It's 11am, and so far, I've been told five times by my 6yr old, about how bored she is!
Is this what summer's going to sound like, for the next couple of months?
With that said, there's things to do with the kids that can fill those days, when money's tight and there's so much of the "PHEWM! PHEWM!" you can take, from the laser guns on those video games!
For one, there's Oaks Park. Through September 26th, you can get in on their
Chipper's Preschool Rides that take place Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30am to 11:30. It's just $6.50 a kiddo, and the parents are free. (Keep in mind that the 7yrs and up set, will have to pay.)
Also in the area, is
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, located behind the Westmoreland Golf Course on SE 28th and Woodstock. Just in case you are like me (and end up getting turned around, because you got side-tracked with things like "oh look! There's Reed College!" and "WOW! Look at these beautiful homes!", I recommend you printing out a little map. (I kept running circles around the golf course for a half hour, before I figured it out!) Tuesdays and Wednesdays are free. There's little footbridges, fountains, flora and fauna, and serene nature sounds. And now is the perfect time to go, because they have goslings and ducklings walking the grounds now!
On those days that it's raining, may I suggest heading on over to your local
Michaels or
Craft Warehouse store, after you get done printing out the coupons from their website. (Click on Michaels' 'Our Weekly Ad', where you'll see what's available!) When you apply that coupon towards your regular-priced items, you can save A BUNCH! (Picture it! Martha Stewart paper punches, glitter and goodness knows what else! I see an all-day kind of rainy-day project to keep the kids busy!) Also, Craft Warehouse, offers a
calendar of fun events worth checking out!
When it stops raining, you might want to show the kids
Leach Botanical Garden, which is situated a little bit off from 122nd and Foster in Portland. It is a 4.5 acre botanical garden, which is set in the shade of towering trees, with Johnson Creek trickling through at the bottom. There, your kids can see the different kinds of plants that grow-- along with the insect life, which includes snails-- something I've never seen in person before! Parking is across the street, and they have some low-cost classes that the kids can enjoy, such as $2 Honeybee Hikes (which is scheduled on July 4th as well-- perfect for those who just want to get the kids out for a little while, so you don't have to hear "is it dark yet? Huh? Huh? Can we light the sparklers yet?") But check them out!
On the second Tuesday of every month, the
Oregon Zoo's admission is just
$4 a person! This comes in really handy in the summer, when there's a lot of "but can so-in-so and that other kid down the street come too" during the summer!
Then, there's farmer's markets. (We tried the Portland
Portland Saturday one, a few weeks ago, and after 20mins. of trying to find a place to park, and pedestrians shouting that we were going the wrong way (when we made a wrong turn), my stressed-out husband said "DONE" and went right back across that Burnside Bridge, lol!) But these are fun local walk-through's because it introduces your kids to the local merchants, and that yes-- retail also exists outside of the mall. Depending on your budget, there's lots of things to check out-- and possible freebies, with balloons that insurance booths pass out, books that local private school booths may hand out, etc. Look and see what's going on with your local ones this summer!
Lots of fun things are in store-- you just have to look for them!
