Monkey Joe's Blog
Bouncing into a Brand New Year
Posted on Dec 20, 2017
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It’s been an amazing year of learning, growing, and bouncing here at Monkey Joe’s. We love sharing in your family’s happy moments, big and small. As 2017 comes to a close, we’re looking back, looking forward, and focusing on fun!
4 Fun Ways to Look Back on the Year
- Make it a game! Sit around the table and ask each child to share a favorite memory from 2017. Have the rest of the family contribute their favorite things about that experience. When no one can think of anything else to add, move onto the next memory!
- Scroll through Facebook. You probably have some great pictures from birthday parties, family vacations, and bouncing around Monkey Joe’s. Scroll through pictures on social media and ask your kids to choose their favorites.
- Make a memory jar. Want to start a fun family tradition? Here’s what you do: grab a mason jar, notepad, and pencil. When fun, funny, or heart-warming things happen throughout the year, write them down and put them in the jar. Next New Year’s Eve, take the slips of paper out of the jar and remember the best parts of the year as a family.
- Start a new year of fun! Ready to rock 2018? Swing over to your local Monkey Joe’s for a Noon Year’s Eve party your kids will be talking about all year!
3 Family New Year’s Resolutions
- Get healthy. Make little lifestyle changes like eating fruit cups instead of potato chips or bringing the kids to bounce around the Jungle after school. Little changes are easier to stick with!
- Spend more time together. It’s easy to get caught up in the busy world we live in. Don’t just say you’ll spend more time together, make a plan! Buy tickets to the zoo, go out for hot chocolate, or invest in a Frequent Jumper Card to get a special price on 10 admissions to Monkey Joe’s.
- Help others. Whether it’s donating to cool charities like Alex’s Lemonade Stand or giving your time to volunteer together, helping others is a great way to connect as a family, give back to the community, and feel happier this year.
How to Help Kids Stick to Their Goals
What’s the key to achieving your goals? Here are a few tricks for keeping New Year’s resolutions:
- Set short-term goals. Big goals seem tough to accomplish. By breaking them up into smaller goals, your resolutions will seem more manageable. Plus, you’ll get to celebrate the little wins along the way!
- Let the kids pick their goals. If you set resolutions for your kids, they won’t be motivated to stick with them. Discuss what’s important to them, how to set goals, and what they want to accomplish during the year.
- Find a buddy. When you set a goal with a friend, you’re held accountable for meeting it! In the same way, it’s easier for kids to reach their New Year’s resolutions if you set a family goal. Make team resolutions (like girls vs. boys or parents vs. kids) and see who sticks with them longer. Don’t want to make things too competitive? Have the whole family work together to reach your goal!
Let Monkey Joe’s know how you’re taking on the new year! Share your goals, accomplishments, and Noon Year’s Eve photos with us on Facebook.
