It's finally here! The time of year all of us Michiganders love the most...suuuummma time! The time for BBQing, Jobbie Nooner, Bonfires, shorts, sandals, and struggling to find babysitter's/daycares for our children who are no longer in school.
If you're not struggling to find a babysitter because you're a stay-at-home mom/dad then you're most likely stocking up on the wine/liquor stash to keep your sanity...or looking for affordable/free things to do with your kids to keep them busy this summer.
Don't get me wrong, I totally love spending time with my kiddos. But being a SAHM is more stressful than working a full-time job (yes, I can attest to this, as I have worked a full-time job before).
So, while us SAHM/SAHD's look for ways to keep our kids busy this summer and active, I have done some research on some great activities that are not going to break the bank that are local!
Local park/splash pad:
Over here, in the New Baltimore area is a great splash pad that I'm pretty sure every parent in Macomb County takes their children all summer long. Brandenburg park offers many basketball courts, volleyball courts, boat launch areas, horseshoe pits, picnic tables, slides, swings, shaded areas, and of course their fantastic splash pad. All you have to pay is parking, and that costs $5 for the day. The splash pad is open daily from 11 am -7 pm!
Other parks in the Metro Detroit Area that offer similar amenities are
Patterson Park - Grosse Pointe
Windmill Pointe Park - Grosse Pointe
Veterans Memorial Park - St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores Municipal Pool/Waterslide - St. Clair Shores
Links to each parks/rec's website will be posted below for more information!
Weekend Getaway
If you're looking to do an affordable family weekend getaway, I highly suggest Michigan's Adventure Theme Park in Muskeegon. Hotel prices are very reasonable, and price per general ticket for theme park admission is as follows (tickets include water park) :
1 day admission ticket (ages 3+) = $29.99
**Meijer may sell M.A. Theme Park tickets for a discounted price. Check your local Meijer before purchasing online/at the gate.**
Getting Involved in the Community
Visting a local Nature Center can be not only fun for children, but also very educational. Most nature centers provide hands-on learning about the environment, local insects and animals, etc. There is a local nature center in Shelby Twp, MI called Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center and offers a variety of activities and programs for youths.
Contact local shelters, animal shelters, nursing homes, etc and ask about volunteering (depending on age of children). Many nursing homes are welcoming to small children to come read a short story to, play a board game or card game with elderly residents, or simply just to visit residents who don't have many family that are able to visit.
Animal shelters often have animals who are in need of grooming, someone to play with, or even to walk a dog. With how over-crowded shelters are becoming, taking a child to an animal shelter to volunteer can be an eye opener to many children as how important caring for animals is.
Dollar Store Fun!
Take the kids to the dollar store to pick out water balloons, silly string and other outside toys that they can play with in their own yard. Invite friends over for an afternoon potluck and outdoor fun!
Teaching your kids to cook!
As I mentioned in my "About me" section, one of my many hobbies/"morgan"-of-all-trades is cooking. Pinterest has many kid friendly recipes that teach kids the basics and fundamentals of cooking/meal prep. One of my kids faves to make is "piggies in a blanket"
(Photo Credit:
Pinterest)
Michigan Science Center
When you initially look at the membership prices, you may ask yourself "how does she think this is affordable?" However, when you think about it, the membership is good for a year, and it includes the cost of the whole family. Mind you there are other membership options, too such as "student with ID", "individual plus one", "nanny pass", etc. But for the premium family pass which includes 2 adults, all children under the age of 18 in the home, plus 2 additional guests each visit, the cost is only $170 for the entire year! For someone like myself who has 4 almost 5 kids ages 7 and under, this is a great investment! It breaks it down to about $19 (when rounding up) per person for the entire year ( did I mention that the price is for the ENTIRE YEAR ?! )
If you're not struggling to find a babysitter because you're a stay-at-home mom/dad then you're most likely stocking up on the wine/liquor stash to keep your sanity...or looking for affordable/free things to do with your kids to keep them busy this summer.
Don't get me wrong, I totally love spending time with my kiddos. But being a SAHM is more stressful than working a full-time job (yes, I can attest to this, as I have worked a full-time job before).
So, while us SAHM/SAHD's look for ways to keep our kids busy this summer and active, I have done some research on some great activities that are not going to break the bank that are local!
Local park/splash pad:
Over here, in the New Baltimore area is a great splash pad that I'm pretty sure every parent in Macomb County takes their children all summer long. Brandenburg park offers many basketball courts, volleyball courts, boat launch areas, horseshoe pits, picnic tables, slides, swings, shaded areas, and of course their fantastic splash pad. All you have to pay is parking, and that costs $5 for the day. The splash pad is open daily from 11 am -7 pm!
Other parks in the Metro Detroit Area that offer similar amenities are
Patterson Park - Grosse Pointe
Windmill Pointe Park - Grosse Pointe
Veterans Memorial Park - St. Clair Shores
St. Clair Shores Municipal Pool/Waterslide - St. Clair Shores
Links to each parks/rec's website will be posted below for more information!
Weekend Getaway
If you're looking to do an affordable family weekend getaway, I highly suggest Michigan's Adventure Theme Park in Muskeegon. Hotel prices are very reasonable, and price per general ticket for theme park admission is as follows (tickets include water park) :
1 day admission ticket (ages 3+) = $29.99
**Meijer may sell M.A. Theme Park tickets for a discounted price. Check your local Meijer before purchasing online/at the gate.**
Getting Involved in the Community
Visting a local Nature Center can be not only fun for children, but also very educational. Most nature centers provide hands-on learning about the environment, local insects and animals, etc. There is a local nature center in Shelby Twp, MI called Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center and offers a variety of activities and programs for youths.
Contact local shelters, animal shelters, nursing homes, etc and ask about volunteering (depending on age of children). Many nursing homes are welcoming to small children to come read a short story to, play a board game or card game with elderly residents, or simply just to visit residents who don't have many family that are able to visit.
Animal shelters often have animals who are in need of grooming, someone to play with, or even to walk a dog. With how over-crowded shelters are becoming, taking a child to an animal shelter to volunteer can be an eye opener to many children as how important caring for animals is.
Dollar Store Fun!
Take the kids to the dollar store to pick out water balloons, silly string and other outside toys that they can play with in their own yard. Invite friends over for an afternoon potluck and outdoor fun!
Teaching your kids to cook!
As I mentioned in my "About me" section, one of my many hobbies/"morgan"-of-all-trades is cooking. Pinterest has many kid friendly recipes that teach kids the basics and fundamentals of cooking/meal prep. One of my kids faves to make is "piggies in a blanket"
(Photo Credit:
Pinterest)
Michigan Science Center
When you initially look at the membership prices, you may ask yourself "how does she think this is affordable?" However, when you think about it, the membership is good for a year, and it includes the cost of the whole family. Mind you there are other membership options, too such as "student with ID", "individual plus one", "nanny pass", etc. But for the premium family pass which includes 2 adults, all children under the age of 18 in the home, plus 2 additional guests each visit, the cost is only $170 for the entire year! For someone like myself who has 4 almost 5 kids ages 7 and under, this is a great investment! It breaks it down to about $19 (when rounding up) per person for the entire year ( did I mention that the price is for the ENTIRE YEAR ?! )