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Simon Kidgits Club

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Our family has been a member of our local Kidgits Club for over 5 years. I first heard of Kidgits when my New Mom’s Club walked around the mall every Wednesday morning. As I passed the Kidgit advertising throughout the walking area, I began to inquire about the club.

When I learned that the annual membership fee was $5 per child which included monthly activities with goody bags, a tee shirt, and a birthday present, I did not hesitate to join. Per the Kidgits’ web site, a yearly membership includes:

Photograph Credit: Kidgits

Our son joined right before he turned one, and we continue to renew each year. At present, all three of my children are active members.

Each Kidgits’ mall offers different events. Some events are nationwide, but others are local events. To find your nearest location and event information, please visit the Simon Kidgits’ Club web site. Our Kidgits offers an event almost every month. Here are some Kidgits activities we have attended this year:

Safety Event

Book Blast Event

Back-to-School Event

Our events are scheduled on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Most are in center court, but others have been down at the Kidgits Korner (an indoor playground). I definitely prefer the center court activities since the playground gets so crowded. Our Kidgits Korner is designed for preschool-aged children, but the events are geared for ages 3-12. The older children on the playground are not always looking out for the little ones, so I tend to be over-cautious and keep my kids out of that area on event days.

In addition to the event, our family has won these cool door prizes:

  • The Jungle Book
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly game
  • Jenga game
  • Dalmatian puppy (stuffed animal)
  • Kidgits Book

If you have elementary-age children and a Simon Kidgits Club in your area, then go join. Some events are better than others, but all are enjoyable family outings. For $5 you can try it. The tee shirt and goody bags are worth more than the $5 fee, so you really have nothing to lose and lots of fun events to gain. Maybe you will be one of the lucky recipients of a cool door prize. Before you say, “But we never win,” you have a greater chance of winning when you join, attend, and enter the drawing. 🙂

Enjoy your time with your family this weekend. I know I will!

Question: What is the least expensive annual membership you have purchased? Please add your answer to the comments.

Lowe’s Build and Grow: Police Car

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Photograph Credit: Lowe's

The second Saturday of the month is just around the corner which means Lowe’s will be hosting this Build and Grow clinic:

What: Build a free police car with flashing light

When: Saturday, September 10, 2011

Where: Your local Lowe’s home improvement store

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

These clinics fill up quickly. Be sure to register your attendance at your local Lowe’s and arrive no later than 10:15 a.m. to the event. For other tips and details on the Lowe’s Build and Grow clinics, refer to my detailed post here.

Photograph Credit: Lowe's

After this Saturday’s event, the next Lowe’s Build and Grow project will be on Saturday, September 24, 2011, building a fire truck with siren. You can register for both the September 10 and 24 events through Lowe’s web site.

Wishing you a cool, restful, family-filled weekend with a little football for flavor!

Backyard Fun – A Step Away

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School is underway, the extreme temperatures are dropping a tad, and my house is halfway clean (the upstairs is complete). My reward when I finish cleaning will be to burn my pumpkin spice candle. Oh, what motivation! I love, love, LOVE autumn. The cooler temperatures, football season (Go Gators!), and outdoor fun with my family.

After the evening dinner together, my family enjoys spending time outdoors. If you stopped by, you might find us:

Hitting Baseballs

My son, older daughter, and husband enjoy hitting, missing, and/or slamming the baseballs into our neighbor’s yard. Though the balls are plastic, they sail through the air.

This automatic pitching machine was a great investment. My son has really improved in his performance, and my kids stay active chasing down the baseballs to start again.

Digging in the Sandbox

For dessert, my youngest daughter enjoys a mouthful of blue sand. 🙂 She loves to dig, scoop, pour, and eat. Keeping it out of her mouth is a battle, but the fun had in the sandbox has been worth it.

My son is a little big for the sandbox, but he plays well with the girls. Maybe someday the girls will play well with him. 🙂

Hunting Bugs, Frogs, and Snakes . . . oh, my!

Before mowing the yard, my husband moves the down spout splash blocks out of the way. Since critters are usually hiding, he takes the bug containers to capture frogs, katydids, and grasshoppers. One evening, this little guy surprised him.

At the announcement of a snake, the kids ran to see him. Knowing that he lived under the splash block, we were able to see him one or two more times before he found another home. Then we were off to find other interesting creatures for our next Show and Tell item at school. 🙂

Riding Bikes

Between the tricycle, big wheel, bike with training wheels, big boy bike, and the scooter, my kids can spend more time getting out an item and putting it away than they do riding their vehicle of choice.

Been there?

They drive me nuts!

I get out 3 bikes. They ride up and down the sidewalk once and come back to put that bike away and get another. I have found taking walks, away from the house, deters them (a little) from this strategy. Somehow, I get roped back into it every time. Though it can be frustrating, I am thankful for healthy kids who can run, jump, and ride their bikes.

Exploring the Tent

Before camping, Daddy airs out the tent in our backyard. The kids love to run around inside. This fascination is fun to watch. All of a sudden, they have a new clubhouse with a door and windows.

When the windows are unzipped, my youngest daughter hides in the coverings that hang on the floor. She is small enough to fit. Then comes the peek-a-boo game which gets her giggling, and sister and brother laughing, and then Daddy and I join the fun.

While enjoying the cooler weather this fall, our family will be using time wisely playing outside. These fun family activities burn off energy, offer lots of giggles, and give us time with each other. As you plan family outings, don’t forget about the great activities you can discover a step away in your own backyard.

Question: What fun activities does your family enjoy in the backyard? 

Lowe’s Build and Grow: School Locker

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Photograph Credit: Lowe's

Depending on how much rain we get this weekend from Hurricane Irene, our family may or may not be attending our local Lowe’s home improvement store. This storm is huge! For those of you in Irene’s path, please use your time wisely and find safety during the storm.

If you are venturing out Saturday morning for a family activity, then you might want to add a stop at your local Lowe’s Build and Grow clinic.

What: Build a free school locker
When: Saturday, August 27, 2011
Where: Your local Lowe’s home improvement store
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

These clinics fill up quickly. Be sure to register your attendance at your local Lowe’s and arrive no later than 10:15 a.m. to the event. For other tips and details on the Lowe’s Build and Grow clinics, refer to my detailed post here.

Photograph Credit: Lowe's

After this Saturday’s event, the next Lowe’s Build and Grow project will be on Saturday, September 10, 2011, building a police car. You can register for both the August 27 and the September 10 events through Lowe’s web site.

Wishing you all a great, safe, family-filled weekend!

Question: Are you planning to stay in or go out this weekend? Please leave your answer in the comments.