Can You Take a Young Child Fishing and Hiking?

Posted on June 6, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Our 2½ year-old grandson has been visiting us.

We’ve had so much fun together…reading, crafting and cooking using the suggestions from my book, of course!

But one of the best activities during the last few days was when we went to Eleven Mile Canyon near Lake George, Colorado.

My husband is an avid fly-fisherman…and wanted to give Jeremy his first fishing experience. Armed with a scaled down size spinning rod and reel, Jeremy was put in the competent hands of his grandfather. What an awesome time they had together. Jeremy was excited about everything…except for the worms which wiggled too much!

When Jeremy was ready for a break…so that his mom and dad could have a chance to wet the line…he was more than happy to sit on the grass and make dry grass bouquets.

The outdoors is an amazing place for children. With a little preparation and care (hat and sunscreen, water to stay hydrated, etc.) they can have a wonderful time while learning how to preserve and protect our precious planet.

For those of you who are local to Colorado Springs, please don’t forget about a great FREE event this coming Saturday…Rocky Mountain PBS Kids Fun Fest at Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs from 10am to 2pm. There will be entertainment and so many activities for children. Please stop by the Show Me How! table and say hello! If you bring your kids, they can craft a Clifford the Big Red Dog or Curious George paper plate.

Free Summer Fun for Families

Posted on June 3, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image by Alaskan Dude via Flickr

$50…the cost to fill up my little Hyundai Elantra!

$42…the cost to take a family of four out to popcorn and a movie!

$207…the cost to take a family of four to a Six Flags Amusement Park…and that doesn’t include any food or drinks!

$208…the cost to take a family of four to a Red Sox baseball game…that is just for the cheapest seats and again, no food or drinks!

How about some ideas for Free Summer Fun for your family?

1. Check out your local paper, either the print copy or online…most have a “GO” section where special events are listed…many of them are free like concerts in the park. Here in Colorado Springs, we have a great FREE event coming up on June 11 from 10am to 2pm in Acacia Park sponsored by PBS. The PBS Fun Fest will feature Clifford the Big Red Dog and Curious George plus lots of entertainment and many booths that will offer a variety of crafts and activities for children. I’LL BE THERE…CRAFTING WITH KIDS AND HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME! If you are local to Colorado Springs, please stop by and say hello!

2. Check out your local library. Most libraries offer many programs, presentations and activities for children…and they are almost always FREE! A library card is one of the most precious gifts you can give to your children…another FREEBIE!!!

3. Check out one of our fabulous National Parks…there are several days during the year when admission is FREE…the first day of summer, June 21, is one of those. A fellow blogger has some great info in her a recent post.

How do you stay within your budget during the summer while still providing fun-filled activities for your family? Please share…your ideas might be just perfect for another family.

The next few weeks will be pretty hectic for me. My daughter, son-in-law and grandson arrive today from New Hampshire and will be spending several days with us. So far our plans include teaching our 2½ year-old grandson how to fish, spending a day at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and hiking in Garden of the Gods. I’ll be sure to post some photos.

Then on June 11, I’ll be crafting at the PBS Kids Fun Fest at Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs.

And, on June 18^th from 11am to 1pm, I’ll be crafting with kids at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument, CO as part of a FREE town-wide festival for children called Summer Soul-Stice.

Still wishing you had some great activities that are easy, inexpensive and fun to do with your kids. Please go to my website where you can buy a copy of my book at 50% off the cover price during the JUMP INTO SUMMER SPECIAL.

Are Children Putting a Strain on Your Marriage?

Posted on May 29, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

A recent study of couples found that 90% were less happy with their marriage once they became parents.

90%…THAT IS REALLY SCARY!

Here are some of the possible reasons for the lack of satisfaction in these marriages.

Lack of sleep
Fragmented attention
Strained finances
Disagreement over how to raise the children
Any or all of the above

What can couples do to reverse this trend?

1. Spend time together…just the two of you…to keep the romance alive. It can be a walk in the park, a night out or just a quick lunch while the kids are in school.

2. Spend time alone…to remember who you are…you are not just a mom or dad or husband or wife. Go for a solitary walk, take a relaxing bubble bath when no one else is home or sign up for an adult education class that meets once a week.

3. Spend time touching each other…and I’m not talking about sexual foreplay…as enjoyable as that may be. 🙂 It is so important to reach out and express your love by holding hands, remembering to give a loving caress on head or cheek as you pass by and making eye contact…your eyes are the windows of your soul.

Paying attention to these three things will go a long way towards keeping the flame alive and the relationship fresh.

There will be an added benefit as well…children tend to model themselves after their parents. Parents who are loving and respectful of each other are great role models for their children.

Is the question of how to fill all those summer hours of children home and nothing to do also putting a strain on you? Head over to my website and purchase a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking, NOW ON SALE FOR 50% OFF THE COVER PRICE. Filled with 100’s of simple inexpensive craft projects, cooking activities and picture book story suggestions and summaries, this award-winning book for parents and teachers does all the planning for you and will keep you and your kids busy and happy all summer long and beyond!