Summer Fun: Lucky Day SURPRISE Cash Bottles

This post was first shared on Design Dazzle's Summer Camp Series.

Last year I took my middle son out on a special "Mom and Me" day.  While walking out by the river, watching a lot of people float by on tubes and rafts, we spontaneously decided to stick some cash in an empty water bottle and toss it into the river for the river rafters to discover!

We loved it so much that we decided to do it again this summer, with all of the boys.  We live in big, beautiful Colorado, surrounded by outdoor enthusiasts.  We chose to celebrate them this summer by creating "lucky day cash bottles" for the adventurous people to discover while they're out recreating.

Once that giant, glorious, beaming sunshine is out, our land is covered like ants on a hill with people on bikes, hikers with packs strapped on, cars loaded with kayaks,  runners in all directions, and a camp trailer behind every truck.  I appreciate those who celebrate life, those who gratefully use their bodies, and those who stretch their arms open to this beautiful world.  These bottles are just a tiny way we could say, "Hey, I think you're cool.  Keep doing what you're doing."

We made a handful of bottles and decided to leave them in TWO spots: on the river and on a popular hiking trail.  The river was the most fun!  As we were about to leave them, I thought back on last summer when we tubed the river, bobbing up and down, all in a row.  Then I imagined how fun it would be to be spinning along in the river, spy a bottle, pick it up, and find cash inside!  Oh yes! We were excited to spread these bottles around. ;)

The HOW TO:

Okay, just a handful of easy steps and you're ready to spread some lucky days all over your town!

1) Gather empty plastic bottles and lids in good condition with no cracks or holes.
2) Get some cash out of your piggy bank or ATM
3) Write playful, mysterious notes on brightly colored paper so the bottles will be eye-catching.
4) Fill the bottles with cash and the note and twist on the lid!

    Supplies:

I used bright neon notes so the bottles would be easily spotted. 

Then they are ready to go!

We went to the river for our first drop

We walked along the river trail until we reached a

 popular area for rafters and tubers.

The boys were so excited to toss the money into the water!

One by one, we put our lucky day cash bottles in the rapids.

It was so fun to watch them float away, 

bobbing down the river.

Each boy got excited to spot their bottles in the waves.

They watched until the neon color was out of sight.

Next, we went to a favorite hiking trail.  We hiked around some windy trails, trying to find the perfect spot to leave our lucky day cash bottles.

We saw incredible wildlife on our hike! 

We left a bottle here...

And a bottle there...

A few bottles everywhere.

 On the drive home, all the boys chatted at once, wondering who would find the bottles and when they would find them!  Would it be the leader of the hiking pack, or the tiny child straggler who tries to keep up with the bigger hikers?  Or would it be a couple on a date?  Or would it be someone on an early morning run with their dog?  And what about the river?  Would it be a big group of boisterous rafters, with lots of arms stretching out of the raft as they reached for the bottle?  Or would it be a single person on a kayak, speeding along?  We will never know, but it certainly is fun to guess.

photo via Instagram

Creating the Lucky Day Cash Bottles 

was our little way 

to bless others, 

 to celebrate life, 

and  to give a happy kudos to those

 who use their bodies

 to be active in the summertime. 

 

For more summer fun ideas for kids, click image below!

MooreMinutes is on Facebook too! 

Pin It

This post is linked to: Under the Table & Dreamin, Nifty Thrifty,  Made by You Monday, Met Monday, Tuesday Tutorials and Tips, HOMEWORK: Be Inspired, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On, Works for Me Wednesday, Snap Creativity, Organize and Decorate Everything, Transformation Thursday, Tablescape Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, 36th Ave, Foodie Friday, I'm Lovin It, Tickled Pink, Friday Flair, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors, Weekend Wrap Up, Six Sisters Saturday