How to Have More Family Fun this Weekend

Weekends are meant for fun. However, it's easy to fall into a weekend rut. This is especially the case if you work all week and use the weekends to catch up on household chores and errands. And if your budget is tight then weekend fun may seem impossible. Here are a few tips, ideas, and strategies to have more fun this weekend.

Images Courtesy of Amazon

#1 Get Outside

Getting out into the fresh air almost automatically puts a smile on everyone's face. And guess what - nature is free. If you are having a winter like our winter...it's probably a bit wonky! Sometimes it is warm and sometimes it is cold. That's the best of both worlds actually.

Warm Weather Fun (for winter anyway)

• Walk to the park and play a game of Frisbee, football, or baseball.  
• Take a nature hike or explore a new outdoor area in your community. 
• Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. (Picnic in the car for warmth and then hit the swings.)

Cold Weather Fun

• Go cold weather bird-watching or animal watching. What types of animals are out and about in the winter?
• Sledding or Snowboarding
• Fort Building (if you have snow that is)

#2 Make a List

Make a list of the things that you want to do and can do on the weekends. This way, when you're stumped for ideas you can simply turn to your list and make a choice.

#3 Put It on the Calendar

Many museums, zoos, and other community facilities offer discount days, free days, and special events. Make a list of these and put them on your calendar. Then when you're trying to decide what to do this weekend you can see all of the possibilities and take advantage of local events.

#4 Fairs and Festivals

Most fairs and festivals are free to attend and they can be a lot of fun. Add them to your calendar and choose one or two to attend. Set a budget in advance and pack your lunch so you stay on budget. It's easy to spend a fortune on food and snacks.

#5 Take Advantage of Short-Term Travel Packages

One of the best ways to see the world on a budget is to have an open schedule and open-minded approach to where you go. If you want to get away for a long weekend, visit the discount travel broker websites and review the last-minute packages. You can often save more than 50% on a trip and the spontaneity is fun.

#6 Imaginative Projects

What do your children love to do? DO they enjoy building things? Do they like putting on shows? Let their imaginations run free and spend a weekend with a creative project. Put on a play in the back yard and film it. Build a playhouse and paint it. If your children love volcanoes then have a science fair. If they love to cook then stage your very own Cupcake Wars in your kitchen.

#7 Try Something New

Have each family member make a list of something they want to learn or do this summer. Give them a few examples so they don't write down things like "Go to Paris"or "Ride a camel". (Unless you really want to find ways to do those sorts of things. ) Children can get carried away.

Take a look at their list and then create a plan to address one item on each person's list. You may find that you're rock climbing one weekend and shopping for vintage clothing the next.

All work and no play makes weekends dull and the work week even harder. Teach your children to take time to have fun. And enjoy your family time together, it's precious.

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Have a great weekend! This weekend and every weekend.

Mrs. Bauer

4th of July Craft Ideas for Teens

Crafts aren't just for little kids! Teens and bigger kids can get in on craft-making, and it's a good way to celebrate Independence Day with your teens. You have to move beyond the simple crafts of childhood, but there are all kinds of sophisticated crafts that teens can enjoy. Here are some ideas.

This glass bead bracelet is adorable.

photo credit: RBerteig

Necklaces

Boys and girls both wear necklaces, and they can also make good gifts for teens to give each other. Fabric necklaces are a great way to make a necklace that is not necessarily gender-specific. Here's how to do it.

Supplies:

* Piece of old clothing or cloth, about 2 feet long and 1 inch thick.
* Beads in Fourth of July colors and/or designs (think beads with a larger hole)
* Scissors
* Needle-nosed pliers

Directions:

First, lay out your design of beads in a row. Then, fold the end of the fabric strip into a point and poke it through the beads. String them on the fabric in the order of your choice, using the pliers as needed. The beads will be tight on the cloth, so you can space the beads however you like. When you're finished, tie the ends.


Bracelets

Use stretchy fabric and a smaller strip of cloth to make an Independence Day bracelet.

 
Headband

For a festive headband, your teen can make the above necklace using stretchy fabric that's a bit wider, and thicker beads.


Tote Bags

There are so many tote bag ideas for teens. You can use anything from duct tape to old tank tops to make a tote bag. Here is one idea for a patriotic tote bag for your teen to make using duct tape (the resulting waterproof tote can be used for the rest of the summer for trips to the pool or beach).

Supplies:

* Duct tape (you'll need about 20 yards) in blue, red, and silver (or white if you can find it)
* Scissors

Directions:

What you'll be doing is making duct tape "sheets" by attaching the sticky sides of multiple strips of duct tape. Begin by laying 8 pieces of duct tape, 16 inches long, sticky-side-up on a table or clean floor. Make sure the strips overlap slightly. Repeat the procedure, but this time lay the strips sticky-side-down onto the previous strips. When you're finished, there won't be any sticky part showing.

Do the same thing to make two duct tape sheets with rough edges.

Lay one sheet on top of the other, and trim the edges so that they are even, equal squares.

Attach three edges of these squares using strips of duct tape folded over the edge. On the fourth side, which will be open, you can add a strip of duct tape on either side of the opening so that all 4 sides have a stripe.

For two handles, use a 20-inch piece of duct tape folded in half lengthwise, sticky-side-in. Then tape the ends of this folded strip to the inside of the bag's opening.

If you like, cut decorations from colored duct tape and stick them to the outside of the bag.

Here's a round up of some other craft ideas.

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Wooden American Flags: Looking for some July crafts for kids? These wooden stick flags are great! Make them to decorate a walkway or a garden, or wave them around at the 4th of July picnic to show off your pride AND your crafting skills!

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Oh, I love 4th of July decor too! Thanks for the inspiration! June 8, 2012 11:17 AM. Kim said... Those are great! Thanks for sharing. If you need something fun for kids on the 4th, my kids always love free coloring pages like ...