The summer is filled with laughter and fun every corner. With the kids home this summer, you might just have your hands full. What have you planned to do with them this summer?
With the warmer weather and extra time to spend with the kids, there are plenty of things you can do! The activities you do with your children don’t need to be expensive at all. In fact, cheap activities to do with your kids can be really fun too!
Check out these free (well, almost all free) activities to do with your kids this summer!
1. Visit Local Heroes
Take a tour of your local heroes, such as the police or fire station. Make sure you call ahead and arrange an appointment!
2. Create Obstacle Courses
Build your own obstacle course with hula hoops, jump ropes, and whatever you can think of. Make sure you time toe kids and declare the winners.
3. Petting Zoo
Visit a petting zoo or even a pet store. Kids love meeting animals, and even seeing the baby animals too!
4. Indoor Parks
Sometimes the summer weather brings a little rain. When rainy summer days come it’s a good idea to head to an indoor park. There are local sheltered play spaces you might find too, such as a nearby elementary school.
5. Tour Factories
Perhaps your children might be interested in seeing their favorite products being created from start to finish. Check out Factory Tour USA to get more information on visiting over 400 factories across the nation!
6. Activities at Local Community Parks
Your local community parks can offer endless amount of free and even low cost day camps. Some of these activities include swimming, arts and crafts, music, and more. Check with your local city parks department by giving them a call or visit the National Recreation and Park Association Website (nrpa.org).
7. Get Crafty
Check out your local craft stores, such as Michaels, that offer hands on activities just for the children! Some of the classes are free while others might cost a nominal fee. You can find a class by visiting Michaels website (michaels.com).
8. Free Movies for Families
Some of movie theaters offer a special summer program. Regal theaters offer a Summer Move Express tickets for $1.00 each summer. The screening is PG and G-rated movies at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday. Check out Regal theaters website for a schedule. AMC theaters also has a similar program called Summer Movie Camp on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. with $4.00 tickets. Check out AMC theaters website for more information.
9. Tour Your Own Hometown
You don’t need to leave your town to go on a vacation and have a good time. You can easily have a vacation and some fun by exploring the town you live in. Check out local landmarks and call the local historical society for some fun hometown trivia! You can also visit a local restaurant you ever tried before.
10. Kids Bowling
Another fun activity to do on a rainy summer day is going bowling. The great thing about this program is that there are hundreds of bowling alleys that participate in a summer-long Kids Bowl Free! The program allows the children to play two games free. Check out Kids Bowl Free website for more details.
11. Volunteer with the Family
Going out and volunteering can teach your children great characteristics, such as compassion. There are many volunteer programs you can do with your family, such as the local food bank or even cleaning up parks or collecting garbage and canned goods to recycle.
12. Story Time
Some bookshops and libraries will offer story time for kids. You can find some of these story time hours at your local Barnes and Nobles by visiting their website for more information, or call your local library.
13. Discounts at Museums
Many museums, whether big or small, offer free or discounted admission for families one day a week. Check out your local museum or nearby museum you wish to visit to get more information on schedules and fees.