Gearing Up for Summer

If you homeschool year round like we do, summer time can be a bit tricky.  There are a ton of free or very low cost activities that are only offered in the summer.  Add in beautiful weather, working from home and homeschool and you've got yourself one FULL calendar!

So here begins a two part series on getting your homeschool ready for the summertime.  In this first part, I will be talking about all the awesome activities that our family participates in and the best part is that they are all either FREE or super cheap.  As in, super duper cheap.  Yay!

Well let's just jump right in shall we?


First, I start by checking out our local library program online.  You could also stop in and pick up a summer program flyer.  However, I like searching online because they post the programs for all ages for the whole library system, not just school age.  Everything is free too!  And don't forget to check the libraries closest to you, not just your "regular" one that you go to.  We are lucky to have a couple within 20 minutes- I'll drive 20 minutes for a fun, free summer activity!

These programs are typically offered weekly or twice weekly.  Here's just a few of the programs that our library system will be offering this summer:

For Teens- Marble Magnets, Duct Tape crafts, Make It: Ditigal Microscopes, LED wristbands, CODEACADEMY (learn how to code computers), Minecraft Building Challenge, Hands on Henna, Guitar 101, Writer's Workshop, Soundlab, Amazing Race Digital Scavenger Hunt

For School Ages- Summer Kickoff: Raptors in the Library, Lego Club, Reptile Man & Friends,  Explore Summer: All About Frogs, Whale Tales, How to Train Your Dragon (dragons & vikings), Blast Off to Mars, Our Magnetic Sun, Animal Habitats, Project Recycle

For the 5 and under crowd- Saturday Science: More Trees Please, Storytime, Science: Sea, Sand & Surf, Toddler Play & Learn Group, Saturday Science: Earthworks, Baby & Me Storytime, Ready Readers

Seriously- how awesome is this!?!  Something fun for kids of all ages- and yes, many libraries also offer adult programs.  So check them out!  Really.  Do It.

The local YMCA is up next.  They offer lots of extra fun summertime activities for the kids, especially for the school aged kids.  Every day, Monday through Friday at our local Y- there's a specific activity from 1:30-3:30pm.  Typically, there's only one or 2 per week that the kiddo wants to attend.  So those get marked on the calendar.  They also offer summer day camps if you're so inclined and there are swimming lessons too.  But let me share something totally awesome with you now...shhh....are you listening?  You don't have to be a YMCA member to participate in their activities.  You can pay a flat one time "day rate" and just enjoy a fun day of swimming, crafts and classes.  Our Y charges just $5 dollars- yep, only $5 dollars!  There is also something totally cool called Swim Week.  It's a full week's worth of lessons for just $10.  It's open to everyone in the community, all you have to do is sign up.  Now that's a sweet deal!

Next up is the $1 movies offered by Regal Cinemas.  Yeah, you heard me- just one dollar!!!  Here's the link to see if they offer this in your area.  These are movies that have been released throughout the school year, they are NOT new releases and they are all kid friendly movies.  The kiddo and I sit down and go through the list and then I put the ones he wants to see on our summer calendar.  The movies are usually offered first thing in the morning before the movie theater opens for their regular business day, for our's- that's 10am.  But not too worry friends, you can still buy popcorn!  Although who can stomach popcorn at 10am is beyond me!  They offer a choice of two movies each week and do this on two days per week, usually Tuesday and Wednesday.  So if you're up for it- you can see one movie on Tuesday and the other one on Wednesday.  However, because our summer schedule is so busy- I limit this to just one day.  And for anyone who has a Lego fan like I do- they will be playing the Lego Movie.  I repeat- the Lego Movie is on the summer schedule!

Now let's add in FREE summer bowling.  Say what?!?  Another freebie- how awesome is that!  Here's the link to see if this is offered in your state.  For this activity, you must sign up and register.  You will print off weekly coupons to take into the bowling alley you've chosen from the list of participants.  You can also add up to 4 adults at a flat paid fee.  So parents can bowl with the kids every single day of the week.  Beware- you must pay for the shoe rentals, but everything else for the kiddos is free.  Sweet!

It's time to add in FREE museum visits.  Holy Crap- can you even handle all these FREEBIES!!!!!  So here's how it works- most museum's offer one day per month, sometimes it's a specific time frame, that is totally free for everyone.  They do this year round- not just in the summer.  You can simply google "visit museums for free" and your local city and you should be able to pull up a nice list.  Or you can visit the museum's websites directly to see if they offer this- not all of them do.  Our favorites to visit are the local children's museum, Imagine and the Museum of Flight.  Imagine offers the half price admission on Thursdays and then totally FREE admission every 3rd Friday of the month.  So just do a little research on the museums near you and then make sure to mark it on your calendar.  And word to the wise- plan for it to be busy.  Any time something is free, it will be busy.

And here it is- another awesome FREEBIE!  Did you know that most local hardware stores offer a free building clinic for school aged kids?  Pretty awesome!  You simply need to register online, print out the form and go.  They are usually offered on Saturday mornings- we like the ones at Lowes.  You get a free apron, goggles, an iron on patch and of course, you get to keep what you build.  These are offered year round- but during the summer, they have fun movie themed builds.  Visit your local hardware store online or in person for more information!



Pick up your calendar in store or online.

Next up, at least for this house, is the activities at the local Lego Store.  The kiddo is obsessed, so we make this a priority in our schedule.  You can pick up a monthly calendar in the store or view it
online at Lego.com.  Each month they offer a FREE mini monthly Lego build that you get to keep.  But be prepared for long lines!  In addition to this they also do a themed monthly Lego Club meeting.  These you have to register and pay for and you do not get to keep what you build.  Instead, you are given a "goodie bag" upon leaving.  Typically, these are offered on Saturday mornings before the stores open.  Cost is about $30 but if you sign up for a free VIP membership, you get a discount.  We do not participate in these every single month- could you imagine the added costs to doing this!  Instead, I sign the kiddo up for the Club meetings that are on the specific Lego's he's currently into.  For example, he LOVES the Superhero themed Legos- so we did that one.  And next month is the Lego Movie themed Club meeting, so he will participate in this one.  We've skipped the Star Wars ones, Lego City and more because they aren't his favorites.  Just be selective here to save on costs.


Ok- so far we've filled our summer calendar with FREE library programs, FREE activities at the local YMCA, $1 movies, FREE bowling, FREE museum visits, FREE Lego mini builds and Lego Club meetings.  What more could there possibly be?!?  Why FREE farmer's markets and water parks of course!

Let's start with the water parks.  Ok- these aren't water parks in the grand scheme that you're probably thinking....but more of those little splash parks that many local parks have.  We are lucky enough to live literally right around the corner from a pretty great park that offers one of these splash parks.  So you better believe that we add in a weekly trip here!

Splash Pads!  Totally free & fun!

This park also offers a Farmer's Market in the summertime on every Friday.  So we usually end our week by stopping at this local Farmer's Market.  This is a relatively small market but they offer fruits and veggies, local honey, flowers and the all important- kettle corn and snow cones.  What more do you need?  To find a local Farmer's Market near you, click this link and simply enter in your city. 
And don't forget to check out what's happening on your local farms!  Berry picking, corn on the cob, animals, hay mazes- all super fun and low cost!

Now what would all these activities be without a little book work.  Right?  During the summer time, I keep the kiddo's lessons light and fun.  Each year, I plan something new and different.  This summer, I purchased a monthly science kit membership.  I was lucky enough to score a deal on Amazon local for 50% off making the kit just $120- that's only $10 per kit!  Every month, a different themed kit is mailed directly to our house and includes everything he needs for a complete science based unit study.  Now that's pretty awesome!  Click here to see the kit I ordered from the Young Scientist Club and the Magic School Bus.  This is by far- THE MOST money I've ever spent on summer time lessons.  In fact, it's probably the most I've ever spent on school stuff period.  Seriously.  You think I'm joking- but I'm really not.

I have also signed the kiddo up for a FREE summer math program.  The cost is typically $40 but they are currently offering a summer special.  Here's the link to sign up your kids!  Because we've never done this program before, I can't offer any reviews.  But I can tell you that it looks like your kids take an assessment to determine their skill level and then the assignments are given based upon that.  You can also set up rewards and incentives along the way.  For example, I just put in a reward for a trip to Menchies for FROYO after the kiddo completes 5 assignments with a score of 80% or higher.  Sweet!

I also print out FREE worksheets, art projects and science experiments from Education.com.  You will need to register with your email address and then you have a specific number of free downloads per email.  Folks- register every single email address you've ever had and you can seriously maximize this great free source!

Whew!  Are you tired yet?  Let's recap!

• Free library programs
• Free summer programs for YMCA members
• Low cost ($5-$10) activities at the YMCA for non members.  Including swimming, arts & crafts, swim lessons, exercise classes, recreation hour, sports and more.
• Free summer bowling
• Free trips to local museums
• Free building clinics at local hardware stores
• Free Lego mini builds
• Discounted Lego Club meetings when you sign up for the free VIP membership
• Farmer's Markets, parks and splash parks
• Half price science kits from the Young Scientist Club
• Free online summer math program
• Free worksheets from Education.com
• Free science experiments and art projects also from Education.com

Holla!  This list is sure to keep the boredom monsters away from your house this summer and keep your wallet nice and fat.  Ok....well at least it won't be totally empty, right?

Stay tuned for my next post discussing how I incorporate all these awesome summer activities while balancing working and homeschooling.  And can I just tell you how hard it is sometimes to keep your kids on track with lessons when it's gorgeous and sunny every single day?  I've got a plan for that too and I'm sharing it with you all!  Don't miss it!