A recent experience of me and my daughters: a few months ago we thought of making a submarine. I had the idea to use a lunch box as a water proof container, then began experimenting transmitting power through magnetic coupling. Then I found a video of someone who did the exact same thing (maybe even better) with Lego's: 20M+ views on Youtube. Project stopped straight away. Actually my daughters wanted me to go on but I was demotivated (side note: maybe not the best example I gave my kids).

It is a long time ago I impressed my class at school by programming the "biorhythm" on a Casio pocket calculator. Whatever you do, someone did it better, larger, shinier and posted the video on Youtube.

Of course it is not that gloomy and there is still a lot of fun experiments to be had. Currently we have a photographic trap and try to get pictures of wild animals: it is quite hard and that makes it all the more fun. It is a also a way to know our immediate surroundings better and that cannot be replaced by an online experience.

[edit] In low income households smartphone+subscription take a large share of the free income, yet are felt as necessary. This leaves no money for leisure other then social networks, which are costless.