Here's What I Found

Need something fun to do this weekend with your kids? Lowes is having another Build & Grow Clinic - FREE of course. It's a classic toy that we all grew up with! Bring your child in this week and they can build this cool Kaleidoscope!  March 27 from 10-11. Click here to sign up. Each child receives a free apron and a patch from each clinic that you can sew on their apron.

I think that most everyone who has ever been to a mall knows that kids get tired of shopping.  That's why some genius began creating playgrounds in the middle of the mall where kids and parents can regroup.  The Lexington Fayette Mall has a kids area that is enclosed with only one entrance - making it easy to feel more secure.   There is a place for the kids to take off their shoes and padded benches around the entire fenced in area for the parents to relax while the kids play.  There are several 'baby themed' toys for the kids to climb on and through (a spilled bottle of milk, big alphabet blocks, teddy bear and rubber duck).  About once a month, when we go to the mall to pick up all my free stuff I've collected, this is a standard highlight. Do you have pictures of any of the mall playgrounds available near you?  I'd love to see what your mall playgrounds look like!  These make for great places for the kids to recharge their batteries...

Update: I took the kids to the gym yesterday and had the whole place to ourselves. We played soccer, ran relay races and I got to walk a few laps - all for FREE! If you are like me, sometimes you just want a place where the kids can just run wild and get out energy! But it's really hard in the cold days of February to find a spot like that. The library is great but you have to keep them halfway quiet. If you live in the Danville area - you are in luck! The Salvation Army has a full size gym where you can come and play - for FREE. Salvation Army 519 South 4th Street Danville, KY 40422-2124 (859) 236-4473 Get directions They offer open gym hours: Monday - Friday from 9:00-11:30 am and 1:00-4:30 pm. No need to make a reservation. No fee to pay. There were many times that I would let the kids run like crazy and bounce balls while a friend and I walked laps around the gym. (There are a few days that they may have a special program that bumps the free open gym.) Happy ...

This is something we've participated in for almost 7 years. (Sometimes we go more regularly than others.) The Danville Boyle County Library offers free story time every Tuesday and Wednesday. Ms. Libby is a great children's librarian! The kids get to listen to stories, sing songs, play with puppets and always make a craft! Here's the current schedule: Tuesday : 10:30~Toddlers 11:30~Pre-School Wednesday : 10:30~Pre-School Most all libraries offer this wonderful free resource. It's a great place to take the kids and it is of course FREE!

Our local library just did a huge remodel and it is awesome! After almost a month without a library while they were moving back in, we got to go visit our new facility today! Here's how we saved money just by going to our local library! We have been curious about several music groups. So instead of buying them for $15 each - we checked out 3 new release cds. Money saved $45! I needed a new book to read so I checked out 2 books for me instead of buying a book at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Money saved - I have no idea because I haven't bought a brand new book in ages. The kids each checked out a DVD - money saved - at least $1 each if we went to Redbox, way more if we bought a brand new movie at Walmart. The kids each checked out 2 books. Money saved - I know new books cost several dollars at least at Walmart so .... you do the math here. My husband loves to listen to audio books in the car while he commutes to work. So he picked up a new audio book. These things a...

We went to the Lowes Build and Grow Gingerbread House Activity today! It was a great free activity for the kids. They were able to build the gingerbread house, plus they received the free Lowes apron, goggles and a badge for the event that I can attach to their apron. All for the great price of FREE! Next week, Dec 12, they can build a Christmas ornament. So guess where my kids want to be next Saturday? At Lowes, of course! Here's a link to sign up for next Saturday's free clinic. I signed up all 3 of my kids even though my youngest is only 2 1/2. He wasn't interested in building the house today but we were able to bring the kit home so he can build it later. The Lowes clinician said if the parents are willing to help the kids, he didn't care about the age.

There is no school today for my son.... and there's supposed to be sunshine and 60 degrees! What does that mean? It means a day at the playground! Here are some of the places I know of that are cool! Do you have a great park you like to visit? I'd love to post your favorite places to play. If there is any interest, I may try to expand this section of the blog to include pictures of the playgrounds with directions from mapquest. I love getting my kids out and letting them really be kids! The best thing about local parks? They're FREE and they get us moving! But where are the coolest local playgrounds? Kentucky Stanford, KY: Logan-Hubble Memorial Park (about 1 mile north of Stanford and a mile or so off the main road out in the country). A great modern colorful playground, swings, a small toddler playground off to the side - Large lake for fishing, tons of picnic pavilions and tables, and a bonus - there is an authentic seesaw, merry-go-round and bouncer! (These play pie...

If you are close to Frankfort KY, here is a great FREE place for the family! Salato Wildlife Center ! This is a great place to see KY live wildlife up close (bear, deer, elk, buffalo, wildcat, eagle, fish.......) plus an in side museum with lots of interactive exhibits. We've visited Salato many times over the past 6 years and had a great time there again today. They are open Tuesdays - Saturdays.

In case you haven't noticed the trend for today's post..... here's a breakdown. I now have a section on the blog called Free Entertainment . The requirements for this category - it has to be FREE and it has to be an activity to do. I have listed 3 things already but would love to find more free things to do. If you know of certain days that museums, parks or venues are offering free admission, I'd welcome the information to post for the rest of the readers. Thanks for your help.

Looking for free entertainment ideas in your area? Check out this website. You can enter your state and city to see what museums or historical landmarks offer free tours etc.... http://www.free-attractions.com/

When I was in college I took flying lessons (I got 3 total hours in my logbook! - not much I'll admit, but enough to fall in love with flying). Today I found this! Any child between the ages of 8-17 can get a free airplane flight to introduce them to the world of flying! How cool is that. It's called the Young Eagles Program. Most flights last between 15-20 minutes and includes special time with the volunteer pilot who will answer questions. You will also receive a signed certificate at the end. Click here to find out if there is a local chapter . Here is the link to the Young Eagles website .