summer fun for kids on a budget

Hi,
Here is some of my Summer fun and learning advice from my personal experiences from both growing up and raising kids in South Florida:
(Truthfully, Most of this advice could be done anywhere to beat the heat of summer!)

1)With young children you might benefit from memberships to your local children's museum and/or zoo or tourist site where your youngest child most likely gets in for free(usually under 3 is free). With a membership you can visit there frequently for as little or long as you like, or only go early or late in the day when it's coolest helping you to get full use of your membership throughout the year without too much sun exposure etc.

2)Also just try visiting the various local pet shops in the a/c on a sunny or rainy day for fun. My kids have always loved pet shop visits. It's cheap entertainment and usually near a necessary grocery store stop etc to help the kids wind down.

3) Most movie theatres have free kids movies around 10am Tuesday- Thursday during the summer which beats the heat, rain, and normally high cost of a theater visit.

4)Morning or sunset walks or bike rides (possibly w/kiddie trailer in tow) are good for you and fun during the cooler parts of the day.

5) Don't know if you've tried it but going to the beach late in the day is actually best when you live in or visit hot & sunny Florida!!! Try having a dinnertime beach picnic at 6pm or so and build sandcastles at sunset. The beach is less crowded, less harmful sunlight, cooler and breezier temps, easier parking, your husband or friends might join you etc - plus you can watch the beautiful summer sky at sunset. I'm a Miami native and hands down, this is my favorite beach time to unwind and enjoy my family and Florida location unlike the unknowing tourists who get the brunt of the heat early and midday!

6) Do you have an Outdoorworld near you? It's free, air-conditioned, very Florida related, and entertaining to kids of all ages, including us adults. It's just fun looking at through the store, it's sea related decorations, having a snack at their restaurant, etc plus they feed the fish in their enormous fishtank around noon on Saturdays which is exciting. As they get older they have workshops, and classes that might interest them as well.

7) Butterfly gardens are another entertaining and educational place to visit and usually they are in a shady place to explore with young kids, are there any near you?

8) Make homemade popsicles together and when they freeze up go for a walk to the park or around the block - it's just old fashionly fun and you stay cool with the icy refreshments. (ps- Lego has some new & very cute minifig popsicle molds out if you have a lego fan in the house but even dixie cups with a stick will do to make homemade pops)

9) My kids LOVED getting their first set of rain boots and just couldn't wait to run and stomp through the puddles after a rainstorm. It's cheap and silly entertainment and Target usually has adorable boot options - buy them a little big to last longer.

10)Small blow up kiddie pools are another wonderful and inexpensive form of entertainment for youngsters! Give them cups, colanders, floating bath toys etc to add to the thrill. They may look small and uninviting to adults but kids ADORE kiddie pools and you can move them to the shadiest spot in your yard in a moments notice - plus do some gardening or skim a magazine as you watch them play.


Anyhow, hope this gives you some ideas!
Kim
Miami Springs,FL

ps- buy your kids more hats to do more outdoor activities despite the sunny climate, also a cold wet bandana around your neck helps make you feel cooler despite the heat ;)