EducationalAthleticFree

• Haveyouevertouredyourowncity?Setouttodiscoverwhatdrawstouriststoyourtown.Tourhistori-calbuildings,seeyourlocalzoooraquarium,goreadtheplaquesonmemorials.Seehowmuchthereistodiscoverrightinyourowntown.

• Taketurnssharingyoursportingskills.Teachthegrouphowtoplayyourfavoritesport,andthentakeaturnbeingthestudentandlearnfromeveryoneelse.

• Borrowavideocameraandmakeamoviewithpropsthatyoufindaroundthehouse.Divideyourgrouptomakedifferentmoviesandhaveanawardsceremonyafterviewingthemall.

• Goonaningredientscavengerhunt.Gotopeople’shomestocollectallthethingsyouneedtomakedeli-ciouscookies,andthenafteryoubakethem,deliversamplestothosewhocontributed.

• Beakidagain.Headovertotheparkandplaychildhoodgameslikehide-and-seekorcapture-the-flag.

• Signupforaone-dayclassatalocalartscenterandspendsometimelearningaboutphotography,pottery,painting,orsomethingelse.Or,lookaroundinyourwardforsomeonewhocanteachyouauniquetalentandaskforalessonforthegroup.

• Can’tgoonapicnic?Getagroupdatetogetherforaneveningat“camp.”Putsomecutoutstarconstel-lationsontheceiling,makeshadowpuppets,playcardorboardgamesonthefloor,andmakesometinfoildin-nersintheoven.

• Touralocalartmuseum.Youcantrytakingturnsplaying“ISpy.”Whocanfindapaintingwithadoginit,orasculpturemadeoutofsomestrangematerial?

• Wantagreatdate?Serve!Youcanrakeaneighbor’sleaves,washwin-dows,visitanursinghome,orvol-unteeratahomelessshelter.Ifyouwanttoaddsomedaring,dosecretactsofservice,likequietlyshovelingsomeone’ssnoworleavingcookiesondoorsteps.

• Switchuptheseasons.Ifitiswinterandthereissnowontheground,tryplayingcroquetorgolfingwithbrightlycoloredballs.

By Julia Woodbury

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•Makeadateoutofgivingadate.Knowacouplewhowouldlikeanightout?Offertohosttheirdatebymakingandservingacandlelitdinnerforthem.

•Haveaniceafternooninalocalpark.Takeawalk,ridebikes,throwaFrisbee,rollerblade,feedthebirds,flykites,haveapicnic—aparkhasallsortsoffunpossibilities.

•Tryanafternoonasathriftyspender.Checkoutanearbygaragesale,thriftstore,orfarmer’smarketandseewhatfunitemsyoucanfind.Forafuntwist,shopwithathemeinmindormakeagameofittoseewhocanfindthestrangestitem.

•Gotoalocalamusementparkorcarnivalwhereyoucanplayinthebattingcages,ridego-karts,playminiaturegolf,andplayappropriatearcadegames.

•Trygoingoutatadifferenttimeofday.Forexample,goouttobreakfastonaSaturdaymorning.

•Takefastfoodbystormandhaveaprogressivemeal.Selectdifferentres-taurantsaroundtownandgotoeachone.Orderdrinksatone,appetizersatanother,gosomewherenewforyourmaincourse,andtopitoffwithyourfavoritedessertintown.

•Takeaworldtourfromyourtable.Pickaplaceandmakeamealfromthatcountry.Trylearningmoreabout

thatparticularcountrybylookingattouristbooksorwatchingafilmaboutit.

• Ifyouhaveaparkorlargeopenfieldnearby,setupanobstaclecourseandhaveatournament.

• Playsportstogether.Ifyoufeellikechangingthingsup,tryswitchingaroundtherulesoraddingfunnynewonestomakeitunique.

• Buysomeflatsofflowers,planttheminbeautifularrangementsinplanterboxes,andgivethemtopeopleinyourneighborhood.

• Splitintoteamsandgoonawalkalongatrail.Pickupanygarbageyouseeand,attheend,giveprizesforthestrangestobjectsyoufind.

• Makesomeoneelse’snightbyoffer-ingtobabysitforsomeyoungcou-plesinyourward.Makeassignmentswithinyourgroupforgames,snacks,andentertainmentforthekids.

• Goonanaturehikeandlearnabouttheplantsandwildlifethatyouseealongtheway.Or,youcantryanearlymorninghike.Pickanicespot,bringalongapicnicbreakfast,andwatchthesunrise.

EducationalFoodInexpensive

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Athletic More expensive

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Plan some great group dates with these fun ideas.

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•Takeaturnbeingbookworms.Gotoalocallibraryorbookstoreandbrowsethroughthebooks.Youcantaketurnsreadingchildren’sbookstoeachother.Orlookforthemostinterestingtitle,orthefunniestchapter.

• Feelingdramatic?Putonareader’stheater.Findaplaythateveryoneisinterestedin,assignroles,andlettheplaybegin!

•Doesyourschoolhavefreemusiccon-certs?Makeadateoutofitandgoseeyourschool’sband,orchestra,orchoirinaction.

• Ifyou’relookingforawinteractivity,trynightskiing,sledding,buildingasnowman,orevenhavingasnowballfight.

•Doyouhavefriendswhoplaysports?Gosupportthematasportingactiv-ity.Showyourspiritbywearingtheircolors.

• Learnhowtoswing,ballroom,orcountrydanceandthenshowoffyourstepstoyourfriends.Or,getinagroupandlearnafundanceroutinetogether.

• Findapoetryreadingtoattend,orcreateyourownwithfood,friends,andyourfavoritepoeticstanzas.

•Haveaphotoscavengerhuntorseewhocangetthemostinterestingshotsofthesamesubject.Ifyou’reusingdigitalcameras,haveacomputerslideshowofallthephotosyoutake.

• Writeasongorworkonanoriginalmelodytogether.Ortrywritinganewversetooneofyourfavoritesongs.

• Haveanartdate.Makesculpturesoutofplaydough,paintrocks,decorateortie-dyeshirts,orfingerpaint.

• Haveastarry,starrynight.Studysomeastronomy,gotoaplanetarium,gostar-gazing,andmakestar-shapedcookies.

• Evertriedcreatinganoutfitoutofnewspaper?Collectsomebundlesofnewspaper,getagrouptogether,makecostumes,andhaveafashionshowtoseewhatkindsofoutrageouscreationsyoucancomeupwith.

• Forsomethingoutoftheordinary,haveaformaldinnerintheparkinsteadofinafancyrestaurant.

• Nearabeach?Buildsandcastles.Makethemaselaborateasyoucanandthenhavepassersbyorsomefriendsjudgeyourcreations.

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