Make a gingerbread house at Lowe's

I have said it before and I am saying it again (and no I do not get compensated to do this)  take your kids to the Build and Grow clinics at Lowe's. They are FREE and lots of fun. Coming up on December 8th the kids will be making these cute gingerbread house boxes. Tell me these are not cute! So what are you waiting for, it is FREE!!! Signing up online on their website is easy, so get going.

How much fun can you have for $2.52?

Time and time again I tell people, it doesn't take a lot of money to have fun. It really doesn't! And to prove my point, I am going to show you what we did this past Saturday and it cost us a just $2.52.!!!

Our first stop for fun was at Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic. I have mentioned this before (like a million times) but I will say it again because this is a great program. The clinics are FREE and run about every two week on Saturdays at 10am. Children get to build great things like this Monster Box the oldest Fun Tester made this week. Children get an apron and for each thing they build, a patch to put on the apron. They also receive a certificate and get to take home their project at NO COST. How can you beat it!?!?

 Our second stop of the day was at Michael's craft store for their Make It, Take It event. This event cost us 52 cents to purchase a pail (which was on sale.) The children cut out designs from duct tape with the help of stencils to create their own trick or treat bucket! How neat is that? The Fun Tester made a face on one side and a bat on the other. These events are either free or with a purchase which always seems to be a low cost item.

Our final stop of the day was at an event called Spooky Science Saturday. It was being held jointly at the Children's Garden and the Kingman Museum. They had all sorts of education (science) activities set up. The Fun Tester had a wonderful time learning about surface tension, making animal tracks, learning about the technology that led to modern films and much more! It was all hands on and he had a wonderful time. The cost of this event was free but they were asking for a $1 donation per person. $2 for all that fun and learning was a steal. Not to mention, the next day in the paper was the Fun Tester's photo!!! Now there is a memory he will have forever.

See, having fun does NOT have to cost a lot. And finding events doesn't have to be impossible either. Check out our Cruise Directing 101 to learn how to find events. Now get out there and find some fun!!

Camping and Halloween

We here at MAD Family Fun love, LOVE, love Halloween! For us it is not just one night of dressing up and getting candy. In fact we don’t just decorate our house, we take Halloween with us camping! Every year at a nearby state park they have a “harvest” aka Halloween weekend and we wouldn’t miss it for the world. People decorate their campsites. Some people do amazing displays. Sadly this year it rained most of the weekend. We decorated in the down pour anyway!

 We even did up our picnic table under our awning with a few of the crafts we have featured here on MAD Family Fun, like our Mummy Jars. The flowers with the skull added a touch of color to the rather gray weather. And of course we needed a steady stream of sugar from the candy cauldron to keep us running.

 

Sure we COULD have been moody and gloomy like the weather. We could have had a miserable time, but my belief is that things are only as fun as you make them. We decided to make our trip as fun as we could, so through the drizzle (and at times the downpour) we laughed and had a good time. We carved pumpkins we had brought with us, joined in the activities and when it was time for trick or treating, the rain finally stopped!!!

So why am I sharing all this with you? Well first to show you that you can have fun anywhere, you just have to have the right mindset. Secondly, checkout you local state parks for fun events, like this one! And last, to inspire you to go out and have fun! For us, rain or shine, our Halloween camping trip has become a tradition and year after year has and will provide wonderful memories for our children.

 

 

 

 

Spooky Science Saturday Oct 27th

Photo by Kingman Museum

Looking for some free spooky fun? Why not try the Kingman Museum's Spooky Science Saturday on October 27th. This free event has lots of fun and learning and runs from 11am-4pm. Not only is the museum open with speciel events but so too is the children's garden at the Leila Arboretum. We have been to this event a few times and always enjoy ourselves. Don't miss out on this free family fun Mid-Michigan!!

Fall means Harvest Festivals!

Around these parts, Fall means Harvest Festivals. We go every year to the annual Harvest Festival at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds in Marshall, MI. This free event on Oct. 13th runs from 10am to 5pm. We of course have to take a wagon ride and wander around visiting all the booths. There are also competitions for the best homemade chili, meatloaf, pumpkin pie and fruit pit. And this year they say there are going to be horse pulls and chuck wagon races! I'm excited!! If you don't leave nearby, don't fear, I am sure with a little googling you can find a Harvest Festival near you!

Magical Migration, CraneFest Oct. 13 and 14

We live in a very small town (pop 1400) in Michigan. It is the type of place where neighbors know each other and kids can still be kids. At times it becomes a magical place to live as every spring and fall the Sand Hill Cranes migrate through out little piece of nature. It is not uncommon if you are outside to be over powered by the sound, in the early morning or near dusk, of thousands of these large birds calling. It is an amazing thing to see such a migration and I feel blessed our children witness this year after year.

Near the end of September each year, the tell tale call of these birds begins to appear. First only a few, often far off. But by mid October, when the weather begins to turn, the large Vs fill the sky and the echos of there calls are everywhere. These birds can be up to four foot tall and have a wing span up to seven feet!!! The fields around town become packed with majestic birds. It really is something to see.

And luckily for many avid bird watches they can see it, at the annual CraneFest held just outside of town at the Kiwanis Youth Area on 15 mile rd. But CraneFest isn't just for birders. They have all sorts of wonderful activities. Some of the attractions include artists with wears for sale, live birds of prey and other exotic critters, nature walks, hey rides and of course activities for the kids.






Admission if free however there is a cost of just $3 to park. So why not load up your car and check out what has become an annual event for our family.

 

 

National Public Lands Day (Sept 29 and more)

Do you enjoy getting out into nature? Do you love our National Parks and Public Lands? Here is your chance to give back a little. National Public Lands Day is an opportunity for people across the country to volunteer in special projects to help keep these great natural spaces wonderful. To find out how you can help Click Here!

Some of the projects I found in my state include picking up debris, removing invasive species, collecting native species seeds, and trail maintenance. I was even suprised to see an event where you can help build bat boxes! Think of the impact you will not only have on nature but on your children by volunteering as a family. The only way to teach children to care for something is by doing. Hope to "see" you out there on

Museum Day Sept 29, 2012, Free admission

Saturday Sept. 29, 2012 is Museum Day across the country! And you can get FREE admission!! How cool is that! To find museums in your area that are participating, click here. I actually found a nature center that is also participating that I think we might go check out!

FREE Movies for the WHOLE family!

Looking for something fun and free to do on the weekend as a family? Well if you live in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan or Missouri then I have just the thing for you! Goodrich Quality Theaters are having a Free Fall Movies series. Movies are at 9am and 10am, Sat. and Sun. and free for ALL ages. Yup, even we parents get in free!

In select theaters they are also adding a 9:30 am Saturday, Lights up sound down show, for children with Autism. How great is that! So check out the Free Fall Movies and see if there is a theater near you! There is one near us and I can't wait for Ice Age 4!

FREE admission to the past

I am sure only a very few of you are aware, I have a B.S. in History. I love sharing the past with other, especially children. There is nothing more amazing then when you see in a child's eye that spark when they make the connection with the past and realize how it impacts them.

If you live in Michigan or near by in a neighboring state and have no plans for Labor Day yet, I want to let you know about Target Day at Greenfield Village. If you have never heard of Greenfield Village it is a trip back in time. I have never been due to the prices, which on a normal day are $24 for adult and $17.50 for youth. We just don't have $65.50 to drop like that and I am sure most of you don't either.

I would like to thank one of our Fun Friends, Penny, for giving me the heads up on this great opportunity.

Monday, September 3, 2012 in Greenfield Village (Labor Day)

• Free Admission to Greenfield Village
• Hands-on and interactive programs
• Dramatic presentations
• Live musical performances

*** Just a reminder if you do plan on going, I have heard this place is large with lots of walking. The weather for Labor Day is looking iffy due to the hurricane down south bringing Michigan rain. This is a great opportunity but check the weather before you go.

To see the stars....

Did any of you make it out for the Perseids meteor shower last night? When I went to bed we had heavy cloud cover. But thanks to my sweet little six months old waking me at 2 am I was lucky enough to see it! As he sipped his bottle I wandered into the backyard and saw 5 or 6 meteors streak across the sky. The last actually made me gasp out loud to no one but the night. It was so bright and went right over our house.

I toyed with the idea of waking our six year old but then thought better of it. I mean really do I want him awake at 2 am? And would he go back to sleep? Or would he fall asleep on a blanket in the yard and I would be unable to carry him back in!

The meteor shower will continue tonight and if he can stay up and the clouds stay away, we will try again to see the stars and maybe a few meteors!

The Perseids (Meteor Shower) is here!

ATTN: MAKE your children take a nap this afternoon so they can stay up late for one of natures great shows. The best meteor shower of the year is in full swing!

Grab a blanket and head out into then night for the Perseid meteor shower. When I said to grab a blanket and head out to watch the shower, I didn't say that just as a cool cuddly way to share this with your children. If you stand with your neck tilted up, you will have neck issues in the morning.

The "shooting stars" you will be looking for are actually pieces of debris left over from the comet Swift-Tuttle, hurtling through space at 37 miles per second! This year's peak comes the evening and late night of Saturday into the wee hours of Sunday. The meteors tend to streak across the sky, but you will want to look toward the Perseus constellation, which is in the northeast part of the sky and forms an inverted "Y" shape.

Experts say we can expect about 25 to 60 meteors per hour during the peak, but don't expect to see the meteors evenly spread out over time. You may see nothing for five minutes and then four or more in a row a minute later. See just how many shooting stars you can count!

Here is a great video from NASA to tell you all about this event.......

Reptile Weekend at Binder Park Zoo 8/4-5

The Michigan Society of Herpetologists and Binder Park Zoo Are Proud to Present Reptile Weekend August 4 and 5, 2012!

This is a great chance to get out and meet (touch) some very interesting reptile friends. It is included in your zoo addmisiion which is

Adults: $12.95
Seniors: $11.95
Children (2-10): $10.95
Children (under 2) FREE

We love going to this event year after year! Check out some of our past fun:

The Maine Artisan Bread Fair this Saturday

Do you live in Maine? Looking for something different and interesting to do? Why not check out The Maine Artisan Bread Fair on Saturday July 28th. The fair is FREE and open to the public. It is a festival that invites fair-goers to sample fresh-baked breads and pizza from wood-fired ovens, talk to professional bakers, listen to live music, watch demos, and seek out the best baking equipment, tools, books, Maine cheeses, organic milkshakes, hand-woven kitchen towels, antique kitchen wares, fresh farm foods, and much more.

FREE admission to Kids N Stuff

Heeds up for our Mid-Michigan Fun Friends..... Kids N Stuff children's museum is having a FREE admission day tomorrow, July 26th!

Here are the remaining FREE admission dates for this summer:

Thursday, July 26th 10:00-7:00 Sponsored by Steel Products in Homer

Thursday, August 23rd 10:00-7:00 Sponsored by Mark Putvin State Farm in Albion

Passport to Imagination (Tue, Thur, Sat)

So did any of you go to the first day of Micheal's Passport to Imagination? We did and had fun. The theme was Australia and the Fun Tester made this cute stingray! The kids also made a pin of the Australian flag to wear.

Today's theme is Mexico and the Fun Tester can not wait! Before we go we will be learning about Mexico and Monarch butterflies.

Get crafty and travel the world

Join the worldwide voyage at Micheal's to learn about awesome animals and cool crafts! We are so excited!!!! Their online interactive passport page is amazing! You can learn all sorts of educational facts about other countries and get instruction for making some super cool crafts.

There is also an in-store portion to this summer program with craft events.  I don't know about you but we here at MAD are so there! So grab your passport, check your local store and get your imagination going.

World Oceans Day is June 8th (Today)

June 8th is World Oceans Day. But what does that mean to you? Maybe you don't live near an ocean or have never even been to one...... so why care? Today is the day to find out why. Head on over to World Oceans Day on Facebook and see what you can find.  Why not learn all about our oceans with some FREE lesson plans or check out some of these other fun things......

National Geographic has wonderful photo galleries you can go through to see images of our oceans and the life in it.

The ARKive website is amazing, not only do they have photos, but video and more. Very neat!

This website gives some good ideas on how to celebrate World Oceans Day, including the "7Cs Pledge" for ocean conservation.

Be a Tourist in your own town

It is that time of year again, actually this weekend, when the city of Lansing holds it's "Be a tourist in your own town" event. We went last year and had so much fun.

For only $1 you can purchase a "Be A Tourist Passport" which grants you FREE admission to more than 60 area attractions, local businesses and special activities on June 2, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
**Ages 3 and under do not require a passport. Tell me that isn't some bang for your buck!

Also if you don't feel like driving around town hunting for parking, for only 50 cents you will receive a stamp from CATA (the public bus) which will allow you to ride the Be A Tourist routes for the rest of the day with no extra charge. Think of the gas money you will save.

Personal notes: If you do head out make sure you hit Impressions 5 first thing in the morning as it gets packed. And don't miss the instrument petting zoo at Elderly Instruments! Have fun my Mid-Michigan Fun Friends.

*** Not from Mid-Michigan? See if there is a "be a tourist" event in your area!

Summer Library Programs

Not all libraries have summer programs, but many do. Now is a great time to look into those upcoming events and get them on your calendar. Maybe your town library doesn't do anything, so check the surrounding communities. We are lucky to live near a community with a WONDERFUL Library in the Park program. Each week at the park we read stories, have fun activities, and have a chance to play with new friends.

Our program rocks with everything from a pirate day and free movies at the local theater to alligator visits and a patriotic parade! So if you live in Mid-Michigan check out the Library in the Park program in Charlotte. If you live else where, get on the phone and find a program in your neck of the woods!