Summer Fun During COVID-19

Are your kids sad because they cannot go out and enjoy the summer activities they were looking forward to? They aren’t the only ones! The COVID-19 quarantine is hard for kids of all ages (and many adults) to adjust to. Here are some ideas to try that might improve your children’s moods. Parents can start by asking their child, tween, or teen how they are feeling. Get them talking about their emotions. Being able to share what they are thinking and feeling can make people (of all ages) feel heard and understood. Little kids will enjoy splashing around in a … Continue reading

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints View of Family

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its own view of what a family is. This is described in a proclamation to the world that was issued by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles in 1995. Here is what it said: We, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit … Continue reading

Family Friendly Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

There are many people who choose to celebrate St. Patricks’ Day by enjoying some alcoholic beverages. Families, however, can find plenty of family-friendly ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with their kids. Here’s a list of idea for parents who want to give their kids something fun to do this St. Patrick’s Day. Wear Green It has been said that a person must wear green on St. Patrick’s Day in order to avoid getting pinched. It might not be a great idea to introduce that part of the holiday to your kids. There are also a lot of people who … Continue reading

Fun Alternatives to Trick-Or-Treating

There are many families who have a tradition of taking the kids trick-or-treating on Halloween. The children wear costumes (and some adults might, too). The whole family goes door to door so the little ones can collect candy. There are also several fun alternatives to trick-or-treating that your family can participate in. Trunk Or Treat This is a relatively new Halloween tradition! Sometimes it is arranged by a local church or school. Adults purchase Halloween candy to give out, as usual. Instead of handing out the candy at your front door, you bring it to a specific location (usually a … Continue reading

5 Quick Activities for Self Care

Many parents are looking forward to the start of a new school year. Keep in mind that back-to-school comes with hectic mornings, help with homework, and the enforcement of a bedtime routine (that may have lapsed over the summer). It is important for parents to take a little time for self care while the kids are at school. Here are a few simple ideas to start with. The Living Self-Care website says that moms and dads that take care of themselves first will have more to offer to their children (and to the rest of the world). Self-care doesn’t have … Continue reading

Frugal Tips for Summer Activities

Summer vacation is a great time for families to go out and do things together. Visiting amusement parks, dining out, and staying in hotels can end up costing a lot of money. Travel expenses can quickly add up, too. Here are some frugal tips that will help your family enjoy summer vacation without having to go into a lot of debt. Pack some snacks. Make use of your child’s lunchbox this summer. It is the perfect container for easy to eat snacks that your family can bring along on car trips. Instead of stopping the car at the nearest fast … Continue reading

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

The Summer Fun Calendar

Today I am spending some time working on our summer fun calendar. School will be out  soon, so I want to make sure that we prioritize the fun things that we want to do. Of course, we are on a budget. First I start doing my research to find out what free activities and events are available. There is our town website, the “catalogue” of summer activities from neighboring towns, the events for any museums we are members of, library programs and more. I start with these events, since they often have specific activities with dates (make your own glow-in-the-dark … 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