- Climb a mountain: I don't mean scale the
tallest peak of Everest. That would be a bit much for your average 4
year old. Many state and national parks encompass mountainous regions
(The Adirondacks in NY, the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee/North
Carolina), visit one!
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| Whiteface Mountain, NY |
There are easy trails available that allow even
the littlest of hikers a trip to the top. You will never forget the awe
in your child's eye when they hike a trail all the way to the summit! (Whiteface Mountain (NY), Great Smoky Mountains (TN,NC), Rocky Mountains (CO), Day Trippin’: National Parks Edition)
- Cook over an open fire:
Take a camping trip! Invest in a good tent, a couple of air mattresses,
and make a reservation. Reservations range from $15-$40 a night
depending on the park and the type of site you chose. Make a campfire
and cook basic meals. Hot dogs are easy, S'mores are delicious and pair
it with some fire roasted corn on the cob! Seriously- the best meal
ever! Hormel makes a seasoned pork roast that I wrap in aluminum foil
and throw on the edged of our campfire. Takes about 30 minutes to cook
it though and its already seasoned so you don't have to worry about
bringing spices with you. My kids love holding their roasting sticks
over the fire and making their own meal. They feel accomplished and
their hot dogs taste that much better! (There are quite a few recipes on
my camping pinterest board- click here to browse my favorites).
- Visit a national monument:
My personal favorite get-away for monument viewing is Washington, DC.
Stroll around the National Mall, see the Lincoln Memorial or make a
reservation and take the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument.
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| Washington Monument, Washington, DC |
If you can't get to DC find a monument closer to you. Cabrillo is
beautiful in Southern California and Kitty Hawk is picturesque in North
Carolina. Kids learn a piece of history and have fun doing it! Make sure
you check out the Junior Ranger program that runs at most parks! Check
out Day Trippin’: National Parks Edition for more information on this cool, free program. (Click here to see America's 20 most-visited National Monuments compiled by the LA Times).
Grow something:
Buy a pot, some soil, a packet of seeds and let it grow! It could be
flowers or food. Doesn't matter what you choose, but children love
watching something they planted, grow. The first time we planted
flowers we used a clear plastic pot so the kids could see how the roots
grew in the soil. We now have a thriving herb garden that has turned my
particularly picky eater into someone who will eat anything, provided it
has some of her herbs as an ingredient.
- Pick your own food:
I suppose this one could be included with #4 instead of standing on
it's own but you don't necessarily have to be a gardener to make this
one happen. Although, the sense of pride my kids have when the pick from
their own little garden is fantastic. There are places to go to pick
your own food. In central Florida we have an extremely long growing
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| Picking blueberries in central Florida |
season. It pretty much lasts all year. So find an orange grove or a
strawberry patch that offers pick your own. Apple orchards are all over
NY and I've picked peaches in Georgia. Even if your only option is a
pumpkin patch in October, go! Letting your child cut a pumpkin, they
chose, off the vine may not seem like a big deal to you but is an epic
accomplishment to them.
- Go to a concert:
I took my kids to their first real concert when they were about 6 years
old. The concert was Victoria Justice and Big Time Rush and we had a
fantastic time! A year later I took them to see One Direction. I took
earplugs to both but every once in a while one of my girls still walks
up and thanks me. I've heard, "It's so cool that we saw 1D before Zayn
left," more times than I can count. I love music! It doesn't take much
to convince me that I must attend a concert! I do pick and choose which
shows my kids are allowed to go to with me though. The local
philharmonic? Yes absolutely kid friendly. Def Leopard? Maybe not so
much. The venue is also something to consider when choosing your child's
first concert experience. If you are absolutely appalled by the idea of
taking a child to a rock concert consider the symphony. We try to go
every Christmas to see the philharmonic. Many orchestras offer hands on
activities before the concert for children. They let kids try different
instruments and take a quick 5 minute lesson with some of the musicians.
- Learn how something is made:
Pick a food or a toy that your children love and find out where they
are made. Also, check company websites to see if tours are offered! I
know a lot of toys are made overseas (and by all means travel the world
if you are able) but there are plenty of factories and family run small
businesses right in your own neighborhood. A quick google search brought
up three small candy companies within an hour of my town that offer
tours. Two out of the three offer free tours! In Vermont we toured the
Vermont Teddy Bear Factory
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| Ben and Jerry's factory tour, Burlington, VT |
and the Ben and Jerry's Ice cream factory all
in one day. We've toured wineries, breweries, and orange juice
factories all near our home. And watching a candy booth at the state
fair make taffy can be quite fun! It's so simple! Learning how something
they love is made just makes kids who like to ask, "Why?" or "how?"
very, very happy. (Here is a great link to find a factory near you!)
- Go to a professional sporting event:
This one, I admit, can be costly, but keep your eyes open. Girl scouts,
youth groups and even your office or union sometimes offer coupons and
codes for discounted tickets. The Tampa Bay Rays offer $2 children's
tickets with a paid adult most Tuesdays this summer. Our local ECHL (NHL
farm team) offers discounts for hospitality workers on select nights
and free tickets if you have their team emblem on your debit card (which
I do!). Groupon, also, consistently offers discount tickets. The first
time your child stands up and cheers when her favorite player scores a
goal or knocks one out of the park will make you glad you were there
when a fan was born! I highly recommend checking out your local minor
league teams. Their tickets are usually very reasonable and kid
friendly! See Ticketmaster or your local team's website for details.
- Volunteer:
This one is pretty self explanatory. Instill a sense of community in
your child by donating your time. Check with your church or whatever
other community organization you belong, to see if they have volunteer
opportunities appropriate for your child's age group. Points of Light
is an awesome organization that can help you find the perfect activity
for you and your child to give back to the world. One of our favorite
family friendly volunteer activities is beach cleanups! If there isn't
an organized clean up that's convenient for you, take a
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| Cleaning up an Atlantic Coast beach with Seaworld |
trash bag with
you the next time you hit the sand. It doesn't cost you anything and you
might just save a sea turtle!
- See an endangered species in the wild:
Zoos are great, and I highly recommend a visit, but there is just
something about seeing animals in their natural habitat that makes you
appreciate them all the more. Finding a place where you can see but not
disturb these creatures can be tricky. Lots of state and national parks
have viewing centers set up. At Blue Spring State Park
from January to March the endangered west indian manatees swim up the
spring in search of warm water. The park offers a boardwalk that runs
along the side the spring and offers perfect views of these gentle
giants. Enjoy whale watching off the Pacific coast or a hike through
Yellowstone in search of bison. Just go! Have an adventure and
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| Manatees at Blue Spring State Park, FL |
appreciate the world around you! (For a complete list of endangered species and where to find them click here).
Any
questions or comments just fill out the contact form below and I will
get back to you! If you need help finding events and activities in your
area let me know and I will do my best to help you!
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