The WM Parenting Connection

You love to take your kids to new places, but you really don’t have the money. Where can you take them that are fun for them and free for you? Well, here are five great ideas for fun day trips with your child. They’ll love the adventure and you’ll love the price.

1. Pet stores/aquarium stores - It’s the zoo but free and indoors! Little kids love animals. What better place to see them up close and personal, without wearing yourself out? Oftentimes a pet store is even better than the zoo. The small cages mean your child won’t have to work to see the animals, and the wide assortment of pets (most of them small enough not to be scary) allow kids to enjoy themselves without getting overcome. For older kids, try taking them to an exotic animal pet store. I have seen stores with iguanas, sugar gliders (sort of a cross between chipmunks and flying squirrels), lemurs, and hedgehogs. Watch out for the snakes and bugs. Then you have the fish. Places like Aquarium World have a giant fish tank, just like one you would pay to see in an aquarium but for free. The goldfish ponds are fun for younger children, and some stores even let kids feed the fish. The variety of brightly colored, fast moving fish will mesmerize your children. Personally, I liked the sea horses best- underwater horses- but my brother loved the baby sharks. Even eels don’t look as creepy under the sparkling blue water.

2. Ikea- I know what you’re thinking. Why Ikea? It’s just fun. Not only do they have a play-land for kids (free babysitting!) but it’s just pleasurable to go through the huge store with a little kid. They see things you’d have overlooked. The multi-colored kitchenware are a huge (and useful) hit, the numerous and sundry stuffed animals, and the clunky wooden toys. The displays of children’s rooms are a load of fun. It’s like going to a sleepover, but in five or six different houses. Your child will love ‘napping’ in the child-sized beds, ‘cooking’ with the miniature stoves, turning on and off the child-safe lights (ladybugs and stars), crawling under the giant leaf canopy, and some stores have a little tunnel and slide combo that both your child and her stuffed animal friends will enjoy. Plus, most of the toys and things they can actually pick up and beg you to buy are under ten dollars.

3. Jewelry stores- A store like Claire’s, or any other low-end jewelry store, are best. Girls love jewelry, and little girls love shiny things the most. What better place to take your little princess? Claire’s has little-kid-friendly jewelry like Dora the Explorer, Strawberry Shortcake, and Hello Kitty. Tiny purses and tiaras, feathered boas and headbands; Claire’s is a dress-up wonderland.
4. Garden centers- Sounds strange, but flowers can be fun. Customarily garden centers are bursting with beauty and color in spring and summer. Show your kids where oranges come from, show them a grape vine, and don’t forget to take time to smell the roses. Little kids love smelling things! It’s also a great way to get your child to eat their vegetables. You’d be surprised what a picky eater will eat if they watered and took care of it for weeks.

5. Sports stores/outdoors stores- Got a kid that’s always on the move? Try a sports store. Some of the big chain stores have batting cages, mini-golf courses, even skiing! They can check out all the different kinds of balls, try on the roller skates, and drool over the mountain bikes. Outdoors stores can also be really interesting. Places like Bass Pro Shop, Outdoor World, REI, and Gander Mountain all have exciting displays. Have fun ‘camping’ indoors, check out the fishing rods, and climb a mountain. Some stores even have indoor lakes for little kids to fish in. The climbing walls and fake boulders are fun for energetic older kids. All the fun of a camping trip without the work.

There are many more places you can take your child, but these five ideas should get you on the right path. Remember that children are simple. They are entertained by almost anything if their parents make it exciting. Remember to have fun and stay relaxed and you’ll both have a blast.

Author Bio
Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com

Guest Post: 5 Fun, Free Places to take Your Kids