Mini-Golfing Fun!

When we stopped at Apple Holler Orchard on the way home from our Crystal Falls road trip, there was a single mini-golf hole and Daniel was very keen to try it. Since it was off season, there wasn't any way to try it- that wasn't open, but the idea was definitely planted. Grandma Mary Kay had also given the kids plastic golf clubs and balls for them to play with outside while we were up north, just another way the idea was planted. So...one of the first things Daniel did on that Monday after we got back was to make a mini-golf course right in our family room!

We decided it was time to actually try mini-golfing for real, since the interest was definitely there! We took the kids to our local mini-golfing course after nap time last Saturday afternoon. To say they were excited would be an understatement! Daniel was beyond excited to actually be mini-golfing! It was a fun first time ever mini-golf outing! The kids did great. They followed along the course really well and tried their best to wait their turn (hard to do sometimes) and putt the ball into each hole. Daniel had a pretty good swing to start each hole, he caught on pretty quickly, though he did like to push the ball into the hole, but we just let him have some fun and try it out his way. He even got a hole-in-one one time! Pretty exciting! Annabel mostly liked to chase the balls and pick them up and give them back to whomever they belonged to, so it was a little challenging to reinforce over and over that the ball stays put on the ground until it's in the hole, but she was just so excited and wanted to be so helpful, it was so sweet really. She was also fiercely independent and didn't want much help with how to hold the golf club correctly and such, which was fine. We helped her a few times and cued her to turn her club around a few times, but mostly, we just let her have fun and try it out for herself. I played a great game, if I do say so myself- pretty much all holes in two, which never happens for me, I was just doing really well at putting the ball in the hole on the second stroke. Go figure. Anyway, of course we didn't keep score, we just had fun playing, teaching, and learning. Daniel spent the whole time saying he wanted to play again and again and again! This course has two paths you can choose- over the mountain or through the cave. Daniel chose over the mountain and of course wanted to do through the cave right away, too. Next time. Oh- and guess what color ball Annabel chose?? If you guessed pink, you would be correct! Daniel's ball was green, Ben's was blue, and I had purple. Annabel still remembers what color ball each of us had and talks about it every day! At this course, when you're finished and returning your golf club and balls, there's one of those ball drops with pegs and if your ball lands in the center, you win a certificate for a free round of golf- and Daniel won! He was so excited! So we'll definitely be going back sometime! We had a lot of fun!

Here's Daniel's hole-in-one and a picture of him with one finger up!

Here's Annabel's "hole-in-one," which everybody got because this was the last hole and it funneled down to the hole...still, she was excited!