County Fair
We took The Boy to the County Fair in my hometown recently. It cost $7.00 each for adults to get into the Fairgrounds, but children under 5 were Free. It cost money to park there, so we rode a shuttle bus (an off-duty school bus) from town out to the Fairgrounds. The bus ride was Free and, I must say, it was the highlight of the weekend for The Boy. He had never ridden on a school bus before.
Once inside the Fairgrounds, we headed to the animal barns. We had a great time looking at all the poultry, pigs, sheep, goats, cows and horses. We watched the Dachshund races (Free!) but didn’t stay late enough for the Greased Pig Contest (also Free). He probably would have loved it. We managed to avoid the midway area, as The Boy is not a fan of the rides. We did splurge on corn dogs and lemonade, but could have avoided that cost if we had brought in our own food. All in all, it was a fun, inexpensive activity for the whole family.
Our own local County Fair is Free to get in. Check out Fairs in your area. If parking and admission fees are not sky-high, they can be a good source of local amusement. Maybe you could even enter something in the fair and win some prize money!
Homemade Shrinky Dinks
Homemade Shrinky Dinks. I kid you not.
What did we do before the Internet? How did our parents do it? 
Dackwards Bay
Here is an idea for a fun, free activity.
Declare one day a Backwards Day. Put your clothes on backwards and say ‘Good Night’ instead of ‘Good Morning.’ Eat dessert first or eat a dinner food for breakfast. Walk backwards or have a backwards race down the hall (clear your path of trip-able obstacles first). Tell your kids a story from end to beginning or have them do the same for you. Practice counting backwards. Say ‘Goodbye’ instead of ‘Hello.’ Have fun with it and have a day that is not so ordinary.
10 Good Reasons You May Want to Have Kids
After reading 10 Good Reasons You May not Want to Have Kids, I thought I might redo the list from my own perspective.
- They are Noisy
Seeing the pure joy, coupled with giggling/screaming with laughter while going down a slide or going so high on the swings that they think they are going into low earth orbit can’t be beat. And sometimes out of all that noise comes the funniest comments you have ever heard. - Social Responsibility
Raising your children to be outstanding world citizens can make you so proud your heart will burst. Until you have kids you never realize why your parents wanted you to be successful in everything you did and how your achievements may have meant more to them then to you. - They Are an Economic Drain
Money is only money and by managing it, say from websites with great single income parenting advice, you can spend more time having fun with your children then worrying about money. - You Have to Teach them Things
For those people out there without kids, a kid is like a pet that learns to talk and never stops learning tricks. You get to teach them all kinds of nifty things. You can be a minor deity just by knowing how to make a proper mud pie or how to rub a balloon on their hair and stick it to a wall. - The TV Shows and Books you will have to Endure
You get to rehash some of your favorite books from when you were a kid and can make up funny voices for them that will have the kids rolling in the aisles. Also, you can expose them to older shows like the Muppet Show and the original Scooby Doo. - Their Friends
They bring home the most interesting people and you realize that not everyone raises their kids like you and amazingly it works out. Plus you can be the cool parent that always has the homemade cookies or the cardboard box fort to play in. - Constant Illness
The parenting bond is never stronger than when you are nursing a kid back to health. The feeling you get when they finally fall asleep and look so peaceful after throwing up all over the place is priceless. - They Attract the Ill-Will of Strangers
A phrase that sticks in my mind. “I’ve got a .45 and shovel, you won’t be missed.”
- Once they are Born you are Pretty much Stuck with them
You get to see your children go from drooling blobs to feisty teenagers to respectable adults to parents themselves. And you can look back on it all and be amazed at how much you have accomplished by having children. You won’t remember having to spend $200 on that new carseat but you will remember reaching back and having your child grasp your fingers for the first time while riding in it. - They are Ungrateful
They only go through this phase for a while and then they realize how smart you have “become” and maybe you do know something.
Grasping at Straws
The next time you get set to travel, throw a few straws into your diaper bag. Actually, you may just want to keep some straws in your purse for day to day use too.
1. Put a little water in a cup and let your kids blow bubbles. This is a great entertainer on a flight or when waiting for food in a restaurant. Note: Just use a little water. And make sure it is water, not juice or another beverage that will make for messy clean up.
2. Let your kiddo suck on the straw during take off and landing during a flight. This may help relieve some inner ear pressure.
3. If your kids are younger, a straw could be a useful chew-toy.
4. If you have bend-y straws, you can stick them together, end to end to make a bigger toy.
5. Use them to practice counting.
6. Lay them out to make shapes, letters, numbers or other pictures.
7. Older kids can practice tying a bow using a straw.
8. Almost-silent drumsticks.