# Cheap Entertainment



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Well, I guess I am the 1st one to start of this topic. Thanks Vern









One thing I found great fun for the kids is to buy glow sticks at the dollar store. They come in all kinds of colours and last around 8hrs. During camp fire time we give the kids each one to play with. They think its great fun!! But what we do tell them that they are easier to spot at night..they glow sunny. After the kids go to bed we hang them from the awning for lighting. They are cheap, no batteries (kids always forget to turn off their flashlights) safe and loads of fun. Bring extras because all your kids friends will want them as well.









Thor


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## Golden Mom (Apr 25, 2004)

Thor, 
We do the exact same thing. Another place to check out is EBay. We bought 100 for $8.00. It even came with the clasps, so they can make necklaces or bracelets. This one box we bought has lasted all summer. They ARE a lot of fun, even for some of us adults...


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

Excellent idea. Will have to pick up some of those for next season!

Wayne


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

I keep trying to remember to get some and I manage to keep forgetting! Great idea Thor, thanks for sharing!


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Nightime entertainment:

One thing we always enjoy - subject to the light conditions at the campground - is to do a little stargazing. It doesn't take a lot to do it either. I find this to be pretty engaging for my teenagers but might not be too captivating for the younger guys.

Equipment doesn't need to be much if there is good visability and not a lot of light polution. We take along a pair of 7x50 binoculars and that's all that you need to have a pretty good stargazing party. A starchart if you really want to get into it is also fun.

My favorite part of this activity is the first time you hand the binoculars to a person who has never really looked at the Milkyway. Have them pick a point in the sky that has that 'milky' look to it and then look through the binoculars - they are blown away by what you can see. If you've never done this, give it a try because it can really make you think hard about how great a place this is that we get to call home.

Now, not just any binoculars will do. I'm not an optics experts so if there are some out there, please don't be offended and please correct me if I'm wrong. The 7x50 designation means the maginfication is about average for binoculars (the 7 - means you won't have to have a tripod to keep the image relatively calm). The 50 is the size of the lens at the business end of the binoculars. A 50mm lens, one for each eye, will capture a lot of light. The more light you capture the more you will be able to see. This is something that people new to the telescope business don't always understand - bigger lens means more light, not a bigger image. Anyway, the small fold-up binoculars are not the best for stargazing, get the bigger lens opening (the second number).

Since you have your 7x50 binoculars out, try this: If there is no moon and no other lights to cause interference (boondockers can get these conditions occasionally), use your eyes after they've adjusted to the dark to do a little experiment. How many times have you read in a book that someone was "finding his way with only starlight to help him see the trail" or some similar statement? Try it. You can't see squat. Now, use the 7x50s to look around at the ground, the Outback, the trees and trails. Of course you can't see anything close but you can see with only starlight as illumination. Pretty cool.

With our family, this always leads to a good astronomy discussion.

Maybe it's only a few families that might find this interesting, we always do it when we can get a good view of the stars; here in Seattle, we only get to seet he brightest ones on a clear night and its always a great experience to see the whole picture.

Brian


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Golden Mom

$8.00 for 100. I thought I was getting a deal at $.50 a pcs. Ebay I shop









Thanks
Thor


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## strongj (Aug 2, 2004)

I just saw some on ebay $6.99 for 100, then add another $10 for shipping! Do you really think it will cost that much to ship them? I think NOT.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

I just was them as well. They are cheap but you need to check the shipping cost. I found one that was shipping for $53 for 200. They are making the $$ on shipping.

Thor


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Brian

I'm always looking skyward as well. Sometimes I set up my telescope and show everyone the planets. It's fun to point out constellations to people who never really give it any thought. It's amazing how quickly children learn and remember simple constellations!

I love to point out passing satelites too. I find out when the International Space Station is visible and watch for it. People just love seeing it for the first time as she flies by!

Feeling "Astronomically Challenged?" There are many books and guides out there to point the way. (websites too!) I like the "Dummies" series for starters.

Here is a couple links to find out what is out there!

Skywatching
Sky & Telescope Almanac


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## Travelers Rest (Feb 27, 2004)

We use the glow stick often!! They are great for the young kids! Heres a little tip to make it more fun for the younger kids... the older kids will see right through this but if your kids are younger, this is fun...

Take two sticks and tell the kids that you have to say the magic word to get them to light. Have them yell "Hocus Pocus" or whatever as you pretend to strike the sticks together...once you get them yelling loud enough to get int rouble with mom, stop pretending to strike the sticks and actually DO it...the sticks light up and you're MAGIC!!

Hahaha works for me









Also, swing over to ebay and search for "glow stick" or "glowstick" and you can get them pretty cheap!

Steve


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

OK,
You opened the MAGIC box so I'm going to go ahead and post this. Sorry it's so long but the nuances are improtant.

I'm a one trick pony magician - I know one trick and that is it. Any I've got a pretty good reputation as a first class magician in the younger set. This one can actually fool the big kids if you do it right.

First rule of MAGIC - only do the trick ONCE for your audience. The second time they aren't interested in the wonder of magic but they are trying to figure it out.

Please click on the user agreement smiley to agree to this rule ->.







[Actually this is a picture of Y-Guy's kids in the back seat of his new truck! Black duct tape today.]

OK - you agreed, right?

First, survey your potential audience and find the cutest little girl in the group. (OK I'm biased, do you want to learn this trick or not?)

Next, look to your left, then to your right in a conspirital manner and lean forward and tell her in a stage whisper that you have a magic quarter! (Now, I shouldn't have to tell you this but you do NEED a quarter so don't say you've got one and then have to borrow from your brother-in-law!)

Have your happy little volunteer that you picked come close enough that you can reach out behind her ear but don't do it yet! (can you see where this is going?)

Hold the magic quarter in front of her so she can see it. Let her hold it if she wants (a lot of the littler ones get owl eyed and shake their heads NO!)

Next, hold out your other hand palm up and place the quarter on your palm. Raise the arm WITHOUT the qtr so the flat part on the back of your forearm is showing to the volunteer (like you just found a spot of jelly on the arm of your chair by resting your arm on the arm of the chair - wipe the jelly off if it is still there). Slowly, hold the edge of your hand with the qtr against your elbow and slowly rotate your hand to trap the qtr between your arm and your palm.

Here's the magic part - begin rubbing the qtr against your elbow faster and faster and then - drop it. Yup, drop it.

Exclaim "Whoa, oh what a silly goose I am!" (you don't have to use those words exactly but I like to think about all you saying that in front of your spouses, heh, heh) and pick up the qtr with the hand from the arm you were rubbing - this is important - pick it up with the hand on the arm you were rubbing the qtr against.

Say "Well, let's try that again" and put the qtr in your other palm except don't. PRETEND you do it while you lean forward and say some clever thing to help distract your volunteer. Keep the qtr in the hand you used to pick up the qtr. and hold your arm up and place your palm against your arm again and start rubbing, this time with no qtr in between.

Get a surprised look on your face and slow the rubbing. With really wide eyes, slowly show your palm is empty!

Be careful - the reaction can be anywhere from a casual "where did it go" to a flood of tears (I'm not kidding).

Spend a few seconds looking around saying "I wonder where that thing got to, I can never tell where it will end up." Then, look at your victim, er, volunteer, and tilt your head toward the side with the arm with the qtr, look right at her ear, and say :"What have you got there?" to which she will say "Nuthin" or "Where".

Then, carefully (don't startle them) reach behind their ear and grip the back side of their ear gently and pull out the qtr which you had in your fingers when you reached for her ear.

Hold it up for her and then hand her the qtr (if she is old enough and M&D say it's OK).

She'll start rubbing that qtr for the next 30 minutes on her arm and YOU will have a devoted friend for life.

Guaranteed or your money back (not the qtr, YOU gave that away).

Brian


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## NWcamper2 (Mar 28, 2004)

Thor said:


> One thing I found great fun for the kids is to buy glow sticks at the dollar store.Â They come in all kinds of colours and last around 8hrs.Â During camp fire time we give the kids each one to play with.Â They think its great fun!!Â But what we do tell them that they are easier to spot at night..they glow sunny.Â After the kids go to bed we hang them from the awning for lighting.Â They are cheap, no batteries (kids always forget to turn off their flashlights) safe and loads of fun.Â Bring extras because all your kids friends will want them as well.Â
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Our kids always seem to find something to do while camping.

But I really liked the glow stick idea







and just happened across a deal on ebay ending in 57 seconds .... got 200 8" sticks for $1.25 winning bid! now with shipping total of $20 so it breaks down to .10 each! Still not a bad deal. And we all know it does not and will not take $19 shipping..... but they all seem to have high shipping. And since the winning bid was so low, made it "okay" Or at least to a price I was willing to pay.

Just picked up a "Celestron Star Hopper" a couple of months ago.... WAY COOL! But have to be careful to not use in dusty area so that the mirror is kept clean. The kids flock to it







(young and old)


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Great trick!!

Tried on my littles ones. The oldest (5) did not believe it was magic but could not figure it out. The middle one (4) thought it was "way cool" and the 2 year old just laughed.

Thanks for the idea. Brought 5 more smiles home.

Thor


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## rennerbee (Jul 25, 2004)

Those are excellent ideas! Thanks


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## vern38 (Aug 18, 2003)

I was looking for ways to keep the grandsons entertained at night on trips. I think it is a great idea as well. Need to watch this forum.









Vern


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Thor,
After a while, say a month or two, go ahead and do it again for them. Be careful how you do it as the older ones will be watching!

If you practice, you can pull it out of their nose too - they love it and you can make a big deal about who is going to hold it after being up someone's nose!

My kids only figured it out a few years ago and they are 16 and 13. I was real careful how I did it though.

I do it for almost any little one I find myself faced with. I'm part owner in a pool management business and I spend a lot of time around little ones waiting for swim lessons - I've used the trick on them countless times and sometimes they will bring back the SAME quarter a month later and ask for the trick to be done again. I even had one parent plead with me to show him the trick so he could get his little one to stop rubbing the qtr on his elbow.







I'm kind of partial to the little ones anyway so this is a great ice-breaker. I even managed once to change the qtr to a rubber duck pulled from the ear of a 4 year old. Boy did the eyes bulge on that one!

Kids are a blast, too bad we don't have another little one. Hmmm... that gives me an idea. Hey CAROLINE...


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## campingnut18 (Mar 11, 2004)

Our 9-yr son loves light-up stuff. We are always buying the glow sticks, necklaces, etc. He also has found some of those flashing light pins with different characters from flags, frogs, stars, hearts, superman, etc. (found them at flea markets from $2-$6 each). He even has some of the plastic yo-yo ball sorta things that light up ... and a changing color pen. He's not spoiled or anything







But, I have to say there is a lot of neat stuff out there that lights up. And, if your kid(s) get to playing with some camper neighbors at dusk/dark, it's a great way to keep up with them.

C-


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## Travelers Rest (Feb 27, 2004)

RUN CAROLINE RUN!!!!!


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

Just bought 100 glow sticks from EBay ($15 shipped), great idea! We are going camping the 15th - 17 up in the mountains. They should arrive in time for that trip, plus I'll have extra's for Halloween.







My kids are 3 1/2 and 7 1/2, I know they'll love em'!

I like the magic trick(s) too!


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Just bought 300 glow stick on E-bay for under $5 bucks and $14.95 shipping to Canada. Alot cheaper than buying from the dollar store.

Thor


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## Golden Mom (Apr 25, 2004)

Thor,
Glad you found a good deal







!!


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## Golden Mom (Apr 25, 2004)

We went camping this weekend with a camping group down in Kentucky. We were a visitor to the group. We were the youngest by far, with most in the group being in 60's, 70's. & a couple 80's. We passed around glow sticks to the group while sitting around the campfire. It was absolutely hilarious. They acted like kids. Everytime a plane would go over they would start waving their glow sticks. (So glad I was in the dark







) Doesn't take much to entertain some....


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Great idea about the glow sticks. I am ordering some off Ebay right now. 200 sticks for $.01 but $19.00 for shipping







It's all good.


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## mskyoutback (Jul 27, 2004)

Golden Mom said:


> We went camping this weekend with a camping group down in Kentucky. We were a visitor to the group. We were the youngest by far, with most in the group being in 60's, 70's. & a couple 80's. We passed around glow sticks to the group while sitting around the campfire. It was absolutely hilarious. They acted like kids. Everytime a plane would go over they would start waving their glow sticks. (So glad I was in the dark
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Golden Mom,
Where did you go in Ky.? We're always looking for new campgrounds near home. We went to a place on the Ky. River called Cummins Ferry this past weekend. Not a real fancy campground with a lot to do, but beautiful scenery along the river and they rent pontoon boats and canoes. They have full hookups so we could get the tanks cleaned out well before winterizing.


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## Golden Mom (Apr 25, 2004)

We went to KOA in Bowling Green. We have been there before. It is one of older KOA's, but still in very good shape. They have a pay lake up front, but a catch & release lake in the back. (You don't have to have a license for it). There are a lot of things to do in BG. The group went to "Lost River". It's a boat cave tour. I didn't go, however my daughter did and had a great time. (I don't do caves







)

We hope to have one more campout before winterizing. We have it on the calendar for the first weekend of November. But that could change. Never know about that snow.


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