Fall break doesn't have to be tough on parents
While children are atwitter with excitement about the upcoming fall break, some of you parents may be stressing over the prospects of filling all of that free time with free and affordable activities.
Especially if you have no trip planned, no outings scheduled, and this big block of time off looming.
Well, I've got you covered with some pretty cool stuff to do for all ages right here at home, whether you are trying to fill a day or two or the whole break with engaging activities that won't break the bank.
• One of the best fall break offers is the Country Music Hall of Fame's Fall Break freebie through Oct. 19, where Middle Tennessee students can get in the museum for free if they show their schooI ID or show up in school apparel. The students, from Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson counties, are invited to explore the museum exhibits on their own and make it even more engaging with a Jackson National Life activity pack full of gallery games, at-home activities and cool keepsakes. Details: familyfun@countrymusichalloffame.org
• It is a good week to volunteer and Hands on Nashville is inviting Nashville youth ages 11-18 to make fall break memorable and meaningful through some service projects. Choices include gardening, sorting food or medical supplies, or trail cleanup. Here are some details: help garden, plant and maintain HON's Nashville Urban Farm from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday.You will be harvesting fall crops, weeding, and watering plants and trees on this 5-acre learning and teaching farm.
• Sort Food at Second Harvest from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the food bank.
• Sort Medical Supplies at Project C.U.R.E. from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Monday or 3-5 p.m. Wednesday at Project C.U.R.E.'s warehouse. There may occasionally be a need to move boxes weighing 20-25 pounds.
• And there is a Family Friendly Project from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, where volunteers can help with a Fontanel trail cleanup and maintenance, followed by live music at Fontanel. For more information and to register for service projects, visit HON.org/fallbreak.
• The Nashville Shores water park is closed for the season, but its Treetop Adventure Park is ready for fall break action, with the ropes course and zip lines open daily from Monday-Oct. 11. The park is offering a special Fall Break BOGO, where you can buy an adult course admission (ages 12 and older) for $49.99 plus tax, and get an additional adult course admission free. These courses involve navigating close to 100 obstacles and challenges, including suspended bridges, 10 zip lines, cargo nets, scrambling walls and Tarzan jumps, plus two giant zip lines that are more than 600 feet long. A typical excursion can last three to four hours. The park also features a junior course and children's course for ages 7 years and older for $24.99. Tickets are available online at www.nashvilleshores.com or at the gate.
Celebrate Nashville Fest shines light on diversity
• A very cool free "only in Music City" opportunity would be to head downtown Tuesday for the 2 p.m. Music City Walk of Fame induction ceremony, where Miranda Lambert, Steve Cropper, Bud Wendell and others will have their stars placed on the "Walk." Not only would it be fun to see the stars, but also a good chance to get a glimpse of new Mayor Megan Barry in action. The park is on Demonbreun Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues.
• Another insider kind of event is the communityopen house on Monday at WSM's tower transmitter as part of the WSM 90th birthday celebration this week. The open house takes place on the radio station's actual birthday and features a live broadcast from the historic transmitter facility, plus some special guests, live performances, walking tours of the transmitter house and lunch on the grounds. The 11 a.m.-3 p.m. event at the tower, at 8012 Concord Road in Brentwood, is free. Details: wsmonline.com.
• The much heralded Fisk Jubilee Singers will perform at 10 a.m. Tuesday as part of the Jubilee Day Convocation in Fisk Memorial Chapel on the Fisk University campus. This is one of the few chances during the year to hear the college-age singers work their musical magic. And the Fisk campus is a beautiful place to take a stroll. 615-329-8744.
• If you want to get outside, there are countless opportunities through or state and local parks. Our Metro Parks nature centers are always good "go to" places. Even if the scheduled programs are full, there are always things to do on your own such as to explore the pond or take the story walk at Warner Nature Center, take a mountain bike ride on the beginner trail at Bells Bend Nature Center (they even have bikes you can borrow if you call ahead) or enjoy the open play areas and some bird programs at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center.
• As far as scheduled programs next week at the nature centers, Warner Park is having a SOUP-ER Supper! from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday where fall vegetables will simmer in a pot while Nature center staffers take the whole family on an evening stroll, and then return to a warming picnic supper of soup shared with friends and family. Register at 615-352-6299. And Bells Bend is having its big Farm Day on Saturday, with farm animals, and equipment and more. To see more park programs, see nashville.gov/parks.
Ms. Cheap's Guide to Fall packs calendar with free fun for everyone
• Smyrna Parks and Recreation has a week full of fun for children with a Tails and Trails program from 9-11 a.m. Monday at Sharp Springs Natural Area, where you can bring your dog and join the group for a walk in the woods and learn some training and obedience tips from a certified dog trainer. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, there is a $3 per person Fall Naturefest with a corn maze, storytelling and hay ride, plus a campfire for roasting marshmallows, hot dogs and S'Mores at Sharp Springs Natural Area. Reservations are requested for this one since there will be food included: 615-459-9773.
• Smyrna Parks also has an old fashioned field day at Lee Victory Recreation Park, where you can bring a sack lunch and play from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. Meet at Shelter 1 (Rotary Shelter) near the football fields and toss water balloons at your friends, race in a sack, bounce on a ball, win a scavenger hunt! They also have a "Creek Peek" from 10 a.m.-noon Friday, where you can take a close look at the shallow waters of the creek. Plan to get wet and bring a towel and meet at Old Jefferson Pike Trailhead on Fitzhugh Boulevard. Both events are free.
• The Oct. 9-11 weekend also has lots for families to do, with the Southern Festival of Books downtown, Free Day of Music at the Nashville Symphony, Farm Day at Bells Bend Nature Park, Oktoberfest in Germantown. See Tennessean.com/mscheap for more free and cheap things to do.
Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282. Follow her at www.tennessean.com/mscheap, at https://www.facebook.com/mscheap?_rdr. and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5's "Talk of the Town."
Ms. Cheap's 101 free things to do: music, festivals, outdoors, family fun
Fall break fun
Five cheap things you and your kids can do on fall break to stay busy and get ahead
• Take the kids to Artquest at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and have them design Christmas cards for your family to send out this year. Children 18 and younger are admitted to the Frist free all the time, and adults can get a free coupon during fall break at http://nashvillefunforfamilies.com/the-frist-center/. Artquest is a wonderful interactive art area where facilitators will help all ages create pieces of art that they can take home.
• Plan a trip to several area thrift stores in search of items the kids can put together to make their own Halloween costumes. Get creative on this and have fun coming up with costumes that are different from the store-bought costumes you see everywhere. Wonder what you could use to replicate Donald Trump's hair!
• Have the children use some of their time on the break to start making Christmas gifts for people on their lists. Paint flower pots, make potholders, look at Pinterest for ideas for gifts that they can have fun making at home.
• Get the whole family on board to declutter, clean and get rid of things that are no longer needed around the house. And then have a yard sale at the end of the week, with proceeds going for a family project, the holiday budget or maybe even a trip.
• Come up with your own volunteer project, organize a neighborhood cleanup or collect food for Second Harvest, children's books for a reading program or pet supplies and food for an animal shelter. It is easy to do and very rewarding.