The Playful Parent™

Games, crafts, and activities for playtime with parents and kids

WHY WE PLAY: Research has shown that the ability to play is a critical part of maintaining a happy lifestyle, of sustaining social relationships, and fostering a creative and innovative personality. Play actually shapes the neuron paths in the brain and makes us smarter and more adaptable to life circumstances. Additionally, a healthy play-life as a child is a surprisingly accurate predictor of career success as an adult. ¹

And...it's fun to play. So what are you waiting for?

Use this Playful Parent idea to share a little bit of play-life with your children today!

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GARAGE SALE SURPRISES

Late spring through the end of summer is garage sale season. And, as they say, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure! This is a fun way to get out of the house, find a few bargains, and maybe even meet some new friends!

Summary: You’ll set a dollar limit and see who can get the most for their money at local garage sales.

Best For: all ages.

Seasonal/Holiday Focus: You’ll have the most luck finding garage sales in the summer months, but if you live in a locale that’s warm year-round you may find garage or yard sales even in the winter months.

Supplies:

• newspaper

• map

• a few dollars per person

Before you begin…

Start by working together and making a map of garage sales in a certain area of town. Many newspapers advertise garage sales in the north, south, east, or west side of town to help shoppers. Scan the classified ads together and use a map to plot out a course for your time. Find at least three garage sales, and you’ll probably want to limit it to six—after that everyone gets tired and will probably have run out of money. (This is a great way to help younger children start understanding how to use a map.)

A this point you’ll also want to decide on a set amount that each person can spend. This is entirely up to you and your budget. You can have fun with just two dollars per person (it makes it a bigger challenge!) but having five dollars to spend will probably allow everyone to find something useful and fun.

When you’re ready to go!

The goal is for each person to come away from the garage sales with something that’s both fun and useful. You can set added challenges such as the item has to be smaller than a loaf of bread, or bigger than a pillow…or that everyone has to search for something that’s red (or another color everyone agrees on). Older kids will have fun with the added challenges, but younger children may get frustrated. Choose the challenges as a family, and decide ahead of time how strict you’ll all be with them. You may decide ahead of time that you’re open to exceptions based on age of those playing.

Head to the first garage sale on your map and take your time checking it out. Some may buy right away; others may want to keep their options open. Remember, if you leave the item may not be there if you come back! Move from sale to sale until everyone has made their purchases.

Along the way, have fun exploring and talking about how different items might be used. Take time to meet the garage sale hosts. We once met a war veteran who told us amazing stories and showed us pictures of his experiences. That was a treasure itself! This is an easy way to meet neighbors and make new friends!

When you’re done have a show-and-tell so everyone gets to brag about what he or she found. There’s no prize—just bragging rights for those who did the best at the challenge! Congratulate everyone on what they found. (And consider shopping at garage sales more often—you can find some great stuff at a bargain!)

Bonus!

Did we forget to say that you should add a little time to play with the stuff you buy? If anyone gets a toy, play with it! If it’s a book, read the first chapter aloud together—even in the car while you’re driving to the next sale location. Try out your loot together and keep the fun going!

¹ Source: Play by Stuart Brown, M.D. (New York: Avery, a member of the Penguin Group USA, 2009.) Pp. 4-13

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