Now that the nice spring weather is here, we have been somewhat taking advantage of our local parks. There are so many fun and free or frugal activities to do there. Here are just a few.
If your park has a paved path:
Bike (My son just learned to ride his bike on the park’s paved path, and my two little ones love using their tricycles and ride on toys on the path.)
Walk (Whether you like to walk in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening, the park is always open at least until dusk.)
Run sprint races or cross country (challenge yourself or a friend)
Jog (Jogging is another great form of free exercise.)
Roller blade (I can’t wait to get my roller blades oiled up.)
Skateboard (Check to make sure that skateboarding is allowed at your park.)
If your park is scenic:
Take photos of the scenic views, the trees and the plants. (I have a bunch of gorgeous photos thanks to our local park. The photos of the sunset are particularly nice.)
Take time to smell the flowers and enjoy nature. (This morning at the playground, we noticed the cherry blossoms, the dogwoods and the daffodils.)
People watch and invent stories about them (This is a good way to reinforce reading comprehension skills, observation and story sequencing in children.)
Lay on the grass and look up at the sky (My kids like to make “grass angels” in the lawn.
If your park has athletic fields (we have a baseball field, a basketball court, a tennis court and an open area):
Play baseball
Play basketball
Play tennis
Play soccer
Play catch
Play frisbee
Fly a kite
Find treasure with a metal detector
Practice golf putting on an open lawn
If your park has a playground:
Take the kids to play! (And invite other moms and kids.)
If your park has a pavilion or picnic area:
Have a birthday party or other party event
Enjoy free music concerts and movies
Grab your laptop and use the park as an “outdoor” office.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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