As many frugal experts have pointed out recently, there are many reasons not to go shopping on Black Friday. One reason that will matter to parents: As DealNews, Living on the Cheap and Lifehacker have pointed out, the Friday after Thanksgiving isn’t the best time to buy toys, as retailers traditionally offer better deals closer to Christmas.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something that’s worth buying for the kids this Friday. If your family likes going to children’s museums, today’s hint is to consider skipping the stores this Friday and opting for a little kid-friendly culture instead, as a number of the child-focused museums are offering good Black Friday deals.
For instance, the Sacramento Children’s Museum is offering $10 off all memberships on Black Friday, while those who purchase family memberships to Imagine Nation Museum in Bristol, Conn., this Friday will get an extra month of membership, among other freebies.
Other children’s museums offering similar deals include the Delaware Children’s Museum, the Glazer Children’s Museum in Tampa, Fla., the Portland Children’s Museum, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville, Ind., Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena, Calif., and the Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut (where you can drop your kids off).
Other not so-called children’s museums, meanwhile, are also offering special Black Friday activities. The Oakland Museum of California, for instance, is calling its regular Friday night event “’Black Friday’ Night,” and there will be stories and other activities for the kids this Friday. Elsewhere, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, and these Boston area museum attractions are among the many other more general museums also getting in on the Black Friday action.
As for our family’s Black Friday activity: We’re going to practice what I preach and hit either the local children’s museum or aquarium.
What are the best kid-friendly Black Friday deals you’ve come across? What are your favorite non-traditional Black Friday deals, and non-traditional ways to spend Black Friday? Share your thoughts below.
My favorite way to spend Black Friday is hunkered up in the house with movies and the kids. We’ve already made our movie selections. 😉