Free and Cheap Summer Activities

With summer quickly approaching, many parents are wondering how they'll spend hot the hot summer afternoons. If you're like many parents, you won't want your child wasting hours of valuable daylight time in front of the television, playing video games or texting until it's dinnertime.

There are many options available that are free or affordably priced that will allow kids some time to exercise, learn and expand their interests. With a little looking, and perhaps convincing, your son or daughter could have a safe, nurturing summer ahead of him or her.

One popular option is to spend time swimming. There are an abundance of swimming locales available to you. If you're looking for outdoor swimming, one suggestion is to use your state's Department of Natural Resources website. Once you search for your state and DNR using a search engine, you can simply look up rivers and lakes near your home. The site will provide information about access, fees and even boating and fishing opportunities.

If your family isn't keen on the possibility of seaweed and wildlife sharing your swimming area, you could consider visiting a local pool. By logging into Swimmers' Guide website, at www.swimmersguide.com, you can easily search for public pools in your area. The website offers information on locations, admission fees, hours and even reviews from people who have used the facility.

To completely avoid the sunshine and possibility of sunburn, you might consider a family outing to a movie matinee. Not only are the theatres far less busy during the afternoon hours, but most offer a decent discount before peak hours begin. Show times are likely printed in your local newspaper. They can also be found online, by looking at your theatre's website. One commonly searched site is www.fandango.com, which offers a search option and online ticket purchase.

An enriching activity to encourage your children to partake in is reading. What better way to encourage them than by example? Make it a weekly outing! All you need is an hour a week to share your love of reading and learning. You can search for your public library's hours of operation by using www.publiclibraries.com. Many local branches have their own websites that advertise hours, offer online book requests and a calendar of events.

As you can see, there are several opportunities to spend quality time with your kids this summer. Don't waste the summer by filling it with hours of television and dozens of "I'm bored" statements from various family members. Make it a summer to remember!