How to Find Free Summer Activities for Children

When the kids are out of school, summertime activities have the potential to become a big expense. The good news is that your family doesn̵7;t have to stay at home to save money. By knowing where to look, you can find free summer activities for the kids and keep your family̵7;s budget in check.

  1. Visiting the Library

    • Take a trip to your local library and check out the community board and the library̵7;s activity calendar. On the community board, you may find flyers announcing free activities hosted by local businesses and organizations. Similarly, the library̵7;s activity calendar lists all of its summertime events, which are usually free. Such activities may include daily or weekly story times, outdoor crafts, family movie nights at the library, contests, clubs for kids or guest speakers who teach about a variety of subjects. The library can also help you plan free summer activities with craft books, guidebooks and videos.

    Asking Your Child̵7;s School

    • Your child̵7;s school may not close its doors during the summer. Free programs that public school districts may offer include sports camps, music camps, general day camps, reading clubs and drop-in centers. The school may also provide you with a list of free activities happening throughout the summer hosted by area attractions or the local parks and recreation district. If you didn̵7;t receive this list at the end of the school year, you may find it at the school or school district̵7;s main office or on the school district̵7;s website.

    Doing What Tourists Do

    • Check out your local visitor center and the visitor centers in nearby communities, in person or online. Visitor centers sometimes list free and low-cost activities that you and your children can take advantage of during the summer at area attractions and community centers. For example, if there is a museum or zoo in your town or nearby, the visitor center may list the days when admission is free. Similarly, you may learn about days when attractions offer free activities for kids. In addition to museums and zoos, places that may offer free admission during the summer include concert halls, amphitheaters, recreation centers, city pools, nature reserves, art galleries, state and national parks, sports arenas and botanical gardens. You might also find information about area farmers markets, public outdoor movie nights, free recreational activities or free concerts in the parks.

    Reading Local Newspapers

    • Local and major newspapers -- printed and online -- can be good sources of information regarding upcoming free activities for kids in your area and the surrounding communities. If your newspaper doesn̵7;t have a community calendar section, you may find lists of free activities in the local, culture, entertainment, living or outdoor sections of the periodical.

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