Top Tips and Clever Alternatives for the
“Mom I’m bored!” summer chant
For busy moms, summertime may start out with a blast but usually ends up with a bore, as in bored kids looking to mom for entertainment. What to do with all that energy? We’ve found some great outlets, mental and physical.
Mr. Free Stuff to the Rescue
This site is packed with affordable summertime ideas for kids. Here are a few active options we like:
• Kids Bowl Free is a program sponsored by bowling centers, schools, and community organizations across the country. Its purpose? Provide a way for kids to discover the fun of bowling, and be active in a safe and secure place. Kids who meet the age limits can register for 2 free games a day, all summer. See if this option is near you at kidsbowlfree.com.
• City or county park and recreation offerings. Most of us know the old standbys, like summer camps, swimming, and youth sports leagues, but we’re seeing some new ones, great for the whole family.
» Adopt a trail and care for it.
» Community gardening. Get a plot and let your kids do anything from planning the plot to finding recipes for using the food.
» City historic walks, including themes like crimes and mysteries.
»Nature walks, with creative scavenger hunts for specific types of plants, trees, or birds.
Geocaching, real-world treasure hunting that gets ‘em outside
This high-tech sport combines gadgets with hiking and treasure hunting. Never heard of it? Then you’ll be amazed to discover that there are probably thousands of hidden outdoor “treasures” in your area, waiting to be found based on GPS coordinates. The treasures are typically items of low value, because this sport is all about the fun of the hunt. You use your GPS system to get close to the treasure, but then have to go to work exploring the environment really looking for it. Go to www.geocaching.com to learn more. Enter your zip and see how many treasure are near you! Part of the fun is connecting with others and replacing one treasure with another for the next geocacher to find. (Tip: E6 Energy is the perfect take-along for the final burst of energy it takes to hit gold.)
