5 Fun Activities for a Rainy Day Indoors

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. -- April showers, right? Or in Michigan's case lately, April snow showers. Either way, outdoor activities aren't exactly exciting options during this extra turbulent time of the season, but that doesn't mean there isn't fun to be had right in the comfort of your own home. For kids and adults, here are 5 fun activities for a rainy day indoors.

1. GOOD OL' NETFLIX

It's rainy. It's snowy. It's cold. What a perfect time to forget how dismal it is outside and catch up on your favorite shows inside! Grab some snacks and drinks, plop on the couch, and call upon your good friend Netflix. Rainy days create the perfect atmosphere for a horror flick scare-a-thon, or maybe you'll finally binge every episode of that one series everyone's been borderline spoiling on Facebook. If you have kids, you can never go wrong with Disney, and most of the movies double as a fun sing-a-long!

2. INDOOR EXERCISE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Kids have a ton of energy, and we all know a rainy day doesn't change that at all. Consider some of these fun and active to-dos for your cooped-up kiddos:

• Balloon Ping-Pong: This one doubles as a creative activity. Get a paper plate and tape a popsicle stick to the back, then get some crayons and let your kid customize their ping-pong paddle. Lastly, blow up a balloon and go nuts!

• Dance Party: Throw on some of your kids' favorite music and have a dance party. Mix it up: When the music stops, everyone has to freeze in place until it starts again. Or add a "follow the leader" aspect, switching up dance moves as you make your way around the house.

• Indoor Hopscotch: No really, just hear us out. Get some painter's tape and create a hopscotch grid on your kitchen or dining room floor. The good thing about painter's tape is it'll come off easily when you're done and it won't ruin your floor.

• Hallway Bowling: Fill up some of the plastic bottles from your recycle bin with water, set them up at the end of the hallway, and have at it with any ball you have.

3. HAVE A HOME SPA DAY

Turn a gloomy day into a relaxing one by just pampering yourself. Light some candles, burn some incense, draw yourself a hot bubble bath and kick back with your favorite music, a good book, or both. Be sure to add an exfoliating face mask to your experience, as those are super nice and relaxing as well.

4. GAMES THAT DON'T NEED ELECTRICITY

The downside of technology as a source of entertainment is if a storm knocks the power out, there goes your fun, and wireless devices only last so much longer before they must be charged. In the event of such an occurrence, here some fun games you can play on a rainy day indoors that don't require electricity.

• Pictionary: Draw a thing! Guess the thing!

• Shadow Puppet Theater: Prop up a flashlight to shine on a blank wall. Brainstorm a story and use your hands to make it come to life!

• Board Games: The classic activity that never fails.

• Improvised Poetry: One person says a line of poetry, and the next person must make up their own line that rhymes with it, and so on.

5. PLAN A VACATION

Why not beat the rainy day blues by planning a vacation? For real this time! Make a list of places you'd like to visit or ask your kids where they'd like to go. Research transportation, look at pictures read about fun stuff to do while you're there. And, while you're at it, schedule a service appointment with us to make sure your vehicle is at its best for this awesome road trip in the works.

Those are just 5 activities we recommend to spend a rainy day indoors. What do you like to do when the weather has you stuck inside? We at Graff Mt. Pleasant want to know! Your garage counts as "indoors" as well, why not also use the rainy day to rundown your Spring Car Care checklist? If you're thinking about getting an entirely new ride, take a look at what we have in stock and schedule a test drive!

At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.

Websites: Chevrolet: HankGraffMtPleasant.com and Buick GMC Cadillac: GraffBGC.com

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Travel Tips for Thanksgiving With Young Children

MT. PLEASANT, Mich.,–– Whether you have a long or short drive to your Turkey Day festivities this year, driving with your little ones can sometimes be a hectic endeavor. While we're sure you have a few tricks that help make long drives easier, we recommend following our travel trips for Thanksgiving with young children. The easier your traveling goes, the more you'll be able to enjoy the turkey and other delicious food!

Allow for Plenty of Travel Time

The best way to make sure you arrive on time to Thanksgiving dinner is to give yourself a little cushion, especially when you've got to load the little ones into the car. Or, you may run in o any number of mishaps or slowdowns that may happen with your kids such a spills, tantrums, or anything else. So, start your trip 15-20 minutes early to make sure the whole drive goes smoothly.

Bring Some Snacks

While your children will be filling up on turkey, potatoes, green beans, and pumpkin pie at dinner they're likely going to need something to tide them over on the drive. Granola bars, veggies, or some nuts are great snack options!

Have a Road Trip Toy Bag

This is a more long-term solution for road trips and long drives in the future, but a handy tip to keep your kids occupied and happy is to keep a toy bag in your car at all times. This way even if their favorite stuffed animal, action figure, or doll is forgotten at home, you'll have the bag of toys ready to go.

Don't Forget the Car Seat Tray

For snacking, drawing, and just a general way to keep this tidier on you drive, don't forget the car seat tray at home. It will help keep any spills or stains from occurring on the interior of your car!

Bring Along Some Art Supplies

They have the potential to be a little messy, but bringing along some art supplies like crayons, paper, and stickers are a great way to keep your kids creatively stimulated during a long drive. We recommend making sure you have a sturdy car seat tray or a travel lap desk for older kids.

Turn On the Electronics

Bringing your tablet or a portable DVD player to keep your kids engaged with their favorite shows or movies. Nothing has revolutionized the road trip for parents more than modern electronics!

Warm Up The Car Ahead of Time

This time of year can be very chilly and to avoid runny noses and the sniffles, make sure to warm your car up before everyone in your family hops in to head out. Getting your car nice and toasty will make the ride more enjoyable for everyone.

So this Thanksgiving, use these tips to make traveling with young children much easier on yourself. Your whole family will be much happier and ready to talk to your extended family when you reach your destination. You can also ensure your holiday travels go smoothly by completing our Fall Car Care maintenance routine. You don't want your car to break down once the freezing temperatures start affecting your vehicle's internal components.

At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.

Websites: Chevrolet: HankGraffMtPleasant.com and Buick GMC Cadillac: GraffBGC.com

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Fun Summer Activities for Your Kids

MT. PLEASANT, Mich.,–– The school year is over and Summer Vacation is here! It's every child's favorite time of year, and the terrific weather makes it perfect for playing outdoors. So don't let your kids sit inside all summer playing on their electronics and watching tv. Get them outside to stay active and make memories in the upcoming months with these fun summer activities for your kids!

Bubble Party

Little bubbles are fun, but giant bubbles are the best! Make life-size bubbles with help of a kiddy pool and a hula hoop right in your back yard!

Giant Jenga

It will only take a short amount of time to create this super-sized version of this classic game. You can play it outside for maximum fun, and remove the blocks until the giant Jenga tower topples over!

Water Fight

The best way to beat the heat on hot summer days is with a big, fun water fight! Break out the sprinkler and the squirt guns to help everyone cool down. Plus, try substituting water sponges for the traditional water balloons and give this new, fun game, Duck, Duck, Splash a try!

Lawn Twister

Another "twist" on a classic game that kids love! Paint your grass in your yard to look like a twister board and start playing! Your little ones will love stretching and reaching to get their hand or leg on a new color spot.

Yard Scrabble

First, cut up 100 cardboard squares (or just use heavy card stock printer paper) to create the letter tiles for a life-size version of Scrabble that you play on your lawn. Your kids will love creating the fun words and using the large letter tiles! Plus, it will keep them working on their spelling throughout the summer.

Glow-in-the-Dark Capture the Flag

Hand out glow sticks for kids to wear on their wrists to make a game of capture the flag even more fun at night! As a bonus, It will help you keep an eye on everyone at night too!

Mini Obstacle Course

Use chairs, string, tables, and other household items to create your own obstacle course in your backyard for a fun exercise activity for your kids! Record their times and see who can hold the course record!

Frozen Banana Pops

Reward your kids for playing outside with a delicious frozen treat that's much healthier for them than popsicles and ice cream!

Try these fun summer activities with your kids and many others like sidewalk chalk, catching fireflies at night, or a kickball game to get them outside and more active during their vacation. You'll create a fantastic summer filled with memories for your kids as well. Additionally, make sure to take care of your vehicle this season with our Summer Car Care tips to get it ready for any long road trips and to deal with the heat. Schedule a service appointment online today to get your vehicle in great running condition!

At Graff Buick GMC Cadillac, we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.

Websites: Chevrolet: HankGraffMtPleasant.com and Buick GMC Cadillac: GraffBGC.com

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube