How to have an afternoon of fun for under $4

Today’s spring break activity was Boondock’s fun center in Draper. Before we left I had the kids make themselves a sandwich, and we packed a lunch. There is no rule that just because you are going to a place that serves food, you have to buy and eat their food. A couple sandwiches, a few cookies, a few capri sun drinks and a diet coke for mom, and we’re good to go.

We also rounded up a few report cards. Why report cards? You ask? Well, Boondock’s is one of the places that rewards kids for good grades. So, anytime you go, make sure and take a report card with you. It doesn’t have to be current. One of the ones we found for Cole was two years old. For each A grade, they will give you three tokens, with a max per child of 18 tokens. With four kids in school, that’s 4 x 18= 72 free tokens. That would cost almost $20 to buy those. Then we took in our 6 free laser tag certificates that the kids earned for participating in PTA reflections and other things at school. Each game of laser tag normally costs $6, but we got those for free. If you don’t have free laser tag coupons, you can scour the ValPack coupons for the buy one get one free coupons, or there’s usually one or two coupons in the Happening’s books. I was planning on using the buy one get one free coupon for Jenna and John to play in Kiddee Cove, which is only $3 each, but if I can get one for free, that’s always better. Jenna, however, was too tall, so we didn’t buy her a pass.

Now if we were going to Boondocks in the summer (or a spring break when it isn’t snowing) we might want to spring for the passes so we could play miniature golf and go carts and all the outside stuff, but when we’re stuck inside anyway, this is the way to do it. My kids played for two plus hours before their tokens and free games were up. Then, while I was playing my one game of Deal or No Deal, some nice kid came up and asked if we would like free popcorn coupons. “Ok, Thanks!” we said. He gave us three coupons for free popcorn at the concessions stand. 3 Popcorns at $2 each–Free. Normally we don’t have people coming up and giving us free things, but I’ve given away free tickets and things before, so I understand. They probably had to leave and we were just lucky, I guess.

About the time everyone finished up all their tokens and we were about to leave, the kids asked if they could use another set of report cards to get more tokens. Yes, I brought another set of report cards. Because we don’t always get to Boondocks every single quarter, and so, why not? So the kids went up to the counter and there was a different person there than before and they redeemed their report cards for 18 more tokens each.

So, our running total is:
144 tokens ($37)
6 games of laser tag ($36)
3 popcorns ($6)
Kiddie cove for one child ($3)
_____
$82+

I paid $3 plus tax. Cool, huh? Plus, the kids came home with a bunch of crap. Jenna and Natalie got a pretty decent size stuffed animal, some rubber ducks and some jewelry, John got a “laser gun” that lights up and makes noise, Cole got a silly pretend cell phone that shocks you when you push the button, etc….

I consider it a success. The kids had fun, I had fun, and we didn’t spend very much money. Hooray!