fun family activities Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Fun and Free Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt

Paula — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 14:07:00 +0000

This Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt for families can get them thinking outside the box after tearing into the chocolates and treats. So, first of all Happy Valentine’s Day! I am always a little excited about this day because it brings out the child in me. That’s why, in that spirit, I thought I’d share my Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt! Celebrate Love and Friendship I can easily recall making those adorable little Valentine’s crafts at school. For instance, every year at my elementary school in Guelph we brought in old tissue boxes and made cute little boxes for our Valentine’s cards. Here’s a post you might enjoy about Valentine’s Day crafts for kids. Fun Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt Doesn’t everyone enjoy a good scavenger hunt? I know when my kids were small we used to do them often as a means of getting outside into the neighbourhood and keeping them busy on a walk. Valentine’s Day is just a fun day to show people you love them or to show friends that you care. These days, those little reminders of love are more than welcome and necessary. The world at large benefits when we share joy and love and messages of hope. FYI, I have some adorable Star Wars Valentine’s cards you might want to share this year. How to Download the Valentine’s Scavenger Hunt Free Activity: Here are a few tools that I recommend for making the crafts above and doing scavenger hunts: Post contains affiliate links as a service to readers. I may receive a small commission via qualifying links.

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Happy New Year Scavenger Hunt

Paula — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 14:47:00 +0000

Happy soon-to-be New Year 2021 to all of you! Today, I am sharing a Happy New Year Scavenger Hunt with all of you knowing you can use the easy and fun family activities for your end of year celebrations this season. Good Bye 2020 Let’s be honest here. Has there ever been a year that you were more anxious to see end? I mean, I have had a few challenging years. Like the year my Mom passed away. But I am more than ready to say good bye to 2020. Looking forward to a year of vaccines and a potential return to travel. Wishful thinking, perhaps, but I have to think like that too. Easy, Fun and Free Family New Year’s Ideas This year, like everything for the past eight or nine months, I am sure we will all be hunting for clever ideas to help celebrate the launch of a new year with social distancing in mind. Everything has been challenging this year. Not going to lie. Every. Last. Thing. has been anxiety provoking and worrisome. At times, many of us have wondered if life will ever return to any semblance of normalcy. Happy New Year Scavenger Hunt But, to that end, I have been providing some free fun resources and activities here. We can use all of the easy ideas to have fun close to home right now. Print this out for your kids via the link below and do it together, especially if you have a family New Year’s Eve. Here’s a Happy New Year Scavenger Hunt you can share with your family this year. I wish you all the best this year. Good health and happiness and prosperity too. Don’t Miss My Pinterest Printables Here’s to a Happy 2021! If nothing else, I know that this past year has served to show us how strong we are and how adaptable. I wish that we could all move forward with that knowledge and build a brilliant and happy year ahead.

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How to Create a Fun Winter Scavenger Hunt

Paula — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 15:34:00 +0000

A Winter Scavenger hunt is a great way to get outside and have some fun, with social distancing in mind of course. It’s easy to find ways to get and be out of doors when the spring and summer months are here. But winter gets a bad wrap that way. Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I receive a small commission from purchases made. Getting Outside in the Winter When my kids were small we deliberately hustled them outside even in the winter months. In our yard, we built igloos and raced down the slide on the outdoor climbing structure and treehouse that we had dominating our backyard. We gathered up all of the winter gear and bundled the little people in our home up. Snowsuits, mittens and warm hats always were nearby in the hall closet and we had a solid fence keeping the kids safe. So, often after dinner we would simply throw all of our warmest clothing on and go play in the snowy backyard. Our backyard at our old house was amazing. My kids still talk about it to this day. It was spacious and a massive old ash tree stood smack dab in the centre of the yard. The perimeter was lined with cedars that we planted ourselves, providing a natural privacy barrier from the neighbours our back. It was far from fancy, but our yard was perfect for playing with children and ideal for hosting birthday parties too. Playing Takes Planning Sometimes When we purchased our Rainbow systems play structure with swings and slide and climbing wall we were thrilled. It was central to our play all year round. Plus, my kitchen had a huge window overlooking the yard so no matter what time of year or how old the kids were we could watch them from the window and know they were safe. Toys for Outdoors FYI this is what our outdoor swings and playset looked like…But it was Rainbow. These are sturdy and lasted us for easily 8-10 years. First we had this Step 2 playhouse for the toddlers. Of course, when my kids were very small I was out there always with them. That one time I left to go in to the bathroom, my two year old broke the back door trying to get in. I was mere feet away going to the washroom for two minutes and yet she couldn’t see me so instant freak out. Live and Learn That washroom trip by myself cost $1800. Yes, that was the cost to repair the door so huge lesson learned. My youngest girl could not amuse herself or be on her own. To this day she hates to be by herself. Anyways, this winter if you are looking for ways to get the kids outside then tempt them with a winter scavenger hunt. Print out the Winter Scavenger Hunt Sheet Below Scavenger hunts are super easy and fun. All you need are pencils, erasers, clipboards and some good warm clothing and you are set. If you haven’t seen this indoor scavenger hunt then print one off for later and use on a snowy or rainy afternoon. Have Fun with Your Family This Winter This is a simple activity that can create a lot of fun memories for your kids. My girls are teenagers now and they both still recall fondly all of the winter nights we played outside in the yard, or strolled down the street with clipboards and scavenger hunts. I occasionally motivated them with a treat along the way. But, you can also get your steps in too. Not a bad way to spend an hour after dinner! Don’t Forget These Check out my recommendations for supplies that you can stock up on and then get outside and have fun together.

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What’s On Your Christmas Bucket List + Printable

Paula — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:13:00 +0000

What’s on Your Christmas Bucket List this year? Oh, believe me I know the holidays will be very different this season. The pandemic numbers are currently worrisome but the holidays are still right around the corner, not much more than a month away now. Hard to believe it has been 9-10 months of this lockdown, social distancing and quarantine kind of life. I completely understand it as it was necessary but at the same time I am crazy tired of it and worried about Christmas. But, even so, I am still determined to put a positive spin on it. So, I am working on my very own Christmas bucket list right now and hoping that some of you take heart and either borrow mine or make your own variation. Quick and Fun Christmas Bucket List Don’t mock me but I am all in on Hallmark Christmas movies right now. They bring me joy. This weekend we were watching Hallmark’s Christmas specials and there was an adorable new one there called the Christmas Bucket List, I think. Anyways, that reminded me that I should share something cute here for you all to do also. A Christmas Bucket List doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be something everyone can do together with social distancing in mind as this is likely to persist throughout the holidays. Modify A Couple of Ideas… Here’s to finding a bit of Christmas spirit, for your family and even for you. Consider it self care. Modify a few of these to be virtual. For instance, ugly sweater party can be your virtual support group night or your friends gathering one night this year. Add a little fun to your routine Zoom and make it an Ugly Sweater Zoom night. I am hoping to do a sleigh ride but I will be looking to see when and where and how those are being offered this year. Obviously, we will be close to home and this feels possible even in town as long as people pick times and register and wear masks. Right? How to Download Merry Christmas to You! Don’t Miss all of my amazing Christmas recipes and printables over on My Merry Christmas Pinterest Board. There are some genuinely great recipes and of course you can always find my Free Printables board there any time of the year.

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Everyday Adventures is Changing the Way I Think About Travel

Paula — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 14:18:23 +0000

This post contains affiliate links as a service to readers. If you make a purchase via one of the links I receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Everyday Adventures is one of those books you come across that totally changes the way you look at something. I’ve always loved to travel. Getting out and exploring the world around me has been a passion of mine for life, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve chased the horizon. Recently, I realized there might be a different way to explore the world while I traveled and even while at home This book Everyday Adventures from Lonely Planet will help you see travel differently. The ideas for adventure within this book are fun and simple and often they cost absolutely nothing at all but time. Everyday Adventures – Exactly What the Title Says Everyday Adventures is about keeping the spirit of exploration and discovery alive even when we aren’t on trips. I figured this book might be travel anecdotes and stories, but what I found inside was unique. This book is devoted to the idea that you don’t have to travel far to explore. You need not spend a fortune either. This charming and fun book reminds us that the reason we travel is not to find the traveler spirit, but because of it. As I read this book, I realized that while travel had started out as an extension of my adventurous and curious side, it need not be the only time I ever allow myself to be adventurous. Sometimes adventures can be found in your own backyard. Follow Your Senses focuses on exploring your neighborhood using your senses in themes like Memory Lane and Urban Foraging, where you learn to spot the edible plants in your neighborhood! Social Adventures encourages us to learn about the people of our area the same way we would if we were traveling, opening up our eyes to a new way of looking at those around us. Challenge Yourself is all about getting out and interacting with our surroundings. Explore an airport or help out in the community to learn something new about your area. Cultural Odysseys invites us to explore the culture that we most often take for granted – our own community’s. Roll the Dice is all about taking a chance. That’s all I’ll give away about it. Lonely Planet Books Are About Making Connections Here’s what Lonely Planet has to say about their book: Weave a little wonder into daily life with these fun and challenging activities – and experience your local area in a whole new way. Invite friends on a social adventure, follow your senses somewhere new and embark on a cultural odyssey. Lonely Planet shows you how to embrace the traveler spirit and discover a new side to where you live. For each activity, we tell you what to bring and provide simple, easy-to-follow instructions to make it a success. You’ll also find a case study from someone who’s completed it, as well as surprising facts and anecdotes that shed light on the history and science behind each quirky quest.</em></em></p> Final Thoughts: I love several of the great ideas here. For instance step outside your door one afternoon or evening and turn left, then right, then left and alternate until you are somewhere entirely new. Keep exploring. Or post to social media asking your friends and followers what adventure you should take. Then make it happen. Change the Way you see the World with Everyday Adventures Every now and then it’s nice to have a reminder to see things differently. This adventure guide of sorts will help you uncover inexpensive everyday adventures near home. Try some out and embrace something new. When you look at the world through a different lens, you suddenly see all the things you, and that’s what makes

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Dora The Explorer Live Show in London April 13th

Paula — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 16:18:11 +0000

Dora The Explorer Live Show in London DududududududDDDDDDORA!! Even now with a teenager and a tween, I still hear that catchy Dora tune! Hard to resist. What did I love about Dora, as a parent? Well, Dora was a cute, smart and curious little girl. I am a parent of girls and I nurture curiosity. So I loved that. Dora was a polite character without all that snark or sarcasm that is sometimes on television. She is wholesome. I know that’s a strange, and maybe inadequate, word for what I am describing, but Dora was, and still is, a child I would invite over to my home. I had no concerns about letting her into my living room. I wouldn’t worry about my kids, or even my nieces or nephews, picking up negative habits or words from her as a playmate and she always taught them something new while also nurturing another language. I loved that show, and since I controlled the remote (when they were younger) Dora was always a welcome playmate in our home. I see the same love of Dora a good decade later when I visit my niece and nephews in Toronto. Kids still love Dora. So, parents everywhere will be happy to know that Dora The Explorer Live Show in London will be here soon. Dora The Explorer Live, Search for the City of Lost Toys, is on tour and their children can be entertained in person at the live theatrical show. This coming week Dora The Explorer Live swings into Centennial Hall in London, Ontario. On April 13th Dora The Explorer Live Show in London will entertain, amuse and thrill your little ones. There is still time to buy tickets. PSSTT..this is the event you as an aunt or grandparent, or godparent, need to buy tickets to, because it will secure your spot in any child’s heart as the favourite aunt, and it will build those happy memories with grandparents that are so incredibly special and cherished throughout a child’s life. Check the link below, or the ad in the side bar of Thrifty Momma’s Tips to see when and where she will be next, or to buy tickets immediately. Dora The Explorer Live Show in London was one of our first live shows that we ever saw, and it was also one of our first TV shows that the kids watched. Love that she is still making a mark on kid’s imaginations in 2015. She teaches them Spanish, and English and a love of solving a mystery and finding clues. The gentle repetition of words is brilliant and helps reinforce new vocabulary with young learners. Dora The Explorer Live, Search for the City of Lost Toys is coming to Centennial Hall in April. April 13, 2015. You don’t want to miss this! You can order your tickets here: http://tickets.centennialhall.london.ca/ Tell me: Have you ever seen Dora The Explorer Live? I am working with Koba Entertainment and this post is sponsored which means I received compensation. My opinion is all my own.

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