ML Interest Tag: nickel

8 Great Alternatives to a Lemonade Stand

by Melissa Heckscher

Summer screams curbside lemonade stand. But, if you’re out of the sweetly sour stuff and still want to widen your young entrepreneurs’ selling scope with fun summer jobs, we scoped out eight great alternatives that will get your little people selling out fast. Keep reading to see them all.

photo: Miroslav Vajdic via Flickr

1. Watermelon Stand
Ice cold watermelon is a hot weather staple. And, not only does it give you a boost of energy, this is a pretty affordable product to sell. Simply slice it up, store in an ice chest and watch your kids sell a slice of summer.

2. Otter Pop Stand
On a hot day, anything cold is sure to be a hit. So let your kids break open the freezer and get out the Otter Pops (also called Freezer Pops or Fun Pops) to sell to those who need something cold to quench their thirst. Hint: You can also pair the pops with water or juice to make for double-hydration.

photo: Personal Expressions via Flickr

3. Popcorn Stand
You can make a ton of this movie-night favorite right on your stove in a large pot. Or, if you have one of those classic movie theater poppers, it’ll add major curbside appeal. Order a few packages of nostalgic popcorn containers and you’re all set.

photo: Melissa Heckscher

4. Advice Stand
It worked for Charlie Brown and Lucy! Let your kids put on their doctor hats (and costumes, if they have them!) and dispense psychological help to anyone willing to pay a few pennies for a little kid-branded honesty. Kids say the darndest things, after all; your little doctors may just do some good.

photo: Pretty Prudent

5. Bake Sale
Bake sales are par for the course at school fundraisers; why not bake some yummy treats for a private streetside sale? This project gives your littles two activities to do: One, in helping you bake the goods; two, for bringing in the bucks when they sell them. Any leftovers can be frozen and stashed for a special occasion. Like tomorrow.

photo: Duncan Rawlinson via Flickr

6. Tattoo Stand
Order a few dozen of your kids’ favorite temporary tattoos, add water and a washcloth, and you’ve got yourself the makings of a very fun roadside pit stop.

photo: Melissa Heckscher

7. Greeting Card Sale
Let your kids pen good wishes and illustrations onto their own homemade greeting cards. Since these creations take a bit of work on behalf of your aspiring Hallmarkers, your kids can charge a little more for each product ($1 a card isn’t unreasonable). They’ll be aspiring greeting card writers by day’s end.

photo: Patrick via Flickr

8. A Hose-Down Stand 
With temps rocketing well over 100 in much of the U.S., a nice misting of cool water might be worth a few pennies. Have your little water hosers hunker down by the street, ready to spray anyone who wants to pay a nickel or two for the instant cool-down. Don’t be surprised if your tots are soaking wet by the end of this little business venture.

 

RELATED STORIES:
This 9-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Made Over $5,000 for the Best Reason Ever
10 Modern Twists on the Traditional Lemonade
5 Valuable Life Skills Kids Learn from Working Parents

 

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10 Face Painting Ideas That Are Totally Doable

by Jennifer Massoni Pardini

With Halloween around the corner, your little ones may still be deciding … dragon or dinosaur? Moana or Maui? Too many trolls to choose! With the transformative power of face paint, a last minute mind change will never mean you have a costume to return. We rounded up easy ways to trick out your Halloween and keep imaginations spinning all year long. Keep reading to see them all.

photo: Clare Jeffery via Flickr

1. Keep their eyes on the prize.
Whether your trick-or-treater wants to be a wizard or a witch, an eye mask always completes the makeover. You can find a slew of eye inspiration here, or design your own fun shape and embellishments for a truly unique look.

photo: Donnie Ray Jones via Flickr

2. Try out a prowl.
Does it get any easier than a set of whiskers? We don’t think so. And really, they’re all your shy cat or fierce lion needs to play the part. Any black eyeliner will do the trick. In fact, look no further than mom’s makeup bag for tons of fun ways to use everyday makeup as face paint.

photo: Lynne Bailey via Flickr

3. Color inside the lines.
If freestyling is leaving you uninspired, invest in a stencil set like this one from Create A Face for dozens of great ideas. With plenty of options on hand, these can be reused for birthday parties or rainy-day dress-up down the road. And don’t forget about arms and legs—you can stencil on temporary tattoos too!

photo: clappstar via Flickr

4. Face off with a friend.
A partner in candy crime can double the fun. For any full-coverage commitment, be sure to go with natural, non-toxic paints like these from Elegant Minerals. In general, check that any face paint you buy is water-soluble and free of lead, nickel, chromium, or any other skin allergens—the only Halloween heavy metal we’re interested in is of the musical variety.

photo: Nathan Rupert via Flickr

5. Go abstract.
Bold colors and swooping lines are a simple way to pull off a strong, dramatic, and one-of-a-kind look. And if you only need a handful of colors, Go Green Face Paint’s organic, stackable kit packs in plenty o’ paint to get the job done.

photo: Becky Baran

6. Add a little lip.
Nothing is cuter than when your pup starts talking like a toddler. If you want to make the mouth a key part of the animal fun, again ensure safety by going with food-based ingredients. It will take a little extra prep work, but you’ll save a lot of time worrying! This recipe by Mommypotamus largely consists of cornstarch, flour, honey, water, and natural food dye.

photo: Diana Beato via Flickr

7. Bling out.
If you have a kid who will jump for gems, they are a perfect way to add that little extra pizazz. Mama Clown’s assorted self-adhesives make it easier than ever to bedazzle your design. Try adding a necklace or forehead hat or crown to complete the look.

photo: James Kim via Flickr

8. Get in the hot seat.
Why not take the first spin? Your Halloween artists may come up with ideas they never would have thought of without brushes in their own hands. If you’re in need of the right tool for the job, check out Silly Farm’s extensive assortment of supplies.

photo: Jessie Bailey via Flickr

9. Remember a ‘stache.
Second to whiskers, little is easier than adding a mustache. Consider going multi-colored to kick things up a notch. Extra points if you make use of eyebrow real estate! Dress Up America’s Face & Body Crayons will give you extra control with color and are another great option for kids to use themselves.

photo: USAG- Humphreys via Flickr

10. Cheek to cheek … and sweet.
Less can truly be more. Give everyone you trick or treat a reason to smile with something as simple as a rainbow, heart, or peace sign. The Klutz Face Painting Craft Kit has several step-by-step cheek designs to pull off that most classic look of all.

 

 

Plan to face paint this Halloween? Share your ideas in the Comments below!

—Jennifer Massoni Pardini

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A Retro Arcade Where Games Cost Nickels

by liz overson

Arcades are scarce nowadays as our little ones are growing up in the age of PlayStation and Xbox. But have no fear! There is a special little place where you can still hear the ping, zings and tokens oozing from the change machine. An arcade that is just as cool as you remember ‘em to be, fully equipped with air hockey, skee ball, pinball…all begging for your high score. Even the pricing is retro with most games taking two to four nickels per play. Yes! Nickels. So, grab your little ones and take a trip back to your glory days at Electric Castle’s Wunderland.

Need to Know
Wunderland charges admission but hey, it’s so worth it. Adults admission is $2.75 and kiddos $2.25 (ages 5-11). After entering the arcade, your first mission is to buy your baggies of nickels you and your little ones before you can play the neon, noisy, pingy, crane-y, driving game delights.  And just as you remember from rainy summer days at the beach arcade, you get tickets as you play that are redeemable to for cool prizes your little tykes will love.

At Electric Wunderland, you can teach your little ones the ins and outs of air hockey or help them land a 100-pointer in skee ball and transform them into mini pinball wizards. Afterwards, jhop on a motorcycle or speedboat and drag race with your tiny tots. And after all that high-speed adventure, step right up to your first arcade loves – Pac Man, Donkey Kong, target action and bonking hippo heads. It’s all as it used to be and it’s still crazy fun.

If We Had a Nickel for Every Time…
Some Wunderlands even come attached with a movie theater showing $3 movies. And we’re not talking older flicks but the most current films playing in theaters everywhere. Some offer stadium seating, some offer 3D action and all offer tasty popcorn, candies and other yummy treats and a chance to sit back and enjoy the show.

No Wooden Nickels
The well-trained and ever-present gang at Wunderland could not be nicer or friendlier, always willing to help you and the family out with broken or jammed games. Plus, they will help you make choices about where and what to play, how many nickels to buy and most important of all – how to spend those tickets! The staff is also extremely dedicated to safe, clean and friendly arcades so no worries here.

Electric Castle Wunderlands are available for parties and groups. For the diehards, check out the web site for Club Wunderland details, coupons and newsletters. Currently, this awesome arcade is open Sunday to Thursday from 12:00 pm-11:00 pm, Fridays from 12:00 pm-midnight and Saturday from 11:00 am- midnight. It’s a cool way to spend a rainy afternoon with the ones you love and it’s THE best spot around to rub two nickels together!

Locations:

Milwaukie Cinema and Wunderland
11011 SE Main Steet
Milwaukie, OR 97222
503-653-2222

Gresham Cinema and Wunderland
140 NW Burnside Road
Gresham, OR 97030
503-328-8496

Gateway Wunderland
10306 NE Halsey St
Portland, OR 97220
503-255-7333

Beaverton Wunderland
4070 Cedar Hills Boulevard
Beaverton, OR 97005
503-626-1665

Salem Wunderland
1657 Hawthorne NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-399-9410

Tell us about your trip to Wunderland in the comment section below!

— Liz Overson

Thanks for the photos Electric Castle’s Wunderland Facebook page!


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5 Faves from Parent Hack’s Asha Dornfest

by Tuba Ugurulu

Asha Dornfest, founder and publisher of Parent Hacks and one of Portland’s Top Mom Bloggers , shared her favorite local family spots and of course some parenting hacks in 5 quick questions!

1.  What’s your favorite “escape hatch”—a way to put in some “me” time to recharge?

My new hobby is crochet. I taught myself to crochet precisely because my attention span has suffered since I had kids. What I didn’t expect: how satisfying and profoundly relaxing it is. Unlike reading, I can crochet for 10 minutes and feel refreshed. A bonus: I end up with a nifty handmade something for my trouble!

2.  What is your favorite pearl of wisdom for a frazzled new mom to find her happiness?

Call your friends. Leave the kids with your partner or a sitter and take yourself out to dinner. Take care of yourself. I know you’ve heard it before, but if you’re like me, you’ll brush off this advice for a little too long. Parenting is intense work. Give yourself some
time off, in whatever way feels good for you.

3. What are your family’s favorite trails and bike paths?

We love both the Japanese and Classical Chinese Gardens. When it comes to outings, we often find ourselves wading around near waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge.

4.  What are a few of your favorite parks & places to visit with kids and around town?

OMSI, of course. They are continually coming up with new ways to engage kids and adults alike. The Avalon Theater on SE Belmont, with its nickel arcade games and prizes, is always fun on a rainy day. My favorite garden is Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in SE Portland. In May it’s a riot of color, but it’s lovely any time of year. Good spot for kids to jump over stepping stones and appreciate the birds in
the pond.

5.  Where do you like to catch a bite with the little one in tow?

Slappy Cakes (also on SE Belmont) is fun for brunch…make your own pancakes at a tabletop griddle! (Not great for grabby toddlers, but fun for older kids.) Favorite Chinese food: Shandong in NE Portland. And then there’s Potato Champion, one of the food carts on SE Hawthorne. Best fries ever.

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