Things to do with your kids on Mother's Day

Mother's day is right around the corner on Sunday, May 13. Are you trying to think of something to do with your mom for Mother's Day? I know as a mom, what's most important to me on Mother's Day is being with my two daughters Randi age 13 and Graci age 12. I know not everyone can be with their mom on Mother's Day,  so if you aren't able see her give her a call or write her a letter. It's important to let them know you are thinking of them.

As a mom with two young girls,  I usually decide and plan the day unless my husband surprises me with something. Since my mom and mother-law don't live too far away, we usually see them both over the Mother's Day weekend.

I know coming up with a plan for the day can sometimes be a challenge, so I thought I would share 10 fun ideas of things you can do with your kids this Mother's Day. I even found some free things you can do.

1- Go to church

Since it is on Sunday, I usually go to church with the family on Mother's Day. It's a great way to start the day off right.

2- Go out to a restaurant

A lot of restaurants cater to moms on Mother's Day and offer specials or discounts. Some even offer free meals for moms. Check the internet for Mother's Day specials in your area.  

3- Go to the beach

We are so fortunate to live so close to so many beautiful beaches. It is free to go to the beach and it is so relaxing and stress free. I love going with my kids to the beach and they love it too. They enjoy the sand and looking for sea shells along the shore.

4- Go for a bike ride

Another fun idea is riding bikes on the trail. We have the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail which is 70 miles of a paved bicycle trail from St. Petersburg in the south all the way to Tarpon Springs in the north.  Lately it's been so nice out and this is a great way to get your exercise in.

5- Go bowling

Right now kids can bowl two free games a day for free. You can sign up and get free passes from now and throughout the summer at Kids BowlFree. Log onto www.kidsbowlfree.com and register. The only thing you would need to pay for is shoes and the adults who bowl.

  

6- Have a picnic at the park

Picnics are always fun and if the weather is nice, why not take the family to the park and eat lunch.

7- Get a manicure or pedicure

This is one of my favorites to do with my girls. We don't do it often, so a special day like Mother's Day is a good day to splurge. I enjoy going with my mom too! I guess it's a girl thing.

8- Have a tea party

You can have a tea party at home with your kids or go out to one of the local tea rooms and have high tea which includes mini sandwiches and tasty treats.

9- Play games and sing karaoke

My kids love to play games like Pictionary with the family. It's fun and entertaining and the whole family can enjoy it. We also like singing karaoke. You can find apps on your phone or iPad for both Pictionary and karaoke.

10- Go to a theme park or museum

We have so many different theme parks and museums to choose from. Some of them offer Mother's Day discounts. In less than two hours you enjoy several theme parks including: Sea World, Disney World, Epcot, Universal or LegoLand. Busch Gardens and Adventure Island are less than an hour away along with Lowry Park Zoo. Locally we have museums like the Salvador Dali, Great Explorations and the Morean Arts Center to name a few.

The Hendricks Crew on
Mother's Day!

 These are just a few ideas. It really depends what you enjoy doing with your kids. It's your day so do what you want to do. Sometimes just sitting and doing nothing can be a fantastic Mother's Day.

The Tubbs Crew on
Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! Thank you for all you do all year!

Free pass to Busch Gardens for Preschool Kids

If you live in Florida, this is a fantastic deal you don't want to miss!  Children five and younger can get passes for free for Busch Gardens and Sea World as part of the Preschool Pass. This pass offers unlimited admission to both of the amusement parks in Tampa and Orlando for all of 2017.

I did this a few years ago with my girls and it is simple to do to get your pass. You can only get it online, so you have to register online. You will print out a pass and need your child's birth certificate when you go to the park.

Click here to sign up. 

More than just a day at the zoo

As I watched my two little girls ages 8 and 9 circling around on the Jungle Carousel at the Lowry Park Zoo, I had a thought, “Can a day get any better than this?”

It was such an indescribable feeling, sitting there watching my daughters have fun and not worrying about anything else. The girls were so excited when I said we were going to go to Lowry Park Zoo. They couldn’t wait because they hadn’t been in years and loved seeing all of the animals.

I couldn’t wait because it brought back memories of me taking them when they were younger. It reminded me of days when we could just get in the van and go on a whim. This was before we had restrictions like school and work.

Since the girls had been babies two of my favorite places to go for a day trip were Lowry Park Zoo and Busch Gardens. I think the reason we liked these two attractions was because we love animals and because we could travel there in less than an hour.

 I love going to the zoo, because you don’t have to pay to park and the admission price is reasonable. Since the last time we went, they even included most of the rides for free and in the past you had to pay for each ride.

We would go to Busch Gardens because they had a preschool pass program where kids could get in free until they were five years old.

I loved walking them in their stroller. It was great exercise! As they got older they would walk. Now they run!

 It just brought back so many wonderful memories. Not only memories of the zoo itself, but the people we went with us to the zoo. While we were driving there, we thought about all the different people who went with us including grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

I realized so many times, as parents we get caught up in our everyday lives. I know I do. Even at the zoo my phone went off with a text from work. Of course when I got it, I started texting back, but you’ll never guess what happened? My battery that was charged just died. The phone just stopped working. I couldn’t text back.

I knew it was a sign and that I needed to not be thinking about work and re-focus back on why I was there.

We need to take time and have quality time with our kids. I needed to do this without distractions. My kids missed that and I did too. I probably missed it more than them.

My kids and I had a blast. The weather was one of Florida’s gorgeous sunny days, but not too hot, just right in temperature. Even though the parking lot was full, the zoo wasn’t crowded. We were able to see everything we wanted to see and not have to wait too long for anything. The only ride we waited more than 20 minutes was the Expedition Africa Guided Safaris, which is an 18 minute tour of the animals on a trolley. The other rides, like the Jungle Carousel and the Tasmanian Tiger Family Roller Coaster the waits were minimal. The fun part was going on these rides with the girls. Yes, I even went on the roller coaster and I am not one for roller coasters.

I asked my girls what the best part of the day was and they said they couldn’t pick just one part. They said everything was great! I had to agree. For me this day refreshed and revitalized me as a mom and built on the good memories I have with my daughters.

Free Pass To Busch Gardens Ends Soon

Hurry up and register your child for the free preschool pass for Busch Gardens. The offer ends May 31, 2012. Any child under the age of 5 can get in free if you register online.  It is worth the savings. The pass is good all year, even if your child turns 6 before the end of the year.

Click here for more information and to register.

Busch Gardens/Sea World Passes for Free for Kids 5 and Younger

If you live in Florida, this is a fantastic deal you don't want to miss, especially since Spring Break is coming up.  Children five and younger can get passes for free for Busch Gardens and Sea World as part of the Preschool Pass. This pass offers unlimited admission to both of the amusement parks in Tampa and Orlando for all of 2012.

I did this a few years ago with my girls and it is simple to do to get your pass. You can only get it online, so you have to register online. You will print out a pass and need your child's birth certificate when you go to the park.

Click on the link below to sign up.
http://seaworldparks.com/en/buschgardens-tampa/Pages/Preschool-Pass