When I was in college, I had a saying that went:
"If it's free, it's for me!"
I still like free stuff, as long as it's not junk. I especially like free craft activities that I can do with my kids because: 1. it's free, 2. quality family time, 3. if the crafty item breaks, I don't have to care because it was free!
I like y'all so much that I am going to help you go have some crafty fun for free. Yahoo!
First (and my favorite), check out Lowe's Build and Grow workshops for children. These free workshops are hosted by Lowe's every two weeks. The crafts are very cute, and this Saturday, April 25, you can make a hang glider. In my experience, the under 8 crowd will require adult help, but it really is fun and Lowe's has great employees that help out. One of the perks of the Lowe's workshop is that they will give your child a work apron (to keep), safety goggles (to keep), a certificate, and even a patch that can be sown (or hotglued or stapled if you are like me) to the apron! CUTE.
(If you go to Lowe's, or any of these activities, and you have a small child with you, too small to do the craft, DO NOT under any circumstances place the child in a shopping cart, forget to check on said child, and then find that the child has rolled away into the parking lot and been retrieved for you by a total stranger. I can ONLY IMAGINE that would be a terrible thing to do.)
Next, check out Michael's "The Knack". Starting May 2, they have free workshops every day for a week for children to make crafts for Mother's Day. I am going to encourage my husband to take my kids and make the picture plates.
Then there's Home Depot. They also have children's workshops. They are the first Saturday of the month. While the crafts haven't been as cute as the Lowe's crafts, IMO, they are still pretty great. On May 2 your kids can make a wheelbarrow (I am assuming this is a miniature w'barrow, very useful for carting cheerios or legos around).
After your craft, you can get a cheap lunch. Restaurant.com sells gift cards to restaurants for cheaper than the value of the cards. They are super cheap. There are a few restrictions on when the cards can be used, but if you find a restaurant on the site that you eat at regularly, you should try it. However, if you only find restaurants you've never eaten at, don't be like me and buy a gift card and then never use it. That would be a waste of money.
What a cheap and fun date with the family! You are WELCOME!
PS Do you know about any other fun free stuff for families?
7 comments:
Great ideas! We do the redbox thing all the time. You can get free movies on Mondays and Wednesdays. I used to do the Home Depot workshops with my kids. They loved them!
I am SO glad that you didn't leave a small child in a shopping cart that rolled across the parking area. Whew.
Thanks Sally for all the great ideas to have with our families. I am a friend of Melissa's and have read you guys blog and just love them.
Love these ideas! I'm totally excited about going to Lowes, except, I don't wanna loose any of my kids in a shopping cart that rolls off into the parking lot... ;)
We are going to do this! (except the lost kid part...;-))
Thanks!
Adam and Luke love the Lowes and Home Depot activities. And while Home Depot's projects may or may not be as cute as Lowe's, I love that our Home Depot sets up a work area that is low to the ground so kids can reach the table. And I think their people are nicer! Thanks for letting me know about Michael's Mother's Day craft week, I always forget about them.
wow! I didn't know about those workshops. They are great ideas.
The free fun stuff that comes to mind for me is kids day at the zoo, walking through the science museum or art gallery at the university, and of course Mc Donald's play area.
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