Trading Toys For Experiences

Do you ever feel like you are constantly cleaning up toys and clutter? That disheartening feeling of going in circles doing the same tasks over and over again can be overwhelming at times.

Last May we downsized from a house to a townhome and it was one of the best decisions we made. That move forced us to purge all of the unnecessary toys and clutter that had been lying around our house, with no purpose.  I was surprised by how much decluttering decreased our stress, not to mention the amount of time we had to spend cleaning up. Even when things are shoved away in a drawer, those things still consume space in our minds, adding to our stress and anxiety as mamas.

Given that we had less space to work within our new place, we decided to start requesting and giving experiences, rather than toys for holidays, birthdays, etc.. 

This opened the door for more opportunities to make memories together as a family. Our kids realized how much more fun it was to enjoy experiences around our city, rather than opening a toy and forgetting about it soon after. As a result, they often request experiences over toys.

One of our favorite family experiences was going to Silverwood in Athol, Idaho as a family last August. I have fond memories of Silverwood as a child, teenager, and young adult, but this was a whole new level of joy. Seeing the look of joy and excitement on our kid’s faces was so fulfilling for us as parents.

A few years ago, my 6-year old earned a free ticket to Silverwood through Silverwood’s “Read 2 Ride” program. We didn’t want his hard work reading to go to waste, so we decided to make a trip as a family. To date, it is our favorite family experience. Since then, our 6-year-old never fails to request Silverwood tickets for Christmas and his birthday.  Our 4-year-old has a strong passion for anything full of sugar, so one of his favorite memories was using his own hard-earned chore money to buy a Blue Razzberry slushy from Downriver Slush. We used this family vacation as a way to teach our kids that money doesn’t grow on trees and how they can be wise with their spending choices. Needless to say, they were both pleased with their slushy choice.

Our 6-year-old was in awe of the FREE magic show, as were the rest of us. Definitely a highlight of the entire trip!

Here are a few of our Silverwood favorites:

Isaiah Daniel’s Magic Show on Main Street

I wasn’t sure what to expect when we initially were walking into the show, but we all left with our jaws dropped in awe and amazement of the illusions performed.  

Tip: There is a delicious Pizzeria in the Theatre which is perfect for dinner or lunch. I suggest arriving 45 minutes early to the show so you can get a seat at a table, which I prefer over the bleachers!

Tiny Toot Rollercoaster in Garfield’s Summer Camp

• • • This was a family favorite. It went fast enough for adults to enjoy, but it wasn’t too intense for the kids. We must have ridden it at least 6 times!

Lindy’s on Main Street

• • This place is great if you need allergy-friendly food options. The food was excellent (with gluten and dairy free options!) I am so grateful that our server was more than willing to accommodate my allergies.
  • Tip: This is a sit-down restaurant. Plan ahead because Lindy’s doesn’t do orders to go. Since I knew my family was going to be eating pizza at the magic show, I sat down, ordered my food, paid and then took it to go.

Elkhorn Creek and Polliwog Park at Boulder Beach

• • Tip 1: Looking back, we should have started our day here! Boulder beach is the best place to be during those hot summer days. We saved it for last with hopes that we wouldn’t spend the entire day wet, however, even during the summer Idaho can be a bit chilly later in the afternoon.
  • They have life jackets available for free, but they are first-come-first-serve. You can bring your own Coast Guard approved life jacket to guarantee one is available.  

Bumper Boats in Country Carnival

• Bumper boats are a kid favorite. What’s better than driving, shooting someone with water and getting wet when it’s 80 degrees outside as a kid?
• Tip: Plan to be in line for 45 minutes-1.5 hours on busy, hot days during the weekend. I recommend having a snack and water in hand to keep kids occupied.

I was so surprised that there were so many activities and rides for young children, even for young toddlers. The younger kid rides were not only fun for our kids but for us adults as well. Our only regret was not showing up earlier. We decided to go around 11 am so we could save money by eating lunch in the car because we didn’t think our kids would last the whole day. We were wrong! When it came time to leave, all of us were bummed we didn’t have more time to experience the entire park! (Side note: we didn’t know you could take your own food into Silverwood, lesson learned! You can bring in a small lunch in a 12x12x12 soft sided cooler!)

Speaking of experiences, Father’s Day is coming fast! On Father’s Day dads get in FREE with the purchase of a kid ticket! Spending Fathers Day at Silverwood has become a family tradition in our household. Click here for more details and other ways to save money.

The memories we have made at Silverwood as a family far outlast the excitement of opening up a toy and forgetting about it a few weeks later. We will definitely be going back to Silverwood this year with hopes to camp, so we can enjoy the park for 2 full days.

Stay tuned for more adventures, lodging, tips, tricks, and ways to save money at Silverwood. I will be sharing more of our family experiences and things I do to keep my kids busy and myself sane.

Heartfelt blessings until next time!

About the Author:

Hello, my name is Cheree! I am a wife and mom. I own a business called Heartfelt Mamas, where I share motherhood struggles and teach self-care through blogging and social media. I have been married to my husband for 12 years, and we have two boys who are in 1st grade and preschool. Our family loves to explore the outdoors and find activities around the Spokane area. We do our best to cherish experiences over things. I have been to Silverwood as a kid, teenager, young adult, adult — and now as a parent too. I am an adrenaline seeker; roller coasters and thrill rides are my all time favorite! As a child, my dad and I would always try to find the rides that gave us the biggest adrenaline rush. Now my 6-year-old and I do the same. He is so excited to be tall enough for the big coasters this year!

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN 2 TICKETS!

Silverwood Express Giveaway