Family Activities Archives - Oh My Heartsie Girl

June 5, 2018

10 Ways to Make the Most of Your Summer

Looking For Ways To Make The Most of Your Summer

As a kid, many of us looked forward to summer. We crossed off the days on the calendar at school, desperate for that first week in June to end. We stopped paying attention as soon as the classroom windows were open, because we could smell fresh-cut grass and warm spring air. Summer spelled the beginning of freedom, and we couldn’t wait to enjoy every drop of it.

Now, as adults, summer doesn’t hold quite the same magic. You work full time now, and even if you’re lucky enough to be a teacher, you must corral your own kids during the summer months! Just because you’re older, however, doesn’t mean summer must lose its magic touch for you.

This summer, try to make the most of every day. As a kid, summer meant more fun. This year, summer can mean more fun for you, too. Look at the following suggestions, and see how to turn this summer into a success for everyone.

Take a Trip

Summer is the perfect time to take a vacation if you have kids. Unless you plan a trip during their Christmas break, summer is the only time you can get the entire family out of work/school. That added dose of freedom makes summer the perfect time for vacations. All across the country, there’s no shortage of things to do, whether you want to visit Georgia, The Grand Canyon, Seattle, or Chicago. Enjoy the best of the U.S., and travel this summer with your entire brood.

Read a Book

If it’s been too long since you had time to read, now is the time to pick up a book again. You might want to invest in a classic, like Moby Dick or Jane Eyre, one that you’ve been meaning to tackle. Or, you might want something shorter, fast-paced, and a great deal of fun. Whatever your literary passions, this summer is the perfect time to pick one and enjoy yourself all the way through it.

Have a Yard Sale

Everyone has old junk lying around. You may enjoy visiting yard sales all summer, since one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. However, your junk might also be useful to another family. So, get out that unused furniture, old toys, and lamps from your attic. You could make decent wad of cash hosting a yard sale. Even if you don’t, it’s a fun way to teach your kids about math, business, and getting rid of the things you don’t need.

Get that Remodel Done

Most Americans want to remodel a certain part of their home, often the kitchen or the bathroom. You might have a part of your home you wanted upgraded, as well. Summer is the perfect time to tackle home remodels, since it’s easier to keep the windows open and air out fresh paint, and your kids don’t need as much normalcy for homework and getting to school on time. If you have a pet project, contact home improvement contractors and work on getting it finished this summer.

Go Camping

Camping is the joy of some, and the nightmare of others. If you hate mud, bugs, or pit toilets, camping isn’t for you. If, however, you can brave the wilds, take your whole family camping this summer. Camping is the perfect chance to enjoy the simple life, appreciate nature, and feel like old-timey pioneers together.

Buy a New Car

Buying a new car is often a hassle, but summer is the best time to look. In the snow and ice of winter, you won’t enjoy a stroll through your local car dealership. Instead of testing the new car in slushy conditions, test in in the summer sun. Plus, your kids aren’t in school, and they can come along to lend their opinion, which they’ll enjoy. Summer is a wonderful time to find the right vehicle for your family, so explore local car dealerships and find the best one.

Get Ready for School

Perhaps you already finished your degree, but you might wish to improve your education. It’s often hard with kids and work, but night classes or online programs help you fulfill your dream. Online colleges offer everything from an RN to BSN degree program, and you can start earning the wages of a nurse after a few years of schooling.

Explore Your Own Town

Summer is great for big trips and great for camping. It’s also great for exploring the town in which you live. You might have historical museums nearby, street fairs, art festivals, car shows, and more. Hit up your local farmer’s market or watch a movie in the park. You’ll find things you never knew existed. Your own town offers plenty of fun summer activities, so take advantage of each one this summer.

Take a Full Day Off

Many parents run constant errands. This summer, however, take an entire day off. Not just from work, but from everything. Let your spouse or parents help you, and take the entire day for yourself. Don’t clean. Don’t watch your kids. Don’t run errands. Just do whatever you want to do, from morning until night. You’ll feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Plus, one day of relaxation is easy to arrange.

Join a Team

It might be awhile since you played any sports, but this summer is the perfect chance to start again. Somewhere near you, there’s a local team waiting for you to join its ranks. You might be a little rusty, but if so, so are your teammates. You might not win many games, but you will have fun, enjoy the summer evenings, and get some enjoyable exercise. Plus, you might make lasting friendships on your team.

More Activity Ideas:
15 Summer Activities For Your Kids To Enjoy Nature
Fun Family Outings
9 Tips For Your Home For Family Fun

April 5, 2018May 16, 2022

50 Things You Could Do On a ‘No Spend’ Weekend

Saving money isn’t always easy but having a ‘no spend’ weekend can really make a difference. A ‘ no spend’ weekend means you go a whole weekend without spending any money.

(Ad) Loan providers, Morses Club, have put together a list of 50 things you could do on a ‘no spend’ weekend to help you cut back:

With the family

Watch your favourite films together
Check out any free museums or art galleries in your area
Visit the library
Go ‘camping’ in your living room or back garden
Build fortresses, pirate ships or secret hide-outs using tables, chairs and sheets
Put on a talent show or play
Take the children to the local playground
Teach your children a new skill
Go for a picnic at the local park, beach or in your back garden
Play board games or have a video game tournament
Read a book together
Do a car boot sale
Make homemade greeting cards
Have a family ‘disco’ in your front room
Have a craft night making use of old toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes, magazines and plastic bottles
Draw or paint together and create ‘works of art’ for your family ‘gallery’
Make a scrapbook full of family photos or pictures cut from magazines
Play hide and seek
Go berry picking and make a pie or crumble

Have some ‘me’ time

Binge-watch your favourite TV show or box set
Complete surveys online
Write a wish list or ‘bucket list’
Plan your meals for the next week or fortnight
Investigate your family tree
Clean or rearrange your house or garage
Do a puzzle, word search or crossword
Read a book
Write a poem, story, diary or blog
Learn a language or new skill using online videos
Have a pamper day- run a relaxing bath, light some candles and give yourself a facial, manicure or pedicure
De-clutter and sell all your unwanted or unused clothes, books, DVDs and other items
Write a letter or email to a friend
Create a YouTube video of you showing off a talent or sharing top tips

Get together with friends

Invite friends to bring food items and do a cooking challenge, creating a meal from the random selection of ingredients
Get friends to bring all the clothes they don’t wear and host a clothes swap
Visit a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a while
Start a book club
Have an ‘entertainment swap’ with a friend- loan each other books, films or box sets you enjoyed

Do something in the community

Visit an area of your town or city that you have never been to before
Go litter picking around your local neighbourhood
Find like-minded people nearby with websites such as ‘Meetup’
Find free events in your local area through websites like ‘Eventbrite’
Volunteer as a steward at a local sporting event or volunteer at a charity

Get active

Go running
Take a dog for a walk- if you don’t own one, then ask a friend or neighbour if you can walk theirs
Do some yoga
Play football, rounders or other team games at the local playing fields with friends and their families
Weed the garden, cut the grass or trim the hedges
Go for a bike ride
Walk or hike in local parks or nearby countryside

We hope we’ve given you some inspiration for your ‘no spend’ weekend. Saving money gives you some protection for when those unexpected costs crop up.

March 25, 2018September 4, 2020

Fun Family Outings

Having a family is one of the most rewarding things most people will ever do, but it’s not exactly financially rewarding. Put another way, it can get really expensive really fast. It’s also normal to want to go out as a family and enjoy the outdoors at a festival. It’s way too easy to sit around at home and watch Netflix so getting out of the house and bonding in a new way can do wonders for the family dynamic. The trick is finding something that’s fun enough to justify the cost. There are activities that are pricey enough for one person. When you send four or five people, it can feel downright ridiculous.

Sporting events

Sporting events are generally considered a safe, reliable source of entertainment for everyone from ages 5 to 95. Nothing about a football game involves a lot of cursing or sex (though there is some violence in the tackling). You don’t have to read reviews of a football game beforehand to make sure that the kids won’t be exposed to anything unsavory. Sure, there may be drunk, loud sports fans sitting behind you or around you, but there are drunk and unruly people in lots of places. It’s best to avoid them otherwise you may find yourself needing the help of a personal injury attorney. Want to avoid this and have the best time possible? Look for Family Fun Nights that offer discounted concession items or merchandise giveaways. Be flexible when looking at games to attend, too. Maybe bring the whole family to a college baseball tournament in Lansing, MI or look to the calendar for when the best team in your favorite sport comes to town. Of course, some teams will always be big-time box office draws, like the Patriots or Yankees. You can still buy Yankees tickets for the family, of course, but be smart on timing so that you don’t have to spend an exorbitant sum.

Movies

For decades, families have been loading up the station wagon or SUV and heading to the local cinema. Every year, studios release dozens of movies aimed squarely at cornering the family movie market, and they’ll keep doing that as long as people keep showing up. People are still showing up, but a bit more begrudgingly. Ticket prices are going up. If each adult ticket costs $12 and the kid tickets cost only a bit less, a family of five can easily drop $50 on tickets alone. Then you get to the concession stand and find that a bag of popcorn is $12, and nachos are $10, if not more. To lessen the impact on your wallet, look for matinee showings, especially if your kids are younger and don’t have a ton of experience sitting in front of a screen for two hours in public. Some movie chains offer rewards programs that can also soften the blow a bit.

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