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He ducks to dodge the rubber-tipped bullet flying from the far reaches of the basement. With a long leap over ... Read moreThe Best Nerf Guns In 2021 The post The Best Nerf Guns In 2021 appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
He ducks to dodge the rubber-tipped bullet flying from the far reaches of the basement. With a long leap over the carpet, he reaches the safety of the couch-cushion fortification—time to reload. There is a rustling from across the room. No time for more ammo, he peaks cautiously over the couch-cushion barricade and sees his opponent, having lost one sock in the intensity of it all, barreling towards him. Darts are exchanged in a fury of combative shouts.
Nerf guns have become an iconic American toy since they were in invented in 1969. A mark of childhood and sometimes manhood (and womanhood too). Their popularity has sparked vigorous innovation from the company, and a vast spread of exciting blaster styles and accessories are now available. This ain’t your dad’s Nerf.
What should you look for in a Nerf gun when you want to be armed and ready for serious fun? Let’s take a look at some key factors to take into consideration when making your next acquisition of Nerf: The fun-included artillery!
Darts are probably the most well known and the most common ammo. There are different sizes and styles of Nerf darts. Suction cup arrows are excellent for target practice, while rubber-tipped foam darts are ideal for general combat games and “mega” ultra-wide darts are fun for packing a bigger punch.
Disc blasters fire small, flat foam discs with a hole in the middle. They tend to be less accurate because they aren’t very arrow-dynamic (see what I did there?), but the latest series of Vortex Nerf guns have a thicker disc that is comparable to arrows in terms of accuracy. It’s also great fun to use discs themselves as target practice, like skeet shooting, since discs also take longer to fall to the ground and are slow enough to be caught by a higher speed arrow or dart.
Missile blasters are for next-level fun. They are larger darts with three fins that pack a punch. They can be accurate and longer-range but not the most versatile nor best choice for an indoor toy that won’t knock over grandma’s antique lamp. Their fins are also notorious for breaking, significantly reducing their potential for a precise shot.
The RIVAL Nerf gun series, designed for teens and adults, uses smaller foam balls.
If you are looking to mix it up, there are a series of crossbow-esque style guns/bows that fire Nerf arrows, as well.
While most blasters fire a single projectile at a time, some can shoot two or three simultaneously. The advantages to this are possibly similar to those of a real-life shotgun – more bullets mean a higher chance of hitting the target—also, a great wow factor. However, before springing for a multi-shot blaster, you may want to consider if it is worth multiplying the number of ammo pieces you need to pick up off the floor per shot.
While some blasters have a fixed capacity, most Nerf dart guns have the option to upgrade your magazine or clip to allow you to hold more ammo. Aftermarket magazines can hold up to 22 darts; however, Nerf makes a 35 roll drum. If you want to keep your blaster lightweight and well balanced, a more modest attachment is recommended. There are also pockets available for purchase (or spare attachments with more ammo inside) if a few darts will not suffice.
Nerf guns that shoot balls can hold up to 100 foam balls. This allows for more complex games and longer rounds… and of course more complex, longer clean-up as well.
There are a few ways to store extra ammo. Some blasters use clip systems. Blasters with the CS or ECS systems can incorporate clips (they are attachments to the gun that hold extra darts). Alternatively, there are magazines. Magazines use a spring or other mechanism to push darts into the firing chamber between shots. They are ideal if you are interested in having lots of options for upgrading. Finally, there are drums. Drums are compatible with clip blasters and essentially fill the same role as a clip; however, their shape means that they can hold a lot of ammo without dangling too low.
A smaller blaster pistol allows manoeuvrability, is lighter for playing on the run, is easy to store and is often more affordable. Larger rifle models have more capabilities, are compatible with more upgrade options and are probably more fun to tote around. Although, they are of course more expensive.
The smallest Nerf gun is the “Jolt” is a mere 5.43 inches and perfect for pockets. The Nerf N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon is the biggest Nerf gun you can buy.
Some Nerf guns are designed with special themes. For example, there is a Starwars line-up and a Fortnight series. The Assembler Gear series is designed to be highly customizable and resemble Avengers weaponry. Others, like the N-Strike and N-Strike Elite series are designed to mirror the functionality of real weapons and are often preferred by older users. Nerf RIVAL guns fires balls. Keep your eye out as new theme lines are likely to be unveiled in the future, as well.
Nerf guns range massively in accuracy. Typically longer Nerf guns, with a dart arrow at a higher price point will give you top accuracy. Smaller, slower blasters are less likely to be accurate, but that doesn’t make them less desirable for smaller, more casual settings. Some accessories can improve accuracy – notable are stands that offer stability and calibratable lasers that let shooters sight in their blasters before gameplay. Sights, if matched with Nerf guns of worthy quality, offer a chance to shoot with even more precision.
The distance that a Nerf gun can shoot varies. On one end of the spectrum is the N-Strike Elite Centurion which boasts a 100ft range. On the other end of the scale, small blasters might only shoot 30ft or so, but can still be great as a cheaper and lightweight close-up sneak attack option. In general, Nerf guns that shoot foam balls have a lower firing velocity and thus a substantially lower range than dart-style ammo, however, there are “high-impact” RIVAL blasters that shoot a yellow foam ball 100 feet per second, improving the range but upping the risk of property damage.
Just like real-life guns, there are options for how the ammo is loaded into the barrel of a Nerf gun. Some Nerf guns have pump-action on the top or bottom of the blaster. Others have lever-action loading mechanisms. Finally, some only require pulling the trigger. Trigger-action-only guns are more likely to require batteries.
Some Nerf models are “semi-automatic” meaning that they require batteries for added power or loading mechanisms. This certainly can add some extra pizazz and power, but might also be avoided in the name of keeping costs low and reducing the number of parts that might break.
Nerf Blasters that feature tactical rails (like the N-series) can be upgraded by sliding special attachments onto the gun including sights, folding scopes, lasers, lights, various shield designs, barrel extensions to improve accuracy, and shoulder stocks.
Now that you are intrigued by the vast world of Nerf, here are some suggestions to get you started. These picks are all affordable and upgradable.
This just announced, brand new Mandalorian Nerf gun is amazing. Its a replica of the actual Amban Phase-Pulse Blaster used by Mando in the Disney+ tv show. It is even life size, measuring 50.25 inches. Not to mention, it includes a light-up scope, wood stock and a nifty cartridge loading mechanism! How cool is that?
The Nerf N-Strike Elite Triad EX-3 Blaster is compact, three dart rotating drum blaster more durable than more expensive themed blasters in its class. Around $10 this blaster still boasts a 90ft range comparable with much larger models.
The Nerf N-Strike Elite Disruptor is medium-small, pump-action sleek blue with a six-arrow rotating drum, rapid-fire option and a low price point.
The Nerf N-Strike Modulus ECS-10 Blaster is a motorized, bolt action blaster in the acclaimed Accu-strike series, fully loaded with a scope and ten dart magazine and many options for further customization.
The Nerf Rival Phantom Corps Hades XVIII-6000 is pure fun with an integrated magazine holding 60 rounds of ball-style ammo that fires at 100 feet per second. If the price is out of your range, there are more affordable options with fewer features in the Nerf Rival series.
With the exact same design as the Fortnite sniper rifle, the BASR-L is a really cool bolt-action with a 6-dart clip and scope! Fortnight gamers will absolutely love this Nerf gun.
The Zombie Strike Ghoulgrinder Blaster is like the Gears of War Lancer chainsaw gun. It has a “grinder” at the end of the barrel that really moves when it shoots. The grinder moves with the 10-dart rotating wheel included in the stock. This particular weapon features a removable stock and various attachment points for customization with other Zombie Strike series gear.
Nerf has released a ton of really expensive toy guns over the years. Sadly, most of the historically most expensive Nerf products are unavailable for purchase anymore (except on eBay perhaps).
Nonetheless, the most expensive Nerf gun widely available for purchase in 2021 is the Nerf Elite Titan CS-50 Toy Blaster. This Nerf gun has a motorized 50-Dart Drum, a spinning barrel and comes with 50 darts. Beware, this one is so big that a child under 12 wont be able to hold it.
Happy blasting! Pow pow pow! Come back and check out our other toy reviews here.
The post The Best Nerf Guns In 2021 appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
Our family has a beautiful Goldendoodle named Daisy. She is nearly four years old and is a tremendously kind and ... Read moreAll The BEST Types Of Doodles (My Opinion) The post All The BEST Types Of Doodles (My Opinion) appeared first on Daddy Lawn...
Our family has a beautiful Goldendoodle named Daisy. She is nearly four years old and is a tremendously kind and loving dog with a strong zest for life. We are often asked what type of dog Daisy is, which brought me to develop this post on some of the different kinds of Doodles there are because as we all know, there are many types of Doodles.
A Doodle itself is a dog that has been crossed with a Poodle. There are a ton of various types of Doodles because Poodles can ultimately be crossed with most dogs (with some sometimes unusual consequences). Below, I will focus on a few of my favorite Doodle breeds, specifically the GoldenDoodle, LabraDoodle, BernaDoodle and ShepaDoodle. Typically, the different types of Doodles are hypoallergenic and do not shed as a result of their Poodle fur.
It is also important to note how much Poodle your dog has in its lineage as that will impact the type of temperament and physical appearance of your Doodle. Daisy, for example, is an F1B GoldenDoodle, this means that one parent was a Goldendoodle, and the other parent was a Poodle. She is therefore 75% Poodle and 25% Golden.
Doodles, in general, vary in colours and sizes. It is essential to determine if you are looking for a teacup (mini), small, medium, or standard type of Doodle. This conversation should be had with your trusted breeder, and I also suggest that you meet the parents of the Doodle you are considering ensuring most importantly, that they are well cared for, and also that they are the size you are looking for. We have heard a variety of stories about the disparate breeds of Doodles who once they are brought home ended up being significantly bigger than expected.
When planning to get a Doodle I also strongly recommend thinking about what sort of mix you are looking for. We have close friends who have an F1 Goldendoodle, which means it is 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle. Their dog’s temperament and appearance strongly favor the GoldenRetriever, so much so in fact that their dog sheds and does not look like there is any Poodle at all. That is why it is so crucial to understand the differences of Doodles and to pick the one best suited for you.
There is a beneficial book you can check out when thinking about the various breeds of Doodles and dogs in general:
Now, let’s breakdown the different types of Doodle you can bring home.
As mentioned above, a Goldendoodle is a Golden Retriever that has been crossed with a Poodle.
There are variations in the type of crossing that can be done; however, the primary variations are F1 and F1B.
An F1 Goldendoodle is 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. An F1B GoldenDoodle is 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever.
Goldendoodle’s have a very kind temperament. They are gentle, fun-loving and intelligent. Due to their Golden Retriever and Poodle lineage, they do require a fair amount of exercise and love to run and play.
Goldendoodles and most Doodles are relatively high maintenance from a grooming standpoint.
This is because their fur is a cross between the straight Golden Retriever hair and the curly Poodle hair.
Their fur can get matted quickly and requires either consistent at-home brushing or trips to the groomer every eight or so weeks. Our family makes ongoing groomer appointments, which while costly, Daisy loves, and there is a benefit because they also do hair, nail trim, eye trim etc. We have found that the vast majority of clients at our dog groomer are, in fact, doodles.
This is a fantastic guide to Goldendoodle’s that we leveraged in our home:
The Labradoodle is another type of Doodle. Similar to the GoldenDoodle, the LabraDoodle is a Poodle cross; however, in this case, it is a Poodle Crossed with a Labrador Retriever. As is consistent with Doodles, the percentage of Poodle vs Labrador Retriever mixed with the LabraDoodle will impact their appearance and temperament.
Labradoodles are energetic, social and fun-loving dogs. They typically love water and play well with children. The one call out of Labradoodles, and all Doods in general, is because of their excitable Poodle nature, while they are very loving to children, they can sometimes be so excited that they can accidentally knock over a child or frighten them with their excitedness. Typically, however, Poodle mixes (i.e. doodles) respond to the energy of those around them and will calm down if their behaviour is too much.
Here is a guide to Labradoodles to provide you with everything you need to understand the breed:
The SheepaDoodle is another type of Doodle that is growing in popularity. The SheepaDoodle is a mix between an old English sheepdog and a Poodle.
Again, as is consistent with all doodles, the mix of each parent will impact the look and attitude of the SheepaDoodle.
A standard SheepaDoodle is tremendously playful, loyal and intelligent. They tend to be on the larger size (if you get a standard) which means they can actually be a bit lazier. Their coats requirement consistent grooming as is common with different types of Doodles but they are tremendously cuddly and cute dogs.
Here is a guide to SheepDoodles:
A Bernedoodle is another excellent type of Doodle. They are are Bernese Mountain Dog mixed with a Poodle and therefore can be the largest of the of all the Doodles.
A Bernedoodle is kid-friendly, intelligent and playful. They do limited shedding as a result of their fur and love cold weather.
You can learn more about Bernedoodles here:
Read More: Are greenies bad for dogs?
The post All The BEST Types Of Doodles (My Opinion) appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
As our son has started to get older, one of the unexpected questions my husband and I have found ourselves ... Read moreThe TOP Activities To Keep Your Baby Entertained (3-6 Months) The post The TOP Activities To Keep Your Baby Entertained (3-6 Months) appeared first on Daddy Lawn...
As our son has started to get older, one of the unexpected questions my husband and I have found ourselves asking is what do we do with him?! Once you exit the newborn stage, your baby is awake longer in-between naps, and therefore you need activities to keep your baby entertained during those wake windows. As first-time parents, this was never something we thought about in the planning stage. Below we have put together some easy and cost-effective solutions that we have found to be excellent activities to keep your baby entertained. This list is for baby’s 3-6 months, as our son gets older, we will be sure to add additional activities to keep your baby entertained as we discover them!
I included links for items to purchase as a means to help others conduct each activity. For example, I’ll link to the baby carrier (the item) we have and recommend so you can go for a walk (the activity) with baby on your chest. Still, you probably already have most of these items at home, so just ignore the product links if so!
One of the best activities to keep your baby entertained, and something healthy for mom and dad is to go on a walk! While it can feel daunting to pack the baby up, organize the stroller or put them in a carrier, the fresh air and sensory stimulation does wonders and helps to set you up for success for the next nap of the day. We recommend heading out right after a bottle, but well before nap time if you do not want them to fall asleep on the way.
In the early baby days (before three months) when our son was taking many, many naps a day, we would go out in the stroller and hope for the baby to do a nap then. These days, we try and time them before he falls asleep so that we can take advantage of the quiet time when he naps in his crib. I also find that on the days when I am too lazy to deal with the stroller, I like the below baby carrier which I can just put the baby in. It serves as an excellent activity to keep your baby entertained:
If you have still not selected your stroller and are interested in reading some reviews on the best one, we found this post very helpful.
Reading is another one of our favorite activities to keep our baby entertained. We make a point to read at least once per day, and we have fun with it, reading pages out of order and letting our son play and grab at the books, so he enjoys it too. He has also started to love putting any and everything into his mouth, and we have found soft books are a great solution to keep him entertained because he can both crinkle the books, and also put them in his mouth. If you do not have crinkly books, anything works! We will often even read pages from the adult books we are reading to keep us more entertained, and hearing and seeing the words is still excellent for the baby – even if a bit more complicated!
Another great activity to keep your baby entertained is a playmat – we have gotten a lot more use out of ours then we initially expected as it truly does grow with your baby. We use the playmat below which is easily washable, soft and can be folded up and stored if you are low on space. A great feature of the playmat is the fact your baby can enjoy it both indoors and outdoors. We often will take it outside so that we can keep our baby entertained while we are spending time in the backyard.
Sophie the Giraffe is something we had heard quite a lot about before we had our baby. Still, I was astonished to learn that not only does the toy help with teething, but it serves as a great activity to keep your baby entertained. Our son will spend huge chunks of his awake time chewing on his giraffe and is the most excited to see it of all of his toys. It serves a dual purpose as teething and grasp aid as well as a toy to keep your baby entertained.
Another simple toy that will provide you with a great activity to keep your baby entertained is a mirror that you place on your playmat, or ground, to help the baby with tummy time. Our son loves to stare at himself in the mirror, so it gives him a great deal of entertainment while he works on his tummy time and neck building skills. We used this toy before three months as well, as we always gave him something to look at during tummy time. The one below also comes with hooks so that you can have it hang from a car seat or playmat, so it is very versatile. It is an excellent activity to keep your baby entertained!
Investing in a baby jumper is a great activity to keep your baby entertained, and the below Baby Einstein brand is the one that we selected, and it has provided hours of entertainment. The jumper is excellent as the baby is smaller because it gives them things to look at and allows them to begin putting weight on their feet. As they get bigger, they can hop around and interact with the toys more, providing fitness, learning and acting as a great activity to keep your baby entertained. The one drawback to this is its size and that it doesn’t compress to be hidden or save space. That said, it has been such an excellent activity to keep our baby entertained that it is not a fixture in our home.
We talked about our love of baths as an activity in this lousy weather activity post, and it is also a great way to keep your baby entertained. Our son is still using a baby bathtub, and therefore there is not a lot of room for toys; however, as your baby gets older, you can also consider putting a rubber duck or using Tupperware to play with.
A baby chair is a crucial component as part of activities to keep your baby entertained. It is challenging to know which chair your baby will like – we have included a few we have tried below, but what is most important is that you have a comfortable chair that your baby can sit up in for good chunks of time. This is also important when they are an infant. Once they are a bit older, when they are in their chair, they can play with their stuffed animals, chew on Sophie the Giraffe or chew their books! We will also bring the chairs around the house so that he can watch us cook or help out with work in the home office. A baby chair is an excellent way to keep your baby entertained, especially as you move it around as they will be exposed to all sorts of new things!
You ain’t see
nothing yet
The post The TOP Activities To Keep Your Baby Entertained (3-6 Months) appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
My husband and I recently had a baby boy, and when preparing the house for his arrival, our friends gave ... Read moreThe Top 11 MUST-HAVE Supplies for Your New Baby (Our Experience) The post The Top 11 MUST-HAVE Supplies for Your New Baby (Our Experience) appeared first on Daddy Lawn...
My husband and I recently had a baby boy, and when preparing the house for his arrival, our friends gave us recommendations on everything to buy.
One list someone shared included over 150 must-have supplies for a new baby. Google results for the top new baby supplies brought up similar massive lists of new baby supplies. The process was very overwhelming, and as such, I have distilled my easy list of just the top 11 most important, crucial supplies for a new baby below.
These are the critical supplies for a new baby that will ensure you and baby are set up for success once the bundle of joy arrives.
After you have the following new baby supplies covered – feel free to add on with trinkets and toys, but the top 11 required supplies for a new baby below will be sure to make life easier in those early days. To note, these 11 supplies for a new baby are not organized in order of importance. I suggest ALL of the below supplies for a new baby to be secured.
Hint: sign up for a baby registry on Amazon for these items!
A good infant car seat is critical, and you want to ensure before going to the hospital that you know how to use it and buckle it up. While we practiced a few times, actually using the car seat with a small baby was a way different experience. It was also new to us to learn that you need an infant car seat (as first-time parents, we assumed a car seat was a car seat. Boy, were we wrong!). Below is the one that we went with and so far thoroughly enjoy.
Sleep is critical for the new baby (and parents!) so ensure you have a sleep solution that is easy to use. We initially planned to use cloth swaddles and quickly learned that with the number of naps an infant takes paired with our general exhaustion, having some help to ensure the baby and swaddle is secure made a world of difference. Not to mention, tying a swaddle is hard, especially for first-time parents. Below is the one that worked for us.
While you hopefully will not use a baby thermometer often, it is essential to have on hand for if and when you do need it. There are a variety of options for a baby thermometer, but we included an ear thermometer on this supplies for a new baby list as it has worked for us.
A baby monitor is another critical supply for a new baby as you will want to ensure you can always see your little rascal. There are a variety of opinions on which baby monitor is best, but for our family, we knew we did not want a WIFI baby monitor or a monitor you can check on your phone. We wanted tried-and-true radio signals. We aren’t conspiracy theorists; we just hate opening apps on our phone, and wife can sometimes fail. So we went with a standard video monitor. It is so easy just to look at the screen without opening your phone and finding your app. Regardless of which route you take, ensure that a baby monitor is a part of your new baby supplies.
One thing no one told us as new parents is that there is a Size 1 diaper (smallest baby size), but also a newborn diaper size (ACTUAL smallest baby size). Ensure you have both the newborn and size 1 diapers on hand as you will need both as the baby grows.
Another important new baby supply to have on hand are baby wipes and diaper cream.
I continue to be shocked with the volume of baby wipes that we use on a daily basis. Diaper cream is also important to have on hand.
We were pleasantly surprised to learn that Amazon sells a variety of great onesies from respected brands for amazing prices. Similar to the diaper sizing, we quickly learned the difference between Newborn sizing, and 0-3 months sizing, so ensure you have some of BOTH on hand as the size of the baby will vary and they get dirty QUICKLY and OFTEN. You probably want around 5-10 onesies.
Depending on which route you choose for feeding we recommend either breast pump or formula (or both!) to have on hand. My wife really leveraged both her breast pump as well as formula to help with feeding before the milk came in. I am no expert to recommend going one route or another (check out this post for that), but whichever route you are planning for feeding, ensure you have either a pump (to help with production and milk storage) or formula on hand.
Eventually, you will need bottles as well as a bottle sanitizer to help make the bottle cleaning between feedings easier.
Before our baby came, we were naïve to think that using our sink would be enough. We quickly learned that for everyone’s comfort (baby and parent), we needed a proper baby bath to hold the baby. Thankfully we found this baby bath on Amazon, and it was delivered quickly.
Ensure you have soap to along with your bathtub. We have found that we do not use as much baby soap as we would have thought as sometimes our baths are more of a rinsing off, but this is a vital baby supply to have on hand.
Hopefully the above-noted new baby supplies are helpful; there are many additional nice to have baby supplies as a variety of additional products (sign up for a baby registry on Amazon for those) we could have included, but our goal was to provide an easy to understand list of supplies for a new baby. I hope this helps as you prepare and congratulations on your new addition! Maybe you can try and get these items as gifts at your baby shower!
Read More: The TOP Activities to Keep Your Baby Entertained (3-6 months)
The post The Top 11 MUST-HAVE Supplies for Your New Baby (Our Experience) appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
If you are anything like me, you have recently been hearing about Pickleball everywhere. On TV, from family members and ... Read moreWhat is Pickleball, and why is it so popular? The post What is Pickleball, and why is it so popular? appeared first on Daddy Lawn...
If you are anything like me, you have recently been hearing about Pickleball everywhere. On TV, from family members and friends alike everyone of all different ages and life stages is talking about how much fun they are having playing Pickleball. This brings me to the question What is Pickleball? And why is Pickleball so popular?
Below I put together a summary to answer the question of what is Pickleball, and why is Pickleball so popular? I have also included some Pickleball kits if you are interested in getting started or looking for a great gift for anyone in your circle looking for a new way to stay active.
Pickleball is a paddlesport – similar to Ping-Pong or racquet sports such as Badminton, Tennis or Squash. It is a combination of Ping-Pong and Badminton. Pickleball requires two or four players who use a paddle (either made of wood or plastic material) to hit a small waffle-like ball.
Pickleball was originally created in the 1960s as a backyard game for children. It has since become one of the fastest-growing sports in North America. The increased popularity of the sport is attributed to its increased availability across physical education classes, community centres, health clubs as well as retirement communities.
Pickleball is played on a Pickleball court, which resembles a doubles badminton court. The court is 20 by 44 feet, smaller the both Tennis and Badminton, and is the same size whether you play doubles or singles. Similar to a badminton court, the Pickleball court is striped. Varying from a badminton court, however, is the serving line which is 7″ further from the net.
To begin to play Pickleball, the ball is served underarm to ensure the ball is hit below waist level with the arm swinging in an upward motion. The server hits the ball diagonally into the opponent’s court. From there, only the serving side may score a point. The play will end when one side commits a fault, and the server will change to the opposite team.
Each point is counted as 1 and the first side to reach 11 points, leading by two points, will win the game.
Now that we have covered the question of what is Pickleball? Let’s look into why Pickleball is so popular?
Firstly, as noted above one reason Pickleball is so popular is that its accessibility seems to have exploded overnight. Given all you need is a large court area and net to get started, many facilities are putting up Pickleball courts everywhere they can to increase the availability of recreational activities they have available.
Secondly, Pickleball popularity has climbed in line with the increased focus on health and well-being in our society. With an increased focused staying active, easily accessible sports like Pickleball are on the rise.
Thirdly, Pickleball is popular because it is a social sport. A Pickleball court has less space than a tennis court and therefore allows players to be in close proximity to have a conversation why also getting some exercise. Its also, like tennis and going pong, better played with four players instead of two, making it twice as social as many other sports.
Lastly, and most importantly, Pickleball is popular because it is an easy sport of all ages and all skill levels. With it’s similarities to Ping-Pong, Pickleball is an easy sport to pick up and with smaller court means less running is required, therefore making it a great sport for both older adults and young adults alike.
Find your local pickleball court and drop in! Here is a good article about finding your closest pickleball court.
Alternatively, if you have the dough and the land, build a pickleball court. Still, although it’s cheaper than a tennis court, pickleball courts are expensive. The general cost to build a pickleball court would is between $11 to $22 per square foot. This would total around $30k for a 30′ x 60′ pickleball court (source).
Otherwise, if you have some flat surface (grass or concrete) here are some great easy and cheap pickleball kits to help you get started with Pickleball or share as a gift with someone in your circle.
The post What is Pickleball, and why is it so popular? appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
My family lives on the northeast coast, so rain, snow, sleet and hail are sadly all too familiar to us. ... Read moreThe 10 Best Free Or Cheap Bad Weather Activities For Kids The post The 10 Best Free Or Cheap Bad Weather Activities For Kids appeared first on Daddy Lawn...
My family lives on the northeast coast, so rain, snow, sleet and hail are sadly all too familiar to us. Now with my growing family, finding ways to keep everyone entertained when there is bad weather has become an ongoing activity as we are ultimately looking for cheap bad weather activities for kids that do not involve watching TV all day. After all, on bad weather days, it’s not like we can go outside and do outdoor activities, which is what this blog is usually devoted to.
The cheap bad weather activities for kids listed below are five easy ways to spend a couple of hours that will not break your bank account.
Yes! I am talking about good ol’ fashioned snail mail. Taking the time to handwrite notes to friends and family is a great way to spend a couple of hours as a family, for little kids it can teach them how to communicate and for your older children, it is a perfect way to practice spelling and grammar. The bonus with writing letters is that you also have an activity of walking to the mailbox when the weather becomes a bit nicer out. This is my favorite cheap bad weather activity for kids as it also brings joy to those receiving the mail.
Collecting items for donations is an excellent cheap bad weather activity for kids because you are contributing to your community and those less fortunate, teaching your children how to share and the importance of kindness. Plus, you are tidying up your home.
The idea here is simple, get a big bag or box and have each child go through their toys and closets and set aside some gently used items that they would like to donate to other children. This also gives parents a chance to select some of their own items as well. You can also consider writing a note to accompany the items you are donating – an additional activity to add.
I know you may read this and think I am crazy, but for all of the times you tell your children they CANNOT draw on the walls, why not set up a system so that on awful weather days they get to do something a little special? This is a perfect cheap bad weather activity for kids.
Below is a link to a paper roll that works great (and saves your walls) and will get you hours and hours of indoor fun for a low cost! All you do is cut off large pieces, and then you tape them overlappingly to one another (use masking tape to spare your walls) to ensure that no actual wall is exposed. Another excellent cheap bad weather activity for kids!
Designate your child as your sous-chef and kitchen helper for the day. This will require a bit of patience from mom and dad but involve your child in the preparation and clean-up of all the family meals for the day. If your child is still very small, you can simply bring their highchair into the kitchen and dictate to them what you are working on. If your child is a bit older, that is a bonus as they can help with mixing and rinsing dishes. This is a great and cheap bad weather activity for kids. Here is a great apron to bring out on these bad weather days to make this activity extra special:
Typically, in our house, bath time occurs each night after dinner and before bed as a way to wind down and prepare for sleep. That said, it is also a great mid-day activity if you are looking for a cheap bad weather activity for kids. Depending on the age of your child, you can add in some bubble bath, or even just some Tupperware or toys and turn bath time on its head. The novelty of changing the time of bath time alone is exciting and add in the fact that the sole purpose is fun vs cleanliness, this is sure to be a hit and is an ideal cheap bad weather activity for kids. Here is a great bath toy set:
While this activity may be better suited to slightly older kids, making a home movie is a neat and cheap bad weather activity for children. All you need is a phone to capture the video, and you can designate a variety of roles to family members such as director, scriptwriter, actors etc. To edit the movie, you can use the video editing software that exists on most smartphones, like Clips or iMovie on Apple devices, or leverage the video technology you have on your computer, like Microsoft Movie Maker on PCs.
Drawing is an often-overlooked cheap rainy day weather activity for kids. It works for all age groups, and if you have a smaller child, and do not want to collect any more colouring books, you can simply draw shapes or an image yourself on blank paper and have the child colour it in. If you are interested in some colouring books here is a great outer space option:
Fort Building is a classic cheap snow-day activity for kids. I recommend adding some excitement to this by designating one area of your home as the fort command centre and bringing in as many pillows, couch cushions etc. into this area so that the children have a lot of options to choose from to build their fort. Once the fort has been built, consider serving lunch or a snack inside – this increases activity time and is sure to bring extra laughs and fun.
Hopscotch at home is another simple and cheap bad weather activity that takes an outdoor classic and makes it more fun simply because you are changing things up indoors. To play hopscotch at home, all you need is a roll of scotch tape to simply create a hopscotch outline, the same way you would with chalk on the sidewalk. Tape is a key for this cheap bad weather activity because the kids will not slip the same way that they would if you laid out a path with paper.
A dance contest works better if you have multiple children, but if not it is a great cheap bad weather activity for parents to get some activity too. The way it works is have you children select their favorite song, and come up with a routine, and then you can host a contest for the winner – the prize being some sweet treat you have in the house – or even some time to watch their favorite show. This is a great cheap activity for bad weather because similar to hopscotch at home, it will tire your little ones out. Check out other fun kids activities that use music on our blog post here.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, and if you are looking to get dirty, check out VeryWellFamily’s ideas for rainy day outdoor activities for kids.
Drop a comment below if you have any other ideas for bad weather activities indoors!
The post The 10 Best Free Or Cheap Bad Weather Activities For Kids appeared first on Daddy Lawn Games.
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