Join the Active Family Project by Making a Playdate Promise!

***Disclosure: I received $100 from Merck Consumer Care, and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience. This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Merck Consumer Care.***

One of the things I love the most about being back home in Ohio is the fact that there is SO much to do for families here. My little town is incredibly kid-friendly, so we're always on the go during warmer months. It's quite a refreshing change, and I am so happy that my kids will get to grow up making happy memories in this amazing town.

While there are about a zillion things to do in NE Ohio, and we love going out to do them,  we also spend lots of time with the kids in our own backyard. Play time is not just about the kiddos in our home. No, siree! My husband and I also love to get silly, have fun, and be active with our little ones. Life is just too short to let my kids' childhoods pass me by, so I love interacting and playing with them as much as possible. They're only little once, right?!

Since enjoying active time as a family is so important to me, I have made the playdate promise, and am an active part of the Active Family Project. This great initiative, brought to you by Merck Consumer Care, encourages families to get out and play together. Active families are happy, healthy families, after all.

Here are just a few of the family playdate activities we will be enjoying all summer long. Some are here in our yard, and some are at the wonderful places in my town. Regardless, we will be having a blast playing with our children!

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In My Own Backyard :

Part of the reason we're so thrilled to be new homeowners is because my kids finally have a yard of their own to enjoy. We have done quite a bit to make it "kid-friendly", and we're currently in the process of redoing most of the landscaping. (Which is something the kids love helping with!)

One of the things we have done is purchase this awesome wooden playground. It has swings, a glider, monkey bars, and even a slide and 2 level play house. This is something my kids use daily, and we have so much fun swinging, sliding, and just having quality time together. (The rest of the neighborhood kids seem to really like it, too!)

We also got a great bounce castle for the kids. This inflates in just seconds, and brings the carnival to our own backyard! My kids love jumping, bouncing, and dancing in their bounce house, and my husband and I have even gotten in it, too!

We also have a fire pit that's perfect for bonfires, and we plan to have family cookouts at least a few times a week, weather permitting. We also take walks around the neighborhood together, with our toddlers in tow in their wagon. It's a great way to meet new people, and for the kids to explore their new hometown. My family really enjoys spending time together outdoors, and we plan to do so as much as possible.

Around My Town :

Speaking of carnivals, one of the things I love the most about my town is the abundance of community events on the river front. We live within very easy walking distance of the town's historic river front district, so we plan on attending these events often. Every weekend there is live music, and there are also fun festivals like Irish Fest, Italian Fest, and of course, Oktoberfest, just to name a few. There is even a rib cook-off that makes the whole area smell heavenly. All events are extremely family-friendly, and there are tons of games and activities for kids of all ages. I love this picture of one of the latest events. You can almost see my house here! (Like I said, very easy walking distance!)

Another great attraction here in my town is a HUGE outdoor water park. It features a couple of pools, toddler areas, huge water slides, and a lazy river. There are even concession stands and picnic areas. I remember going here when I was a small child, and they have redone the park in the almost 20 years I lived in Virginia. We're excited about all of the upgrades, and the kids are, too!  Rates for residents are extremely affordable, so we plan to visit often during the summer season.

If the weather is bad and the kids want to swim, we have another option. My town has an indoor water park as well! There are pools, slides, toddler areas, and even splash zones to play in. Again, looks like this place has come leaps and bounds since I was a child! And it's also in easy walking distance, just a couple of blocks from my house.

When we want to explore nature and local history, we also have some great parks in my city. This cave was actually the place that some Native Americans held a young girl for years. A bit morbid, yes, but it's part of our town's history. There are hiking trails, cliffs, waterfalls, and even Native American drawings to be seen in the many caves. It's really pretty cool!

As you can see, we're going to have a very busy and active summer! With so much to do, I don't think there will be time for summer boredom to kick in at all!

What are you doing this summer? Will you be making playdates with your children? I'd love to hear about it!

Make the Playdate Promise and Enter to WIN :

Merck Consumer Care is encouraging families to get active together this summer! They also have some awesome prizes available for those who take the pledge. To take the playdate pledge and enter to win, just head over to the Active Family Project Facebook page and enter the sweepstakes.