Free Building Project (Great to Tuck Away for a Holiday Gift!)

The Home Depot's Kids Workshops offer useful projects including the creation of toolboxes, fire trucks and mail organizers, as well as more educational projects, such as a window birdhouse, bughouse or Declaration of Independence frame kit.



Join in the fun at the FREE Kinds "How To" workshop at Home Depot as a way for your child to make a perfect holiday gift for a parent or grendparent! On November 6, kids can build their very own spice rack from 9:00 am - noon at participating Home Depot locations.

The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children. In addition to their free and newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, and an achievement pin!

This Sunday: Free Fall Harvest Celebration at Parker Mill, Ann Arbor

This Sunday, October 17 from 1:00-4:00 pm families can stop by Parker Mill for their annual Harvest Celebration. Have you ever wanted to learn about pressing your own apple cider? What about gathering nuts of shelling corn? Find out what the residents of Washtenaw County did in eons past adding family fun activities like kids crafts, snacks, and so much more! And if that isn't reason enough to stop by, the mill is in a beautiful, picturesque setting where the kids can wander and play! We love going there to walk the paths and check out the beauty of the area.

A Day of Fun For Only $5 at The Concordia University Family Carnival Saturday

In conjunction with their homecoming celebration, Concordia University will be hosting a carnival on Saturday October 16 from 11:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. near the athletic fields. For only $5 ($3 for CU students), children and entire families can enjoy unlimited access to an obstacle course, bungee run, Velcro wall, bounce house, gladiator joust, dunk tank, face painting and carnival style games. Concessions will also be available the day of the event. That's right the kids can bounce to their hearts content with for only $5!

Free Bouncing Session at Jump City This Friday!

Do your children like to bounce in those large inflatable bounce houses? Of course they do, but it'll often cost you an arm and a leg to pay for them to bounce. This Friday, October 15 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm though, kids can bounce for FREE at Jump City (2825 Boardwalk, Ann Arbor).
Take the opportunity to enjoy a fun experience with your children as parents and care givers receive valuable information regarding the November elections. This is a great chance to build public will for advocating on behalf of Michigan's youngest citizens and is sponsored by the Great Start Parent Coalition.

For questions or to RSVP for this event, contact Althea Wilson, Parent Liaison for the Great Start Parent Coalition at awilson.firststeps@gmail.com or 734-678-4653.

Conoe or Kayak While You Trick Or Treat This Sunday!

This Sunday, October 10 from noon - 4:00 p.m. families can canoe or kayak along the Huron River while collecting Halloween treats and bubbling brews from costumed characters along the way!

Begin your trip from the Argo Canoe Livery and paddle down the river through the city of Ann Arbor, stopping to collect candy and drink "swamp muck." Just watch out for trolls under bridges and swamp monsters in the river!

Free Halloween Building Projects

Fall is officially here, and judging by the number of decorative accents I see in the stores and lawns throughout my neighborhood, Halloween is just around the corner. There are several fun and free kids building workshops to help celbrate the season, check them out!

Lowes Build and Grow Clinics have some spooky fun planned for October. Sign up for the Build and Grow clinics in advance to participate on specific Saturday's from 10:00 - 11:00 am for your child to build their own project. The clinics are a great way to help build confidence! besides the free wooden project, children also earn a patch to add to their free apron, and a certification of merit upon completion of their project.

Saturday October 9: With Halloween right around the corner, kids can build a cool Fun House Mirror!

Saturday October 23: Bring your child to Lowe's where they can build a awesome Flapping Bat with glow in the dark stickers!