Summer Fun – Creative, Affordable Ideas for Kids
By Krista Martinelli
Recently I’ve had a couple of conversations with moms who said that they are at a loss with “what to do with their children” this summer. Even though they admittedly can’t afford it, they’re looking for summer camps to send them off to for the whole summer, if possible. Although I can relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed with kids being around 24/7 which can happen in the summer, I think that if you happen to be a stay-at-home mom – you can find good, affordable, fun things to do with your own kids. If they are little ones, you can cherish the time while they still want to be around you and might prefer to be with you (their parents) over anyone else in their lives.
Now that my daughter will be seven and my son is five, I’m getting better at this – this conundrum of what to do with all of the hot, summer days that stretch ahead of us. As a business owner, I also have to work too – so some quiet time needs to be built into the schedule. Here are a few tips for surviving the summer. Feel free to send us more tips or ideas for free or affordable play places too.
- Get Out – Yep, in the words made famous by the film Amityville Horror, “get out.” Every day. You and the kids will feel stir crazy if you don’t. Personally I like to get out on whatever trip or to whatever activity we have planned in the mornings. This prevents things like too much TV, too much hand-held gaming and mindless snacking. Also, especially with younger kids, there’s a nice cycle of being bright and alert in the morning, getting to lunch time and then needing a little quiet time after lunch. Why don’t we have siestas in this country? I think they are onto something and we’re missing out! Another reason to get out in the morning (instead of the afternoon) is the rainy afternoon cycle that we enter into over the summer. Sometimes the stormy afternoon weather is so regular, you can set your watch to it in the summer here in Florida.
- Swimming is one of the best summer activities in Florida. It makes sense, right? Your kids want to do active things, but it’s averaging about 95 degrees each day, so swimming is a natural. Try beach days – always fun. Make use of your community pool, if you have one. Now is the time to test out those swimming strokes you’ve been learning and fancy dives. Don’t forget sunscreen and lots of water to drink.
- Crafts. As a parent, you can be prepared by just finding a few good crafts on the Internet each week. Enchanted Learning is a good site to begin with: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/ Let your children’s interests lead the way. Or if you’re working with very young kids and need a sense of structure, go by the alphabet. A coloring page or a craft a day works well, based on the “letter of the day.” Don’t forget Michael’s Crafts stores, which have free or inexpensive kids’ workshops each week. A few dollars invested in crafts’ materials goes a long way during the summer. Having a craft or two up your sleeve really comes in handy for all of those rainy afternoons.
- Plan ahead for play dates. Your kids are social beings and so are you. You might just go batty if you try to do all of these activities – no matter how wonderful – without friends. So make sure that your kids are having friends over and visiting friends over the summer too. In the past to help with getting a little of my work done, I’ve arranged a couple of days a week with another nearby Mom. She took my two kids for one day a week, and I watched her two kids one day a week. As long as the kids are compatible, it all works out well and the kids tend to love it. (A lot of games, for example, are better with four players anyway).
Here are some places and things to do that your kids might enjoy this summer…Around Wellington! Our “Kids’ Corner” writer already compiled another nice list of affordable summer things to do – including things like KidsBowlFree.com, cheap summer movies for kids and the free Wellington Amphitheatre events. So definitely check out “Kids’ Corner” for the usual list of “Kids Eat Free” restaurants, plus all of these summer deals!
The Palm Beach Zoo – A day at the zoo is a great time for everyone, kids and parents adults. We are lucky that our local zoo was originally a botanical garden, so it’s one of the shadiest, most delightful places to be in the hot summers. The cool fountain at the front adds a couple hours of entertainment for your young kids too. See our “AW Spotlight” story this month about the Palm Beach Zoo. And did you know that their Zoo Camp has received awards for the best camp in South Florida? http://www.palmbeachzoo.org/
The Good Earth Farm – Are you afraid that pony rides and horseback riding lessons are too costly? You can make it happen for your kids at the Good Earth Farm! The Good Earth Farm Children’s Zoo, Pony Rides and Hay Rides are open every Sunday from 4pm to 8pm. Just $10 for kids and $8 for adults. http://goodearthfarm.info/
Joey’s Outback Adventures – This is one of those indoor bounce house and play places, right in the heart of Wellington. For less than $10 per child on weekdays, they can wear themselves out having indoor adventures. As you’ll see from their story, the way that Joey’s Outback came to be makes it a very special place – a little different from your average chain of indoor play places. I’ve also heard parents with older kids (as in 9, 10, 11) – that there’s more for their kids to do at Joey’s Outback and that the older siblings do not get bored. This is good news too! http://joeysoutback.com/
My Gym – Our kids have enjoyed classes at My Gym classes and now my son is currently enjoying karate there, a cool indoor summer sport. Would you like to know one of the best-kept secrets about My Gym in Royal Palm Beach? In addition to your child’s weekly class, you can show up for the “open play” sessions free of charge, as long as you’re a member. There are 5 open play hours each week to come and play in the cool indoor setting. Also, My Gym will offer a special week of summer camp fun from August 13 to 17. http://www.my-gym.com/
Playmobil FunPark– OK, so this is not the first time I’ve raved about Playmobil. But if you have young kids, you need to know how special this place is. There are only two Playmobil FunParks in the United States, originally built by the German toy inventor to showcase the toys and allow kids to just play – one in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and one in New Jersey. For just $1, your kids can play all day in this fun castle with Playmobil toys. There’s even a place to have an indoor picnic lunch. Visit the Playmobil website.
Picasso’s Paint-Your-Own Pottery – Here’s a wonderful place to go indoors and create masterpieces by painting pottery. The pricing is easy to work with, since you pay – only for the piece you select to paint. If it takes you 3 or 4 sessions to finish painting it, there are no additional charges. Picasso’s offers summer camp too. Beginning June 11 and running until August 17th, Picasso’s will be offering summer camp days – generally Monday, Tuesday and Friday of each week. Camp hours are 10am to 2pm each day. Reserve 1 day of camp, a week, or the whole summer for some great, creative fun! Space is limited. Reserve a spot for your artist today at Picasso’s. Visit the Picasso’s website.
Summer Savings Pass – Here’s another nice deal for the summer, if you’re willing to drive a bit further. It includes Lion Country Safari, Miami Seaquarium, the Museum of Science and Discovery and Zoo Miami. http://www.summersavingspass.com/
Enjoy your summer with your kids! As older parents are always telling me, this is a special time that you cannot get back – so make the most of it.
Krista Martinelli is the mother of a seven-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy. She is the owner/editor of AroundWellington.com. She enjoys swimming, tennis, reading, writing and doing crafts with her kids.