How To Have The Best, Most Affordable, Fun Summer

Summer is by far my favorite season, and every year my mission is to enjoy it to the fullest extent possible.  Since my budget doesn’t usually reflect my lofty goals of traveling to the beautiful beaches of the East Coast for weeks on end, I have learned to find local sources to enjoy sand, sun, and water as much as possible.   With a little creativity combined with the power of the internet search engine of your choice, you too can have the best, most affordable, FUN summer!

When my boys were young, I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom.  Having only one income, our budget was extremely tight and we couldn’t afford the expense of a summer vacation.  A kiddie pool only goes so far to keep everyone cool and happy, so we began to research inexpensive things to do in our area.  I started a list of day trips we could take to keep everyone, both the tall and the small, entertained.  Whether you are home with your children or your grandchildren this summer, here are some activities everyone will enjoy that won’t break the bank.

A Quick Word About Water Safety

• Make sure you and your children are able to swim.  Swimming lessons are invaluable and should be started at a young age.  Knowing how to swim as well as the basics of water safety is imperative.
• Rivers can have a dangerous current and aren’t always the best choice for swimming.
• If the body of water you visit does not have a lifeguard, be extra vigilant!  You don’t want your fun summer day to end in tragedy.  In addition, have children wear a life vest for added protection.
• Always be alert about water depth because diving into shallow water can be deadly.
• Learn CPR and basic lifesaving skills.  You never know when it will come in handy.
• Protect each person with hats and sunscreen.  Apply often.
• Finally, it is worth mentioning that you should know the wildlife in the area in which you choose to swim.  My preference is to stay away from water that is known to have snakes and other potentially dangerous reptiles.

Find A Safe Swimming Hole This Summer

Fortunately, we have a natural abundance of lakes, streams, and creeks in our neck of the woods.  We also have our fair share of public pools.  Personally, I have friends with pools who have been kind enough the let us swim in the hot summer months. Keeping everyone in my house cool in the summer heat has never been a problem.

• State, County, and Local Parks are typically free to use.  Do an internet search or go for a drive to explore what is nearby and plan a day trip.  The closest State Park is a mere 20 minutes away from our place and offers a lake with a swimming area (swim at your own risk-no lifeguard on duty) and a large sandy beach.  They offer kayak and canoe rentals, pavilion rentals, a playground, walking trails, bathhouses, camping (tent site, camper site, or cabin rentals) fishing, hiking, and a concession stand.  The park even shows movies on the beach (free of charge) every weekend in the summer, along with many other amenities.  It’s a beautiful place, and we have spent many a hot summer day at that lake.  Because there is no charge to enjoy the lake and the playground, we are always able to treat the kids to ice cream at the concession stand.  We pack a lunch and a cooler full of drinks to keep the cost down.  Sunscreen and sand toys are a must!
• Creeks.  When I was young, I thought creeks were the best thing ever!  We would make dams, search for crayfish, and splash around all day long.  Take a change of clothing and water shoes for this activity, along with extra towels to protect your car seats for the ride home.
• Public Pools.  Check into the cost of a family pass for the summer versus what daily admission costs.  It may be worth it to you to buy the pass, especially if you know you will frequent the pool.  We were able to bring snacks and drinks into ours, which saved money.  Kids love concession stands though!  I would let my boys earn money doing chores so they could take a couple of dollars to spend there if they wanted.
• If someone is kind enough to share their private pool with you, it’s always a nice gesture to bring snacks and drinks to share.  I also carry a trash bag along so we don’t leave a mess.  Do your part to keep everything tidy and leave everything the way you found it when you arrived.  Bring something that your host will enjoy too for “pool day.”

Explore New Playgrounds

Another great way to stay cool in the summer is to search out parks that are more rural and surrounded by trees.  Kids enjoy exploring and playing on the new playground equipment too.  There’s a park about 30 minutes from our home that has a giant sliding board.  One summer day, I packed up our sons and their friends to find this locally famous park.  Again, I remembered going there as a child.

After driving around for awhile, we finally found it and it began to rain.  Well, these boys quickly found out that this wet slide was as good as if not better than any amusement park ride.  They had an absolute blast!  When the rain stopped, they continued to fill water bottles to keep the slide wet.  Granted, this was not the safest thing to do, and I was more than a little nervous about it!  We used to sit on wax paper to speed down this old slide, so I really couldn’t say too much. In the end, it was one of the most memorable experiences of their summer vacation that year.  The only cost was the gas in the truck to get there.

Day Trips And Weekend Adventures

If your family isn’t planning a vacation this summer, consider day trips or weekend getaways.  There are many options to choose from in a one to three-hour radius of our home.

• Amusement Parks.  Often, discount coupons are available for amusement parks in our state.  Type “Discount Coupons” in the search bar for the park you want to go to and see what comes up. We have been able to enjoy a day at the park for much less than face value.  We pack a picnic lunch to save additional money and then eat dinner in the park.
• Historical Landmarks.  Exploring history is another option to keep the family entertained this summer.  It’s also educational!

• Camping.  Whether you own a camper, tent, or rent a cabin, a camping trip is an awesome way to enjoy the summer!  Many campgrounds offer activities for the whole family to enjoy.  Consider the age of the children and make sure the campground you choose is suitable to keep them busy and happy.  One of our favorite campgrounds offered firetruck rides throughout the day and had a large swimming pool.  Each weekend throughout the season, different activities are featured.
• A day at the beach.  If you are able to enjoy the ocean, do it!  We used to live close enough to the Jersey Shore to enjoy day trips throughout the summer.  It was fun and refreshing.

Backyard Summer Fun

• Water slides and sprinklers.  Kids love to get wet and to run and play.   This was an affordable option for us, but we did limit how long the water could stay on.  Otherwise, the backyard would have been a lake!
• Super Soakers.  These gigantic squirt guns kept the boys and their friends busy on hot summer days.  To control the water, I recycled a large laundry soap container with a spout on the bottom.  Once it was soap free, I would fill it with water and they could fill their guns without flooding out the yard.
• Games.  Playing yard games is fun for all ages.  Now that the boys are older, we enjoy corn hole.  We take our boards on camping trips and compete with friends.
• Sidewalk Chalk.  Keep everyone busy for hours!  Draw a hopscotch board and play all day!

Hope this article gives you plenty of ideas for the best, most affordable, fun summer that you have had in years!  Now it’s time to get outside and enjoy!

Please contact me and tell me how you keep your children and grandchildren entertained, busy, and happy this summer.

Until Next Time,

April

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