“I attended an event on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Busch Gardens. I received free admission to the park as a thank you for participating. Opinions expressed in this post are that of my own”
Face painting at Busch Gardens.
Last week I had an opportunity to attend a seminar at Busch Gardens on the topic of “Natural Fun Deficiency”. This round table discussion was head up by Stacy DeBroff of Mom Central Consulting. Stacy is a social media and marketing expert, who has been featured on many shows including CNN’s American Morning and Fox News, and the The Tyra Banks Show.
Watching the Apes being fed.
The premise of “Natural Fun Deficiency” is that kids and parents need to unplug themselves from technology and all of the planned activities such as sports and lessons, and allow their family to have more unscripted fun.
In March of 2013, Mom Central Consulting conducted a survey of 870 moms and it was found that 93 percent of moms aspire to do more natural, unstructured outdoor activities as a family. 93 percent of their kids wished they could have more fun together as a family.
Checking out the Lions.
“As kids, we remember our moms opening up the screen door on a summer day and telling us ‘go outside and play,’ … We fear we’re raising a generation of kids with ‘Natural Fun Deficiency’ who rarely play outside unless as part of planned activities and a coach nearby carrying a whistle and a clipboard.” – Stacy DeBroff Founder and CEO Mom Central Consulting.
Stacy gave us information with tips on how to combat the ‘Natural Fun Deficiency’ for families. She suggested planning a family getaway to take a break from everyday responsibilities, exploring the great outdoors such as the beach or a theme park like Busch Gardens, or arranging easy family activities at home like picnics, dinners on the patio, or walking the dog together.
Is your family getting enough Natural Fun? Visit Busch Gardens Natural Fun to check out some fun tips, information, and a family quiz.
My little guy was having so much “Natural Fun” he would only sleep sitting up.
After the discussion concluded, we took a tour of Busch Garden’s attractions including the animal enclosures. We visited the apes, hippos, and the lions. We also checked out Busch Gardens’ Iceploration, an all-new adventure filled show with world-class skaters, original costumes, amazing aerial performances, master puppetry, and live animal stars.
Busch Gardens has food items for individuals with dietary restrictions.
When we completed our tour, we were then given a run down of Busch Garden’s new dietary programs. These included Gluten FREE products and nuts, eggs and dairy FREE products, fruits available for children’s platters, and an under 600 Calorie meal option. This makes planning a trip to Busch Garden’s easier for those having to either monitor their food, or those trying to make better food choices.
For the rest of the day and night, my 2 boys and I went out and explored the park. Since we had been to the park before, I decided to let my 7-year-old set the pace and lead the way. He rode “Air Grover” 5 times with a fellow blogger’s children, he explored a Tree House and Bounce area in the Sesame Street Safari of Fun, and then rode additional rides in the park.
My big guy enjoying a ride.
While we were on our adventure, we came across an area with Hula Hoops near the Cheetah Hunt Roller Coaster. I have to say that the highlight of this day was watching my son try out his hula hoop skills. He was so happy to play, and first he tried one, then two, and then three. The expression on my son’s face pretty much tells the story of the great time he was having a Busch Gardens. I was so happy to have had an opportunity to share this experience with him, and I know it will be a memory we both cherish.
His expression was priceless, he kept calling out “Look at me!”.
Don’t forget that Busch Gardens is the place to explore your children’s NATURAL FUN during day and night hours!
Park hours are extended for Busch Gardens’ Summer Nights. Hours are Sundays through Thursdays until 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m. Summer Nights is included with daily admission or any annual pass.
For more information on Summer Nights and Busch Gardens, visit buschgardens.com or call 1-888-800-5447. You can also connect with Busch Gardens socially via Twitter at twitter.com/BuschGardens and Facebook at facebook.com/BuschGardensTampaBay.
FFM
Comments