Hey there,
On today’s episode of “what the heck does Corrah have to say now,” I’ll be talking about something called the ITS Truck. Just a short and sweet post about what it is and to spread the word to those who may not even know it exists. Because of my stay-at-home-mom status, I’m always on the lookout for cool things happening in the community. Bonus points if they’re cheap or free. Before I became a SAHM, I had no idea there was so much out there. I mean, when my daughter was two I took her to a dragonfly class at a nature center for crying out loud. Just an hour and a half learning about dragonflies, playing, and then going to catch them with nets in their natural habitat. All for just $5. Talk about a neat experience for my daughter (and myself because at the time I was just learning about all this stuff). As far as I knew, they had story time at the library once a week and some cool playgrounds in the local area to check out. No one told me about dragonfly class, crafternoon, toddler Tuesdays, or ITS trucks. Now that I’ve been navigating these toddler mom waters for a few years, I’m becoming pretty savvy with finding the best spots to go with your little during the week. Not without some help from Twin Cities Frugal Mom of course. She posts some of the best things to do around the Twin Cities area and has given me so much inspiration to explore and try new things and places, even if they don’t sound 100% wonderful. I’ve found tiny little hidden parks this way, places to eat, and learned that I can bring my daughter to any library in the TC area AND check them out. More to come on libraries later, because they are just one more thing I’m passionate about. So now let me tell you what the hell the ITS Truck is, because the name doesn’t reveal anything at all.
ITS apparently stands for “In the Streets.” Which to me also doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense, but we’ll roll with it. In my mind it should be named ITP for “In the Parks” since this truck quite literally shows up at parks to do its thing. In Minnesota, summer is obviously fleeting; so taking advantage of the weather and outdoor activities is crucial. Oakdale, Minnesota has brought a fun and interesting activity to the local parks for kids to enjoy all summer long. This ITS truck rotates thorough parks in Oakdale Monday through Thursday with morning and afternoon options so everyone has a chance to make it work with their schedule. I’m telling you this information, and you’re still probably like… okay but what is it exactly? Now tell me what it is already Corrah!
So, the ITS Truck is an old remodeled ambulance packed with fun things to do inside. Well, we don’t play INSIDE of the truck, but the people who manage the truck start taking the fun things out of the truck and set them up to use and play with; at no cost by the way. So it’s essentially an ambulance turned truck ‘o fun for summertime kids. The people managing the bus pull up, park, and start unloading all sorts of activities from chalk, balls, giant Tetris, Legos- you name it. They set it all up in some open area of each park and spread it out for the kids for free play. They even have a Nintendo Switch hooked up in the back of the truck with a T.V. sticking out of the double doors in the back so kids can play games like Mario Kart. All of this is available to come and play for two hours and again, NO COST. The ITS Truck runs through August 6, 2026. I will attach a link with the exact schedule for those who may want to attend one of these events. My personal opinion is that this is geared towards 8ish and younger, but obviously all are welcome. Each week is a different theme with a craft project to match the theme provided for the littles. I will just say, when I went; my four-year-old daughter got to decorate maracas and bring them home. How cool is that? So I suggest you pack a picnic, tell a friend, and head out to one of Oakdale’s beautiful parks for a fun summer outing.
Link with days, times, and parks listed below
https://www.oakdalemn.gov/731/ITS-Truck
Talk soon,
Corrah
