and lessons for kids. These can include sports leagues, art classes, STEM workshops, and more. With sports, for example, joining a rec or church league will be considerably less expensive than a more serious sports league. Especially for younger kids, these options tend to focus more on building skills and have much less pressure and require less time commitment.

Seasonal Promotions

Keep an eye out for seasonal promotions and sales. Many businesses that offer kids’ activities and lessons may have special offers during certain times of the year, such as back-to-school season or holidays. Sometimes there may be times when they offer free classes for a trial period, which is a great way to try things out before spending money on them.

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