UC Davis Tahoe Science Center - Incline Village

After a recent trip up to Nevada Beach we decided to do a little exploring and check out the UC Davis Tahoe Science Center. This was a fun little stop to learn more about the amazing environment up there, and it was totally free! 

Not.The.Average.Kids - Reno Business Review

Do your kids love to craft? I know mine do! Give them some paper, scissors, and glue and they're happy for what seems like forever. As awesome as it is watching their creativity blossom though, I don't always love the mess that comes with it. Tiny paper trimmings, sticky glue dribbles everywhere, you know what I mean. So, when I was approached a few weeks ago by Katelyn at Not.The.Average.Kids with a chance to try out one of her adorable craft kits I jumped right on that opportunity! My kids couldn't wait for the day when we finally got to break open the box and get started creating! I'm excited to share our fun with you and to let you in on a way to get this awesomeness into your life for free (but only for a limited time, so keep reading)!

Nevada State Capitol Museum - Carson City

When my husband told me a while back that the Nevada State Capitol building has a museum upstairs, I figured I'd go check it out sooner or later but didn't exactly put it at the top of my list. I imagined some dark tiny room somewhere with a few pictures and maybe an artifact or two, but if only I'd known it's so much more than that!

Sierra View Library - Reno

We found ourselves in Reno a few weeks ago with some time to kill, so we decided to see if there were any nearby libraries we hadn't visited yet. The Sierra View Library showed up as the closest one to us on the map, so we headed in that direction. My phone led us on a merry wild goose chase, but we eventually found the library and got to enjoy all the fun things it had to offer. 

Nevada Museum of Art - Hands ON! Second Saturdays - Reno

I've always got my eyes open for our next adventure, so when I saw something on Facebook about the Hands-ON! Second Saturday event at the Nevada Museum of Art I knew we had to go check it out. Any chance to expose our kids to fine art is always fun, but then you add in FREE kid-friendly activities and a musical presentation and we are there! We had so much fun this time around that there is an excellent chance we will be back often, and I hope you will check it out too! 

Round Table Pizza - Topsy Lane - Carson City

Last week our oldest earned an award at school, and part of the prize was a coupon for a free personal pan pizza at Round Table Pizza. We made a family event of it and had a nice lunch there on Saturday. The kids loved it and we all got to eat a yummy lunch, so it was a win for everyone!

Scheels - Sparks/Reno

After barely leaving the house for WAY too long thanks to all the snow lately, we decided to take advantage of the glorious sunshine on Saturday to head up to Reno for the day. We knew we wanted to visit the Discovery Museum again (they have a great new exhibit perfect for school age kids), but we also wanted to visit somewhere new. A few minutes on Google gave us the idea of going to visit Scheels and it did NOT disappoint! 

South Valleys Library - Reno

We are always looking for fun new places to see around here, so on our way home from a Reno Pops concert the other day we decided to stop by the South Valleys Library and check it out. Located in the middle of a large park that has lots to offer in and of itself, this library is a great location for families! 

 

The Discovery - Reno

I've been hearing people talk about Reno's Discovery Museum since shortly after we moved here, and we've been anxious to find a time to visit. Then, our kids got a Family Membership for Christmas and suddenly this visit jumped to the top of our To Do list. We had been warned that the place was SO big that you could easily lose a child in there in the blink of an eye, so we were surprised when the museum didn't seem too huge from the outside. BUT, as soon as we walked inside, we were reminded never to judge a book (or museum) by its cover!

El Dorado County Library - South Lake Tahoe Branch

The other day we were itching to get out of the house and go somewhere fun so we decided to head up the hill to Lake Tahoe. We knew it would be pretty cold for being outside, so we looked up a few fun places we could go in case the kids got too cold. After walking the beach at Zephyr Cove the kids were ready to get inside somewhere, so we headed over to South Lake Tahoe and visited the El Dorado County Library there. This is hands-down our favorite public library that we have visited since moving to Northern Nevada. They have SO much to offer little kids!

Carson City Fire Museum - Carson City

If you're looking for something to do that involves getting out of the house, but not necessarily outside, I have an idea for you. Did you know Carson City has a Fire Fighting Museum? Did you know it's FREE? Well now you do! 

Run, Rattle, and Roll - Minden

It's official. My kids have a new favorite place to play.

Recently we got to visit Run, Rattle, and Roll for the first time and it was an instant hit! I mean, how could it not be? It's got a race track, a zip-line swing, a 3 level playground, and so much more! Located a quick 15 minute drive from Carson City, it's a wonderland of fun for everyone!

Carson Lanes Family Fun Center - Carson City

When I found out there was a way to enjoy free bowling with my kids all summer long, I just knew I had to sign up! We ended up getting busy and only took advantage of the Kids Bowl Free program once before the end of the summer but hey, one free bowling visit is better than none, right? The kids absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back again!

Nevada State Museum - Carson City

Always on the lookout for something fun, we were super excited to go check out the Nevada State Museum! We'd been meaning to go for a while, but what got us over there was when we found out they run the coin press one day a month. Our kids have been very interested in money (and how it's made) lately, so this was a perfect fit for our little family. Plus there's a real mammoth skeleton there, so what's not to love? 

The Children's Museum of Northern Nevada - Carson City

We are big fans of Children's Museums. We have been to several, in multiple states, and they are always a great way to spend a day with the kids! This one is not huge, but they have tried really hard to pack every corner with something great for a variety of ages. 

LEGO Club, Carson City Library - Carson City

As I've mentioned before, we absolutely LOVE going to the library. When my husband and I came to check out the area before we moved here one of the first things we did was check out the local library. They are such a treasure trove of amazing resources and opportunities, and that all before you even open a book. 

Douglas County Public Library - Minden

One of the first thing our family does when we move somewhere new is check out the local library. They are such a great way to get involved in the community, participate in fun events, and find something great to read. This library isn't the closest to our house, but it's really not all that far away so we figured it was worth taking a look. 

Nevada State Railroad Museum - Carson City

 I had planned to spend last week exploring as many local parks as we could find, but the weather wasn't terribly cooperative. We woke up to a gray rainy day and grumpy kids and NEEDED out of the house. In desperation I put everyone in the car and headed to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. I had no idea if this was going to be a kid-friendly location, but it was inside and not too expensive, so we went for it. Now we can't wait for the weekend to go back and take Daddy with us!