4 fun ideas for Moms Night Out outside this summer

Shannan Younger — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 00:57:00 +0000

Sometimes moms just need a night out: a chance to enjoy conversation and fun with other adults and be, well, grown-ups together who can speak in complete sentences and not have to worry about cutting anyone’s food. Summer is a great time to gather the girls. Take advantage of warm weather and ample daylight when planning, and consider taking activities often thought of for families and giving them a fun twist to make for a unique and memorable time with girlfriends.

Here are my 3 favorites ideas for Moms Night Out that get you outside this summer:

1. Night at the Ball Park

Chances are you’ve spent some time watching Little League games this summer, but when’s the last time you and your friends caught a Major League Baseball game without little ones in tow? Possibly in your 20’s, right? But on a warm summer night, it’s a great place to be a grown up.

Some MLB teams are making it even easier for America’s pastime to be an enjoyable and affordable Moms Night Out. For example, the Chicago White Sox are having Ladies Night at U.S. Cellular Field. on Sat., Aug. 1, with specially priced tickets as low as $20. If you’re a wine drinker, or a big Sox fan, the first 500 buyers will receive a complimentary White Sox wine glass tumbler. There’s even pregame entertainment at Gate 4 from The Hot Sauce Committee, a 90’s boy band cover band. And you know it’s going to be a great Moms Night Out if there’s a 90’s boy band cover band involved, right?

If your mom friends are foodies, it is amazing some of the great local options available. I’ve rounded up three mom friends from my neighborhood for a night out, and we’re looking forward to a night of fun and no responsibility on Saturday!

2. Pack a Picnic

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A simple adults-only picnic can be an easy Moms Night Out, especially if each person contributes a dish. Consider picking a new park that you don’t visit frequently for a change of scene.

If dinnertime is too tricky, have a dessert picnic. Cookies, mini tartletts, brownie bites, there are lots of yummy possibilities! Download some fun 80s music for a festive soundtrack.

3. Take a Hike, or a Run, or Walk

Check out a nearby forest preserve or a state park. Depending on how much daylight is left where you are, this one may be more of a Moms Day Out than Night option, but some parks and arboretums offer evening hiking activities.

If you’re exhausted at the end of the day and early morning fits your schedule better, gather your girlfriends for an early outing instead. Many charity runs/walks are in the early morning and can be a great chance to gather for a good cause (and maybe sport some fun shirts or tutus). Not only is it great time together, it’s a way to stay healthy, too.

4. Photo Bomb!

The golden hour is that time right before sunset when the lighting outside is so very lovely for photographs. If you and your friends want to spruce up your home with artwork, photos you take yourself can be fun and cost effective. Head to a lake, park or even a friend’s yard with lots of flowers, and have everyone bring their cameras. Take a bunch of photos and then see what shots everyone caught after the sun’s gone down. Take the best ones and turn them into art work, either by having prints or canvases made.

Tip: consider doing a grouping of black and white photos in frames of the same color for a classic, uniform display.

Disclosure: The White Sox are giving me tickets for Ladies Night in exchange for this post, but all opinions are my own.

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4 fun ideas for Moms Night Out outside this summer