Asher Ricard

Explore On A Budget With These Summer Activities



Posted: Monday, May 12, 2008

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Summer is fast approaching and what better way than to spend some affordable family bonding time. Your children will have the chance to learn about the world around them and enjoy some time together as a family.

Here are a few suggestions to bring your family closer and explore what your community or town has to offer.

Visit a farm

Find a nearby farm where you can visit animals or pick fruit like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or peaches. Once you get back home, cook together as a family. You can make something as simple as juice or more complex as a pie or cobbler. Visit www.pickyourown.org for a list of local farms, directions for canning fruit and recipes. You can also try to grow your own garden as a family. The kids will have fun digging in the dirt and watching their food grow.

Check out the local parks

Parks offer all sorts of low-cost programs during the summer months. You can do anything from hiking to bird-watching to fishing at some state parks. Get out the balls and have a family sport day at the park. Or just return to your childhood and slide, swing and flip. Your kids will get a kick out of seeing you actually play with them. Be sure and pack a picnic to spend the whole day.

Check out local sporting events

Check out your local baseball park for a fun game. There is always some sort of local game going on rather it be a tournament, select league, high school or local little league. Pack up some hot dogs and watch a game. You can enjoy teaching your kids the game or rooting for complete strangers. If you live close to a minor league team or professional team, check out their promotional schedule for a discount.

Camping

Nothing is more fun than camping out under the stars as a family. The great thing is this can be done really cheap in your backyard. Be sure not to forget the hot dogs and smores. Include board games and cards to play. Don't forget to tell ghost stories to make the night complete.

Go swimming

The local pool can be a great resource during the summer time. Most times they provide a cheap day of fun entertainment. You can also look into taking swim lessons or signing up for season or family passes to reduce the cost. If that is too much of a cost, go buy a little blow up pool from the local store. They range in price from $5 to $30 and the kids will just like the thought of being in the water.

These are just a few great ideas for summer time exploration. Enjoy the heat and fun this summer as the kids will grow before you blink your eyes and all you will have is these summer memories.

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