The Strategy

I've been asked quite a bit lately, how I find so much fun things to do here in Youngstown with my kids... So recently I wrote an email to a friend who asked me this question and laid it all out. I thought that this would be a good place to start in this new adventure of mine. I'm giving the strategy first, and then in the weeks to come I will spotlight some of our favorite things to do in the city. This really is a great city to find fun family things to do (against popular belief :) So here it is, my strategy. I hope this helps anyone out there looking for a fun, family, summer in the city!

1. Email Lindsey Hughes (she is the Youngstown City Event Planner) and just say that you would like to receive her weekly email Youngstown newsletter/calender. Then every Wednesday, she lays out everything that is going on during the week.

Lyndsey Hughes [lhughes@cityofyoungstownoh.com]

2. I really take advantage of the Mahoning County library system. There are so many that I can usually work a stop in to one wherever I am going. And you can drop your books off at anyone of them. It doesn't have to be the same one that you got the books from. Whenever I'm there I pick up a copy of the Parent Magazine, Metro Monthly Magazine, and a schedule of the library's events and keep them in the diaper bag for quick reference.

3. I use Facebook to keep updated on whats going on by joining groups like MillCreek Metroparks, the Planetarium, Butler Art Institute, etc... Then you will get updates on any special events that may be happening.

4. I belong to the Children's Museum downtown. It was really great! They are closed now but I would definitely go when they reopen. Fall of 2010. They are moving a few blocks and upgrading, so it should be nice when they reopen. It was 50.00 a year for 2 parents/2 kids and a few free guest passes.

5. I try to work a stop in to Fellows Riverside Gardens whenever it is close by (usually once or twice a week). It is just a beautiful place to let your kids run around and explore nature! Make Maria Montessori proud... And free! Going there more frequently is a great way to teach young children stages of growth. Almost every time we go there new flowers have bloomed. And then whenever I'm there I just pick up every brochure they have of events and keep it on hand.

6. This may sound crazy and like I have alot of time on my hands, but this really helps... Whenever I get these event brochures for the month, I try to skim through and whatever jumps out at me that sounds like something I might want to do, I put it on the calender with contact information, or details. That way I am less likely to forget and if there seems to be just a day that we don't have anything to do, I usually don't have to search very hard because there is probably something on the calender. These are not things that I PLAN to do, they are just, like, I might do them if we need something to do.

7. The Butler Art Inst. is really nice, free, and they have a great kids art room if you take the stairs to the right as soon as you go in.

8. Basically, anywhere I am I am looking for free brochures and information of events :)

In the weeks to come I will be spotlighting things like:

Butler Art Institute
Mahoning County Library System
Fellows Riverside Gardens
Mill Creek Metro Parks and Farms
Children's Museum of the Valley
Four Seasons Flea Market
and much more.....

If there is anything else that someone want's spotlighted just let me know... The girls and I are very adventurous and we plan on exploring ALOT this summer!

Hope this helps!