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Things to do in Minnesota

4 In Memories/ Minnesota/ Motherhood/ Things to do in Minnesota

Spend a fun-filled day with kids in Jordan, Minnesota (just outside the Twin Cities)

I love exploring the unique places that each state has to offer. Recently, we had an amazing time in Duluth. I’ve also written about the great things to do in Lakeville. Of course, nearly everyone knows about Mall of America. However, one place I’d never heard of until I moved to Minnesota, was the quaint town of Jordan. Jordan is only about 30 minutes west of the Twin Cities.

I’d heard there was a giant candy store in this town, but did some research to see what else there was to do. I was surprised to find some really unique things for families.

Start your day with a visit to the American Ninja Warrior Grassman Park.

Address: 1132 Stonebridge Path, Jordan, MN 55352

It’s a FREE and FANTASTIC place to go and get some FUN exercise.

There are two obstacle courses – one for younger children, and another for older children. There are timers on both courses. Your kids can push the button to start a timer, run the course, and push another button to end the timer. Children and adults of all ages can have fun (and burn lots of energy) at this park!

Next, stop by Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store!

Address: 20430 Johnson Memorial Drive, Jordan, MN 55352

Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store has so much more than candy. You will also find fresh pie, savory snacks, bottles of pop, and puzzles. It’s sensory overload, but absolutely worth a visit.

You may want to set the expectation for your kids (and maybe yourself) about what they can spend BEFORE you enter the store. The candy is on the pricey side. It’s easy to drop LOTS of money here!! I told my boys they could spend $5 each – so they had to get creative and pool their money to get the candy they wanted.

BRING CASH or a checkbook! They do not accept credit cards.

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After having fun at the candy store, burn some of that sugar high off at the nearby Lagoon Park.

Address: 300 Park Dr. Jordan, MN 55352

This park has shaded picnic tables, a playground, a splash pad and even a beach. Across the street is a beautiful waterfall. The best part – it’s all free!

We brought and ate a picnic lunch, then played at the fantastic park for the rest of the afternoon.

Lagoon Park
Jordan

If you are considering a visit to Jordan, here is what I’d recommend you bring:

  • Cash for the candy store
  • Water shoes, a towel, and a swimsuit for Lagoon Park
  • A picnic lunch
  • Sunblock or bug spray
  • Beach toys (optional)

Is there another unique town in Minnesota that we should visit? Leave me a comment!

Here’s a video of Clark (age 10) trying the American Ninja Warrior Course:

Here’s a video of my 6 year old trying the course:

Here’s a peek into another awesome thing to do in the Twin Cities – The Como Zoo!

Here’s a peek into our day at the Mill City Museum.

Here’s my Minnesota Bucket List.

Here’s a peek into the multi-million dollar Minneapolis Mansion!

Here’s a peek inside the magnificent Minnesota Arboretum!

3 In 2020/ Family/ Food/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Motherhood/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys/ Review/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

A Perfect Weekend in Duluth

It was Ted’s Birthday weekend and we wanted to get out of the Twin Cities and do something fun. A visit to Duluth had been on our Minnesota Bucket List for two years – so we booked a place to stay and invited some friends to join us for the weekend up north. (Bonus, our friends used to LIVE THERE – so they knew all the best spots to visit!!)

We arrived in Duluth on Friday around noon and started the weekend in Canal Park. We walked through a few of the quaint shops and got to the end to see the massive lift bridge. Every 30 minutes, the bridge lifts to let boats come into the Harbour from Lake Superior. You can click here to find the ship schedule.


We ate lunch at Grandma’s Restaurant because:

  1. People recommended it and
  2. It’s next to the lift bridge
Notes on Grandma's Restaurant: I didn't love the indoor 'vibe' of this restaurant, but getting a seat by a window or on the upstairs patio makes it nice! The food was pretty good, but not amazing. The reason to go here - LOCATION! I'd only go back if I had an outdoor table that overlooks the bridge. 
Lunch at Grandma’s Restaurant

After lunch we ordered ice cream to share from an old caboose that is now an ice cream shop.

Then we walked to the lighthouse at the end of the loooong pier. My boys were amazed that Superior is really a lake and not an ocean.

We walked back to our hotel to check in, then watched the trucks and tractors working behind the hotel – setting huge boulders in place and creating a large walkway along the lake. Each semi could only hold three boulders. After we watched them work for awhile, we drove to Park Point Beach, which is about an eight minute drive from Canal Park. The drive takes you across the lift bridge – which was fun, and the drive to the beach is nice because you get to enjoy viewing a wide range of homes along the lakefront.

When we arrived at Park Point Beach, we stood to observe the powerful lake and unique beach – full of soft sand and huge, heavy logs that had washed onto the shore. The lake is always VERY cold and since it was late in the day, we weren’t planning to swim. However, the chilly air, the cold water, and lack of swimsuits, did not stop the kids. They were playing in the waves within minutes of our arrival.


After time at Park Point, we went back to the hotel to dry off and change, then walked to dinner at Canal Street Brewery. The restaurant has a great vibe, and huge windows overlooking the lake. Ted ordered a salmon salad and I had a grilled chicken sandwich with brie and asparagus. The boys ate burgers. We all enjoyed our meals and would definitely go back.

After dinner, we let the kids swim in the hotel pool, then we enjoyed s’mores on the hotel’s back patio.

We’d been watching the weather for several days preceding our trip, and the forecast showed rain and lightning all weekend. Clark asked if we could pray and ask God for nice weather so that we could explore outdoors. Thankfully, Friday was nice! It was warm during the day and just a little chilly at night. After getting into bed Friday night, it rained and thundered all night – but the storms were over by morning! Saturday’s weather was perfect for exploring.

We started the day with breakfast in the hotel, then drove about 45 minutes north along Lake Superior to Gooseberry Falls State Park.

Gooseberry Falls was SPECTACULAR!

It was one of the most amazing ‘playgrounds’ we’ve ever explored. There are so many trails to hike, but we spent hours just playing in the water. 

Gooseberry Falls Tips:

  • Wear water shoes! (See recommendations below) The falls are wet and rocky and you’ll want to get in the water and explore. Click here to see a great pair I found for my husband for only $15.
  • Wear comfy clothes that you don’t mind getting wet.
  • There are two large parking lots – if one is full, there is one just beside it. Both were nearly full when we left, but it didn’t feel overly crowded because the State Park is SO large!
  • If you are bringing children, I recommend following the trail to the LOWER FALLS. We started at the UPPER falls and found it was DANGEROUS for young, curious children. Our kids wanted to get really close to the edge of the falls, and could have easily fallen over. There is nothing to stop them. In fact, the day we were there, two children fell over the falls and had to be life flighted out. At the time of this post, all I know is that they are injured, but still alive.
  • Pack some snacks and a water bottle – All the hiking and water play will make you hungry!
  • 20-30 minutes before you leave, call to make a reservation at the world famous Betty’s Pies. We tried to eat there, but there was too long of a wait. They told us we could call in advance to save our place in line.


We happened to see a sign that said Grand Superior Grille as we were leaving the falls, and stopped here for lunch. The restaurant has sweeping views of the lake, and a well-priced menu. We practically had the place to ourselves and couldn’t believe more people weren’t there. The food and environment were fantastic. George said this was his favorite restaurant we went to all weekend because of the nice environment and good food.

Behind the restaurant is a phenomenal rocky coast.

Skipping rocks


Next, we drove to Brighton Beach but only stayed for a few minutes because it was way too packed. As an alternative, we went to Lester Park. It’s not a beach, but has trails to hike, a playground, and the best part – a beautiful creek to play in. The kids absolutely loved it and could have stayed and played in the creek for HOURS!

Lester Park Tips:

  • For a calm place to play, use the creek to the left of the playground.
  • The first creek you see (close to the parking lot) is usually filled with teenagers. Walking a little farther in, is a much better place for kids to explore.

We talked them into leaving by promising ice cream. I was hoping to go to the historic Portland’s Malt Shop, but we drove by and saw a super long line, so we went back to our hotel and walked to Dairy Queen. While we ate our ice cream, we walked back to the Lift Bridge. The boys enjoyed chasing pigeons and sea gulls, and climbing on the rocks along the coast. 

For dinner we ordered pizzas and salads from Vitta Pizza.

Notes on Vitta: Their food is fantastic! I shared an amazing salad with Ted and a couple different pizzas (both SO good). The kids loved the pizza too! I sat inside the restaurant while waiting for our food, and wouldn't recommend eating inside.  It's crowded and the seats are uncomfortable. However, the food is perfect for take out.  (Rating 5/5)

While the dads took the kids swimming, my friend Mary and I got to enjoy a little quiet time to catch our breath and chat. After dinner, the mamas took the kiddos to bed, and Ted went out with Mary’s husband to rent electric scooters and enjoy some guy time.

The weather was amazing ALL day and I’m so thankful! We got to pack in SO much fun!

Sunday morning we went to a quaint coffee shop called Perk Place. I had the most delicious latte called ‘Honey Bear.’ It’s made with a little cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. We drove around the Congdon area to see some of the historic, ornate mansions. We also drove through the downtown area and saw the famous Duluth Trading Company.

Did you know that Duluth once had most millionaires per capita than any other US city? People gained their wealth from the Iron Mining and logging industry.

Our next stop was the GORGEOUS Enger Park. This park has:

  • A Japanese Garden with a large bell you can ring,
  • Many paths to explore and rocks to climb
  • An incredible view of Duluth, the harbor, lift bridge and Lake Superior
  • A tower with nearly 100 steps and about 5 levels. There are 360 degree views on each level

After exploring the park, we headed home with happy hearts. It was an incredible weekend, full of fun adventures with good friends.

I’m thrilled that I finally got to see Duluth. There is so much history and beauty in that city – hills and large rocks, cool buildings and restaurants, falls and creeks, and of course, Lake Superior. 

Here are a few things we missed this trip, but hope to see and do during our next visit:

Where to go:

Where to Eat:

Did I miss something? Leave a comment and let me know your Duluth favorites!

I had a hard time finding water shoes in a store before we left, but I found these cool ones online for a great price!

Click here to read my Minnesota Bucket List!

Click here to read: 20 gifts that Minnesota Gave the World!

Click here to read 15 fun facts about Minnesota!

2 In 2020/ Games/ Inspiration/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

3 Fun Backyard Games to Play with Family and Friends

Are your kids saying “I’m Bored?” 

Are you needing to ‘de-stress’ a little? 

Here’s an idea for you: Take your kids to the backyard and play a GAME together.

Playing with your kids lowers your stress level and strengthens the bond with your kids!

Here are 3 games to play:

  1. Select one person to be Mr. or Mrs. Fox. This person will stand with his or her back to the rest of the players.
  2. All other players line up on the other side of the yard/field. The players take turns asking Mr. Fox what time it is. The fox will then respond with a time, such as 3 o’clock. The players must then take the same number of steps forward (in this case, 3 steps). These steps may be as large or small as the players wish, no matter how close they get to the fox.
  3. Whenever the fox decides, she or he may yell in response to the question, “It’s LUNCHTIME!” When this happens, the fox will turn around and begin chasing the players with the intent of tagging one.
  4. The players should run back to the starting line where they are safe. Once the fox tags someone, that person becomes Mr. or Mrs. Fox.

Optional Twist: Similar to Sharks and Minnows, after each round, the person who gets tagged JOINS the first Mr. Fox. The number of foxes chasing players increases until there are no longer any players. Then it’s time to start the game with a new fox!

See my kids playing in the video below!

Thanks for the game idea Homefront Magazine.

  1. Two teams line up opposite each other.
  2. The first team agrees to call one player from the opposite team, and chants, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send (player’s name) on over!”
  3. The person called runs to the other line and attempts to break the chain (formed by the linking of hands).
  4. If the person called fails to break the chain, this player joins the team that called Red Rover. But, if the player successfully breaks the chain, he may capture either of the two players whose link was broken by the dash, and bring them back to his original team.
  5. Teams take turns calling out Red Rover and challenging a player on the opposing team.

Alternately – if they break the chain, they join hands with that line. We played this version in the video below.

  1. “It” holds the ball and all the other players circle around him. 
  2. “It” then throws the ball straight up in the air while calling out a name. 
  3. While the player is catching the ball, all other players scatter and get as far away as they can from the person catching the ball. 
  4. The player whose name was called must catch the ball and yell “SPUD!” 
  5. The players who are running away must then stop in their tracks when they hear the word SPUD.
  6. The player with the ball takes 3 steps in the direction of any person, then tries to throw the ball and hit one of the other players. 
  7. If the player hits someone, then that player he hits becomes “It,” if he misses, he is “It.”

Variations: 

  • If a player who’s name was called catches the ball without letting it bounce, they can then throw the ball in the air and call another name. Then that player must run back and try and catch the ball. 
  • If the person takes 3 steps and misses someone, they can take 4 more steps and try and hit another player.  

Here’s a video of all three games. Stay tunes for some silly scenes at the end!

Click here to see 55 activities to do with your kids in quarantine!

5 In 2020/ Family/ Free stuff/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado/ Things to do in Minnesota

Summer Fun Unleashed: Beat Boredom with These 55 Kid-Approved Activities!

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🌞☀️ Summer Fun Alert! 🌞☀️ Are you ready to banish those dreaded words, “I’m bored,” from your kids’ vocabulary this summer? 🎉 I’ve put together the ultimate list of activities guaranteed to keep young minds engaged, bodies moving, and creativity flowing all season long! From outdoor adventures to indoor escapades, there’s something for every kid to enjoy. Let’s dive in and make this summer the most memorable one yet! 🚀

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Note: I put this list together during the 2020 lock down and it came in handy when my son and got Covid and had to spend two weeks in quarantine. When we were finally ‘free” he said:

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“Mom, I’m sad that quarantine is done. We made so many memories.”

Luke, age 7

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Thankfully, the lockdown is long gone, but this list remains incredibly useful for those moments when boredom strikes and you’re in need of some inspiration! Plus, it’s an added bonus that you’ll make ‘so many memories’ along the way!!

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1. Draw a Picture and/or write a letter

Paul

Set out Pencils, markers, water color, or crayons and blank paper or coloring books.

Draw pictures and write letters to family and friends!

Click here to purchase a “How to Draw” book on Amazon.

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2. Read a book

  • Go to the library and allow your kids to explore!
  • Find books that will pique your child’s curiosity.
  • Most early readers (and pre-readers) enjoy comic-strip style books. 
  • Set a timer so your kids know that it’s “reading time.”
  • Ask an older child to read to a younger child  – or –
  • Read a few pages of a chapter book to your kids. The “Who Was” series is great!
  • My 12 year old son and I recently finished Front Desk and he LOVED it and kept asking me to read more.
  • We read Little House on the Prairie in 2020 and laughed at how similar the “little house life” and “quarantine life” are!

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3. Tell/ write a story

  • My fourth grade teacher once gave us the title “The Entire City Lends a Hand” and had the class each write their own story. Read a rendition of that here.
  • Give your kids a title and let them write! 
  • Title ideas: The first day of school! Best Vacation Ever, If I were President, Undersea Adventure, You Won’t Believe what Happened! 

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4. Make a book

Buy blank books from amazon or use a notebook you have on hand.

Have your kids write a little each day about what they are doing during the summer. (It will be interesting to look back on these journals in the future!)

Another option: Have your kids write 1 thing they are grateful for each day. 

Be sure to have them add the date and their name.

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5. Start a Gratitude Journal

Thinking about our blessings and what we are grateful for is extremely helpful in building resiliency! I researched journals a few months ago and decided to purchase this simple one for George. I’ve loved watching him open this up (without prompting), and write what he’s grateful for!

Research suggests that keeping a gratitude journal can boost your health and happiness.

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6. HOME EC – Cook together 

Making pancakes with Paul
cook
George making his favorite treat!
  • My boys love helping make any type of dessert. But they are also good “sous” chefs – peeling potatoes and carrots, etc.
  • Teaching kids how to cook builds confidence in them and is a huge help once they know what to do.
  • Here is an easy recipe for – Personal Pizzas

Here’s a post about the benefits of cooking together

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7. Balloon games

  • It’s crazy how much joy a simple balloon can bring.
  • Blow up balloons and work together to keep them from touching the ground.
  • Use a string/rope/crepe paper across the living room and play “tennis” or “volleyball.”
  • Use a tennis racket outside with a balloon.
  • My son’s love this balloon rocket from amazon!

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8. Go Park Hopping!

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9. Clean together

My sister’s daughters (ages 4 and 7) – She says the girls enjoy the tactile nature of finding the clips, reading them, and then putting them in the container when completed.
  • There are so many benefits to giving your kids household chores and teaching them to clean! 
  • Some bigger things we are working on together – the basement, baseboards, and cleaning our cars.
  • Smaller things the kids can do – a junk drawer, the pantry, baseboards, wiping lower cabinets, all door handles, appliance handles, pulling weeds, folding and putting away laundry, bathroom, bedroom, their closet, and loading/unloading dishwasher.
  • I offered my kids a quarter to whoever could wipe down the baseboards and bring me back the dirtiest wet wipe.

Click here for a “chore chart” idea!

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10. Dino Dig

My boys love uncovering a treasure, your kid will too!

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11. Make some homemade gifts

Friendship bracelets are back! (Thank you T.Swift)

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12. Play Hide and Seek

Take turns hiding – or – Hide a stuffed animal. Say “hotter/colder” when they are getting closer or further.

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13. Play bean bag games

  • Toss back and forth
  • Toss in buckets, pans, or boxes
  • Play “keep away!”
  • For bean bag toddler games, CLICK HERE.

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14. Scavenger hunt

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15. Puzzles

  • Do a Puzzle together
  • Puzzle races: 1. Time your kids and see how fast they can put a small puzzle together. 2. If you have two 50-100 piece puzzles, race to see who can put them together faster.
  • Optional Money-saving tip: Trade puzzles with your neighbors or buy some used ones! Dollar store sells some too!
  • Get a new puzzle from Amazon, or trade with friends.

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16. Paint by Sticker

This sticker book has over 5000 5-star reviews! I got this for my son for Christmas and I see why it has so many positive reviews. We love it! The pictures turn out so pretty you could frame them!

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17. Sidewalk chalk

  • Lay down and trace each other – then decorate with clothes, faces, etc.
  • Write a verse or word of encouragement for passers-by
  • Use tape and color in the spaces like stained glass (pictured above)
  • Color rocks around your house

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18. Create an Indoor or outdoor Obstacle course

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19. Have a Spa Day!

Facials, paint nails, do hair, etc.

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20. Spot It

This is a fun game for kids ages 4 and up!

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21. Don’t Eat Pete Game

Click here for instructions

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22. Play games with a Jump Rope

  • Do competitions to see who can go the longest without tripping. It’s great exercize and FUN!
  • I definitely recommend you purchase the segmented jump ropes (pictured above). We bought several so we could all jump rope together.

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23. Build with legos or megablocks

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24. Do a craft together

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25. Memorize a poem or verse together.

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26. Build an arcade game out of boxes.

Clark created a game called “Hit It” – Targets for Nerf Guns

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27. Play with Cheerios

  • Allow your kids to string Cheerios or Fruit Loops for an edible necklace
  • Stack cheerios on Spaghetti noodles
  • With older kids – turn this into a race!

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28. Play a board game  

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29. Spike Ball

spike ball
  • My son Clark just got this game for his 11th birthday. My boys love it. It’s best for ages 8 and up.
  • When it’s too cold to play outside, this game can be played in a living room or basement.

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30. Play charades or download the HEADS UP app

  • Even little ones can play this game. Whisper what you want them to “act” out and let the sibling(s) guess.
  • The Heads Up app is lots of fun.

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31. Build a fort

  • Put blankets over your dining table – or
  • Use boxes, or pillows and blankets.
  • Read a story in the fort!
  • Go on a Bear Hunt
  • Decorate with Christmas lights!

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32. Create or Buy Kinetic Sand or Play Doh

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33. Exercise! 

  • Follow a youtube exercise video
  • Family Bootcamp
  • Run around your house for 5 or more minutes. I don’t know about your kids – but my kids NEED to burn energy in a healthy way or they start getting mischievous!
  • If we are outside, I challenge my kids to a foot race so that we can BOTH burn energy and get exercise.

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34. Play some backyard games

  1. Duck Duck Goose 
  2. Balloon Bounce – Kids lay down (or sit down) and have to work together to keep balloon(s) in the air. 
  3. Red Rover, Red Rover
  4. Red Light, Green Light
  5. Tag

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35. Have a unique conversation

conversation starters

Has months of summer left you with nothing else to talk about than how bored you are? Then you NEED this set of cards.

Each card asks interesting questions for your family to answer or discuss. My kids ask for us to pull the cards out whenever we sit down to eat. One time my kids were eating alone and my oldest son pulled the questions out to ask his little brothers. I LOVED listening to their conversation!

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36. Have a “What’s in the Box?” Challenge

what's in the box
  • Cut holes a in box
  • Choose an item to put inside
  • Allow someone to reach their hand inside the box and “guess” what it is.
  • Take turns finding items to hide, then guessing “What’s in the Box?”

Click here to watch the Egly boys’ challenge. They’d love for you to subscribe to their channel.

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37. Homemade Tap Shoes

Sorry parents, this one’s noisy! It’s so easy, though, and will keep your kids busy.

Simply tape coins to the bottom of your child’s shoe. Voila, homemade tap shoes.

Get them to come up with a tap-dancing routine, rehearse it and record their final performance (bring your own earmuffs).

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38. Look at old photos

Take out your photo albums or pull up pictures on your computer and enjoy!

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39. Build a Marble Maze / Labrynth

Your kids can use an empty box.

Glue straws to the bottom to create a maze.

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40. Card Games

Playing “Garbage”
RataTat Cat – fun family card game!

Play “War” with the classic deck of cards.

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41. Play “Minute to Win It”

Click here for 10 fun games to play with your family

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42. Practice an instrument

Piano, keyboard, xylophone, harmonica, recorder or drums…make it a family band. Look on Youtube for free lessons.

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43. Blow bubbles

bubbles

Make some bubbles using dish washing soap, water, and sugar (for consistency).

Or check out these “bubble gloves” on amazon.

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44. Make a flip motion animation book

Kids can learn how to make a flipbook animation in less than 5 minutes. All you need is a pen and a stack of notecards, paper, or a sticky note pad. This video is a great and very quick tutorial.

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45.  Play Simon Says or Follow The Leader

  • Have each child take a turn being the leader
  • Walk all around your house 
  • Do jumps, turns, stop to hug dad, etc.

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46. Ice excavating

Place some toys in a bowl of water and Freeze. Let the kids dig them out.

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47. Build a volcano

Click here for instructions

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48. Make Ice Cream

If you have milk and sugar, your kids can make their own ice cream! Click here for the recipe!

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49. Nerf guns

Shoot at targets – I made some targets with construction paper and held them in place with play doh.

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50. Jokes

Get a joke book from Amazon, or search for kid’s jokes on the internet and entertain each other!

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51. Create Salt Dough Figures

Click here for instructions

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52. Play “Would you Rather?”

Click here for questions!

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53. Create “Ramp Races”

A really fun and simple activity that can act as a physics lesson and opportunity for an experiment. Make a simple ramp using cardboard or a piece of wood, and roll different objects down: measure how far they go, how fast they roll, or hold races between different kinds of balls to see which wins!

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54. Leaf or Texture rubbings

Find leaves, grass, and other flat-ish items and put them under paper. Color over them.

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55. Take an aimless drive.

  • Listen to a podcast or the radio.
  • Go through the drive through for ice cream or dinner.

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CLICK HERE FOR 20 more ideas

Bonus Idea: Create a “I’m Bored” Jar:

  • Print the 55 options listed above, cut apart each idea, and put them in a container. If your kids say ‘I’m Bored’ – have them pull a paper from the jar and complete that activity.
  • It’s OKAY for your kids to be bored and figure it out too! Boredom leads to creativity! Clark was bored when he created his own Cardboard Arcade!
  • Boredom leads to new inventions. I look forward to what will be thought up during this quarantine!

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Do you have an idea? Leave a comment!

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*I am an Amazon Affiliate, so I make a small percentage off of Amazon links I share if you click through and purchase, without any additional cost to you.  Thank you for your support in this way! 

3 In 2020/ Family/ Free stuff/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

Don’t Eat Pete!

Here’s a fun and easy game to play with your children or grandchildren.

It’s also an activity I leave out for the babysitter.

What you need:

Any small snacks (cereal, candy, tiny crackers, peanuts, raisins)

1 piece of paper and a writing utensil

To do:

  1. On a sheet of white paper, draw a large grid – nine squares.
  2. Put a number on each square.
  3. Put a small snack on each square.
  4. Have ONE person leave the room.
  5. Have another person choose which square is “Pete.”
  6. Ask the person who left the room to come back. He or she eats one snack at a time. When they grab the snack that is “Pete,” everyone screams:

“DON’T EAT PETE!”

Their turn is over.

Repeat as many times as your kids are interested!

Parenting tip:

Are you having a hard time getting your kids to eat certain foods? Cut it into SMALL pieces and use it on the game board.

You can turn this game into LUNCH!

  1. Cover the game board with a piece of plastic wrap.
  2. Cut up small pieces of a protein of your choice, fruits, and vegetables.
  3. Play!

Interested in more games for kids?

Click here for a WOULD YOU RATHER game!

Click here for many more ideas!

3 In 2020/ Family/ Free stuff/ Games/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

Would you Rather?

Here’s a fun game to get your kids talking! My boys love this game and ask me to play when we are having dinner together or driving.

Because this game needs NO SUPPLIES, you can play during dinner, on a walk, or anytime you want to engage with your kids.

Would you rather….

Be Superman or Batman?

Eat Pizza or Hotdogs?

Ride a roller coaster or a water slide?

Go to Target or Walmart?

Laugh or cry?

Jump high or run fast?

Have summer all year or winter all year?

Be really smart or really funny?

Drive a truck or a sports car?

Go back in time or go to the future?

Be able to fly or be invisible?

Have ONE great friend or 20 pretty good friends?

Be in the Mountains or at the Beach?

Take a ride in a speed boat or helicopter?

Go Skydiving or Swim with Sharks?

Build a Sand Castle or Play in the Waves?

Go Skiing or Ride a bike?

Watch a Movie or Read a Book?

Go Rock climbing or Swimming?

Own a Cat or a Dog?

Write a Story or a Draw picture?

Clean the Bathroom or Vacuum the carpet?

Ice Skate or Roller Skate?

Drink Pop or Water?

Play Inside or Outside?

Take a Shower or Bath?

Take a trip to Australia or Italy?

Go Fishing or Make slime?

Play a Video game or Board game?

Have more time or more money?

VOTE WITH YOUR FEET:

If you’d like to play this game with more than one child, call it: VOTE WITH YOUR FEET! Kids have to vote for which one they’d rather do by WALKING to one side of the room! This gets kids moving and allows them to see that they have something in common with another person.

Click here for lots of game ideas for kids!

Give us another ‘Would You Rather?’ Add a comment below!

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0 In 2020/ Family/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

Peek into our winter weeks

The winter of 2019 was so cold we didn’t get to spend a lot of time outside. 2020 has started much more MILD and we’re all happy about that. “Mild” in Minnesota means the temperature is a “warm” 30 degrees.

Here are some fun things we’ve been doing this winter:

Skiing

Luke learned to ski! I signed him up for a 90 minute class, and 6 hours later…he still didn’t want to stop skiing!

George and Clark joined the Ski Club at school. Once a week they go directly from school to the ski hill with their classmates.

I was just there for the hot chocolate! 🙂

Sledding

We found a huge sledding hill near our home!

Shoveling

George and Clark are earning extra money by shoveling for neighbors.

Christmas

Christmas was a fun family day with just the 6 of us. We made pancakes and played lots of games.

A Visit from Family

My sister and her family came to visit from Indiana. We got to go out to dinner, swimming, sledding, and visited Mall of America. This is their second annual trip to Minnesota. They come up and spend the New Year with us – and we spend 4th of July with them in Indiana.

Basketball

George, Clark and Paul are finishing their first season of basketball and they’ve loved it. We were all surprised how much fun this sport it. They’ve enjoyed playing, and the rest of us have enjoyed watching them play

Winter is for watching Movies:

Little Women – A friend invited me to go see this with her. It’s nominated for a bunch of Oscars and now I know why – it’s an INCREDIBLE movie! Watch it!

Where’d you Go, Bernadette? I really enjoyed the book and thought the movie was fantastic! (Get it from Redbox or the library)

Something we have NOT enjoyed this winter: The FLU 🙁

It started with Paul, jumped to Luke, and then to Ted. Thankfully, I only had one rough night! We are all better now!

He had the flu, so I probably shouldn’t be this close…but look at him. You’d hold him too, wouldn’t you?

What have you been up to this winter?

Click here to read my Minnesota Bucket List!

Click here to read How Not to Hate Winter!

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1 In 2019/ Family/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

We toured the US – without leaving our state!

Minnesota is a beautiful place, but I’d like to see what the rest of the country looks like too! How about you?

With four young boys in tow – we don’t get to see as much of the world as we’d like to. However, at Mall of America, you can see the most beautiful parts of the U.S. when you experience FlyOver America.

Our family of six visited this attraction during Christmas vacation and we LOVED it! It was an incredibly unique way for all of us to see parts of our great country that we have not seen before.

Each picture on this wall is a location that you fly over during your ride!

It’s a 4D/Virtual reality ride that makes you feel like your soaring through the open air (yet seated) with a giant screen and 180 degree views! The seats move up and down and sway to the side.

When you fly over the pine trees, you feel the wind in your face and SMELL PINE!

When you fly over the ocean towards Hawaii – you get spritzed with WATER!

During the holiday season, your trip also takes you to the North Pole. If you have children, visiting in November and December will be extra fun because there are “elves” that pop up throughout your travels. My boys got excited when they’d spot an elf. If the adventure wasn’t entertaining enough, adding silly elves certainly keeps kids engaged!

Here’s what I heard from my boys as we walked out of the FlyOver attraction:

George, Age 12: It was really cool! It gave me good memories.

Clark, Age 10: That was so good! I liked the blowing wind, smelling stuff, and splashes of water.

Paul, Age 8: I liked finding the elves and seeing them do funny things.

Luke, Age 5: That was SO fun! Can we do it again?!

And Ted, parent: Better than I expected.

Tickets are $19.99 for adults and $15.99 for children (12 and under). Discounts can be found online.

It’s absolutely worth a visit and will delight EVERY age group. You must be 40 inches to ride (which is about 4 years old).

For insight into the Best Day to Go to Mall of America with kids – click here.

For a peek into the Crayola Experience, click here.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for a future post that will include 30 things to do at Mall Of America besides SHOP! Subscribe so you don’t miss that one!

1 In 2019/ Family/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Minnesota

Getting Creative at Crayola

The boys and I spent the day at the Crayola Experience at the Mall of America and wanted to give you a peek inside!

Because the kids were out of school, it was a little bit crowded. However, there are SO many different activities to do inside, it never felt “OVERLY” crowded.

I honestly wasn’t sure how my four boys (ages 5 to 12) would do at the Crayola Experience. They aren’t really into ‘crafting’ and ‘coloring.’ However, I was surprised by how much fun we all had. It was actually ‘soul-filling’ to spend the day creating, painting, crafting and coloring. Bonus – there was no prep work or clean up involved!

Here are some of our favorite things from the day:

Crayons with our own names!
Creating coloring pages of ourselves!!

Each of us got modeling dough. I forgot how relaxing it is to be creative with play dough.

We created our own puzzles!

The boys loved decorating a paper car – then seeing it come to life on the big screen!

A crayon “mimicking” Luke’s movement
Paul playing!

All the boys enjoyed the 2-story playground. If I had season passes, I’d let them play and burn some energy every time we came to the mall.

We took a break to go eat at Chick Fil A in the food court, but since our passes were good all day, we came back to continue our fun.

We watched a live show about how crayons are made, painted with watercolors, created creatures that “danced,” colored mini ‘pets’ that we got to bring home…and more!

At first I thought the admission price was a little high. However, once we had the “Crayola Experience,” the price seemed fair. The admission price includes all of the activities and stations, the play area, the live show, the ‘mini-pet,’ a crayon that you create, and modeling dough.

The regular admission price is $17.99. You can save on the admission price through:

With a season pass, you can stop in any time for an entire year to create and play. It also includes other perks as well, which you can read about by clicking here.

Parking Tips:

Parking is free at Mall of America. I recommend parking in the EAST lot. Take a picture of your spot so that you can find your car at the end of the busy day!

Another tip: Because the mall is so big, it’s easy to forget which door you entered. When I walk into the mall, I take a picture of the first store I see. When it’s time to leave at the end of the day, I use the mall directory to find the quickest way back to that store, which will lead me to where I parked!

Thanks for reading about our day! We hope you get to experience the fun at Crayola too!

Other posts you might enjoy (just click to read):

The Best Day to visit Nickelodeon Universe!

My favorite things to do in Lakeville, MN

My Minnesota Bucket List

A Peek inside the Mill City Museum

How to Not Hate Winter

2 In Finding our place/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

10 things to do in Lakeville, Minnesota

When we decided to move to Minnesota, we had NO IDEA where to plant our roots. There are hundreds of towns within a 30 mile radius of Minneapolis and we checked out MOST of them. Nearly every person we asked would tell us why their city was the BEST one in Minnesota. That made our decision extremely difficult, but we finally settled in Lakeville …and we LOVE it here!

Did you know that Lakeville was rated one of the best places to live according to Money Magazine?

I’ve explored this city and have ten reasons for YOU to come visit.

1. Lakeville is known for their excellent sports programs. Visit Lakeville NORTH High School and… Lakeville SOUTH High School to cheer on our young athletes!

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2. Eat at one of the many fabulous restaurants!

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3. Get ice cream at the historic Dairy Delight, fill your own cup at Cherry Berry, or try delicious waffles and ice cream at the Waffle Bar!

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4. Have an Ax-throwing competition – https://battleaxed.com

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5. Hike and explore at Ritter Farm or Murphy-Hanrehan Park

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6. Watch a live show at the Lakeville Arts Center

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7. Go Fishing at one of the many lakes around town: Lake Marion or Orchard Lake

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Quaint Main Street Lakeville

8. Explore the historic buildings and quaint shops along Main Street in Downtown Lakeville.

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9. Play at one of the incredible parks for kids!

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10. Enjoy the beach and swim at Antlers Park or Orchard Lake

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Other things you won’t want to miss:

Applewood Farm/Orchard in the Fall

Skiing at Buck Hill in the winter

(Buck hill is on the border of Lakeville and Burnsville)

Luke loves to Rock Climb!

Lifetime Gym – We are spoiled with a REALLY nice Lifetime Gym in Lakeville! Not only is it a great place to exercise, but we also love the Rock Climbing area (included with membership), Parents Night out (included with Membership!) and Swimming (awesome outdoor and indoor pools with waterslides)!

Consider subscribing so you don’t miss a post!

Click here to read How to fit in as a Minnesota Newbie

Click here to read: How I learned to not HATE winter!

Click here to read about The Mill City Museum in Minneapolis.

Click here for our Minnesota Bucket List!

Click here to read Gifts that Minnesota Gave the World