I just want to say thank you all so much for the fabulous entries that you have been sending in for the “Good Kids Bad Habits” book giveaway. I have gotten so many great entries that I think I will have to give my copy away too because it will be so hard to choose. Keep them coming and I look forward to publishing them all.
I am sorry that it has been awhile since my last blog entry. The weather here has been so beautiful these past few days that we have been taking full advantage of it. It has been so nice to get to go for walks, to work on the yard a bit (which is suffering from serious neglect), and visit the park. The best part for me about it warming up though is the fact that I feel like we can take on more social engagements because of the gorgeous weather.
In the winter, there just isn’t that much to do around here. I don’t enjoy the cold weather and what usually ends up happening is that I begin to meet my girlfriends for lunch, coffee, or hook up at the mall for the kids to play. I don’t always want to entertain at my house, but finding a neutral location during the winter can be difficult. All of these solutions though seem to put a dent in my allowance for the week, and we know how much I love to spend money.
Here is some fun and frugal things you can be enjoying this spring & summer. Feel free to add to my list as I am sure you all are much more creative than I am. What are some activities that you do in the summer that cost little to nothing?
1. Go to the parks- find out what is available in your area to do. Many parks offer free classes during the daytime and free outdoor concerts that you can be enjoying in the evening time. Pack a lunch or pack a dinner and enjoy the fresh air with the kids. It makes cleanup from the mealtime simple and they can burn off some energy & calories while playing on all the playground equipment.
2. Join a summer reading program. Have your children commit to reading a certain number of books or challenge them to a reading contest and see who of the children (or how about yourself?) can read the most books by the end of the summer. Try to incorporate some of the suggested reading materials from your child’s teacher.
3. Stock up a container with craft supplies and instructions for completing crafts. This container will come in handy when it is raining outside and the children are bored. Visit FamilyFun.com and print out the instructions to go in your container.
4. Speaking of bored…create an “I’m bored” list and write down some activities that your children can be doing instead of telling you how bored they are. You can incorporate some of the ideas from this list.
5. Plan a day trip. Visit your library to get suggestions in your state (or neighboring states) of day trips that you can do together.
6. Find out what summer programs your library is offering. For example, our library shows movies during the summer, does an ice cream social, and offers different types of crafts to do each month.
7. Take your child’s art supplies outside and set up shop out there. Messy crafts, such as painting, can be done outside without a lot of clean-up.
8. Make your kids a magic milkshake or slushie.
9. Hit your local dollar store and stock up on stuff to do outside.
10. Take a hobby with your child or children. What could be more fun than learning a new skill together? Take a course or check out books and learn a craft or hobby together and use that time to really bond with your child.
11. Start working on gifts for Christmas. Working with your child on these types of activities now will make them seem less overwhelming when it gets closer to Christmas. Painted mugs, anyone?
12. Host an outdoor playgroup. Use this great website to get ideas for theme ideas.
13. Set up the sprinkler or kiddy pool and run through them with your kids. Watch as they look at you with bewilderment as you run like a crazy lady in your regular clothes in that cold water. Watch your husband’s mouth drop open and look at you as though you have been doing drugs….yes, I have done this. Can you tell?
14. Make a popcorn table and fill it with sand toys for your kids. Take it outside and let them throw popcorn around with wild abandonment. No messy sand to clean up.
15. Stock your beach bag with the essentials and store it in your car for a day at the park or a day at the beach. Don’t forget the baby powder!
More Sunny Weather Reading:
Summer Survival
Organized Travel
Gearing Up for Summer
Whatever you do, here in the Midwest, we enjoy the warm weather as long as it lasts! I hope you enjoy some sun-filled days too!