If you live in a northern climate like I do your kids are probably going stir crazy and take to the yard any day that the sun is shining. Cabin fever is probably driving you all a bit mad but maybe you don’t have much money to spend on taking the kids out for entertainment. The good news is you don’t need a lot of money if you know where to look for fun and often free events for kids.

Keep reading for tips on where to look for fun and free things to do with your kids and for a list of upcoming events in the Flint and Genesee County, Michigan area.

Free and very cheap events are all around you, if you know where to look and what to look for. Stores and shopping centers often host children’s events to lure parents in to spend money. Don’t worry you can reap the free benefits without spending a dime.

Home Depot offers free kids workshops the first Saturday of the month between 9 am and noon. Recommended for kids ages 5-12 these fun projects are absolutely free. On Saturday April 7th the kids can make a window birdhouse.

Lowes offers their Build and Grow Workshops on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 10 -11am. This Saturday March 14th the kids get to build a tabletop basketball game. On March 28th they can make a yard mobile to put in the Spring garden. Their workshops are absolutely free.

Local bookstores are often a fun place for story time for little ones and special events for older kids.

If you have tween or teens into Twilight they might want to attend the Twilight DVD release party at Borders on March 20 at 10 pm. I don’t know if all Borders are hosting a party but the Flint store on Miller Road is.

The Flint Public Library offers teen movies after school, book to movie nights, and Saturday morning story time.

Genesee District Library branches offer tons of events from book clubs to author chats to movies and concerts. They also have kids book clubs, storytime, and craft times. This month they are having all day Wii try outs, KinderArt Kitchens crafts and recipes, Story times with Miss Carol, and Doug Scheer’s Laugh Factory (he’s a fun magician) just to name a few events. In April they are having gardening classes and discussions for adults and craft time for the kids. On Saturday April 25th at the Headquarters branch on Pasadena they are having crafts for kids from 3-4 pm. On April 23 at Headquarters branch they are having an adult discussion about Dirt Cheap Gardening at 7pm.

The Flint Children’s Museum offers loads of fun, hands on activities. For the month of March they are celebrating books and are having events and craft projects that coordinate with the book of the day. Admission is normally $4 a person but on March 17th they are offering $1 day admission, everyone can get in for just $1 a person.

Check with your local stores, libraries and museums to see what they have scheduled. You may be pleasantly surprised at the variety of free events your kids (and you) will enjoy.

[This post was written by Wenona Napolitano.]