Some are year round and some are annual or seasonal events; so the links may go back to a previous year.  Many of them are posts with information about how to do the activities with a budget in mind, too.  Bonus!

Credit:

1. Go to the kids’ events at LaughFest {March}
2. Learn about Maple Syrup making at Blandford Nature Center’s Sugar Bush {March}
3. Ride the Troops Train in Coopersville {May}
4. Go to a Whitecaps game {May to September}
5. Participate in the library Summer Reading Programs {June}
6. Go to Festival of the Arts {June}
7. Participate in the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Kids Bike Race {varies}
8. See the Fourth of July Fireworks in Ab Nab Awen Park {July}
9. Pick blueberries
10. Participate in the Grand Rapids Kids Marathon {October}
11. Help with the Mayor’s River Clean Up {varies}
12. Go to the Harvest Festival at Blandford Nature Center {October}
13. Go to a Griffins game {October to April}
14. Check out the kid stuff at ArtPrize {October}
15. Go to the Santa Parade {November}
16. Watch the Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve {December}
17. Go ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle {December to March}
18. Go to a Grand Rapids Symphony Lollipops concert
19. Ride the carousel at the Grand Rapids Public Museum
20. Attend a First Saturday event at the Calvin Eco Preserve
21. Go to the Children’s Garden at Meijer Gardens
22. Go to an apple orchard
23. Go to John Ball Park Zoo
24. Go see Rick the Reptile Guy at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
25. Swing in the DiSuervo Tire Swing

How many of these have your kids done? Mine are at 24 – we have yet to hit the tire swing

What would you add to this list?

I am not really a big ‘summer slide’ conspiracy theorist.  If my kids forget how to do a few math problems or score 3 points lower on their standardized tests in the fall I really, really don’t care.  Summer is for exploring and adventure and relaxing.

I love the library all year long; but especially in the summer.  It’s nice and cool, and quiet.  I love watching my kids choose books that appeal to them, and I love helping them find books about an interest they have recently developed.  Looking at our current library haul I can tell that we are heavily focused on ponies and Greek Gods.  But that will change several times over the summer, and the library will be there all the while with fresh material to satisfy our curiosities.

Bookstores and other businesses offer summer reading programs too, and I’ve compiled my biggest list yet.  Why do we sign up? We like reading.  Oh, and then there is the swag.  The goodies.  The free stuff my kids get for reading; which is kind of like getting a cookie for breathing – a total and complete BONUS.

You do need to keep good track of what your kids are reading in order to maximize the programs.  It’s like a job, except it’s fun and you get paid in hockey tickets and restaurant coupons.  Here are some tips for keeping the whole thing organized.

I’ll be updating these in the coming links as more information about the programs becomes available!

National Programs

{Ongoing}: Chuck E Cheese may be the bane of my existence; but my kids love it there.  Print the “Reading Rewards” form off and keep track of their reading; after two weeks they get 10 free tokens.

{Ongoing}: Sylvan’s Book Adventure is good because kids in Kindergarten through 8th grade actually have to take a quiz about what they have read and earn points for answering questions correctly.  The points are then traded in for prizes; and their list of books has some pretty common ones so kids can read books for other reading programs and ‘count’ them for this one once they have taken a quiz.

{Dates and program details not yet announced}: No Time For Flash Cards has a VERY cool online summer reading program with weekly chances to win.

{Dates and program details not yet announced}: New York Times Student Challenge, something something, made my head hurt just reading the directions.

{Dates and program details not yet announced}:  Barnes And Noble Summer Reading; kids from 1st to 6th grade read 8 books, bring a form in, and get a free book.

{June 6 to August 31} PBS Kids Summer Reading Challenge and Scholastic Summer Challenge – This challenge kicks off on June 6th and includes a FREE six week reading program with emails about how to engage your kids in reading along with the chance for your kids to win daily prizes.  The Scholastic Summer Challenge is somewhat confusing; kids can track their reading and be eligible for sweepstakes and participate in a Reading World’s Record; if your child’s teacher hasn’t provided you with a user name and password you can sign up for one on your own.

Grand Rapids Area Programs

{Dates and program details not announced yet} Schuler Books Summer Reading Club. The clear directions and specific instructions of the program, along with cookies at Saturday storytime make this my personal favorite. Kids can earn up to 3 $5 gift certificates for reading an age-appropriate number of books.

{June 1 to August 31}: Kent District Library Summer Reading Program. Kids 2 years to 5th grade use a reading log to keep track of what they’ve read and turn them in for prizes.  Sign up at any KDL branch.

{June 11 to August 4}: Grand Rapids Public Library Summer Reading Program. Kids use a Reading Record form to track their progress towards their reading goal. Then bring the form in for a t-shirt and prize pack, including a West Michigan Whitecaps pass.  You can sign up at any GRPL branch, or at Pooh’s Corner bookstore.

{Dates and program details not announced yet}: Baker Book House has an awesome program! In past years, it was for every five books kids read, they get their name up on the wall, an entry into a drawing. There are double points for certain books, and they get a 10% off coupon right off the bat.  Kids can earn up to a $5 coupon for reading enough books.

{Dates and program details not announced yet}: Hudsonville Fair Read And Win in the past has offered 1 carnival ride at the Hudsonville Fair {in late August} ticket for each 90 minutes kids spend reading.

{August 7} Kent County Youth Fair Reading For Rides: Kids read 5 books and fill out a form you have printed off.  Between 12:00 and 2:00 on August 7, they can ride the rides for free!

In Case You Summer In Another State Programs

{May 17 – August 31} Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge Complete their list of books (which are not announced yet) and receive a free book!

{June 1 to July 31} Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Challenge: Download a reading log to keep track of how much your kids are reading.  During June and July, kids under 14 can earn a $5 gift card for reading 15 minutes a day.

{May 5 to September 29}: TD Bank Summer Reading Program. Kids who read 10 books during the summer will have $10 added to their Young Saver Bank account.  Straight up cash for reading; I love it!

{Through October 1 2012}: H.E.B. Buddy Summer Reading Program. On the H.E. Buddy website, click on Clubs & Contests on the left side of the screen. Then click on the red Join Now! button at the bottom of the screen. This opens a PDF file that has the HEB summer reading program reading log.  Kids record 10 books they read over the summer, then , fill out the form and they send back some prizes. They don’t say what is included in the package of prizes, but they do ask for t-shirt size.

{Dates and program details not announced yet} National Amusements Bookworm Wednesdays.  In prior years, kids can exchange a book report they wrote for a free movie ticket.

It’s full of family friendly, kid focused, cultural festivals, sporting events, community expos, garage and mom to mom sales, and charitable events. There are contributors from all over the region, and we are working hard as a team to bring you the best of the best.

As you know Sarah and I share a frugal sensibility; and the events are meant to provide a way for everyone – regardless of income – to enjoy living here in West Michigan.

We’re adding new events every day; so check back often!

As a Purex Insider, I get the scoop on their marketing campaigns. I like having the scoop. Especially when it comes to one of my life’s loves; laundry.

Their next one is “Let’s Be Honest”. It features new videos uploaded to Purex daily, and I have had the chance to preview a couple. So far my favorite is about Yoga, because the lady falls down. Like I did, on the treadmill. Exercise is dangerous. But this isn’t a Public Service Announcement; this is an ad campaign and it’s a fun one.

There is a daily sweepstakes and every day, one winner will get free Purex detergent for a year!  You do have to enter a product code, so gather your Purex detergent and crystals ’round the computer and enter your head off.  You don’t have to go buy new ones; just use what you already have then enter new ones as you purchase them.

I have a much smaller, but still fun giveaway for you.  You have to be honest about something laundry related. Maybe you haven’t done it in two months, maybe your haven’t changed the lint filter in a year; it’s time to come clean.  HA! Get it? Clean; like laundry.  Seriously, Purex, you need to hire me.

I’ll go first.  When I was younger, I wanted to work in a laundromat.  They smell good, and all of those clothes are getting clean… it’s my happy place. Then I wanted to buy a laundromat.  Actually, I still kind of do.  I would just hang out in there, lining up those carts with wheels on them and getting tipsy from inhaling the fabric softener smell in the air.

So that’s mine.  What’s yours? Let’s hear it!  I will be choosing TWO winners, who will each receive a free bottle of Purex Laundry Detergent.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purex provided me with laundry detergent, and is providing the same for the winners of this giveaway.  All opinions are my own.

The section that hit me the hardest was the one about community.  What is it? Where do you find it? Why is it necessary? I desperately needed to know. I needed to heal some hurts so I could forgive and move on. I needed to learn how to know it when I saw it, and turn away when it looked like the real thing; but wasn’t.

I realized that I had made the mistake of confusing community with groups.  Sometimes groups are easy to join; you just sign up. Sometimes they are very difficult to join and require a lot of time and energy.  Sometimes they require you to compromise your principles, or to be quiet when you should be speaking up; or to be noisy when you should be quiet.  Pin me! Stumble me! Tweet me! MAKE NOISE. PROCLAIM MY AWESOMENESS.

Are they all really worthy of such amplification? Am I bothering to write words worthy of it?

I was so excited to attend Blissdom last year, but came home disappointed.  I did not find the community everyone else seemed to find there.  So, I presumed that my community was the city I lived in or some of the non-profits I worked with, but later learned that my love was unrequited. And that hurt, a lot.

But groups are not community.  And conferences are not community.  And towns are not community.

I stand off to the sides much more than I should at church and at my kids’ school.  I don’t participate in the local blogger meet ups very often.  I thought that would be my community, and it isn’t.  It isn’t a community any more than a random gathering of people who happen to wear blue shirts or like flowers or are named Bob is community.

And what keeps me from fully engaging?  What keeps me on the sidelines?

Shame.  Self-protection. An unwillingness to be vulnerable.

I am not a big enough blogger to hang out with at conferences.  My husband doesn’t come to church with me so we are not a good enough family.  We are one of the poorest families in this school and also, I am annoying with my persistent requests for my son’s needs to be met.

And it’s childish, and selfish.  I could grow so much and have so much to offer, but I hold it back.  I need to do the hard work of finding community within those groups.  There are people at conferences and church and at school and in the blogger group (and some of them are even the same people) that I could build a community with, but I don’t because I don’t think I can do it.

But for a few hours, I quieted my mind and just listened.  And God said, for the millionth time,

You are enough.

And that’s what we call a conviction, ladies and gentlemen.  Like a criminal who has been found guilty; I know I had better change my ways or be thrown back into the prison that Ann Voskamp talked about.  The things we use protect ourselves with are the things that keep us alone. I am a repeat offender, so I know it is true.

I am terrified and exhilarated, but I am changed.  I am enough.

And here is the Good News I get to share with you today; the noise I should be making:

So are you.

So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 The Message

Yes. Yay.  Because these little bugs help to strengthen their immune systems.  My kids celebrated Earth Day by getting up close and personal with some earthy microbes (followed by a nice shower.  We can only take this dirt thing so far, people.).

I’ve been brainstorming ways to combat the vortex of video games A.P. especially can get sucked in to and get my kids outside even more.  And then it came to me… make them earn their screen time with outdoor time.  We have a 2:1 ratio; so for every hour spent outside getting muddy, swinging, running in the yard, or collecting rocks he earns 30 minutes of Zombies vs. Aliens.  Today alone he earned 45 minutes; but he had to spend an hour and a half to get it!

Screen Free Week is coming up; and honestly – we aren’t doing it.  I would rather implement a dirt-incentive program than just have a one week screen free.  Plus; whenever my kids spout off some really interesting fact or use an impressive word I ask them where they learned it and the answer is almost always “Wild Kratts” or “Word Girl“.  I like the earned screen time system!

The only thing that suffers here is the carpet from all of the dirt they track in; but that is a small price to pay for active kids!  Making my kids work for their screen time Works For Me!

You know what else works for me?

That Works For Me – The book!

For years and years I have contributed to and read all of the great tips at the Works For Me Wednesday blog carnival; and now there is a book of 800 of the best entries! {Some of my tips are even in it; including how to get the skunk smell out, and how to make an indoor clothesline!}

It’s an amazing ebook; with all kinds of helpful ideas in different areas such as:

There are over 800 ideas! This book is $8.00, but if you use the code SAVE1 it is only $7.00.

I’m also giving away one copy to a reader; but you should buy it anyway because I will refund your $7.00 if you win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My husband met up with the “Bad Bikers”, and went for a ride.  He shared the Odwalla juice we bought, and collected their donations.

I was so excited to see the donations when he got home! They joined together and were able to add to the two bike accessory kits we had already purchased:

• Two new sets of bike pedals
• Two new chains
• Two new kick stands

The Motion Initiative is a bike ministry that brings God’s word to kids through bikes.  The kids earn ‘bike bucks’ for working at the shop, which runs on donations by volunteers. They can save the bike bucks to purchase a bike so they learn mechanical and life skills all at once.

It’s all heart, and I love it!

I was excited to take the donations and so grateful to the Bad Bikers!

Then one of my friends who reads Big Binder contacted me, and wondered if she could donate some bikes.  Not bike parts, whole bikes.  Her kids just got new ones, and they wanted to pass them along to someone who could use them.  This is someone I do Bible study with, it seemed like God really blessed this whole project.  It was exciting and humbling to be chosen for this Simple Service Project.

I headed over to my friend’s house and we shoved the bikes in my van (neither of us are terribly good with logistics).  Then Maybelle and I went down to The Motion Initiative to make our donation; where this little, humble bike shop blew me away.

Two volunteers were working that day, and their passion for both bikes and reaching out to the kids in the neighborhood were undeniable.  They take the kids on rides, host Bible studies, and even take the kids to ride in local parades! They are keeping kids bodies active and their spirits high.  The Motion Initiative is working hard to share the “sense of adventure, freedom, and hope that comes with a bicycle”.

Do you have any bikes hanging around, taking up space? Would you consider donating them to The Motion Initiative? They do a lot of their outreach in during the summer, so now is a great time to connect with them.  They have a bike trailer that goes into different neighborhoods to help kids get their bikes in working condition for the summer.

I promise you will leave that little bike shop with a full heart!

Follow the Twitter hashtag #OdwallaCFK to see what other SIMPLE Service Projects {fun ideas to improve kids’ health} other bloggers are doing, and follow Champions For Kids on Twitter and Facebook!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are my own.

A Butterfly With A "Compound Eye".

A few weeks ago, Maybelle and A.P. got to try a new way of having fun with their old friend chalk. Chalk City lets kids create roads, racetracks, road signs, and obstacle course.  Since they are also very active kids, adding movement to design keeps them busy and occupied longer (yesss!).

They didn’t have their bikes or scooters out that day, but have made plans for some type of neighborhood race with all of the kids on our street.  Should I alert the authorities?

Everything in Chalk City is very compact and folds up flat, so we will be taking it on a few summer road trips with us.

Look out America; my kids are armed with chalk and your city will never be the same.

Easy to use stencils.

The stencils are really heavy-duty, which I know because if something is cheaply made my kids will break it within the first  three minutes.

A.P. with the Road Maker

The Road Maker is the coolest part.  It unfolds and holds two pieces of chalk so kids can make tracks, streets, or anything else that requires two parallel lines.

First they made an obstacle course.

My kids didn’t even look at the activity book that came with it; they just got right to work.  After the obstacle course, they created a whole town full of streets and pretended they were driving.  They even had a crash.

You can check here to see if a store near you carries Chalk City, or buy it from Amazon.com. The Road Maker is $19.99, the Road Sign Stencils are $14.99, and the Obstacle Course Stencils are $14.99. There are three stencils in each pack.

Or, you could just win one! One person will receive the same kit we did {the Road Maker, Road Sign Stencils, and Obstacle Course Stencils}. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you think your kids would enjoy Chalk City?

This is a compensated post on behalf of Chalk City. I also received a kit for review and Chalk City is providing one kit for the winner of my giveaway. All opinions are my own.

The Grand Rapids Public Library is holding a Green Market and Information Expo on April 21, the same day as John Ball Park Zoo’s Party For The Planet.  If you are near a National Park, get in for free from April 21-29, or if you want to hang out with some frogs head over to Blandford Nature Center on April 26.

For more ideas {for Earth Day and everyday}, check out my guide to April Family Fun.  Don’t forget to check the Active Kids page, too!

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” Baba Dioum

I hadn’t been to Sam’s Club in a while, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the selection has gotten since I was there last.  You can see all of my finds during that shopping trip here, but the big find for making my Breakfast For Dinner meal complete was Tyson Breakfast Bread Bowls.

There is something about them that makes me think of Dim Sum; I can totally picture these hanging out in a steamer basket and being wheeled around a restaurant on a cart. They’re kind of like a bagel with eggs, sausage and cheese all in a cute little bundle.

I went in another direction, though.  More brunch for dinner than breakfast for dinner; I served Tyson Breakfast Bread Bowls, fruit salad, the asparagus-meets-fillo-dough experiment, and some cinnamon rolls from the bakery. Since the bread bowls take less than a minute to make, it was pretty easy to pull together a nice meal.

It was a perfect, simple breakfast for dinner.

Did my family like it?

I’ll take that as a yes.

And now for the fun part! I am hosting another #TysonBreakfast Bread Bowls twitter party, so that means more chances to win for you!

Make sure you RSVP for the Twitter party so you can win one of three $25 Sam’s Club gift cards, or a $100 Sam’s Club gift card.  That buys a lot of Breakfast Bread Bowls!

When: Thursday, April 19, 2012 1-2 pm EST

Where: On Twitter using hashtag #TysonBreakfast or use this custom TweetGrid http://bit.ly/HV1ZLl

Who: Please follow @bigbinderblog and  @havesippy, who are the hostesses for the party.

Prizes: We will be giving away three $25 Sam’s Club gift cards and one $100 Sam’s Club gift card. Please RSVP using the linky below (enter the URL to your Twitter profile) to be eligible for one of the gift cards. All winners will be chosen using random.org from the RSVP link and winners must be present and participating in the party at the time that they are drawn as a winner.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE TAXED, PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. Subject to Official Rules. Open only to residents of the United States.

Enter by RSVPing for the Twitter party on the link above, be actively participating in the party and are using the hashtag #TysonBreakfast. To be eligible, entries must be received by 12:55 p.m. EST except that mail in entries must be mailed separately and postmarked by April 14, 2012. To enter without purchase, hand write your name, completed address, age and telephone number on a 3”x5” card and mail it to Collective Bias, 205 S. Main Street, Ste. 1, Bentonville, AR 72712.

Prizes will be limited to three $25 Sam’s Club gift cards and one $100 Sam’s Club gift card and will be given away every 15 minutes during the 1 hour duration of the party on April 19, 2012. The grand prize of one $100 Sam’s Club gift card to 1 winner will be given away at the close of the party. All winners will be chosen using random.org from the RSVP link and winners must be present and participating in the party using the hashtag #TysonBreakfast at the time that they are drawn as a winner. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Winner will be notified via Twitter @ message by @havesippy during the party on April 19, 2012 and must respond to @havesippy within 5 minutes of being selected to claim their prize. All entries will be eligible for any unclaimed prizes after the close of the Twitter party via random drawing held on May 2, 2012.

To obtain a copy of the Official Rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Collective Bias, 205 S. Main Street, Ste. 1, Bentonville, AR 72712.

SPONSORS: Collective Bias, 205 S. Main Street, Ste. 1, Bentonville, AR 72712

All winners will be chosen using random.org from the RSVP link and winners must be present and participating in the party at the time that they are drawn as a winner.  There is a limit of 1 (one) prize per household during the party.

Does your family like breakfast for dinner? What do you serve?

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric” All opinions are my own.