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family activities

Free Winter Weekend Activities for Families to Do Together

January 13, 2025 by Kati Mora

With Christmas over, it’s possible that you and your family are looking for ways to maximize the time you have together now that break is over. If this sounds like you, here are a few of our favorite ways to spend time together this time of year without spending lots of money:

1. Sledding

Grab your sled or borrow one, but this can be a great way to spend the afternoon. Bundle up and find your local sledding hill and get ready for some fun. Most communities have a go-to freebie spot, so be sure to ask around before you head out.

2. Visit Your Local Library

If you’re looking for an indoor activity, we always enjoy trips to our local library. The library features a variety of books, magazines, puzzles, computer games, and more to explore. Check your library’s website to see if any family activities are taking place over break—many libraries host free events like storytime, craft sessions, or movie screenings throughout the year.

3. Go for a Winter Wonderland Scavenger Hunt

Head outdoors and create a scavenger hunt list of winter-themed items to find—think icicles, pinecones, animal tracks, or a red cardinal. This is a great way to keep everyone active while exploring your neighborhood or a nearby park. Don’t forget to bring a thermos of hot cocoa to warm up afterward!

4. Break Out a Board Game

Dust off those board games in the closet and host a family game day. Whether it’s a classic like Monopoly or a quick round of Uno, playing games together can spark lots of laughs and friendly competition.

5. Host a Movie Night

Transform your living room into a cozy theater with blankets, popcorn, and everyone’s favorite movies. You could even pick a theme for the night, like classic winter films or animated favorites.

6. Volunteer at a Local Non-Profit

Spend time giving back as a family by volunteering at a local non-profit organization. Soup kitchens, animal shelters, or food banks often welcome extra hands, especially during the winter months. It’s a wonderful way to bond while making a difference in your community.

7. Go Ice Skating at an Outdoor Rink

Many communities offer free or low-cost access to outdoor skating rinks. Bring your own skates if you have them, or check if there are affordable rentals available. It’s a fun way to enjoy the crisp winter air together.

8. Take a Winter Nature Walk

Bundle up and take a leisurely walk through a local park, nature trail, or nearby woods. Bring along binoculars for birdwatching or see how many different types of trees and plants you can spot in their winter state.

9. Have a Snowman or Snow Fort Building Contest

If there’s snow on the ground, challenge each other to build the most creative snowman or sturdy snow fort. Add props like hats, scarves, or old buttons to bring your creations to life.

10. Create Homemade Winter Crafts

Gather supplies from around the house (or your local dollar store) and spend an afternoon making winter-themed crafts. Try paper snowflakes, pinecone bird feeders, or DIY hot cocoa kits.

11. Organize a Winter-Themed Photo Challenge

Take turns snapping pictures of winter scenes like frosted windows, snow-covered branches, or playful family moments. Create a mini photo album or slideshow at the end of the day.

12. Bake Together as a Family

Spend time in the kitchen baking cookies, bread, or a fun winter-themed treat. Kids can help decorate baked goods, and everyone will enjoy the delicious rewards!

13. Visit a Local Museum or Community Center

Check out free admission days at local museums or see if your community center is hosting any winter-themed events. Many places offer family-friendly options that are engaging and educational.

15. Set Up an Indoor Obstacle Course

Use pillows, chairs, blankets, and other household items to create a fun obstacle course indoors. Time each family member to see who can complete it the fastest!

With these fun and budget-friendly ideas, you’re sure to make the most of your family time this winter! Which of these activities will you try first?

Filed Under: Duo Update, Family on Mission, Travel & Staycations Tagged With: family activities, free family fun, winter weekend activities

Budget Friendly Fall Fun For Families

October 1, 2022 by Kati Mora

Now that fall is officially here, you may be looking for ways to keep your family entertained without spending a lot of money. We’ve got you covered! Here are some of our favorite family-friendly activities that will cost you very little, if anything at all.

  1. Head to your local library and pick up some new books that are fall-themed to read together.
  2. Go on a nature walk in your neighborhood or local park and take pictures of falling leaves, bugs, and anything else you find interesting along the way—then bring those pictures home and make a collage or photo book about your adventure!
  3. Visit a local apple orchard or pumpkin patch. Let your kids pick out their favorite pumpkin or enjoy a glass of apple cider.
  4. Carve pumpkins – the ones your kids picked up at the pumpkin patch! And don’t forget to roast the seeds too.
  5. Print out fall-themed activity sheets and have an ‘art night.’
  6. Check out your local bike trails.
  7. Attend community events hosted throughout your town.
  8. Visit a local farmers’ market and pick up some fresh produce. It’s a great way to support local farmers while getting some exercise at the same time.
  9. Have an adventure day! Set aside one day this fall where everyone goes off on their own to explore something new—a museum, an art gallery, or even just another part of town that hasn’t been explored before. It’ll be fun for everyone involved!

What are your favorite ways to enjoy the fall season? Share in the comments.

Filed Under: Duo Update, Family on Mission, Save Money, Travel & Staycations Tagged With: family activities, family fun

Our Family on Mission: Serving at VBS

August 7, 2021 by moneysavingduo

Family on Mission: Mora Family Serves at VBS

This week the Mora family served at our church’s first Vacation Bible School (VBS) at our Alma location. Serving together is just one way you and your family can live a glorious life for less.

Although we want to help you build financial stability, we also want you to live life from a place of joy and service – otherwise, what’s the point? And doing so often starts with serving other people.

If you aren’t familiar with Vacation Bible School, it’s basically a week where churches host children’s programming to tell the story of Jesus. Our church has been hosting an incredible VBS program for years, but this was the first time bringing it to the Alma Campus where Aaron is the campus pastor.

This VBS was particularly special because it was the first time our boys could serve right along with us. Elijah served on the tech team and Ben worked with the 2nd graders. Our girls also attended and, as always, had a great time.

No matter how you decide to serve, we hope you’ll consider it as a way to not only give back, but to also remind you that building financial freedom isn’t just about the money, it’s about the experiences you and your family get to have together. And if you’ve been following our blog for a while, we hope you’ll notice that living a glorious life doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

Related: Get to Know the Mora Family

In other words, you can live a very full life without a lot of money. Plus, serving in your community in a variety of ways also helps others live a more glorious life too.

Here are some ways to consider supporting your community and building relationships with others:

  • Food Pantries and Meal Programs – These programs usually have an easy place for volunteers to jump in and help those dealing with food insecurity.
  • Community Outreach Events – Stay connected to your city’s social pages or newsletters and watch for ways to participate in programs you are excited about.
  • United Way – Your local United Way may have lots of opportunities to partner with a variety of local initiatives.
  • Homeless shelters – There are lots of ways to serve those dealing with homelessness. Whether its staffing for overnights or helping support.
  • Donate items – It’s always great to bring extra items you don’t need to thrift stores. But there may be local outreach agencies that need them more. We like to donate nice items to the Foster Closet or Clothing Ministries.

No matter how you decide to serve, we hope it’s a great way for you and your family to give back, build relationships and help lift others up around you.

Do you have a favorite way to serve in your community? We’d love to hear all about it! Share in the comments or message us on Facebook.

Filed Under: Duo Update, Family on Mission Tagged With: family activities, local community, volunteering

Enter to Win $1000 for your Staycation!

April 12, 2020 by Kati Mora

Staycation Sweepstakes

Please note: This post contains a referral link and we may receive an extra entry into the giveaway if you click through the links and enter yourself. We just thought you should know!

Want a little extra spending cash to make the most of your staycation? Enter to win $1000 from Vrbo to spend on family activities during these uncertain times.

Enter to Win a $1000 Staycation
credit: Vrbo.com

Five lucky winners will receive a $1000 prepaid VISA reward card to spend on family activities during these uncertain times.

Use yours to stock up on board games, a backyard tent, or maybe even a trampoline… that’s what we decided to spend our spring break money on this year since we had to cancel our original plans.

April 12th, 2020 is the last day to enter so act fast!

Filed Under: Duo Update, Family on Mission, Freebies & Giveaways, Travel & Staycations Tagged With: family activities, staycation

January 2020 Free and Fun Family-Friendly Activities in Mid-Michigan

January 6, 2020 by Kati Mora

Family-Friendly Activities (snowman image)

Are you ready to kick off the new year with fun and free family activities? We’ve scoured community calendars and Facebook event pages to find a solid list of activities that we hope your family will love and enjoy as much as ours.

fun and free family-friendly activities in Mid-Michigan

January 8th, 4-5:30 pm, it’s Open Make time at CMU! Open to 3rd – 7th grade students, Open Make is part of the CMU Center for Excellence in STEM Education and provides a great opportunity for students to try their hand at a variety of STEM related projects at no cost. RSVP and learn more here.

January 8th, 3:30-4:30 pm, stop by the Shepherd Community Library for Create, Make & Take Crafts! Open to children of all ages, the library provides all the supplies you need to create something wonderful. Learn more on the Chippewa River District Library calendar.

January 10th, 5-6:30 pm or 7-9 pm, Take the kids on a full moon stroll this month at the Sylvan Nature Preserve or at Chippewa Nature Center. Strolls at the Chippewa Nature Center are led by Interpretive Naturalists Jeanne Henderson and Michelle Fournier and begin at 5pm. Hikes at Sylvan Nature Preserve will begin at 7 pm Learn more about the stroll at the Chippewa Nature Center on Facebookor check out the Sylvan Nature Preserve on the MeetMtP.com website.

January 11th, 10 am – 4 pm, The Midland Mall is hosting its annual Kids Day event. Businesses and organizations will be on site to share kid-friendly resources and products with those who attend. Learn more on Facebook.

January 18th, 2-3 pm, Stop by the Chippewa River District Library in Mt. Pleasant to learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. through the eyes of Coretta Scott King. Rosie Chapman will be honoring the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. through a dramatic and interactive performance. Appropriate for all ages. For further details visit the Chippewa River District Library’s website.

January 19th, 2-2:30 pm, For those of you with younger ones, the Baby & Me Storytime at Barnes and Noble in Midland may be the perfect break in your day. Recommended ages are between 0-2. Learn more on Facebook.

January 25th, 1-4 pm, Stop by the City Forest in Midland to cheer on those participating in this year’s Midland Midwinter Chill Cardboard Sled Races! Participants build sleds out of card board and can win prizes. Learn more on Facebook.

January 30th, 7:30 pm, Expose your family to the arts by attending one of CMU’s Faculty Artist concerts. This one is titled ‘Rebels & Rulebreakers’ and is free to attend on campus at the Staples Family Concert Hall. For a full list of performances, visit CMU’s Event website.

Filed Under: Duo Update, Family on Mission Tagged With: family activities, family friendly, family fun, free, free family events

Free Family Fun Events in Mid-Michigan March 2019

March 8, 2019 by Kati Mora

Looking for some ways to welcome Spring? We’ve got you covered all March long with our list of FREE family fun events happening throughout Mid-Michigan.


Photo by Benjamin Manley on Unsplash

Calling all LEGO fans! Stop by your local Barnes & Noble for a special LEGO architecture build event on Saturday March 9th at 6pm! For those of you in mid-Michigan, Barnes & Noble is located in the Midland Mall.

It’s time for another Kids & Culture event, this time at Off-Broadway Performing Arts Studio! Stop by Saturday March 9th between 10 am – 12 noon for a fun and free family-friendly event.

Another great opportunity this month is a comedy magician show taking place at Plachta auditorium on Central Michigan University’s campus on Tuesday, March 12th at 7 pm. Trent James, the award-winning comedy magician, is sure to wow you, making this an evening of fun for everyone. Free to attend and open to the public.

Not sure if this show is right for you? The video below will give you a sneak peek into a Trent James show.

We’re told that March 12th is FREE pancake day at IHOP! Stop by and enjoy your free shortstack and, if you’re able, consider donating to help children battling critical illness while you’re there.

And if you love free food, you might want to mark down March 20th on your calendar. We’re told that Dairy Queen will be serving up free ice cream cones that day, but haven’t been able to officially confirm it. Check with your local Dairy Queen to see if they will be participating.

Stop by the Chippewa River District Library, Shepherd branch for Create, Make and Take Craft time on March 13th at 3:30pm. All materials will be provided – you just need to bring your creativity!

Grab your favorite board game and head on over to the Salvation Army in Alma on March 15th at 6pm for a free family game night! Movies will also be playing in the chapel.

Looking for an opportunity to introduce your family to the orchestra? Creative 360 in Midland will be hosting the Midland Community Orchestra Small Ensemble and invites everyone to come and listen March 15th at 7pm. More details can be found on the Great Lakes Bay Parents website.

Did you know that Michigan is one of the top maple syrup producers across the nation? In 2017 it was ranked as the 7th top producer of this sugary confection. On March 16th, your family can discover how maple syrup is made during Maple Syrup Day at the Chippewa Nature Center! The event is free for kids and members, but $5 for adults who aren’t members at this time.

Stop by the Chippewa River District Library, Veterans Memorial campus for a rescheduled family date night featuring Kim Darst from Husky Haven Sled Dogs and her incredible story of racing in the Iditarod! Attendees will get the opportunity to see her sled gear and interact with one of her dogs! Be sure to arrive early to this event taking place March 17th at 2pm. 

Take a break from technology and stop by the “Pop” in carnival taking place at Finch Fieldhouse on Central Michigan University’s campus March 22nd from 6 – 8 pm. CMU’s Recreation, Parks and Leisure services RPL 430 class is partnering with Angel Wings to host a family-fun night where kids and adults can play classic carnival games like ring toss and mini bowling. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged to help support the local charity.

Are there free family-fun events we missed? Share them in the comments or on our Facebook page.

Filed Under: Duo Update, Family on Mission, Travel & Staycations Tagged With: family activities, family friendly, family fun, free family events, free family fun, march 2019, mid-Michigan

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Disclaimer: We are not financial or investment advisors – just regular everyday people sharing tips we’ve learned through our own lived experiences. This information is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.

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