Don't Ever Tell Me That You're Bored

I see my kid more than I see my husband these days. With summer still in full force, Henry and I spend a lot of time together, and have explored lots of places. I'll usually ask him, "Hank, wanna go on an adventure?" to which he always responds, "YEAH!" while simultaneously scampering off to find his shoes (although I asked him the other day if he wanted to do the dishes for me and he also said, "YEAH!" and ran away to go get something so maybe there's a communication gap there...). 

I've had a couple friends say that I come up with unique things to us to do, and have asked if I would share some of my ideas. Of course! Originally I was going to make this a three-part series, but I figured if you don't have kids, or already have a good routine going, you'd get sick of me fast. Instead, I've written a whooper of a post, so take a peek, bookmark it, and come back when you need fresh ideas because it's a novel. 


Don't have kids? Well, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't already do I lot of this stuff pre-Hank. Many of these adventures would make great informal dates or care-free Saturday afternoons with friends. Besides, Henry's really just my excuse to more frequently do these types of things that I already liked to do (or maybe I perpetually act like a 5-year-old, I dunno...). 

What follows are three lists, each with twenty items :: 1) activities outside the house that don't cost so much as a penny, 2) activities outside the house that are cheap or very reasonably priced (because, let's face it, on the days I'm with Henry I'm not making any money so it kills me to spend it), and 3) a list of activities for when you don't want to leave home. I'd love to say that most of these are stand-alone time fillers, but considering my toddler has the attention span of gnat I will usually string a couple of these together to fill a morning or afternoon. If you're not from Minnesota, fear not :: there are locations or equivalents of almost all these things around the country...to the Googlemobile, Batman!

Cheap, Fun Things to do Outside the House

1. Three Rivers Park District Programming: I've raved about this before on Facebook. They have everything from apple cider pressing, to meeting owls and hawks, to themed holiday festivals. Their website is kinda tough to navigate, so I suggest selecting the location closest to you and seeing what's available. If you like what you see, you should definitely request to be added to their mailing list :: it's way easier to puruse the events that way. (Need a break from the kiddos? Silverwood Park does an awesome Date Night series for $25, and their Valentine's Day events are killer.)
2. Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Programming. Almost every school district offers some kind of ECFE. The classes are typically on an sliding scale and most events are free. We've done playtime classes, "Daddy & Me" ice cream social at the police station, and Storytime & Dinners with free books. I like that they offer evening events so Dan can participate; it's a great excuse to get out of the house as a family.
3. Toddler Tuesdays @ Mall of America: The MOA hosts rugrats everywhere during their Toddler Tuesdays events. Kids eat free at many restaurants in the mall, The Theatres @ MOA play a free morning movie with free popcorn, there are characters on hand, and discounts at Nickeldeon Universe. I've actually never been before (that amount of small children scares me) but we might give it shot for their King of the Railway day because we're suckers for all things Thomas & Friends (and because I want that sweet, sweet giveaway).
4. SkyZone Toddler Time: On Tuesday and Friday mornings, the indoor trampoline park is open only to those 5-years-old and younger. For $4/jumper, your little one can jump into the foam pit and hop around the giant playzone. Be prepared - it's gets pretty crowded after 10am.
5. Special Events at Pump It Up - These indoor arenas normally focus on birthday parties. However, on Tuesday nights they turn off all the lights and have "Jump and Glow" where for $8/child they can play with the equipment under the neon and black lights (wearing white is suggested!). They also do "Pop in and Play" on Monday-Thursday afternoons.
6. Monkey House in White Bear Lake: This place is just like Pump it Up (#5). They have open play time Tuesday-Friday from 10am-3pm, and on the weekends from 10am-noon.
7. Toddler Movies: These can be a bit harder to find. I've found that if I call nearby movie theaters, many offer reduced priced showings for young kids in the mornings (particularly in the summer). Some places even turn down the volume and the lights up for the little ones.
8. Indoor Playgrounds: Basically cleaner and bigger versions of McDonalds Playplaces. My favorites are Edinborough Park in Edina, Williston Treehouse in Minnetonka, Eagle's Nest in New Brighton, Maple Maze in Maple Grove and Tropical Adventure in Shoreview. Many other community centers offer similar facilities so check out your local center's website for more information. Buy punch cards if you'll be going frequently to make them even cheaper. Most don't charge for adults, but I strongly encourage you to get in the equipment with your kid :: it's easier to keep tabs on them and it's a great workout. Oh, and bring socks.
9. Museums: There are so many museums in the Twin Cities! The Minnesota Children's Museum is rated one of the best in the country, and the Science Museum of Minnesota is awesome. The Minnesota Historical Society has some amazing places to explore like the History Center and Mill City. We went to The Works Museum with Dan's work once and it is great for trickering minds (plus, kids 2 and under are free). Almost any museum can be gold - check their website to see if they list a day/time when they don't allow field trips if you want to avoid crowds.
10. Minneapolis Institute of Arts: One Sunday a month, the MIA offers Family Day that's tailored to younger kids with arts and crafts and other programs.
11.  St Paul Saints Baseball: Sign up for the Saint Paul Saints Kids Club and your kid can go to five games for free. These baseball games are way cheaper than going to Target Field for the Twins, and it's more focused on the festivities than the actual game.
12. Theatres: Believe it or not, the Twin Cities has one of the biggest and most successful theatre scenes in the country. Of particular interest to the kiddos is Stages Theatre Company (a couple blocks from our house) which has great shows for kids and does a preschooler-focused show at least once a year. The Children's Theatre Company does the same sort of thing, and I've already got The Very Hungry Caterpillar on our list for this season. The Jungle Theatre hosts "Saturdays for Jungle Kids" with special book readings. 
13. University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: Dan and I got married here, and for a small gate fee you can explore all the buildings and gardens. We particularly like the Maze Garden and the tram rides. Make your trip free on Free Family Weekends.
14. Picking fruit: We haven't done this yet with Henry, but check out Minnesota Grown to see where to pick fresh produce, especially strawberries, near you and when are peak seasons.
15. Centennial Lakes Park: In addition to the awesomeness that is Centennial Lakes Park (paddleboats, lawn games, "golf in miniature", ice skating, etc.), it also puts on a great Farmer's Market, Movies & Music in the Park and the Fall into the Arts Festival. Watch the baby ducks and mini sailboats for free. 
16. Chuck E. Cheese: Adjacent to Centennial Lakes Park (#15) is a kid's dream in arcade form (there are five other metro locations). I had no idea these places still existed, nor that they were so affordable. Check out their coupons - we spent an evening of family fun where for less than $20 we made Henry a SkeeBall champion (or at least made it so he could keep his ball in his own lane), left with Ring Pops and plastic whistles that I immediately regretted "winning", and enough tokens left over for at least a whole other visit.
17. Como-Harriet Streetcar Line: For $5/person (3-years-old and younger are free) you can ride a historic trolley. They also host occasional PJ Party rides with milk & cookies as well as storytime, but they're super popular and tickets are typicaly only available by lottery. Either way, bring cash - they don't take credit cards.
18. Fall activities: No childhood is complete without trips to apple orchards and corn mazes. I like Apple Jacks Orchard in Delano, Minnesota Harvest near Jordan and Aamodt's Apple Farm in Stillwater. Activities range from tracker rides, petting zoos, and hay mountains. Corn mazes are equally fun - check out Sever's or Afton's. Dan and I used to take my sister, Cammie, to Afton's each year before we were married and we only got lost like 6 times...
19. Wheel Fun Rentals: We rented a surrey bike as a family a few weeks ago and had a blast. I would use them again for surreys or to give the paddle boats a go. Try to wait for a Groupon or similar deal, but otherwise they give out 20% off coupons after your visit.
20. Foshay Tower Observation Deck: This place is so, so cool and I didn't even know you could go up there until we took Henry last fall. Children under 12 are free, but there's not much up there for them to enjoy except for the walk around the deck so plan another downtown activity like a trip to Candyland, the Endless Bridge at the Guthrie (free!) or maybe Gold Medal Park.

Free, Fun Things to do Outside the House:

1. Parks: Henry and I go to so many parks it's disgusting. Search your city's Parks & Recreation website for a list near you and filter by those that have a playground or wading pool. I usually find two or three nearby one another and go on a moving tour, either by bike or car.
2. Pet Stores: There's nothing quite like wasting an hour at PetsMart. It's like a free zoo. Henry like looking at the adoptable cats and the birds. Plus, our dog Jordy usually gets to come too and pick out a new treat or toy. It's a win-win for everyone.
3. Tamarack Nature Center: Go play at Discovery Hollow and Garden at this White Bear Lake park. There's mud, there's water and it's FREE.
4. Splash Pads: I'm all about these this summer. Our favorite is Oak Hill near our house, but the Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board maintains a TON of them listed here. If you've never been to one, they're basically like zero-depth pools with bubblers, fountains, waterfalls and sometimes games. Bring buckets.
5. Como Zoo & Conservatory: Some say they think Como Zoo is sad, but I really like it (I mean, who doesn't love Sparky the Seal?). It's free but bring money if you plan on going into ComoTown amusement park. I like their "Groovin in the Garden" series or, for a small fee, the Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival (this weekend!)
6. Farmer's Markets: They're everywhere! Many have free entertainment and all have good people watching and deals. We walk to the Hopkins Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings, but you'll never go wrong with the ones in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Minnetonka or Shoreview. Check out LocalHarvest for markets near you.
7. Festivals: So many festivals have free family fun. Check this listing for some ideas - our favorites are Minneapolis Aquatennial, Saint Paul Winter Carnival, Hopkins Raspberry Festival, and Minnesota Irish Festival.  
8.  Storytimes: Few places do story time like Wild Rumpus and Red Balloon Bookshop (check out their websites for other events as well). Even Barnes & Noble does a good job, often complete with costumed characters. Can you read books at home? Sure, but this way you get to see other adults, and sometimes that's what's really important.
9. Music/Movies in the Park: Grab a blanket and a picnic and head to your local parks for free movie screenings and concerts. Most suburbs have their own programs so check out your city's website, but Minneapolis's is a consistently great mix of family films, classics and new releases. Plus, they almost always screen game seven of the '91 World Series at least once a summer.
10. Retail Programming: Stores like Choo-Choo Bobs and Creative Kids Stuff have events all the time. Check out their calendars for Family Nights, story times, free workshops and other fun adventures. Have your own favorite store? See if they host events!
11. Giggle. Play. Connect.: If you "like" this Facebook page, you'll get notices about free community events often held at local parks. It's a great organization though which to meet other local families, and they almost always have games and crafts.
12. Library Programming: I love the free events at our local library for Henry. Check out your county library system for events near you.
13. Midtown Global Market: The Market hosts "Wee Wednesdays" from 10:30am-1pm and has free educational activities, crafts and deals on vendor goodies. We've never gone, but I hear they have puppet shows, dancing, animals and even cooking lessons for kids. On Fridays from 5-8pm the Market also puts on free Family Night.
14. The Theaters @ MOA: The Mega Mall is home to Free Family Flicks on Saturday mornings at 10am as well as Free Toddler Flicks on Tuesdays at 11:30am with special concessions like fruit snacks and juice boxes. Plan ahead - the showings are first-come, first-served. (The Theaters also host sensory screenings for kids with conditions like autism - check out the website for more details).
15. Home Improvement Workshops: Big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's put on workshops for kids on Saturdays, who knew?! Build a birdhouse, model boat or lawn game, among other things. The clinics are free but be sure to register early because they fill up fast.
16.  Open Eye Theatre: This local theatre puts on their annual puppet shows during their Driveway Tour each summer that visits not just driveways, but also front yards, back yards and parks. The tour is over for this summer, but I'm thinking of putting our name on the list as a location for next year...
17. Teddy Bear Band: These dudes have been around forever. Subscribe to their eNewsletter to see when they perform near you.
18. Twin Cities River Rats: The River Rats are a water skiing performance team that performs for free all summer long. The shows are at 7pm, which can get a little late for the small guys, but it's worth the outing. If that's too late, they perform during the day at area festivals as well.
19.  Local Gardens: Sometimes you just need a change in scenery for your kid to run and explore that isn't your own backyard. If so, check out the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, the Lyndale Park Rose Garden, or the Walker Sculpture Garden among others. For a small fee you can add on the Nature Tots program with hikes, crafts and story times that all have rotating themes tailored for ages 2-5.
20.  Construction sites: Henry's obsessed with trucks so we'll go to construction sites and sit outside the fences to watch the backhoes, cranes and cement mixers. I think it's lame, but whatever.

Fun Things to do Inside the House:

1. Forts: Need I say more?
2. Sensory Pans: Fill a Pyrex pan with beans, rice and/or noodles plus small toys and give your child little brushes, cups and shovels to explore. FYI - rice gets the most messy so take it outside. If the mess factor bothers you, put similar items in empty, clean water bottles and glue the caps on. Or use the tub.
3. Cooking: I particularly love baking with Henry. There are few things more enjoyable than watching him get excited about making food while wearing a little apron. Plus, he's more likely to eat the food if he's helped create it. It's more fun for both of us if I prep the ingredients during nap time. That way it's like he's on a cooking show where all the items are pre-cut and measured in little bowls so he can just dump them in the mixer. Your kid will want to stir with their hands - just wash them first (obviously) and it's fiiiiine.
4. Water Toys. We can pass a whole afternoon in our backyard with just a few toys and the hose. We've got two splash tables, a sprinkler bridge, a wading pool and lots of buckets.
5. Painting with water: A cup of water and a paintbrush can keep Henry occupied long enough for me to sweep and straighten up the patio. Paint the sidewalk, the house, the table, whatever. It all dries in a matter of minutes to make fresh "canvases".
6. Finger paint: This is the best recipe I've found. It keeps about about a week or so in the fridge. If it gets too thick, just add a bit of water and coloring and stir.
7. Play Doh: I like this kind made with Kool-Aid because it doesn't have that Play-Doh stink. Be sure to get the packets without sugar otherwise it'll get really sticky.
8. Front yard picnics: We take a blanket out front and pack up our lunch in our picnic basket. We bring books and trains. We watch cars go by and wait for the mailman. We wave to the dog walkers and have a great, free time with our free time.
9. Shaving cream: Squirt a mound on a cookie sheet and let your kiddo go nuts. It's messy and slippery so sometimes a bathtub set-up is better. If you have corn starch you can also make fluff which is a bit more manageable.
10. Moon Sand/Cloud Dough: I haven't quite perfected these yet, but we sure do have fun trying.
11. Wash the Car: All you need for this one is a bucket, a hose, soap and some towels. Don't actually expect to get the car clean, though. If your car is nicer than mine and this idea freaks you out, have them wash their Cozy Coupe or push cart or basically any other toy.
12. Indoor bowling: We use a small rubber ball that Henry got for Easter from his aunt and uncle to bowl over any number of items - stood-up toilet paper rolls, plastic cups, stuffed animals, or the cat (just kidding). Your job will be to stand everything back up after each tumble so don't make it too complicated. For an added challenge, set the items up at the bottom of a staircase and bowl from the top.
13. Glowing bubble bath: Make a normal bubble bath, but turn the lights down or off, crack a few glue sticks and drop them in the water (do NOT crack them OPEN and pour them in like some idiots on Pinterest suggest...it's toxic, duh). Some LED lights can also be submerged, and "toys" like a pasta strainer can make cool shadows. You can also check out some of these glow bath ideas. 
14. Crafts: I'll be honest, I save garbage. Empty paper towel and TP rolls, cereal boxes, Velveeta boxes, egg cartons...they all come in handy for crafting. We've made racing cars, binoculars to go on safari, butterflies and bugs. Together with a healthy stock of pipe-cleaners, construction paper and clothes pins, garbage can be made new again.
15. Bubbles:  Whether they're giant, small, or coming out of a sock, kids (and dogs) love bubbles. If you make your own, some people swear by Dawn dish soap but I think that Joy soap works better. If you want to stick to a quicker, less-messy version then you need to buy Squeeze 'n' Blow bubbles (yeah, I don't know how they got that name through either). They are crazy good and you don't get soap on your hands from those stupid wands. You'll thank me.
16. Make Puppets: Add some yarn, markers, buttons and felt to brown paper lunch bags and create new friends. So simple.
17. Make wrapping paper: This can be as easy as having your tot take crayons to the plain side of a cut open brown shopping bag. If you want to get more fancy, you can buy a roll of kraft paper or butcher paper. You can also use acrylic paints with either their little fingers or by making apple or potato stamps (make these ahead of time).
18. Indoor mini golf: This mom is nuts (in a good way), but you get the idea. I use a bigger target than a can because Henry's still pretty little and the motor skills ain't all there. We also now use plastic golf balls. Oops.
19. Movie snuggles: Few things are better than staying in our PJs, popping some corn and snuggling on the couch or bed to watch a movie. We watch Thomas DVDs for about 20 minutes every day, but that's not the movie watching experience I'm talking about here. I mean the Disney classics, new and old, like Nemo, 101 Dalmatians, Lion King and others.
20. Follow-the-baby: When all else fails, I let Henry lead the way for the day. I try to only say yes, and if that mean we have lunch under the dining room table, go to the park in our PJs or stalk the mailman then that's what we do. You'll be amazed where your kid will take you.

Still bored or need ideas? Subscribe to Family Fun Twin Cities (or a similar blog in your area) - besides being an all-around awesome resource, they send out eNewsletters with upcoming events for families around Minneapolis and Saint Paul. I also like Family Days Out where you can search by state and type of outing. Pocket Your Dollars also constantly posts just lists of cheap entertainment like this one on summer ideas (this site is more Minnesota/Wisconsin focused). 

Your turn - Add a comment below about what you've 

found to do with the little ones. Am I missing out on something great?