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Your kid plans a $20 family outing

Twenty dollars, a few hours and the whole family is a real budget problem, and a fun one. Your kid does the planning in about an hour; you do the driving and keep your opinions to a minimum.

Dad Field Manual editors · Drafted with AI help · Published Oct 15, 2026
Tested on: not yet. When a dad tries this, his name, the date, the place, and the kids' ages go here.

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Time
60 min to plan
Cost
$20
Ages
10 to 14
Where
Kitchen table

01What you need

  • $20, in cash so it can be counted, or written at the top of the budget sheet$20
  • Paper and a pencil for the brainstorm and the budgetHave
  • A phone or computer for looking up prices and hours, used with you nearbyHave
  • An envelope for the cash and the receiptsHave

Where: Planning happens at home with paper and a phone or computer. The outing itself is wherever they choose.

Before you start

  • You keep a safety veto. No water without a grown-up who can swim, no roads to walk along, nothing after dark you haven't checked. Say it up front so it isn't a surprise.
  • No buying online on their own. They can find the price; you make any payment, and no card numbers or personal details get typed in without you.
  • Check hours and rules before you go. Parks, pools and museums change hours by season.
  • The budget is $20, not your safety money. Gas, water bottles and a first-aid kit come from the family, not their $20.

02Steps

  1. Give the brief

    DadSet the rules in one breath: "You've got twenty dollars to plan an outing for all of us, this Saturday, about three hours. Gas is on me. Everything else comes out of the twenty." Write the rules at the top of the paper.

  2. Brainstorm five ideas

    KidGive them ten minutes to list at least five ideas without judging any: a park with a picnic, a thrift-store challenge, bowling, a free museum day, a hike and ice cream. Ask: "What would everybody in the family enjoy, not just you?"

  3. Price them out

    KidFor each idea, look up the real cost per person on the official website, or call. Write the math out: price per person, times the number of people, plus extras like shoe rental or parking. Cross out anything that goes over $20.

  4. Compare and choose

    KidWith two or three ideas left, ask them to compare: cost, how long it lasts, how far it is, and whether the little kids can do it. Let them pick. Say: "It's your call. I'll tell you if anything's unsafe, not if I'd pick something else."

  5. Write the budget

    KidOne line per cost, with a total at the bottom. Leave a couple of dollars for a surprise, like a price that went up or a forgotten drink. Put the cash in the envelope.

  6. Run it and track it

    KidOn the day, the planner holds the envelope, pays, and puts each receipt back in. On the drive home, ask: "How much is left? What would you change next time?" Whatever's left over is theirs to keep or put toward the next outing.

03If it stalls

  • If every idea costs more than $20, ask what the free version is: a picnic instead of a restaurant, a free museum day, a park they haven't been to.
  • If they go over budget at the snack counter, don't cover it. Let them choose what to put back. That's the lesson.
  • If a sibling complains about the choice, say: "Next month it's your turn to plan."
  • If they freeze at the blank page, give them three ideas to start pricing and let them add the rest.

04Variations

Ages 10–11

Give them three ideas to price instead of five, and help with the math for the family total.

Ages 12–14

Add a stretch goal: plan it for $15 and keep the $5 they save. Or add a second budget for a half day with lunch.

One-on-one

Same plan, just the two of you, for $10. A good way to spend a Saturday morning with one kid.

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05Sources

  • Let kids plan and decide. The CFPB's middle-childhood handout suggests involving kids in planning family trips and special events, teaching them to comparison shop, letting them make small money decisions, and letting them learn from the consequences. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Checked Oct 15, 2026
  • Teens: compare before you buy, protect your information. The CFPB's Money as You Grow page for teens and young adults says to shop around and compare prices and features before buying, and to keep important personal information private. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Checked Oct 15, 2026

Filed under: Money · Teens

Dad Field Manual · Field card 08 · MoneyIdea · not yet tested

Your kid plans a $20 family outing

Twenty dollars, a few hours and the whole family is a real budget problem, and a fun one. Your kid does the planning in about an hour; you do the driving and keep your opinions to a minimum.

Time
60 min to plan
Cost
$20
Ages
10 to 14
Where
Kitchen table

What you need

  • $20, in cash so it can be counted, or written at the top of the budget sheet
  • Paper and a pencil for the brainstorm and the budget
  • A phone or computer for looking up prices and hours, used with you nearby
  • An envelope for the cash and the receipts

Before you start

  • You keep a safety veto. No water without a grown-up who can swim, no roads to walk along, nothing after dark you haven't checked. Say it up front so it isn't a surprise.
  • No buying online on their own. They can find the price; you make any payment, and no card numbers or personal details get typed in without you.
  • Check hours and rules before you go. Parks, pools and museums change hours by season.
  • The budget is $20, not your safety money. Gas, water bottles and a first-aid kit come from the family, not their $20.

Steps

  1. Give the brief. Give the rules: $20 for everyone, this Saturday, about three hours, gas not included.
  2. Brainstorm five ideas. List at least five outing ideas in ten minutes without crossing any out.
  3. Price them out. Look up the real cost of each idea, multiply by the number of people, and cross out anything over $20.
  4. Compare and choose. Compare the finalists on cost, time, distance and fun for everyone, then let them choose.
  5. Write the budget. Write one line per cost, total it, and keep a couple of dollars for surprises.
  6. Run it and track it. On the day they pay, keep every receipt, and count what's left on the drive home.

If it stalls

  • If every idea costs more than $20, ask what the free version is: a picnic instead of a restaurant, a free museum day, a park they haven't been to.
  • If they go over budget at the snack counter, don't cover it. Let them choose what to put back. That's the lesson.
Dollars left · ideas priced
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date

dadfieldmanual.com/plans/twenty-dollar-outing · Sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau