Search Results for: fun family activities parties

Alternative Halloween Activities

Halloween is not a holiday filled with costumes and candy for everyone. There are many families who do not celebrate Halloween. These families often feel left out during this time of year. Events, meetings, and library activities and even story times are centered on Halloween this time of year. Families who chose not to celebrate find themselves missing their regular routine and co-op meetings to not compromise on their beliefs. This is not to suggest that celebrations and Halloween parties should not go on. Those who do not partake in Halloween are used to swimming upstream this time of year. … Continue reading →

Let’s Play! How to Bond with Your New Stepfamily

Posted on by

Not being much of a bowler myself, I was a little surprised when my then-boyfriend suggested that he take my daughter out for a few frames one Saturday afternoon. It was one of the first weekends I had invited him to visit when my daughter wasn’t with her Dad. (After many years of single parenthood, I continued to be very wary of involving her in my romantic liaisons when I wasn’t yet sure where they were headed). This weekend had been discussed between us at length; our relationship had become serious, and we were starting to talk about a future … Continue reading →

Tips For Great Family Photos

The holidays are a wonderful time for taking pictures of your family. Groups of relatives gather for dinners, parties, caroling, cookie baking, and many other fun activities. Photographs provide depth and feeling to any family history archive, whether they are simply placed in albums or elaborately scrapbooked. Here are some tips for capturing your family’s magical holiday moments without devoting your entire holiday to taking pictures. After all, there are so many fun things going on that you do not want to be on the sidelines with a camera the whole time. Unless, of course, you get an amazing new … Continue reading →

Free Family Fun at School!

I enjoy finding new activities for us to do as a family that are low cost or even free. I was recently reminded of a great source of free family activities: school! Your local public and private schools may offer a lot of different fun activities that don’t cost much or even anything at all. For example, in the newsletter that my son brought home from elementary school on Friday, there was a notice about a weeknight concert. A famous author and story teller is giving the community a night of entertainment through his stories. This is a great opportunity … Continue reading →

More Free Family Fun in the Great Outdoors

If you get off the couch and out of the house this summer, you’ll find that there are a host of exciting events just waiting for your family to enjoy. Not only will you get the chance to have fun in the sun, but all of the following family-friendly attractions are free: MARYLAND Ocean City is making summer fun for kids and their parents with an array of free activities, from movie nights, concerts and storytelling around a bonfire to shows and demonstrations at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. Don’t miss Tuesday night “Beach Olympics” where you can go … Continue reading →

More Affordable Memorial Day Fun

Since the majority of kids are still in school until June, most families stick closer to home during the long Memorial Day weekend. However, this year, the flailing economy is also contributing to families looking for fun, affordable activities that don’t require traveling long distances. If you are looking for Memorial Day family-friendly fun that won’t put a strain on your family’s budget, consider the following: Take me out to the ballpark: Minor league baseball is an inexpensive way to enjoy time with the family. According to AAA, the average cost to buy tickets for a family of four is … Continue reading →

Family Fun for Less

Not everyone is pinching pennies during these tough economic times, and for those lucky families, taking advantage of incredible travel deals is a no-brainer. A number of luxury resorts are slashing prices to entice families to visit their kid-friendly properties, which means if you have the means to scoop up these savings you are guaranteed a good time. For example, the Somerset on Grace Bay, located along a sugar sand beach in Turks & Caicos, is offering incredible deals on their collection of spacious, ocean-front suites, villas, and cottages with full gourmet kitchens, surround-sound plasma TVs, and marble-floored bathrooms with … Continue reading →

Food, Favors and Decorations to Complete Your Family Election Party

My last blog outlined invitations and possible activities for an Election Day (or Night) Party. This blog will help you prepare for the party. Favors/Name Tags Make name tags/favors in which the name is on a white circle of cardstock. Folded loops of ribbon be glued to the back of the cardstock around the edges of the circle. Leave two ribbons (hanging down. This resembles the rosette ribbons worn by members of political parties in England (hence the term, “showing your colors”). If it’s just a family party, rather than names you could make ribbons of different countries and write … Continue reading →

Spooktacular Fun for the Entire Family

Halloween-themed amusement parks are spirited places for the entire family to get their scream on, but with the economy in the dumpster not all clans have the funds to pay hefty admission prices. If you are looking for more affordable ways to spend a haunting weekend together consider the wide variety of Halloween-themed travel packages being offered by select visitors’ associations throughout the country. For example, the New England Inns and Resorts Association is currently offering its annual “Ghoulish Getaways,” which includes a slew of fall activities — apple-picking, hayrides, corn mazes, train rides, pumpkin-picking, and ghost stories — combined … Continue reading →

Scheduling Conflicts in a Blended Family

Being in a blended family can be difficult when it comes to scheduling. There are so many different things to consider, so many variations of what can be planned and what cannot be planned and several different people to think about when making scheduled plans. So what do you do when a scheduling conflict occurs? Communication Communicating with all parties of interest is a key ingredient to effective parenting within a blended family. There are several parents that are involved and should be involved in the decision making process. Discussing situations that are conflicting can help warrant a quick resolution, … Continue reading →