What are you favorite frugal family fun tips? What do you and your family do for fun in the summer?

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~Happiness is a large family~

1. We get discount tickets to an amusement park from my mom's work.
2. Camping
3. Vacation bible school for the girls
4. Splash pad, running through the sprinkler, or going to the pool (we are getting a family pass for this summer).
5. Free crafts or exhibits through the library.
6. Free trip to the Children's Museum. (When we sign up for the summer reading program they usually give us the free tickets).
7. Sidewalk chalk
8. Rocket balloon

picnic at the park (with playground for ds)

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~~Amanda~~
Mommy to one Little Man (3 1/2 yrs old), FINALLY expecting #2!!! (due around Memorial Day 2009) *adoption has been put on hold*

I forget our family bike rides. There are several trails around our city for biking or walking. We also like to hike at a State Park not far from here or go to a nature center on the other side of town.

Thank you Happymom!! After doing some major searching and even getting offered by a family member to help financially, I have decided that I can not send my kids to the summer day camp program offered by our local Rec. Center. For two boys to go just three days a week for 12 weeks, I was going to cost me over $1500!!!!!
So I am all for ideas for summer fun.

Swim lessons-I will sign up the boys for probably two sessions. I think that it is very important that my kids are good swimmers. That will run about $20 per kid for two weeks.
Library-FREE!!!! Summer program. Plus just for being there they get tons of coupons for local places-free pizzas, icees, free pass for rec center-which we will use to go swimming on our own time-two nice water slides there.
Tee ball-Older boys did it last summer. Cost about $15 each so not too bad plus they are getting out in the sun and having fun.
Park-we live about one block away from a nice city park. Boys got skates for Easter, so we will do lots of skating. Think we will take turns each week going to a different park here and in the town over.
Swimming-kids have a pop up pool that we got them last summer. So we will get that set up.
Fishing-we live right behind a creek, so dh is gonna start teaching the boys to fish.
Camping-dh is taking the older two fishing and an overnight camping trip.
Vacation bible school-Free at MIL's church. Plus it is out of town where my parents live. I am hoping to take that week off from work and stay with family.

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Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.
Jon Bon Jovi

i know a lot of churches and apartment complexes do a free summer lunch program for kids. it's to encourage kids to eat healthy. i remember when i went when i was younger, we had lunch, then went to do crafts or play a game with the other children.

We have a large inflatable pool for the kids that we got on clearance last year so the kids will have that to play in.
Sidewalk chalk and dollar store bubbles. (the really large bottle)
Plastic water pistols. (again, we got them on clearance last year)
Camping (we use a tent)
Discount tickets to a local amusement park through my sister in-law's employer
Go to the park
Outdoor science experiments (we got ideas from books from our local library)
Go to the library
Go to the county fair
Twilight movies
Let them spend time with grandma (She usually takes them to the pool or to play mini-golf, etc. It's her treat!)

Thanks for whoever mentioned Vacation Bible School. I need to get my kids registered for that! That's an important one.

we have VERY intense and severe heat in my state. Although we are spared the high humidity most of the summer, it's too hot for the kids to ride bikes or to skate or anything.

Cheap/free things-
swim lessons
swim team - okay not free, but cheaper than year around teams. Only a parks and rec summer league
junior lifeguard
library
swim in our backyard pool
girl scout camp- hundred of dollars cheaper than YMCA camp
visit grandma and swim in her pool

gee, see the recurring theme here? either you swim , or stay in the house and watch tv and play video games. someday I'm going to live in a place where you can go outside in the summer.

When the weather gets too warm there is a place called Backyard Adventures that costs $5.00 per child and there is different equipment for them to play on. They also have basketball hoops, and a place you can eat lunch if you choose to bring it along.

My girls enjoy going to Petco and looking at the different animals.

Trace is so excited. This year he's big enough for VBS!
We also do the library storytime all summer. They have a big contest to see who can read the most books in their age group.
Swimming... we are splurging $65 for a pass to the beach at Callway.
Park..they love the park
Picnincs