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Frugal Fun for Birthday Parties at Home
The focus on frugality is popular these days. But just because your family is on a budget, that doesn't mean you want to skimp on birthday celebrations for your kids. From crafty snack time to a DIY "drive-in" movie, there are plenty of ways to make your child's birthday special without breaking the family bank. Here are some ideas for fun birthday party activities that can be enjoyed by kids from preschool to pre-teen.
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Random Acts of Neighborly Kindness
Summer means backyard BBQs, time working on the yard and garden, sitting on the front porch drinking coffee in the morning and iced tea in the afternoon. All that time outside might give you and your family more chances to get to know your neighbors, if you don’t already. Take a look a few ideas that will help you and your kids spread goodwill throughout your community, especially in the summer.
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Fun at Home for Lazy Summer Days
Recently I took my bike out for a ride around my neighborhood and I was delighted to see lots of Bellingham kids playing in their yards. What a great way to let kids get some exercise and exert any leftover energy of the day before hitting the hay! If you’re looking for ideas that will entertain the kids during the long and lazy summer days and nights, here are some of the activities that local kids enjoy.
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Keeping Your Neighborhood Safe
All parents are concerned with keeping their kids safe, no matter where they are, but especially in their own homes. And you don’t have to be a parent to be concerned with safety; all Bellingham citizens should be aware of potential crimes in their neighborhood. With help from the Bellingham Police Department, there are many resources available to educate yourself and your neighbors about how to proactively prevent crime in your community.
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Practicing Table Manners at Home
Have you heard about kids graduating from college without basic table manners? There’s a whole industry that has sprung up around teaching teens and young adults how to “mind their manners” at the dinner table to help them succeed in life. You have a teaching opportunity every time you sit down to eat with your children. Give them these basic life skills before they have to undo years of bad habits or unknowingly offend that potential employer over lunch during a job interview.
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Game Time Strengthens Family Bonds
As rainy days and windy weather keeps us indoors, families are provided with wonderful opportunities to strength relationships. One way to make the most of this winter season is through family game times. Whether you call them table games, board games or something else – spending time together playing games can enhance family relationships and provide fun opportunities for learning. To help family game time be a success, each family should create their own “house rules.”
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Beat the Winter Blues with a Seed Exchange
If the rainy, windy early months of the year in Bellingham get you down, why not add a touch of spring to your weekend? If you like to garden and have neighbors or friends that do as well, spend a couple hours having a seed exchange party. There are several companies that offer catalogs full of seeds and plants, and ordering your seeds in winter is a great way to get the whole family excited about the upcoming gardening season.
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Safe and Fun Indoor Play
Winter seems to last forever when the kids are full of energy and won't go outside. My kids are bouncing off the walls, are yours? It’s been hard to get my kids to spend more than 10 minutes outside this winter. It’s either too rainy for them or too cold. “If only it would snow!” they say. “If only you would stop bouncing off the walls!” I say. Eventually we put our heads together and come up with something that will get their pent up energy out.