Ask Amy: Family summer fun doesn’t have to come at a cost
Jessica Bergesen helps her daughter, Maren, 1, wipe water out of her eyes while playing at the Springville Splash Pad on Monday.
A caped hero walks into the superhero training academy event held at the Provo Library on Saturday, March 28, 2015. SAMMY JO HESTER, Daily Herald
Geocaching can be a fun way to blend outdoor time and exercise with technology that kids love. (Geocaching.com)
JENNIFERDURRANTjdurrant@heraldextra.comhttps://www.heraldextra.com/content/tncms/avatars/c/33/147/c33147b2-fc40-11e1-9a2a-001a4bcf887a.26ffb1fd3dbdd0c907bddffd4e20d731.png
Dear Amy,
Summer tends to get super expensive at my house. The kids need constant entertainment and that usually requires money — a lot of it! Do you have any suggestions for fun things to do in the summer that will keep my kids busy and not break the bank?
Sincerely,
Katie L.
Dear Katie —
“What are we doing fun today?” Honestly, if I hear my kids say that to me one more time, I think I’ll explode. It seems like I need to be in 24/7 entertainment mode all summer long, and it gets old very quickly. However, armed with a few easy activities in my summer arsenal, I can always provide the kiddos some fun without breaking the bank. Try a few of these fun and unusual activities with your kids this summer.
1. Geocaching. “Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.”
Each container holds trinkets of varying worth for finders to collect. The only real rule of geocaching is if you take something from the cache, you need to leave something of equal or higher value. You don’t have to spend money on these treasures, just re-purpose unused objects you have lying around the house like fancy marbles, pet rocks etc. It’s not about finding high value prizes, it’s about finding the cache in the first place!
I recently discovered a geocache box near my home filled with an assortment of prizes. I was excited to learn of a trail that was so close to my home, and my kids thought it was amazing and fun as well. Geocaching is free and you can find a cache near you by searching www.geocaching.com!
2. City splash pads. OK, you may already know about these free city splash pads, but the entertainment value of these free water attractions is fantastic. We always pack a picnic lunch, sunscreen and a shade umbrella for hours of free fun. We may even stop at Wendy’s on the way home for a $0.99 hamburger and free Frosty with our Frosty keytags!
3. Summer discount movie chains. Most movie theaters in Utah County and surrounding areas offer deeply discounted kids summer movies. Cinemark, SCERA and Water Garden theaters, to name a few, offer great summer kids movie clubs and most even have cinema treats on discount as well. You can’t beat a $1 movie in an air-conditioned theater for some summer fun in the shade!
4. Library time. Check with your local library to find out what free summer kids reading programs they offer. Most libraries provide free story time and crafts and some offer prizes when kids read books and mark their progress on reading charts. As an example, The Provo Library offers an exclusive pool party for those who finish their summer reading program. My kids love the free prizes and will even read extra minutes without complaint. This is a win-win, folks! The kids get free prizes and crafts, and I get free silence during quiet reading time at home!
5. Home Depot and Lowe’s build clinics. If you haven’t taken the kids to a free building project at one of these supply stores, then you need to get a move on and go. Lowe’s requires you sign up in advance, but the registration fills within hours. The stores always have extra kits, though, so just show up and you’ll still get to build for free! Your child will get a free apron, eye protection, collectable patches and pins for their building prowess. All the building materials and tools are provided for free. Find the free craft project schedules here:
• Home Depot Free Kids Clinics
• Lowes Build And Grow Free Kids Clinics
Summer doesn’t have to be expensive. Just get a little creative on the activities and you and your kids will have a more enjoyable school break.
