My great grandchildren will be here for a week. They come all the way from Alaska for a month in Texas. The Odessa family is taking the to Carlsbad. The Austin family will take them to the coast. My daughter and I live on very limited incomes and our kids don't want or expect us to spend any money, but we would like to do somethings special that the kiddos will remember.
I have found a beautiful place to feed the ducks and the swans and I remember how much kids love that. I also thought of taking them to see the big horses at Owens Spring Creek Farm. Both of these are Free!!
We live in at Plano Rd. and Spring Valey in Richardson and they will be here June 30th. (terrible time for Alaskans to come to Texas! Good thing they are native Texans)
I appreciate any ideas you have.
Thanks and God bless
D.
WOW!! I am overwhelmed with the wonderful input from my Mamasourse friends. I think we will have a great time. Yes we do plan to spend time just being friends. I bot a new kiddie pool and have a bunch of new books. Thanks to all!
D.
Metroplex Moms always has a great calendar of things to do. We just went to a free junior fishing event yesterday in Carrollton-it was tons of fun and they provided the fishing equipment for free. Good Luck
http://www.metroplexbaby.com/Scoop.htm
The Dallas Museum of Art is free on Tuesdays and they have a great kids program in the morning. I think it starts at 10 or 10:30. We went once with my 2 1/2 yr old and it was great. They made hats, had dancing "class" and got to play in the kids area. I think a 6 yr old would like it even more b/c it is art!
Also the Nasher is free on the first Sat or Sun of the month (check their website). It's a great spot in the middle of down town that kids can run around, parents can admire the art.
The Galleria has free puppet shows on weekends I think at 11 - by the kids play area outside of Nordstorms - 3rd floor.
You may want to pick up a copy of Dallas Child - any kids store should have it. They always have a list of events for the month.
Oh - and most public libraries have story time for kids - you may want to check the website for the one closest to you. It may be too young for the 6 yr old if she/he likes to read maybe they can browse the books.
Hi D.,
I copied and pasted a newsletter I received of 25 Free (or Cheap)! Things to do this summer. Or you can go to the website to get the list http://www.momsoutloud.com/momsknow/highlight/id/25-free-... Just copy and paste into your browser. Hope this helps :) If it doesn't come out go to www.momsoutloud.com
K.
"The Garage Door Lady"
May 28, 2009
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D.,
I was just looking at the special events at the zoo and thought of you. It is not entirely free but $1 for the zoo sounds pretty good I thought:
HIP HIP HOORAY IT'S DOLLAR DAY! (July 2nd)
Admission is just $1 all day at your Dallas Zoo! Skip the parking and ride the DART Red Line directly to the Dallas Zoo station! (Parking $5)
Enjoy the time with your family whatever you do!
D.
There are so many wonderful parks in the area. Also there are a few fun swim places that are very cheep. Just north of you in Allen is the Don Radenbaugh Natatorium. Also Allen has a free out door water/splash park off of Angel. The spray park is closed on Wednesdays. http://www.cityofallen.org/departments/parks_recreation/p... You could picnic at the park and let the kids play on the playground. Many parents of little children wear bathing suits or clothes they don't mind getting wet and will play with their kids too. There are bathrooms to change in also.
The city of Frisco has a pool too. It's prices are slightly higher than the pool in Allen. http://www.friscofun.org/aquatic/Pages/AdmissionFees.aspx
Kids also like board games and just to play. Have you ever been to Frisco Resale? It is located off of Main in Frisco. The resale shop has many items and some board games. All of the money spent at the resale shop is used to feed the hungry in frisco and run charity programs for the people. So not only can you get some inexpensive items, I bought my dining room table for $50 there, but you help to feed the hungry.
I second the suggestion for the library. The storytimes are wonderful, and the Bookmarks children's library branch at NorthPark Mall has fun furniture, computers, and some absolutely amazing activities if you get there on the right day. My daughter has done Kindermusik, a Kabuki play, and seen The Critterman there. They have weekly activities for children of all ages, but the Saturday special events are wonderful. Here's a link to the Saturday schedule: http://dallaslibrary.org/bookmarks.php
Hope this helps.
There is an awesome park just one block north of the Owens farm. Also the Spring Creek forest preserve is close to you, off of Holford road between Arapaho Rd. and George Bush. Wear old clothes and go down into the creek to collect fossils. Kids love it! My kids love to go to their grandmother's and play dominoes, work puzzles and play board games. Sometimes they bake cookies. Enjoy their visit!
I can't think of anything free, but do know of some low cost things to do. The Dallas Aboretum (www.dallasaboretum.org)at White Rock lake is fun for both kids and adults. Fair Park is free to get in, but the museums do have an entry fee. The museum of nature and science (used to be the Science Place www.natureandscience.org) is tons of fun for kids that age. The Harbor in Rockwall on lake Ray Hubbard has a spray park and places to play and picnic on the lake - and it's free!
look in the dallas morning news guide section. there should be a listing of "free" or nominal fee stuff for your great grand children. the public library might have a reading time... good luck:)
I recommend some Texas culture for those Alaska kids, like going to the Fort Worth Stockyards, or South Fork Ranch. Fair Park and the National Aquarium are good, but do cost a little bit. You can spend time on the DART rail or TRE too.
Check with guidelive.com and they list activities and events, not all are free, but some are free or low cost. One of my boy's favorite thing to do is to ride the DART train to downtown Dallas. I think it cost like $1 to $3 to ride all day. We stop at CityPlace and ride the three story escalators and the elevators that go sideways. Also stop at the Plaza of the Americas (first stop after Mockingbird Station). They have big glass elevators that go up over an ice rink with prisms that make rainbows. Also they have sky bridges that you can walk over the streets. They have not reopened it yet, but the Reunion Tower is really cool also and usually is low cost. The only cost is the train itself, but that would be cheaper than driving your car and paying to park.
Most all of the big malls have some kind of soft playground that kids enjoy. Stonebriar Mall in Frisco also has a Merry-Go-Round that is cheap to ride.
If they like trains, there is The Train Store at LBJ and Skillman. They have lots of Brio and Thomas trains to play with and electric trains running all over the store.
Go to the Plano or Dallas city websites and look under recreation to see where the Spray Parks are. I know there is one or two in Dallas near Lake Highlands. They will love these. Not a pool, but water shooting up out of the ground to play in. Since they are public, they are usually free or only like a dollar.
Also check out the Public Library. They usually have storytimes and other activities for kids that are FREE.
At that age, they will mostly enjoy spending time with you. Buy a cheap water sprinkler and let them play in the backyard. Have some sidewalk chalk and bubbles to play with. If they have been going non-stop with the other families, they may enjoy some lazy summer days at home.
Sounds like you have a lot of great ideas from the other moms so I will go a different direction. If the other families are running the kids around on site seeing trips, they may prefer to make some cozy memories with your grandkids. Simple things like baking cookies, making ice cream (in a baggie if you don't have a machine), helping you garden, water gun/water balloon fight, going to the SnoCone stand. Plus I have a feeling you could slip in some education in their and the kids will be impressed if it's in context with something they are doing.
A lot of times moms are too busy to cook WITH the kids or let them get messy/wet. That would be another way to make visiting you special. Restful doesn't have to be boring.
Any kind of park is fabulous, but if you can find one with a spray park connected, they will LOVE it! Allen's Celebration Park is fun and there is a large playground attached to it aswell. Free to the public (don'tgo Wed's, it's upkeep day).
Owen's Creek used to be free, but I know for a fact that they charge $3 per child without the hayride and $2 more if you want to take the hay ride. Seems like 2 and under or maybe under 2 are free though...
HTH-
