Search Results for: fun family activities educational 2

Nine Fun (and Free) Ways to Have Fun This Summer

Have fun with the family this summer without forking over a dime. There is a whole world of entertainment out there that you can get for free. All it takes is knowing where to find it. Library programs. Sure, you can take out books, movies and CDS, but did you know that you may also be able to take a free painting class, dig for fossils, learn how to play chess, make a kite, create an animated short, make a puppet, do science experiments, watch a magician and more? Libraries are getting very creative with their free programs, especially in … Continue reading →

Our Day of Free Fun

Because we are on a limited budget, it sometimes takes a bit of creativity to have low-cost fun, and free is even better. Today was a good summer day in the free department for the kids. After an early morning dentist appointment (free, but not necessarily fun), we headed over to our local library for their Tuesday morning program. Today, the kids got to make their own bubble solution and wands and also experience making giant bubbles. We went home with the wands and a recipe to make our own giant bubble solution. We took advantage of the trip to … Continue reading →

Fun Factory Tours by State

From meeting musk ox to sampling your favorite chocolate or jelly beans, factory tours can be a frugal way to fit in some extra activities this summer. Both fun and educational, their low-cost (in many cases, these factory tours are free!) makes them ideal for keeping the kids busy without negatively affecting your family finances. Here are some of the best and most interesting factory tours that are available across the country. Visit factorytourusa.com for additional available tours. Alabama Blue Bell Creameries “Folks of all ages seem to like our plant tour, but it may be ’cause they get to … Continue reading →

Free Fun to Battle the Winter Blues

This week, much of the nation has been paralyzed by brutally cold temperatures.  In my neck of the woods, several school districts closed because it was simply too dangerous to allow children to be exposed to -35 degree windchills. Old Man Winter’s brutal blast has forced many families indoors where they are spending quality time together watching movies, playing board games and cooking.  Fortunately, these activities don’t have to put a strain on your household budget, including the movie-watching. These days there are a slew of simple ways you can avoid paying high fees for movie rentals.  One of the … Continue reading →

A Much Needed Family Outing Part III

After watching three different star shows, our son was ready to move on to a different exhibit.  Since we had gone to the science center several times without daddy (we took friends with us instead), our son had been talking about building rockets pretty regularly for the past several weeks.  In the physics based exhibit, there were lots of hands on activities including building rockets and launching them in competition against another rocket builder or rather launcher… I mostly see parents and nannies building rockets while the kids launch them. To date, our son has yet to build his own … Continue reading →

Frugal Seasonal Family Getaways

If you can deal with dirty looks from your kid’s teacher, then consider heading off on a pre-Christmas getaway.  Families working with a tight budget, who want to sneak in a winter vacation before Santa Claus comes to town, must act now. Dozens of family-friendly vacation destinations are offering money-saving deals for clans who complete their travel before Christmas Eve, including: California:  Don’t wait to do Disney during your child’s winter break from school.  Rather, if you want to save big on hotel accommodations, travel during the first three weeks of December.  That’s when you will find deals like the … Continue reading →

Preschool Educational Toy Round Up

Christmas is coming so the time to toy shop is sneaking up on us. Christmas gets closer every year to the adults. This year make your toy selections wisely. Chose toys this year that inspire curiosity, imagination and a love for learning. The following list of toys is some of my favorite preschool toys that are fun and educational. Educational Insights Geosafari Talking Microscope: Explore the wonder of getting 5x closer with this perfect first microscope. The microscope features 5x focusing magnifier and a light that makes viewing easy. It comes with a Talking Microscope Unit and 12 prepared interactive … Continue reading →

The Best Educational Toys for Children ages 5-8

Learning through play is an effective way to connect the textbook to the real world. Educational toys can provide a pressure free atmosphere for a child to have fun learning. To inspire a life time love of learning a child must develop a curiosity about the world around him. The right educational toys will spark the imagination as opposed to preprogrammed one dimensional play. To inspire a child to learn and explore use the following list as a guide to the best educational toys on the market today. 1. Electricity Science Kit by Science Wiz: Flipping the switch to reveal … Continue reading →

Learning Can Be Fun

Who says you can’t learn anything during summer vacation? Instead of having your kid’s brain turn to mush during the dog days of summer, encourage him to explore science in the great outdoors. Spend the day outside with your son or daughter catching butterflies, planting a garden or snapping digital pictures to create a nature map. Need some more ideas? Take a look at these educational activities: HOMEMADE VOLCANO Materials: Disposable baking pan Soda bottle (16 or 20 oz.) Moist soil 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 cup vinegar Red food coloring Directions: Place the baking pan on the grass, and … Continue reading →

Fourth of July Fun for Kids

Happy Fourth of July! The long holiday weekend spells good times for many families across this great country of ours. Picnics, fireworks, and fun are essential parts of Independence Day celebrations. However, if you are partying with young children, you might need more than a Frisbee and a cold one to keep the peace. The following family-friendly activities are ideal for keeping kids busy as they wait for the sun to set and the fireworks show to start: KIDDIE PARADE Create your own Fourth of July parade by decorating tricycles, scooters, and wagons with red, white and blue balloons, crepe … Continue reading →