Summer Fun: Bowling for the First Time!

This week, we took advantage of the free summer bowling program (kidsbowlfree.com) and headed out to go bowl for the very FIRST time!  I love bowling, and was excited to take my kids! To the left is a picture of the kids all cheering for Aaron's ball.  I was impressed that Aaron (2) enjoyed bowling so much and bowled all his own balls.

My super competitive Ellie Grace (5) was the only one to insist on not using the little kids ramp they have at the alley (go figure).  Zoe Hope (3) wins everything.  Everything.  Bowling was no exception.  

Zoe did take a few tries at bowling on her own, but it took FOREVER for her little ball to make it's way down to the pins ;)



Overall, it was a great experience.  BUT, since you do have to pay for shoes ($2.50/pair at this alley), it is not really free.  Cheap, but not free.  We will probably go 1 or 2 more times this summer since they loved it and did so well.  We went with 2 other little people, and it took us a little over an hour to bowl 1 game.

What fun summer activities have you tried this summer?

Frugal Summer Fun Options

Today I'm over at Reno Moms Blog talking about 7 frugal fun summer options for the Reno, NV area.  While most of these are area specific, please note that a few of them can be found nationally.  Go check it out here!

FREE Kids Bowling ALL Summer!

Head over to kidsbowlfree.com to sign your kids up for 2 FREE games of bowling per day, all summer long!  Kids must be under age 15 to participate.  Shoes are not included, so if you think you'll be going a lot, you may want to look into buying a pair of shoes for your kids instead.

Head to the site and click on your state to find participating locations near you!

I just signed my kids up and they are so excited!  They have never been bowling before.  I'm on the hunt for some cheap shoes (this program is offered each summer, so we'd get plenty of use out of them), and I'm considering buying a family pass ($25 for up to 4 adults, and includes 2 FREE games per day per adult all summer as well)....I love bowling!

Summer Fun Theme: Worm Week!

It's summer time!  Yay!  I'm still teaching at the preschool/kindergarten for the school aged kids group (5+) two days a week through the summer.  Week one's theme will be Wiggling Worms!  Want to join me in all the fun?  Plan a fun week for your kids at home by doing some of these great activities!  Try one or all!

Read the Story:  Diary of a Worm (you can check it out at your local library)

Sensory Activity: Buy a small tub of worms at a local store (I've even seen them at grocery stores in the sporting goods section).  Also buy a small amount of soil.  Dump both into a large, lipped tub and allow your children to play with them!  Talk about the way to treat worms (gently).  Can they think of names for the worms?  Which worm is the longest?  Can they draw a picture of what the worms look like; maybe use a magnifying glass?  When you're done, release them into your backyard!

Physical Activity: Have your child use chairs or other objects to create a "worm maze" they can slither through.

Food Activity:  Dirt cups!  What child wouldn't enjoy pretending to eat dirt, mud, and worms?  This recipe is super simple and your child can do it all by himself.

1. In a bowl, mix together 1 small box instant chocolate pudding, 2 cups milk, and 1 small tub of cool whip (optional, but super tasty).
2. In a ziploc baggie, place 3-5 oreo cookies (per dirt cup/child).  Have the child crush up the cookies inside the bag until they are in small crumbs.
3. Give the child a clear cup (if possible).  Have them scoop out HALF of the oreo pieces into the cup.  This will be the dirt.  Then, scoop some pudding mixture into the cup.  This is your mud.  And finally, have your child pour the rest of the oreo crumbs on top.
4. Wiggle a couple of gummy worms into the top of the soil.  Place in the fridge to cool and set.  Enjoy!

Write a Book:  Have your child write a book about "If I had a pet worm".  Younger kids may need more prompting (i.e. start their pages for them with ideas like: "if I had a pet worm I would name him:____" or "if I had a pet worm we would play _________").  Older kids, most 5 and ups, can probably write their own story on wide lined paper.  Encourage them to be creative and to color the pictures to go along with their story!

Worm Painting:  You have a few options here:

1. Paint with strings of yarn to simulate worms.
2. Paint with worms (this would require touching the worms, which some kids are not fans of)
3. Place spots of paint on a piece of paper and allow the worms to crawl through the paint and around the paper.  Kids who don't enjoy touching worms may prefer this option.

Can you think of any other fun worm activities for young children (2-8's)?  If so, leave us a note in the comments section!

Looking for other book themed activities?  Check out my activities for Eric Carle's book, The Very Busy Spider!