Texas National Parks: Big Bend
Nothing is a more iconic Texas landmark than Big Bend National Park. Although summer months in the West Texas desert bring scorching temperatures, October-April weather provides an excellent time for Texas families to get outside. Big Bend lives up to its name with 1,252 square miles of wide open spaces. In all this land are many different elements: from canyons, rivers, and dessert, to mountains, forests, and rock formations, this vast corner of our state is one you won’t want to miss out on. While Big Bend has many different trails, we’ve compiled our favorite family-friendly trails for the next
Practical Family Goals for the New Year
New Year’s resolutions aren’t for everyone, and that’s ok! While traditional resolutions can get a bad rap for being too extreme or unrealistic to actually maintain, there are plenty of practical goals that families can pursue as we dive into a brand new year. Family goals are a great way to get excited about something as an entire family unit, work together to accomplish said goal, and grow in various areas of life!
You might already have some ideas of family goals you’d like to work toward this year. If you don’t, we came
YMCA of Austin Shares Joy and Togetherness with Nourishing Neighbors Grant
The YMCA of Austin received a grant during the pandemic from the Albertson’s family to provide food assistance to families in need, part of their Nourishing Neighbors program. As we are nearing the close of the grant, we will use the remaining funding to create spaces of celebration, joy, togetherness and hope over the month of December.
In this spirit, we are providing Randall’s gift cards to our central Austin low-income families at our EAC Y afterschool programs and preschools as well as gift cards and goody bags for our early learning readiness
Stocking Stuffers for Kids
Stockings are a fun holiday tradition. Typically filled with knick knacks, candy, and even fruit, the simplicity of stockings doesn’t take away from the excitement of unpacking them. If you’re looking for some new ideas regarding items to put in your children’s stockings this year, look no further. This comprehensive list of stocking stuffers covers it all, from fruit to gift cards and everything in between.
The Legend of Stockings
The legend of stockings features Saint Nicholas. The story goes that Nicholas overheard a widowed father saying that he couldn’t afford to pay his three daughters’
EAC Y Fun: Cake Mix Playdough
During the week of November 28th through December 2nd, Extend-A-Care YMCA Afterschool Care centers will celebrate National Cake Day and all of the yummy magic of cake! Try out one of our EAC Y crafts at home with this sweet cake mix playdough activity.
GATHER MATERIALS
• 1 Box Cake Mix
• 1/2 Vegetable Oil
• Sprinkles
• 3 tbs Corn Starch
• Powdered Sugar
1. Begin by combining the cake mix and oil in a stand mixer
DIY Gratitude Jar
Make Your Own Gratitude Jar
While being grateful seems simple enough in theory, it can actually be hard to put into practice. We can get so caught up in our busy schedules that we often forget to pause and think about the things and people we are thankful for.
Today’s DIY activity is all about gratitude. Specifically, it’s about implementing practical tools to remember to be grateful—in this case, a gratitude jar! One thing we love about this activity is that it can be as simple or as creative as you want it to be. We’ll share
