My summer fun plan.

**itsahumanzoo** · 04-01-2011, 07:13 PM

My 5 year old currently goes to preschool 3 days a week and we pay $265 a month for it. (This is cheap compared to other preschools in the area!) Once they are done for the summer it is up to me to keep him busy. I considered putting him in a summer program, but the cheapest one I could find would still run me almost $400 a month. Not worth it!

So I was talking to a friend and we came up with a plan which will also include one more mommy friend. We are going to keep ourselves and the kids busy without spending tons of money and without doing the same thing every day.

Mondays: Play date at my house.
Tuesdays: Play date at D's house.
Wednesdays: Play date at E's house.
Thursdays: Beach or lake day with picnic.
Fridays: Paid activity.

I'm going to start looking up fun activities for us to do on our play date days so that we're doing something different each time. Fridays will be the day that we do something that is not free, but it won't be expensive. For example we could go to the local zoo, which would cost about $9 for admission and parking total, or we could go to the museum, which is a tax-deductible $70 for the whole year. We also have a super fun kids museum that has buy-one-get-one admission days on the second Friday of each month, so that will be in there as well. Whatever we decide it will come out of the $265 a month that is usually set aside for preschool anyway, and we'll have plenty left over.

If you have any great tips for summer activities at home please add them!

**Momto5RN** · 04-01-2011, 09:22 PM

in the summer our AC moore would have a day a week the kids could go in and make a craft

many movie theaters have special 1 or 3$ kids movies - they are movies that have been out for a while but on a big screen .

i use to take the kids to a different park or playground to explore each week

and given a little room kids can invet their own fun .
i had no camps i just went in my yard and used my imagination.

**kitkat0649** · 04-01-2011, 11:01 PM

Have you heard of the entertainment guides? We have one for Ventura/SB County, they have tons of coupons for childrens museums, zoo, aquarium etc. Mostly BOGO free or 50% off coupons, in addition to restaurant coupons etc. They're on sale for $15 now and good through November.

**MamaSchweim** · 04-01-2011, 11:34 PM

We have a program at our local bowling alley where kids bowl free. You will need to google kidsbowlfree to find out if there is an alley near you that is participating. It is great fun! And, they have a package that parents can buy for a nominal fee to participate with their kiddos.

**Ramona** · 04-01-2011, 11:52 PM

Check your library for museum passes and activities.

**itsahumanzoo** · 04-02-2011, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by MamaSchweim

We have a program at our local bowling alley where kids bowl free. You will need to google kidsbowlfree to find out if there is an alley near you that is participating. It is great fun! And, they have a package that parents can buy for a nominal fee to participate with their kiddos.

Oh yeah! Our local bowling alley frequently sends out coupons in a weekly ad. If you bring 4 in you get an hour of free bowling and just have to pay for shoes. I have my own shoes and kid shoe rentals are only $1! We will definitely be doing that.

**joyofsix** · 04-02-2011, 06:36 AM

Stuff we do for little or no money
Kid's Bowl Free
Library Programs
Park Programs
Look for free or reduced zoo/museum days
we 'tour' parks, I try to find a different one and we take a picnic
ditto the beach with a picnic (ok, our beaches are mostly old quarries, but you get the idea)
summer festivals in the area
Vacation Bible Schools

**Imarachne** · 04-02-2011, 08:50 AM

Sounds like a plan--good luck with it and its frugal too !!

**McD** · 04-02-2011, 09:27 AM

Home Depot has the kids workshops that might be fun for your kids. They are typically free.

**Momto5RN** · 04-02-2011, 01:13 PM

i alst use to get yearly passes to places
my tip is to wait until middle of summer vacation to get it- then you can use it early in the next years summer vacation time and get a new one mid summer for a different place and end up being
able to do 2 each summer for the price of one.

alot also had other museums in nearby states counties etc you
an get in free too with the passes you get = so look at them also .

**FrabjousDay** · 04-02-2011, 01:45 PM

I was just thinking about this with the warming weather. Activities we enjoy during the summer...

Splash park, picnics in the sculpture garden and walking in the "river", art center, library events, zoo, museum, science station, trail riding on our bikes, working in the garden/yard, kids programming at our gym, carousel, fairs and festivals, farmer's market and bazaars, and lots of playdates at the park with friends. Most of these are free for us.

During the weekends, we spend most of our time on our deck or at the lake. At the lake we do a lot of hiking, bird watching, swimming at the beach, reading books on the porch swing, boating and roasting anything we can think of over the fire pit.

I love the summertime, but it goes by so quickly!

**itsahumanzoo** · 04-04-2011, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by McD

Home Depot has the kids workshops that might be fun for your kids. They are typically free.

We did those a lot last summer with my oldest, I bet they could both do them now. I will have to sign up for them.

**lisaflex** · 04-04-2011, 07:29 PM

ours includes swimming at home w/ friends as we have 2 wks til camp starts. play dates. parks. walks.

then dd goes to six wks of camp M - F from 9 - 3

then vaca

then dd will do a math/reading/science camp for one week from 9 - 12

then one week of total nothing!!! then, back to school......

**Rhiamon** · 04-07-2011, 06:39 AM

Sounds like a great plan.
DD and I are going to be swimming in the pool lots I am so happy my apartment has one. Mostly because we don't have AC so it will be a good way to cool off.
DD asked for a basketball from her dad and a soccer ball from me for her birthday so we will be doing lost of that I imagine.
We will bug hut and frog hunt. All have to stay out side or be released before we come in.
The library
Picnics
Going to the park
kite flying
Growing a balcony garden.
I wanted to put her in a week of summer camp but I just can't afford the 200 dollars.
We found out my daughters new best friend from the new school she started in Jan. is with in walking distance so we will be trying to organize play dates and swim dates with her.
DD wants to do science experiments and a science project a week about a different animal or cryptozoology animal so we will be doing that as well.
Bubbles and chalk.
And as a treat walking to the milk store and getting loonie shakes or ice cream once a week.

**OhPioneer1806** · 04-07-2011, 07:12 AM

This is probably the last summer my teens will be free without jobs or other responsibilities (except for my youngest son's band camp) so I have some fun plans in place. I work in a school and will also be free all summer. I have renewed our Western Reserve Historical Society membership which gets us into all kinds of places free, renewed our zoo membership, and am going halves with my gentleman friend on season passes to a local waterpark. In addition to that we plan on taking advantage of the beach and the local park system and getting in a couple of camping trips as well.