What puts a smile on your kid’s face?

As parents, we want to make our kids smile.  We want to give them plenty of things to be happy about.  That’s the way it is with the little ones you love so dearly.  Their smile is precious and a reward you can’t wait to get again.

So, what can you do to keep that bright, toothy grin on their face?  Well, I’ve got a few ideas for you that will help make the sun shine in their little world.

Simple Ways to Keep Your Kids Smiling

The great thing about kids is that they are usually very easy to please.  It is us parents that tend to make things complicated and expensive.  So, my first piece of advice for you is to keep your ideas simple and straightforward.  There is no need to dream up a bunch of crazy schemes.  You can keep your kids smiling by sticking with the basics.

Here are seven simple ways to keep your kids smiling:

1.  Act Goofy

Kids love attention from their parents and they love to be silly.  Therefore, the number one thing you can do to make your kids smile is to be goofy with them.  Pull out your elementary school humor and get wacky.  This doesn’t cost you a thing (other than maybe your dignity) and your kids will cherish the regular crazy escapades making them smile from ear-to-ear.  The bonus is that that laughter will be good for you too.

2.  Surprise Them

If you want to put a big smile on your kids face, then take them to do one of their favorite activities when they least expect it.  A surprise trip to the zoo, movies or playground will have them beaming with joy.  Heck, just show up one day to have lunch with them at school.  Most kids would consider this a treat in and of itself.  Remember, your surprise doesn’t need to be as involved as a trip to Disneyworld to get the reaction you’re looking for.  An unexpected treat or outing will make their day and save you a fortune.

3.  Finger Paint

I don’t know what it is about finger painting, but kids absolutely love it.  They can’t help but to smile the whole time they are doing it.  Yes, it can be messy, but if you prepare properly, then clean up isn’t that big of a deal.  You can get a double-whammy with this one because you will totally surprise them if you are the one that initiates a big finger painting session.  Once they are done, be sure to hang their artwork in a prominent location.  It will make them smile every time they see it and remember the fun they had.

4.  A Big Cardboard Box

What kid doesn’t love playing with a big cardboard box?  Make friends with the folks down at your local appliance store and bring home the largest box you can fit in your vehicle.  It will become a ship or a clubhouse or something else from the fertile imagination that only kids have.  They’ll grin every day they dream up the next thing they are going to play in their giant box.  Of course, you’ll expand their enjoyment if you crawl in right beside them.  You can zoom off to a wonderland of delight right in your own living room floor.

5.  Anything Involving Water

I don’t know about your kids, but mine never smile and giggle more than when water is involved.  It can be the swimming pool, lake, lawn sprinkler, a rain shower, squirt guns, a bubble bath or just a kitchen sink full with plenty of containers for pouring.  Children absolutely love playing in water.  The good news is there are loads of ways you can create this merriment for them.  Water tends to work best in the great outdoors, but I also mentioned some ways that this works inside too.  Water can be a year-round kid pleaser.

6.  Animals

Everything from the zoo to a lone puppy will lock a smile on your child’s face.  Animals are fascinating and playful.  Your kids will appreciate any opportunity you give them to chase, pet, snuggle or entertain a cute fuzzy friend.  My girls love just a quick visit to the pet store and how easy is that?  Again, you don’t have to make this time-consuming or difficult.  If you don’t own a dog, then stop for a few minutes at a friend’s house to play with their pup or visit your local dog park.  Your kids will talk about it for the rest of the day.

7.  The Local Amusement Park

Okay, this last one is a bit more involved than the others, but it is too good to leave out.  A carnival or amusement park is like a fantasy world of smiles and cheerfulness for most any child.  Yes, it can cost a big chunk of your money and your time, but the happiness it produces on a kid’s face is worth it.  Don’t you remember these experiences from your childhood?  I loved going to our county fair.  It was one of the highlights of my year.  Block out the time, put on your best walking shoes and get ready to see your kids smile all day long as they fly by on carousels and rollercoasters.

What do you do to keep your kid smiling?  Add to the list by leaving a comment on this article.  It would be greatly appreciated by all.

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

In our pursuit of living life to the fullest, fun is an essential element.  One that we often ignore. 

Having fun is not admired in our society like work is for example.  If you are having fun, then you are goofing off.  I think men are especially susceptible to this way of thinking.

However, without some fun and enjoyment, we quickly burn out.  Fun dissipates our stress and clears our minds.  We need a good amount of fun to help us feel happy.  If you are feeling run down and blue, then I suggest trying one of these fun activities to boost your morale.

The Big List of 50 Ideas for Manly Fun

Sometimes even when we know we need some fun, we can’t think of anything to do.  Therefore, I’ve put together this list to help inspire you to create your own enjoyable experience.

Here are 50 ideas for manly fun:

1.  Go to a NCAA football game.  The season starts soon!

2.  Rent a motorcycle for a road trip.

3.  Go see back-to-back action movies.

4.  Take a solo hike in the woods.

5.  Learn to scuba dive.

6.  Rent a boat for a weekend.

7.  Spend a quiet afternoon in Starbucks reading a great book.

8.  Take a kayaking class.

9.  Go on a whitewater rafting trip.

10.  Take a day off in the middle of the week.

11.  Go to a NASCAR race.

12.  Get a group of friends to go bowling.

13.  Organize a poker game.

14.  Visit your favorite local pub after work, but don’t overdo it.

15.  Attend a Major League Baseball game.

16.  Sit in a lawn chair in a city park and just relax.

17.  Throw a big party at your house.

18.  Buy the latest and greatest video game.

19.  Go to a big concert.

20.  Travel to the Caribbean for a tropical vacation.

21.  Surprise your wife or girlfriend with a night out on the town.

22.  Cook a big steak on the grill.

23.  Skip the cooking and instead go out to your favorite steak house.

24.  Borrow your bachelor friend’s fast car for a day or two.

25.  Learn to fly fish for trout.

26.  Take a hunting trip.

27.  Go to the local gun range and shoot a really cool firearm.

28.  Spend a day at the swimming pool.

29.  Take a run on the beach.

30.  Go mountain biking on a new trail.

31.  Take a guided, deep sea fishing trip.

32.  Fly a real fighter plane.

33.  Learn to hang ten on a surfboard.

34.  Go backpacking in a national park.

35.  Plan yourself an off-road, 4×4 adventure.

36.  Get face-to-face with a real, live shark.

37.  Climb a mountain or at least walk up one.

38.  Go snowboarding (seasonal).

39.  Get a tee time and shoot a round of golf.

40.  Fish for largemouth bass in an area lake.

41.  Take your dog to the dog park and play fetch.

42.  Go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

43.  Take your kids to the amusement park and ride all the thrill rides.

44.  Play a game of chess, dominoes or checkers with a friend.

45.  Take a day to reacquaint yourself with your favorite musical instrument.

46.  Buy and fly a remote control airplane.

47.  Go to a comedy club.

48.  Rent an RV and spend some time in the great outdoors.

49.  Go rock climbing or rappelling.

50.  Take a sailboat for a nice long cruise.

Get Out and Have Some Manly Fun

Men, go ahead and indulge yourself with a little fun this week.  You’ll definitely thank yourself for it.  You’ll feel happier, have less stress and experience that adrenaline rush you’ve been missing.

How do you like to have fun?

Photo by nsaplayer

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing" ~Helen Keller

We can use simple adventures to get out of the ruts we so often find ourselves in.  An adventure is an activity that involves some uncertainty.  Often we manage our lives down to the last detail leaving no room for adventure.  We then find ourselves unchallenged, bored, and feeling trapped.  If this is where you are at, then it is time to break free of the routine, open yourself to exploration, and spice it up a bit.  Finding a little adventure doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated or excessively dangerous.  Here I will offer some ideas that anyone can use to find adventure in their own backyard.

1.  Paddle your way to fun.

Getting out on the water is an excellent way to find a little adventure.  Taking a kayak or canoe out for a few hours to explore a local river, lake, or wildlife preserve is super way to get outdoors.  It will also offer a chance for wildlife viewing.  A kayak or canoe puts you in charge.  You can go wherever you decide.  It gives you the opportunity to discover that beautiful spot that is uniquely yours.  With your paddle in hand, it is hard to turn back.  Who knows what lies just around the next bend?

2.  Ride a rollercoaster.

Get your heart racing and adrenaline flowing!  We visit our local amusement park at least once a year to ride the rollercoasters and other thrill rides.  It will bring out the kid in you again!  It is funny to watch how adults react at amusement parks.  You can literally see them come to life again.  It is as if the rides wake up the adventurous part of them that has been lulled to sleep for so long.

3.  Go camping.

Load up the kids and car it is time to spend a weekend at the state park!  There is something about sleeping under the stars and eating out of an ice chest that will reawaken your primitive side.  Camping is an excellent way to break the doldrums of living in the suburbs.  Find a place in the woods and pitch a tent.  At the very least, it will give you a new appreciation for your home and the daily conveniences you enjoy.

4.  Pedal a trail.

Pull the mountain bike out of the garage, dust it off, air up the tires, and hit the trail!  Pedaling your way through the woods is an adventurous way to spend an afternoon.  It will challenge you mentally and physically.  Start on the easy trails and work your way up to something more technical.  If you don’t own a bike, then check into renting or borrowing one.  Just riding a bike and feeling the breeze on your face will make you feel like a kid again.

5.  Take a hot air balloon ride.

Soaring high over your city in a hot air balloon is an adventure everyone should experience at least once.  Ballooning will give you a different perspective in more ways than one.  You won’t find any long security lines, baggage charges, or fasten seatbelt signs on this flight.  Of course, you will see some fantastic views and experience the thrill of floating quietly through the sky.  The landing is what surprised me.  It was certainly an experience!

6.  Learn to wakeboard.

If you desire something a little more challenging, then give wakeboarding a try.  I’d recommend getting an hour or two of instruction on your first time out.  It will give you a jumpstart to ensure you skim right into fun without delay.  If you water-ski, then you’ll find wakeboarding similar, but with just enough differences to make it  a challenge.  I love the feel of gliding over the water and catching a little air as I pass over the wake!

7.  Get your motor running.

Head out on the highway this weekend on a motorcycle and feel the speed as you crank the throttle back.  There is nothing like the power and freedom you experience hitting the road on a high-octane motorcycle.  If this doesn’t wake up a sense of adventure and excitement in you, then nothing will.  Of course, be sure to wear a helmet and drive defensively.  Motorcycles can be lots of fun, but other drivers don’t always give them the respect they deserve on the road.

8.  Go backpacking in a national park.

Walking off into the woods knowing that you have to survive with what you are carrying on your back is fun and exciting.  There is such a feel of freedom and challenge to it.  National parks are excellent settings for a backpacking trip.  It doesn’t matter if this is your first trip or your hundredth.  Backpacking will ignite your senses and raise you up out of the deepest rut.

9.  Climb your way up a rock face.

Rock climbing will get your heart racing.  It is both a physical and mental challenge.  It requires a great deal of concentration so it is a fantastic way to get your mind off of other things for awhile.  If you are like me and the area where you live lacks a lot of natural settings for rock climbing, then look for an indoor climbing gym.  These gyms will rent you everything you need and also offer instruction to get you started.

10.  Speed across the water.

Boating is always an adventure.  There is nothing like pushing off as the captain of your own vessel.  This is true regardless of whether you are in a ski boat, sailboat, WaveRunner, or pontoon boat.  The feeling of cruising across the water with the wind in your face is invigorating!  You are in control and there tons of places to explore and discover out on the water.

11.  Engage friends in a paintball battle.

What is it about challenging a group of friends to a mock war that is so much fun?  I’m not sure, but paintball will certainly enliven an afternoon.  Why lie around on the couch when you can sneak up on your buddy and pop him with a plastic bubble full of your favorite color?  Paintball will put all your senses on full alert and get you moving.  Find a range near you and become a paintball hero!

Take the initiative and be the fun one!

I hope these ideas will help you create a little adventure in your life very soon.  You need to get out and enjoy all that life has to offer!  It isn’t difficult.  It just takes a little initiative and planning, but trust me, you’ll thank yourself for it.  If you do it, your friends might even start thinking you are the fun one to hang around!

What do you do for adventure?

Photo by Davichi

School is out and summer vacation is upon us.  So, now that it is here, what do you do with the kids?  Gas prices are officially averaging over $4.00 per gallon and it seems that the cost of everything has gone up.  As a result, you may be looking for less expensive forms of entertainment.  A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about staycations as an alternative to traveling this summer, but what options exist for keeping your children from driving you crazy on a day-to-day basis over summer vacation?

The old-fashioned way of thinking about summer.

At my house, we have decided to have an old-fashioned summer vacation.  What does this mean?  Well, it is really more of a mindset than anything.  We are choosing to slow down and enjoy the simpler things in life.  We want to teach our kids to savor the good things.  We hope they’ll learn that shopping at the mall is not recreation.  Besides, it isn’t usually the expensive or luxury items that make us happy anyway.  It is the simple things.  Its things like:

1. Buying a snow cone on a hot summer day
2. Eating ice-cold watermelon outside where you can spit the seeds on the ground
3. Getting a treat from the ice cream truck as it passes through your neighborhood
4. Running through the sprinkler in the backyard screaming all the way
5. Spending a whole day swimming at the local lake
6. Having a picnic in the shade at your favorite park as a family
7. Playing in the rain and splashing in the puddles
8. Buying fresh peaches at a farmer’s market and eating them right away
9. Having a sleepover with your best friend where you try to stay up all night
10. Seeing who can blow the biggest bubble gum bubble
11. Laying on the ground and watching the clouds pass over
12. Going to a Little League baseball game and listening to all the sounds
13. Riding bikes on the trail alongside the river
14. Going for a lazy walk in the evening after it cools down
15. Pouring sand over your feet to cover them up in the sandbox
16. Making mudpies with sticks and leaves and grass for garnishments
17. Setting up a tent and camping in the backyard
18. Going swimming in a creek where the water is ice cold
19. Learning to ride your bike with your dad’s help
20. Going to grandma’s house where everything is better
21. Playing a board game in the air-conditioned house
22. Going fishing at the pond
23. Playing fetch with the best dog you’ll ever have
24. Hunting crawdads to see who can catch the biggest one
25. Playing hide-and-seek or kick-the-can outside

Make your summer vacation more fun the old-fashion way.

Don’t get caught up in the crazy way that others spend their summer.  Many rush from one activity to another without ever really soaking up the real pleasures of summer.  Try a few of the things from the list above without feeling the need to hurry to the next thing.  Your kids will thank you for it!

Photos by magnusfranklin and Nagyman