As a single mother, you know what it is like when your child is "bored" out of his little mind and you don't have the money for that newest gadget at the electronics store, or even that second-hand cartoon video at the thrift shop. That's when you have to get creative! If you have the time, we have the ways to fill it - completely free of charge.

When a rainstorm rolls in, pay attention to the clouds. No lightning? No thunder? Just rain? Put on your old clothes and go out for a romp in the backyard! Kids love to get wet, and being outside in the storm with Mom is one of the coolest things ever.

Teach them how to garden. Save the seeds from watermelons, cucumbers, tomatoes and the like. By the time the growing season rolls around, you will have plenty of seeds! Help the kids break up the land with a hoe, instruct them on how to make row markers for each plant, and then help them plant the seeds. A small garden will go a long way toward keeping them busy in the summer months.

Make bubbles! Mix together dishwashing liquid, a little water, and a dash of sugar. Work with it until you have the right consistency, then find household objects to help make the bubbles. Cheese graters work wonders, as do slotted spoons. Take them out in the yard and compete to see who can make the most unique or the biggest bubbles.

Collect cans and bottles. Walk along the roadsides - far away from the heavy traffic, of course! - and collect what you can find. Put the trash in one bag and the cans in another. Return the cans to the recycling center and let the kids use the money to buy a little trinket that will keep them busy for even longer. Sidewalk chalk, perhaps?

Go fishing. If you don't have fishing poles, see if you can borrow a few from a friend. Dig worms out from under rocks, and then strike out to catch some fish! Teaching your kids to fish and simply sitting by the waterside, talking about nothing at all, will be a memory they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

Find an astronomy guide on the internet and print it off. Armed with the guide and a flashlight, go outside in the middle of the night and gaze at the stars. As an added bonus, come prepared to tell them all the stories of the constellations - or challenge them to make up stories of their own.

Make a wish book. Find out what your children really love and dream about when you create a book like this with them. Get a stack of magazines, scissors, glue or tape, and some construction paper or poster board. Cut out items from the magazines and make collages. Ask your kids to tell you what their wishes are about, and while you're at it, make one of your own. Then hang them on the refrigerator where you will see them every day, and talk about your dreams and goals.

The best things in life really are free - and when they are grown with kids of their own, your children will cherish the memories of time spent playing with you.