30 Ways to Celebrate Frugal Fun Day in Wichita This Saturday

F is for Fun, Fall, and Family. It’s also for Frugal! International Frugal Fun Day is the first Saturday in October; this year falling on October 6th. The goal is to keep activities under $5 a person, or even better, free! Having a family with kiddos, frugal finds are always a win to save us some cash. As we know, getting out with the entire fam can add up to be quite pricey. I’ve compiled a list of exciting, yet thrifty, ways to celebrate the holiday in our great city or at home!

Celebrate in the community:

  • Enjoy the beautiful temps and pack a picnic! Find a great local place using our Best Picnic Spots in Wichita guide. Bring along a football or baseball and glove for a game of catch. 
  • Pack up for an overnight camping trip at an area campsite, or in your own backyard. Don’t forget the S’mores!
  • Visit the Keeper of the Plains, see its Ring of Fire, and take a stroll along the Arkansas River. 
  • Hunt for an urban legend, The Wichita Troll. It’s located in the area of 777 W. Central Ave in an underground lair. Can you find it? 
  • Go fishing. There are many great area fishing holes to enjoy. Find a list of them here.
  • Create a scavenger hunt to do at a local park. You can find some great fall themed scavenger hunt printables online. 
  • Visit a pumpkin patch. Yes, some can be pricey, but there are a few that offer free admission such as Papa’s Pumpkin Patch and Meadowlark Farm. Grab a pumpkin for the kiddos to paint or carve!  
  • Have a family game night at home or visit Sente Games and Refreshments downtown. They boast a library of hundreds of games to choose from for only $3 a person. Ages 10 and under play free with a paid adult.    
  • Head to Riverside Park to see the free Kansas Wildlife Exhibit
  • Art on the Trail at Great Plains Nature Center is a free event featuring local artists creating masterpieces on the trail. It just so happens to fall on October 6th!
  • The Wichita Art Museum offers free admission on Saturdays and features many exhibits!
  • Visit a farmer’s market to sample some local goodies before they close up shop for the year. Use our handy Wichita Farmer’s Market Guide.
  • Head to the new Advanced Learning Library that offers something for all ages!
  • Meet and interact with the cows, horses, goats, lambs, and more at Wichita Riding Academy. Call them to schedule your family’s free farm tour!
  • Head out for a meal at one of these local places where kids eat free and cheap.
  • Take a tour of Wichita’s Delano, Old Town, Douglas Design District, and Clifton Square by riding the free trolley: The Q-Line.
  • Take a short road trip to Yoder, and immerse the Amish culture. 
  • Head to Lindsborg, Little Sweden, USA. 
  • As a born and bred Oklahoma girl, I was happy to see a favorite from home here in Wichita. Arbuckle Fried Pies are something I grew up with, and now there are two area locations. With savory and sweet flavors, there’s something for everyone for about $4 per pie!
  • Head to Goddard where they host their free Fall Festival on October 5th and 6th. 
  • Indulge in a sweet treat from a local shop such as Milk Float, Little Lion, Cocoa Dolce, or College Hill Creamery.
  • Visit one of ICT’s pop up parks, Gallery Alley for some local artwork and music. Be sure to find the giant spider while you’re there.
  • Take a family bike ride around the neighborhood or to a local park.
  • Do some good for your soul and for others by volunteering at a local organization. Be sure to connect with them prior to arrival. 

Ways to celebrate at home:

  • Make homemade pizza and ice cream. No machine? No problem. There are several ways to make ice cream without a machine at home.
  • Create an at home movie theatre. Grab popcorn, and let the kiddos pick their candy and drinks at the store as they would at the concession stand.
  • Have a  PJ dance party. 
  • After visiting one of the free art locations mentioned above, head home and channel your inner artist. 
  • Bake a cake or cookies to decorate.
  • Have a craft night. Create fall, Halloween, or holiday themed decor for the house! Checkout Pinterest for ideas.
  • Do some fun Kitchen Science.
  • Paint some rocks with fall or Halloween images and for your garden. Or leave them throughout a local park, ball diamond, or soccer field for others to find and enjoy.

Enjoy your Frugal Fun Saturday with your family! What other fun and frugal ideas do you have? Post and share!

 

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Nicole Nickel
Hi, I’m Nicole! I’m a mommy to two young kids: Scarlet and Easton, and wife to Justin. We also have 2 furbaby Labs. I am an Oklahoma girl, born and raised. I’ve been here in Wichita since October 2016. Moving from my home of Norman has been tough, but what a great community to relocate! We love to get out explore the area, finding fun family activities! In addition to mom and wife, I am speech-language pathologist. Some of my favorite things-being an OK girl, I am a die-hard OU football fan (Boomer!), being outdoors, traveling, friends and family, wine and coffee!

2 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you so much for your kind feedback! I really enjoyed writing this one. I learned a lot myself about affordable fun in our area!

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