The Zoo Again????

I don't know about y'all, but I prefer to have memberships to places like the children's museum, zoo, etc.  You pay one time and have unlimited access for the rest of the year. Pack a lunch and you're gold for the rest of the day. Or not....  Let's face it, we can only go to these places so many times before our kids can predict what is coming around the next bend.  As much as we'd like to see new and improved updates, we don't want to see our membership dues go up, so it is up to us to make the trip interesting and exciting.  So how do we do that?

Make a scavenger hunt!  It can be as simple or complex as your kids and you want it.  Here are a few themes:

• Color's:  each child is assigned a color
• ABC:  find something that begins with an A (apple tree), then a B (book), then a C (cone)
• List: Make a list of specific things they have to find
• Question:  Write specific questions that they have to find the answers to (hint look at the plaques)
• Flowers/Trees/Plants
• Animals
• The list is endless depending on where you are going, your kids ages, and how much effort you want to put into it.  HINT:  Decide how the kids will keep track of their findings, if it's on paper they will need something to write with, paper, and possible something to write on; if it's electronically bring extra batteries.  Also for younger kids I would post a picture of what they are looking for as well as the written word.

The above scavenger hunt ideas will work in your neighborhood, a mall, some car trips, and more.  But if a scavenger hunt is not your thing, try these ideas:

For younger kids decide to write a family story about your day.  Pass out cameras to your kids and make them responsible for taking pictures of their favorite things.  Print the pictures and let the kids write about the pictures (or have them dictate to you and you write the story), bind them into a book and your kids have a special keepsake that they can review whenever they want.

Start a family blog that has limited access to family and friends only.  Post all of the interesting things you see on these trips, silliness the kids make and do, and more.  More often people are moving away from home and really miss seeing these things, so it's a great way to keep family in touch for free.  DISCLAIMER:  If you are allowing your child to make this family blog independently have a strong conversation about internet safety and what is or is not allowed.

Walk through and make a verbal story with your kids.  You can start it, and as you all see different things the kids can add on to it.  These stories can be recorded to listen to and laugh over at a later time as well.

Give younger kids some paper, crayons, and a clipboard.  Have them draw pictures of some of the things they see.  The pictures won't be picture perfect, but they will be astounding.