| School vacation week is here and you realize you | | | | history museum, an art museum, naval museum |
| haven't made any plans. You want to do some | | | | (battleships), armory museum, or an outdoor |
| fun things with your kids, but your mind is blank. | | | | history museum like Old Sturbridge Village (Also a |
| Here are some fun, and many cost effective, | | | | great place for a hike!). |
| things to do with your kids this week... | | | | Learn to Skate - Most rinks have open-skating |
| See a show - Whether it's the movies, live | | | | times each week and you pay just a few dollars |
| theater, the circus, a comedian, or a band, let | | | | to ice skate for an hour. Or you can also get a |
| others entertain you! This can be as simple as | | | | few friends together and rent the ice rink. In-line |
| having dinner at a local restaurant that has live | | | | skating rinks are also lots of fun! |
| entertainment. If you've been to the regular | | | | Bake Some Dough to Play - Kids love to bake. |
| movie theater, try an IMAX theater or the | | | | Try making basic vanilla cookies, dividing the |
| Planetarium. | | | | dough into four parts and coloring each differently |
| Take a Hike - Watch the weather and get the | | | | with food coloring. Let the kids use the dough like |
| kids outside for some fresh air. If you're not lucky | | | | they would modeling clay to make shapes and |
| enough to live where it's warm, just bundle them | | | | then bake. |
| up in their winter gear. You can even make a list | | | | Play Ball - Go to a local park and play basketball, |
| of things to find on your hike to make it more | | | | baseball, or tennis. Or, get a few friends together |
| interesting - I.e. Find a sign with the letter "R" in it, | | | | and rent the local gym for an hour. The Boys |
| a yellow house, a blue mailbox, a green car, and a | | | | & Girls Clubs, local YMCA, or tennis club are |
| house with their holiday lights still up. | | | | good places to check into. |
| Plan a Scavenger Hunt - A scavenger hunt is like | | | | Let Them Paint - Pick up a few inexpensive |
| a mental obstacle course. Make a list of clues and | | | | canvases at the local craft store or go |
| hide small prizes (candy, gum, small toys, tickets | | | | somewhere like Plaster Fun Time and let the kids |
| to the movies) for them to find. | | | | create a masterpiece! |
| Organize a Book Swap - Email friends and | | | | Clean the Closets - Set aside a few hours this |
| relatives and host a book swap. Kids bring up to 3 | | | | week to clean out the kids closets. If you need to |
| age-appropriate, gently-used books. Moms can | | | | entice them a little, try hiding a surprise or two |
| bring books for themselves too! Open your house | | | | somewhere under all of the mess. This may be |
| for an hour or two and maybe even ask each | | | | tickets to the zoo or a $5.00 gift certificate to |
| mom to bring a lunch item. Another version would | | | | their favorite fast food restaurant. |
| be to play bingo and let the kids win their 'new' | | | | Visit Friends & Relatives - Vacation weeks |
| books. | | | | are a perfect time to catch up with the cousin's |
| Go See the Animals - Visit the zoo or aquarium | | | | and friend's that live a bit further away. So get |
| and let the kids explore the habitats of other living | | | | together for a simple lunch at either their house |
| things. | | | | or yours. The kids will entertain each other while |
| Take a Tour - Take a tour of a professional | | | | the Moms get a chance to relax. |
| baseball park, football stadium, or basketball or | | | | Sled, ski, go tubing, play golf, and swim. Choose at |
| hockey arena. | | | | least two of the ideas listed here and your sure |
| See a Piece of History - Visit your local history | | | | to have an enjoyable vacation with your kids. |
| museums. These may be in the form of a natural | | | | |