Hi…I’m a single mom and I’m broke. It was very nice to meet you and we would love to go to the circus with you and your family but I can’t even afford the hamburger meat for hamburger helper, so we will have to pass.
Are there any other single moms out there who feel exactly this way?
We want to give our children the world, but we can only afford a trip to the FREE park. It sucks! But I’ve made a list of fun, budget friendly playdates for single moms and their kids.
1. Make a Medieval Meal – If you have ever been to Medieval Times, then you will know exactly what I’m talking about. How many of us single moms get on to our kids at the dinner table when they use their fingers? I know I do! So why not turn things around and make a whole meal that can only be eaten with your fingers?! No utensils allowed! It’s awesome and they love it! You could use the Medieval Times menu and serve some BBQ chicken, roasted potatoes, and tomato bisque soup that is served with garlic bread for dipping! It’s a whole lot of fun for the whole family!
2. Local Public Swimming Pool – My girls and I go all the time. It’s only $2 per person for six hours of swimming, sliding, tanning, and fun! The girls get to swim, play with new friends, go down the slide, and splash mom! And mom gets to swim, get some much needed Vitamin D, and a pretty awesome tan! Plus, by the time you get home, the kids are exhausted which means they go to bed fast and mommy gets a little extra “me” time!
3. Riding Lawn Mower – I hate mowing our yard (with a passion), but my girls love to take turns sitting on my lap and steering us around the yard. The girls get to have fun and actually learn a little bit about how to operate a lawn mower (which will come in handy when they get older), and the yard gets mowed. It looks like crap because we don’t follow a pattern and miss a lot of spots, but it’s a lot better than doing it by myself!
4. Picnic at the Park – Every kid enjoys going to the local park to swing and play on the playground. Why not take it up a notch and pack a super special picnic to take along?! Make sandwiches ahead of time, cut off the crusts, and cut them into different shapes. Take the chips out of the bag and put into little paper bags. (makes it a little more special this way without costing extra) Pack some special wine glasses and take a bottle of apple juice because all kids get a kick out of drinking from special glasses. Be sure to pack a blanket to sit on and some real, fabric napkins.
5. Kid’s Only Garage Sale – Summer time is the perfect time to have a garage sale and it’s a great way to get your kids involved in cleaning out their closets. The only things sold at the garage sale will be kid’s items and your kids are the ones that will profit from selling their old things. Have them price their items, set up signs and maybe a lemonade stand, and be sure to let them wheel and deal with the customers. Celebrate their achievement by rewarding them with an ice cream cone or something inexpensive, but use YOUR money…not the money that they just earned.
6. Water Gun Fight – Buy some cheapo water guns, fill them up, get outside, and have a blast! My girls and I play Secret Spy…one person is nominated for the spy and has to shoot the other players before being shot. I lose all the time, but it’s so much fun and keeps us all entertained.
Keep your imagination open and ask your kids what they would like to do for some summer fun. You might be surprised to learn that all they want is a trip to the local pool and not the super expensive trip to the waterpark. Have fun, get some sun, and take lots of pictures!
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