Need advice ASAP...

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 09-24-2008, 11:32 PM

Okies, just found out I'll have 2 of my Goddaughters (ages 4 and almost 6) tomorrow for the afternoon. I reeeeeeeally need ideas for stuff I can do with them.

It's going to be rainy, windy, cloudy, and in the mid 40's tomorrow...so, the park isn't an option.

I'm taking one of them for a haircut, so that will eat up 30 min or so...

We don't get to see them very often (about once every 2-4 months) so I'd like to do something special and really fun.

Their mom is giving me the $ for the haircut and for ice cream at McD's. We'll spend a bit of time playing in the playland...

Other ideas that would be memorable, but cost little to nothing?

Thanks!!

**itsahumanzoo** · 09-24-2008, 11:36 PM

Do you have any crafty supplies at your house?? Glue, scissors, construction paper? Halloween is coming up, so maybe you can make decorations with them. Or better yet, even cookies if you have the ingredients! Crafts and cooking are always fun ways to entertain young children, as long as you don't mind a little mess.

**madhen** · 09-24-2008, 11:38 PM

Bread dough ornaments. Maybe have them make some Halloween ornaments to hang from the porch. Flour, salt, water, a little food colouring, and ta-da!! You have a crescent moon, an arching black cat, a witch's hat....

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 09-24-2008, 11:42 PM

I thought about making cookies... But, honestly. We do *not* have a kid-friendly home.

My Dh is a gun nut (weapons everywhere). We have electronics all over the place. Nothing is "spill proof". And the place we rent is a MIL apt that's the size of a shoe box (appx 500 sq ft??). So, not a lot of "elbow room". Teeny-tiny counters in the kitchen (I can barely make stuff in there...and that's balancing things all over the place).

Any ideas for "out of home" activities? I'm at a loss. The only thing that's come to mind is Chuck E. Cheese...and that would be a fortune!!!

**MoonMommy** · 09-24-2008, 11:44 PM

One day with my kids, we took construction paper, traced out their names in big bubble letters, and then filled in the letters with scrunched up tissue paper. So, you need construction paper (we did one piece for each letter of their names), tissue paper (but really, you could let them get really creative and glue other things in the letters, and glue (glue sticks worked really well with my kids).

Necklaces made out of cheerios

My kids love the dough ornaments. We made them at christmas and it was great.

You could make cutout cookies with them and then let them decorate them with frosting and colored sugar. Messy at times, but fun and delicious.

We made wind chimes with recycleables.

How about a "greenhouse" using a 2-liter bottle?

**Momof3girls** · 09-24-2008, 11:47 PM

Bowling alleys often have "bumper bowl" lanes for the little ones.
Go to the kid's section at the local library and read to them for awhile. There might even be a story hour happening. Local bookstores often also have free story time.

**madhen** · 09-24-2008, 11:53 PM

Borders bookstore typically has a section for children - has a story-reading time, as well, I think. Zoos aren't terribly expensive for younger children. Any museums or such in your area? I am probably just weird, but I loved going to the museum when I was little. The small local museums are kind of cool, because you discuss the history of your community with the kids, and there are often activities for kids. Most museums just charge a donation - a dollar or two in the contribution box.

**itsahumanzoo** · 09-25-2008, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by Luv2BeFrugal

I thought about making cookies... But, honestly. We do *not* have a kid-friendly home.

My Dh is a gun nut (weapons everywhere). We have electronics all over the place. Nothing is "spill proof". And the place we rent is a MIL apt that's the size of a shoe box (appx 500 sq ft??). So, not a lot of "elbow room". Teeny-tiny counters in the kitchen (I can barely make stuff in there...and that's balancing things all over the place).

Any ideas for "out of home" activities? I'm at a loss. The only thing that's come to mind is Chuck E. Cheese...and that would be a fortune!!!

Check out the library nearest you and see if they have anything going on. Sometimes there are free classes, crafts, etc. If not, it's free to go in, and you can even read some books to them while you're there. My little guy loves being read to.

I also second museums. I'm not sure what you have in your area, but there are lots of free museums around. I did a search in Anchorage and came up with a few things, but not much. :/

Preschool Storytime
Eagle River Nature Center

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 09-25-2008, 12:12 AM

Library sounds good to me...there aren't any story hours on Thursday afternoon (are in the morning, but I don't get the girls until 1pm), but I guess we could just do our own? I LOVE to go to the library. The kids area has loads of books, but no cool stuff like you were talking about Aimee. That would be SO fun!!! The only thing close to yours is the kids size table with color crayons.

I thought about bundling them up and just going to the zoo...but, (cough, gasp!!!)...it'd be $10 for me to get in and $6 EACH for them!!!! Uh...no thanks!

Checked bookstores...the really BIG and nice used book store here has kids stuff on Tues and Sat. The big chain stores have some, too...but not on Thursday...

Bowling is $2.75/game and $1.50/bowling shoes. So, almost $13. I haven't been bowling in ages...is that a good deal? Seems like an awful lot of money to me??? (Could be 'cause I'm broke

) hehe

There's the Anchorage Museum, but it's BIG (and snooty-patooty, IMO). And spendy to get in...and clear downtown. There are some "Alaskan history" type museums, but they're either an hour south or an hour+ north... There's an aviation museum in town, but it's not geared to kids (and costs a pretty penny to get in).

The Imaginarium is pretty cool...(science learning center). But, it's downtown...so we'd have to pay to park...and it'd be $5 EACH for them and 5.50 for me.

So, that'd be $20 with parking. Erf.

(Not to mention the $5 in gas it would take to get there and back).

Angela...yeah, the Eagle River Nature Center would be cool, but it's a 45 min drive just one direction...plus $5 to park... I have no idea what/if it costs to get in? I just know the other stuff because Dh and I were thinking it would be neat to go to the Astronomy club.

It's a 3.5 hour drive (one way) to where our friends and Goddaughters live, so I'd hate to stick the girls in the car for any long drives...

Doesn't this city realize I'm a poor college student? ARGH You all can't know how AMAZING all the things I "hear" you talking about are!! SOOOO much free stuff!!! I want that!!! Can I move now?

See...I wasn't fibbin'! EVERYTHING costs a TON up here... (Drives me batty! I know...short drive).

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 09-25-2008, 03:36 AM

Originally Posted by aimeebee

Do you have a dollar movie theater there?

Maybe even take them to the mall? Well, if yours has a play area in the center, a toy store, a Disney store, an arcade or a train table in one of the fancy dept. stores. Our malls have all these things and the kids like to just play. They even have free food samples here. My kids always want to dawdle and play and I am usually rushing them along so that we can check the clearance racks and get out of there without spending much at all.

We used to have a dollar theater here...but that was quite a few years back...

We've got a few malls, but they don't have "kid areas". That would be SO neat!! Man, I feel like I'm really missing out!!!

Closest thing I've seen is one of the malls has a couple kid-sized tables. No Disney store...

Talked to the girls on the phone tonight... They want to get an ice cream at McD's and play in the playland...so we'll hang there as long as they have energy! I'll take some pics...

I mentioned the library like someone suggested and that got a good reaction.

(I was sure happy about that as I just LOVE to read...).

The 6YO just started k-garten...and thinks it's weird (yeah, hahaha) that Dh and I go to "school" (college) just like she does.

We were thinking they might like to visit "our school"?? We'll see if they go for that? I would love to encourage them early on to study hard, learn a lot, etc...

Erf...I don't think that's enough to keep us busy the whole time...will have them appx 6-7 hours...

**Lady_V** · 09-25-2008, 06:24 AM

They will be there long enough to have a meal. I know you said your place is small, and un-kiddo but how about making the meal in to a 'restaurant' experience. I do this with DD on really bad days when it's too cold to go anywhere. One of us is the customer, one is the waitress. We make a menu and list the things we have for lunch that day. --If it warms up a bit, or you bundle up, how about a picnic on campus.

Pictures make anything in to a memory, you don't have to be 'doing' anything at all. Sometimes just sitting on the sofa with a 'guilty' smile means more than 3 hours at CEC.

**qtkitty** · 09-25-2008, 06:25 AM

If you have any state parks near you see if they have any activites going on .. when its crappy weather out sometimes they have activites for the kids indoors to keep them occupied and from driving the parents BONKERS. My mom used to be a naturilist and did this at the park she worked at.

Also go online check for entertainment in your area... maybe there is a remote zoo, mine, museum, or what not to do.

**Holly** · 09-25-2008, 06:31 AM

How about having a tea party with them . Let them dress up in some of your clothes and have a fashion show.

**anelth** · 09-25-2008, 07:06 AM

If you have a Dollar Tree, give each of them $1 and tell them they can buy one of anything in the store. Sometimes kids can have a lot of fun looking at all their options. Maybe give them each $2, and tell them to buy themselves something and something for their Mom, and then help them wrap them (can do this in your car). Maybe give them paper and crayons and tell them to do a card for their Mom. They could do the card sitting at the table at McDonalds.

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 09-25-2008, 07:42 AM

Take them over to the college to see where you go to school. Most colleges have large common areas, see the school libaray and student union. Is anything going on there? Check out the bullentin boards. Walk throught the art department building see what students are working on. Here in Sarasota we've got the Ringling School of Art and the kids always have all sorts of displays set up and welcome visitors to see current projects.

Laurie in Bradenton