Day Tripping With The Kids
Summer never ends; at least that’s how it sometimes feels when you’re a stay-at-home parent. The kids are out of school, and that means they need time and attention, which can be difficult when you’re supposed to be working from home.
Admittedly, we have two teens at home who can keep the seven-year-old entertained at least some of the time. But being teens, they tend to disappear for hours at a time, themselves, leaving me to keep an eye on the youngest, as well as working. Luckily, I don’t usually have to put in a full 40 hours every week, so sometimes I can take the day and spend it doing things with my daughter.
One way to maximize that is to take advantage of my partner’s commute. She works near DC, and we live about two hours away. That’s just great for a day trip with my daughter. We just ride in with my partner and while she’s at work I can take our daughter down to the Smithsonian. We can tour museums all day, and it’s free!
In fact, we’re taking advantage of it tomorrow:Â I’m going to take my daughter to the Air and Space Museum.
What’s great about it is that we don’t have to spend a lot of extra money to get there, because the trip to DC is covered by my partner’s commute anyway. Beyond that it’s just a few dollars for the Metro to get down to the National Mall. I’m going to pack water and snacks so food won’t be an issue. The only expense beyond the Metro is going to be tickets to get into the planetarium. There’s also a free children’s story time that we’re going to attend, too.
We’re getting a day out for less than $25 which isn’t bad when you consider everything. We could cut that down to under $10 if we weren’t going to the planetarium, and just add another museum or so.
While not everyone has access to museums of this quality, you might be surprised to find what’s available in your area; especially for those who live near major cities. Most cities have at least a few attractions that are either free or cheap, and it’s worth taking the time to check them out.
If you do decide to try this for yourself, it’s important to remember to pack a few important things. Water and sunscreen should top the list, followed by snacks like fruit or granola bars.
We’re off tomorrow and it should be a great time. My daughter loves space and astronomy so this should be right up her alley.
If you have similar ideas, feel free to add them in the comments section.
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