Picnic in the Park

Here in Arizona, there aren’t too many grassy knolls where you and the family can lay down a blanket and break out the sandwiches. While this may save your nice family outing from being overrun by ants, your outside adventures may soon turn dull.

Playtopia, located in Chandler’s Tumbleweed Park, is the answer you’ve been looking for. With 2.5 acres of land, there is something for every child. If your little ones love the city feel, they can ride their bikes and scooters through the ‘city’ section of Playtopia, complete with paved roads and mini street signs; If they like things a little more relaxed, they can play on swings and slides focused on a farm theme.

If you have a future vet or zoologist in your midst, make sure not to miss Critter Land. This area features a large gila monster your children can climb on, walk-through tortoise shells and dinosaur bones in the dirt!

Restrooms are located on site, as well as 14 covered ramadas that serve as the perfect spot for your family picnic. Larger ramadas can accomodate big groups. so this may be just the place to throw your child’s birthday party extravaganza.

 

So the next time the weather is cool and breezy,  grab your child’s homemade kite and head over to Playtopia. With a little something for everyone, it’s a blessing in disguise that you don’t have to pay admission!

 

If You Go…

Playtopia at Tumbleweed Park

2200 S. Mcqueen Rd

Chandler, AZ

(480) 786-2727

 

 

*A big thank-you to Dena G. for this suggestion!

The Plane Truth

If you and your loved ones frequent the same restaurants or fast food joints, switching to a different place is a nice way to surprise the kids and give yourself a change of pace. 

The Flight Deck Cafe at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is a great place to try. The food is great, the staff is friendly and the ambience is unmatched. Located near the airport, the cafe gives customers a chance to watch planes take-off and land right from the comfort of their table; there isn’t a seat in the restaurant that doesn’t have a decent view. 

The cafe is open seven days a week, early in the morning until the early afternoon. Reservations are available, but usually aren’t needed for this hidden little gem. But if you have a large group of people or just a big family, you might want to make them just in case.

Breakfast and Lunch entrees start from $4.59 and don’t go over $7.59, so if you and your family are on a budget, this is a nice place to try that won’t drain your bank account. Most importantly, the have a pretty large kid’s menu so the little ones have more than a few choices, which is a godsend if you have a picky eater on your hands. An added bonus? The kids menu has fold lines so the paper can be folded into a paper airplane!

After lunch, you and the kids can go outside where there is a gazebo to block out the bright sun so you can watch the planes come and go without being uncomfortable. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for looking for lunch and a little (free) entertainment. 

 

If You Go…

The Flight Deck Cafe

5803 S. Sossaman Rd.

Mesa, AZ  85217

(480) 988-9517 

“I’m Bored!”

This is probably one of the phrases a parent hears their child groan (or yell or whine or scream) the most on a typical day. As a babysitter, I know how hard it can be to come up with new things to do to keep kids entertained while staying sane at the same time; there are only so many rounds of hide-and-seek you can play before you are utterly exhausted.

I created this blog to help out parents, grandparents, friends and most of all, children who are tired of playing the same games or watching the same  shows. Every now and then, I will travel to an area in the East Valley that has fun, unique activities for the whole family. My goal is to find things for you  and your kids to do that you haven’t tried before and didn’t know existed. Keeping in mind the economy, I am also aiming to find activities that are actually affordable and won’t put a strain on your wallet.

With every post, I will also try and include a craft that can be done on days when the weather prevents you from going outside…even though we don’t get many of those days here in Arizona!  

I hope this blog helps you have many fun-filled days in the future!

🙂