How to have a really fun and really cheap day out with your kids (plus get your exercise and be completely worn out by the end of the day)

1)Go to the bowling alley intending to spend money on bowling but find out they are freakishly crowded at 10:30 in the a.m. Leave without spending money! Meet up with other parent who accompanies you to the park!

2) Go to the park, ride bikes, play on the playground in the beautiful morning sunlight (side note: this begins the wearing out process of the parent...first with riding bikes, then trying to lug three bikes around when the kids get tired of riding and/or cannot ride in the grass...but at least there are two parents to share the lugging!)

3) Go to Pizza Hut for lunch, eat buffet, the kids eat free! (parent is momentarily refreshed with pizza and Pepsi, kids instantly recharged!) Other parent must leave to go back to work. :(

4) Go to the library and let the kids play games on the computer (parent is still sweating, as she has never stopped, but at least she is able to sit down for a few seconds. Every other few seconds she is getting up to try to fix headphones that are not working properly)
Then let kids go up and down stairs to look at what's upstairs (note: parent must go upstairs at least twice!)
Let kids pick out books...read two very long books, then check them out. Chase after kids while waiting for cousin (Amber) to arrive
Go outside to recieve wonderful gift of clothes that grandmother brings to you (beautiful new Easter dress plus an outfit for both children! more money saved! Hooray!) Chase kids outside and sweat more

5)Go back to park...walk and sweat...sit on sidewalk and watch children play as there are no available benches. Try to keep an eye on each child while accessing your laser vision to see through 20 other children
Cousin and little cousin arrive (Amber and Noelle!) Watch children play...then realize littlest one is missing. Frantically run after her as she is making her merry way (by herself!) to the pond to "see the ducks". Marvel at how fast she can run.
Walk around the pond, sweat more, buy food out of the machine to feed ducks. Laugh hysterically at cousin when she puts 75 cents into two food machines and only gets out about 6 little pellets of food.
Feed ducks! Have embarrassing pictures taken of you by cousin's camera phone. Chase children around and then sit down to rest (whew!)
Go halfway across the park to buy a soda from the vending machine. Skater boys kindly let you know that machine is broken. (more money saved!) Decide to leave park in search of liquid refreshment.

6)McDonalds! Air conditioning, refreshments, seats! Save even more money when cashier tells you that ice cream machine is broken! Settle on drinks for all the kids and a fruit and walnut salad. Kids play and scream and have a merry ol' time on the indoor playground. Become annoyed by game on playground that repeatedley says "Find Skippy!" (we never did find him)

7)Go to Nana's house. Have her graciously feed you dinner and sit outside in the lovely evening breeze on her patio furniture. Kids play, ride bikes, moms and Nanas relax as much as possible and have a lovely chat and look at pictures.

8)Realize it's past 7:00 pm! Frantically gather up bikes (which results in many trips down Nana's steep driveway...sweat more, huff and puff as if you'd never walked up a hill before...and children. Go home, give baths and put children to bed.

One problem with this method. At the end of the day, the children are still as wound up as ever. YOU are the one who is ready to collapse!

Money spent: about $20
Fun had: enormous amount!
Sleep needed afterwards: enough to make parent oversleep the next morning!