Free & Cheap Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer
Summer is finally here! So how can you have fun with your kids without going
bankrupt? It seems like prices are skyrocketing with recent price increases
to Disney, Universal Studios, & Busch Gardens! Here are some free & cheap
ideas of fun for your family this summer:
Summer Movie Express 2015 by Regal Movie Theaters
Did you know that Regal Movie Theaters have children's $1 movies every summer?
It costs only $1 per person to see some great movies! In my area, movies start at
10 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You can choose from one of two movies
playing each week. Movies in my area start June 2nd! Go to:
http://www.regmovies.com/Movies/Summer-Movie-Express? and type in your
zip code to see the schedule for your local Regal Movie Theater. Tip: Join the
Regal Crown Club for FREE and get perks such as: featured candy for only $2
on Mondays with paid admission, $2 small popcorn with a paid admission on
Tuesdays, and receive one free refill with the purchase of a large soft drink and/or
a large popcorn on the same day of purchase among other offers. {You must
remember to show your card to teller when purchasing movie tickets to redeem
these offers.}
Week 1
Nut Job & Annie
Week 2
Earth to Echo & Boxtrolls
Week 3
Paddington Bear & Turbo
Week 4
Rio 2 & How to Train Your Dragon 2
Week 5
Mr. Peabody & Book of Life
Week 6
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb & Penguins of Madagascar
Week 7
Madagascar 3 & Dolphin Tale 2
Week 8
Muppets, Most Wanted & Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Week 9
The Lego Movie & The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
Summer Kids Series 2015 by Carmike Cinemas
Do you have a Carmike Cinemas in your area? Some of these movie theaters
are hosting the Summer Kids Series where you can see a kids movie and get a
small popcorn and small soda all for $4 per person!
in your area.
AMC, Cobb, and other movie theaters also offer these deals. Check their websites
for information in your local area.
for information in your local area.
Vacation Bible School
Does your church offer Vacation Bible School or VBS? My church hosts a huge VBS
every summer and my son has been asking about when it will be starting all year
long! VBS offers a fun way for your child to learn about God along with crafts & fun
activities. Many churches offer VBS for free or for very little cost. It typically runs
for about four hours per day for one week. Ask your church friends which churches
have a good VBS in your area. Take your child with a good friend or cousin of similar
age so they can be in the same class. Parents can even volunteer at the VBS
because churches often need a lot of helpers. Obviously, don't just drop your child
off at any VBS-do your homework and make sure staff and volunteers are background
checked. Only pick those churches where you know people and where you trust the
people there.
Parks & National Parks
A couple of years ago, my husband was laid off from his job. It was a difficult time
and we had a young son. To keep ourselves busy, we began exploring many of the
local parks and national parks in our area. We discovered some beautiful places
with splash parks, nature trails, bike trails, towers, beaches, kayaking, animal viewing,
and free nature tours. We couldn't believe we had not known about these places
before! We still frequent some of the beautiful places we discovered. Best of all-
these places are free for all to explore!
and free nature tours. We couldn't believe we had not known about these places
before! We still frequent some of the beautiful places we discovered. Best of all-
these places are free for all to explore!
Garden Memberships
Recently, I purchased a Groupon deal for an annual family membership to a local
Garden for $25. This Garden is a reciprocal member with many other Gardens
across the United States which we can frequent for free or reduced costs. Many of
these gardens have playgrounds and designated kids areas. Not only that, but
during certain months we get free admission to other local attractions such as
the local Science Museum and Aquarium. If you use your membership to its
fullest, you could save hundreds of dollars! Information about the Reciprocal
Admissions Program with the American Horticultural Society can be viewed at:
Get a local Theme Park Annual Pass
After the new year has started, many theme parks begin offering specials for
residents of the state the theme park is located in. Florida residents, for example,
can get special 3 or 4 day passes for Disney World. Busch Gardens and Sea
World offers free membership for preschoolers of Florida residents! This can
save a family with young children a ton of money! Check your state's local
theme parks for these special offers.
Pool Pass & Beach
Summers get very hot around here so we want to cool off by getting wet! But we
don't have a pool- sigh. So, we get a pool pass every summer to a local place
with pools, water slides, hot tubs, and a playground. We are also lucky enough
to have a beach nearby. And it's completely free!
Visit Springs
Lately, I've begun doing some research on the local Springs in our area. There
are so many places we've never even seen! Some places offer warm Springs
while many other places have the most beautiful turquoise colored cool water.
Many offer tubing, kayaking, nature trails, and some places you can even swim
with manatees! These parks offer very reasonable prices for admission and
lasting memories of fun. Explore what your State has to offer!
Go Camping
I've got a confession to make- I'm not much of a camper today, but my family
took us on some wonderful camping trips growing up. We would pick a State
and meet extended family and friends at a designated KOA campground. Everyone
would pitch tents and pop-up campers next to each other and the kids would play
games every night giving the adults some time to chat and laugh. KOA
campgrounds usually have pools and a whole host of daily activities to choose
from like basket weaving (yes, I took this class), crafting, and line dancing.
These were some of my fondest memories growing up and my siblings say the same
thing. No camping gear? Many campgrounds have small cabins available for rent.
This can be a lot cheaper than a lot of other vacation ideas.
Join Macaroni Kid
Have you heard of Macaroni Kid? It's basically an online source of information
related to children. Check the website to see if they offer one in your area and
join for free. They post a lot of information on local free and cheap things to do
with your kids locally. It's a great resource.
Wow! This post ended up being a lot longer than I had anticipated! Hope you enjoy it!
