One of the best decisions I made as a freshman at GVSU was joining “Pals.” Pals is a student organization that connects underprivileged youth with college mentors that can provide them with extra attention and fun activities that they may not get otherwise. I was assigned to young girl who lived downtown, and while at first she was shy and hard to reach, over time I have come to realize what a big personality she actually has.

The first time I picked her up, my mentee was quiet and seemed to feel out of place. I visited her house for our first meeting, to try and make both her and her family feel more comfortable before taking her out and about. We colored and talked about school and her family, but now she was in the car with practically a stranger, and no idea as to where we were going. I would have been quiet too honestly. She came over and we made cupcakes and got to know each other a little better, but there was still this undeniable unease from her that made it hard to have a truly fun time like I wanted her to.

I compare that first meeting to last week, when I picked my Pal and her sister up from their after-school program. Her sister started tagging along after about 6 months because she wanted to join in on the fun. I was greeted with two hugs, two smiles, and one question: “What are we doing today?!” They ran to my car with no hesitation, climbed in and grabbed the stuffed animals I bought for them from the seat pouches, and immediately launched into stories about school and their Valentine’s dance. As I came to find out, my original Pal is quite the tom boy, explaining some of her shyness from the beginning, and also why she didn’t have much to say about having to get all dressed up for her dance. However, her little sister is about as girly as they come, and was more than thrilled to talk about her makeup and the dress she got to wear.

I took them to Grand Rapids Children’s Museum after listening to the day’s adventures. The museum has a great ticket deal on Thursdays, with admission only $1.75 for each of us. The Children’s Museum is a great chance for them to interact with other kids and learn outside of school. They ran around freely and enjoyed all the museum had to offer. They were able to make a craft, play games, surround themselves in bubbles, and learn about different topics. The best part of the experience was their excitement when they were showing me all the cool things they found along the way. Both of my Pals had so much fun, and I couldn’t have asked for a better night out with them.

I’ve been able to take the girls to many kid-friendly places over the past two years that also didn’t break my bank as a college student. A few weeks ago we went to Rosa Park Circle for the ice skating. We’ve adventured to Skyzone for them to jump around for a few hours. Soon I hope to take them to Frederick Meijer Garden’s for the annual butterfly exhibit.

West Michigan offers a lot for kids, and I am thankful for the opportunity to expose my Pals to new things that they don’t get the chance to explore at home or at school.

Here’s my checklist for great kid-friendly activities in West Michigan. How many have you checked off your list?

Museums, trampoline parks, beaches, ice skating rinks, college basketball games, and much more are waiting for your kids to experience.