Family activities: cheap, fast, fun

I was sitting with my daughter Anna at an outdoor concert. We'd walked eight blocks in the hot sun from the parking lot, skipped naptime, and stood on long lines twice -- once to pay the $20 entry, then for our $5 ice cream cones. And as I sat with Anna on my lap, thankful the loud music was covering her tired, cranky cries, I tried to remember why I'd thought taking a 3-year-old to a concert was such a great idea.

As moms, every day we see that kids love doing small, simple things. But we often can't resist doing the big, elaborate ones, despite their cost and hassle. And though we know they probably won't remember a trip to, say, the circus, we want the memory. That's okay every now and then, but most of the time you'd be better off thinking a whole lot smaller.

Video: How to have the best family vacation

The day they started to dig the hole for the foundation of a church in our neighborhood was the beginning of my family's education about the differences between an excavator and a bulldozer (which is what we used to call every large yellow piece of equipment). It was also the day it started to dawn on me how many free and exciting family outings were literally sitting there waiting for us.

Bing: Fun child activities

Some of the best places to go are right on the side of the road. You can spend a good hour pulled over at a construction site watching gigantic machines dig, dump, and lift. And if you've got train lovers -- but no trains to ride -- park near a crossing to watch them roll by (ask at a business near the tracks what time the trains pass through). When you've watched at one crossing, scoot over to the next one and watch again. Sitting on your car near an airport to watch the airplanes fly overhead is another exciting outing. In between take-offs and landings, you can watch the contrails and the shapes in the clouds.

Video: How to be a stay-at-home dad

After grabbing a bag of bagels with Anna in tow, I headed, uncharacteristically, out the back door of the shop, which gave us a view of the bagel-making machine. We were both transfixed -- and watched for a good 15 minutes. To turn your Saturday-morning errands into outings to remember, just ask for a closer look (or find a safe viewing point) at any number of destinations. A few good ones: coin-sorting and dollar-counting machines at the bank, automated photo-processing equipment, and any sort of mechanized food preparation, from tortillas to doughnuts.

Bing: Child-friendly DIY adventures

Drive to a beautiful garden, a mural-or graffiti-covered wall, or a farm or fruit stand. Toddlers and preschoolers love nothing better than the smell, touch, and sight of nature's bounty, and the beauty of a fountain or even a somewhat tacky art display can be exciting to them. Ponds and streams -- where you can also amuse yourselves tossing leaves and dandelions and watching them float away -- all offer possibilities.

Video: How to play road trip games

From the moment they can figure out who has more cookies on their plate and who got to open the door first, little kids are natural competitors and absolute maniacs about measurement. Since most tots love a good search, race, or competition, you'll be able to invent all kinds of easy outings.

My dad used to take me and my four siblings to seek out the first signs of spring, an activity that got us all on our hands and knees at the local park looking for green. You can also search for the longest icicle in winter, the most colorful leaf in the fall, or try my family's year-round favorite: finding heart-shaped rocks for natural Valentines.

 My favorite babysitter not only worked early on Saturday mornings (so my husband and I could enjoy one sleep-in a week), she also got the kids out of the house quickly with an ongoing search for the best weekend breakfast in town. At just 4 and 8, Anna and Kate practically ran out of the house, homemade survey sheets in hand, to test out the pancakes, hot chocolate, and restaurant-provided amusements at every diner within driving distance. You can decide on the best ice cream or pizza. Or go with something nonedible, like the best echo in the area (under bridges or overpasses and in pedestrian tunnels), coolest playground castle, or fastest slide in your town.

Invited out by someone you think is boring? Kids provide a convenient excuse to bow out things, according to almost 84% of moms surveyed. In fact, 45% reported using their kids to get out of social obligations around once a month. One mom even confessed to using them as a trump card with her husband: “I have used obligations for the kids—homework, projects, laundry—to get out of sex.”

Can't stand the roller coaster -- or even the carousel? Don't sweat it. Amusement parks' amusements are often lost on young kids. For tots who are usually strapped in a car seat behind you, with only a view of the back of your head, sitting next to you in any mode of transportation is their definition of an amusing and exciting ride.