Field Trips For the Win

My husband doesn't get many days off, so on the rare occasion we're hanging out at home all day together it sort of reminds me of when I was in sales and the district manager would pop into town and see what I'd been up to.

Which, on a good day, was blowing off my clients and taking five hour lunches at Lion's Choice with my co-workers. And, on a bad day, was blowing off my clients and sleeping off the night before in the back seat of my Mitsubishi Mirage in a mall parking lot.

I didn't really like sales all that much.

Let me be clear – for the most part Nick is so exhausted on his days off that he mostly just lays on the couch and mumbles incoherently every once in a while for some water. But being the praise-crazed (and starved) person I am, I find myself narrating my every move, giving him the “look what an awesome stay-at-home Mom I am” play-by-play of our daily routine.

“Now we do an educational craft that fosters creativity and enhances fine motor skills.”

“Uh huh.”

“Now we do yoga to release some energy and promote flexibility.”

“Oh.”

“Now I just stare at the wall for about an hour.”

“K.”

“Now it's time for our daily field trip”

This got Nick's attention. He lifted his head off of the couch.

“Field trip? Where?”

“Story hour at the History Museum.”

He put his head back down. “Let's just stay here and watch house flipping shows.”

**Thirty five minutes later**

“Now they fight over the green crayon until you want to put your head in the oven.”

“Now they fight over a sock until you scream into a bath towel with all your might.”

“Now they run around the house shrieking until your ears bleed.”

Two minutes later we were story-hour bound.

I'm a big fan of the kids activities at the History Museum, especially their summer series. I mean, who doesn't love a free glow-in-the-dark hula hoop show complete with lessons?

The winter series is a little more low key (and less crowded) but still awesome. After the stories are read (or during, if your children have a two-second attention span like mine) kids can play with puppets, puzzles and books in a little tent or do a craft.

Even Nick, who is usually repelled by any activity involving other people's kids, said it was “better than staying home and watching house flipping shows.”

Throw in some bloody marys and a breakfast taquito and it might just be the most perfect place on earth.

The free storytelling event takes place every Friday and Saturday in February at 10:30 a.m. at the Museum History Museum, Lindell and DeBalivere in Forest Park. Click here for more information.

For lots of great ideas for your own field trips with your kids you can always check our Things to Do calendar or sign up for our Daily Events email.

By Hannah Mayer, events and family life blogger for SmartParenting

Hannah Mayer recently traded her Blackberry Smartphone for a Strawberry Shortcake when she retired from her 12-year career in advertising to become a full-time Mom to 3-year-old daughter Elliot, 2-year-old daughter Lillian, and 1-year-old daughter Hadley ("Hey, my husband is hot, okay?"). In her free time she enjoys eavesdropping on her neighbors' cordless phone conversations through the baby monitor, volunteering as an English tutor for the St. Louis Public School district and bucking the stigma that accompanies three car seats by challenging fellow drivers to freestyle battle raps from her mini van.

Hannah has written and published several fictional short stories but her entree into baring her soul to the world can be found at her blog sKIDmarks and her novel in progress Cute Little Bundle of Crazy. You can follow her on Twitter @The_sKIDmark or become a fan at facebook.com/sKIDmarking.

Photos: Hannah Mayer