Ridgecrest for Kids

We're a family place. . . after all, we're a family here! So when you bring little ones--yours or the grands--they can have a good time with some of these fun outdoorsy activities.

We hope these ideas will guide you when you're packing up to bring the crowd. We acknowledge Better Homes and Gardens August 2012 issue for most of these ideas, thanks to Denise Schipani (she blogs at Mean Moms Rule).

Plastic jug luminaries -- decorate the outside of a milk

jug or juice bottle (with the top cut off) with glow in the dark paint or colored tissue paper. Fill about a third of the jug with sand, add tea light candles, and set out at nightfall. Magical!

Tee up -- bring a supply of hobby-store white and black

plain tee-shirts in kid sizes (and yours too!) and glow in the dark or flourescent fabric pens. This craft may keep the kids busy for one evening, and showing them off in a game of tag can do the trick for the next!

Glowing goo-gaw makes

for a fun bunch of games. Dollar and bargain stores are a storehouse of cheap glow-sticks, necklaces, bracelets and other items. BHG suggests arranging a series of necklaces in shapes on the ground to toss a beanbag (or glowing necklace filled wiffle ball) into; tape together a few

glow sticks to make a ring for ring toss; play tag or flourescent freeze tag! Give the kids some ideas and then challenge them to come up with their own amazing activities!

Meet the night critters around the grounds. . .

by attracting moths and butterflies with a special "dessert" the kids can "paint" on the trees and shrubs. The recipe is : 1/2 cup sugar and 2 cups water over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Allow to cool, and before dare, have kids use paintbrushes to apply the mixture to the tree bark. When it gets dark, give the kids flashlights to shine on the "painted" areas. The light and sweet treat will attract a congregation of moths for them to marvel at.

Low-cost laser tag and made-up games are

what kids are famous for. Give a kid a flashlight and he or she will make up a game in seconds flat. Pass out a passel of them and the whole gang will have a

blast! You can even tape colored cellophane around the light and enhance the fun.

Stargazers unlimited -- our Ozark

night skies are generally full of stars that can't be seen in the cities and suburbs. Numerous star maps and navigation guides are downloadable, free and fun. Visit skymaps.com, starwalk or sky safari apps for smartphone for help. Bring an old blanket or sleeping bag and spread out on our hillside after dark and to gaze and have your little ones make up their own constellation of stories.

Stone scavenging -- save that flourescent paint and let

the kiddos paint some smooth stones they've picked up from the area. When they can't see what you're up to, scatter the painted stones around the resort, and reward the finder of the most rocks with a special prize.

Have a great marshmallow roast -- we'll steer you to the

best marshmallow sticks on the property. Reserve our friendly front-yard fire pit and some wood, and rehearse your ghost stories, guitar serenades, and invite the kids to make up some more.