Lots of Frugal Family Fun for the Summer

The 2010 Kids Bowl Free is a program that you can sign up for and get your kids 2 free games of bowling per day. A family pass can be purchased for only $24.95 and includes 2 games per person per day. Go here to see more details. http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/how.php



Take your kids to the movies for free this summer at Regal Cinemas. Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m., you will be able to see a selected G or PG movie for free. (Note: Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theatre capacity.)


 Kids can hit the lanes for free games this summer at all 93 Brunswick Zone and Brunswick Zone XL centers. Every day this summer, students age 18 and younger can bowl one free game whenever lanes are available. Shoe rental is not included. To claim their games, students just need a Student Ball Pass, which you can get for free at any Brunswick center or online here.


The entire family can enjoy a free family summer camp at Bass Pro Shops, starting June 5th. Kids will get to enjoy free crafts like coloring their own backpack, painting a wiggle fish, designing their own birdhouse, making a camping photo frame, creating plaster animal tracks and making a leather key chain for Dad (while supplies last). The whole family will enjoy learning the basics of hiking, camping and fishing. Other workshops include bird watching, archery, animal identification and plants & insects. New this year, families can learn important summer safety travel tips for their pets. Kids will earn a collectible pin for every workshop completed (while supplies last). Plus, throughout the event, families will love the time-honored tradition of making campfire s’mores. “Camp” is in session at the 54 Bass Pro Shops across the United States, including two stores in Canada, on Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 2 PM, and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 PM.


You can buy a punch card for $5 at the Cinemark box office for their Summer Movie Clubhouse. For 10 weeks of summer, they will be showing a fun movie for kids each week (G or PG). If you don’t want to buy the punchcard, the movies will be $1.
Prices are the same for children and adults!


You can get more information and find you local theater here. http://www.cinemark.com/summermovieclubhouse/index.htm


 AMC MovieCamp has $1 movie admissions every Tuesday morning at 10am. These are all rated PG and the doors open at 9:30am. They will also be offering the KidsPack Concession combo for only $4 (30% off). Go here to see more details. http://www.amcentertainment.com/smc/


 Every Tuesday this summer, you can head over to your local Carmike Cinema at 10 AM where $1 gets you into a favorite blockbuster film from the past…you can even snag popcorn and a drink for just $1 each!
The $1 summer movie schedule is as follows…


* June 15 – Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian


* June 22 – Aliens in the Attic


* June 29 – Ice Age


* July 6 – Ice Age: The Meltdown


* July 13 – Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs


* July 20 – Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium


* July 27 – Alvin and the Chimpmunks


* August 3 – Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel


* August 10 – Tooth Fairy


Check out these stores for weekend fun events~typically FREE

Free Lakeshore Learning Craft - http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/general_content/store_locations/storeCrafts.jsp?f=m

Free Home Depot Kids Workshop – search “kids workshop” on their webpage

Free Lowes Kids Clinics- https://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/

Michael’s Free Family Event - http://theknackkids.com/EventView/Code/ev0068.aspx

Joann’s Craft stores offer kid, pre-teen and teen classes for a fee as well as “Summer Camp” classes http://www.joann.com/joann/common/content_noleftnav.jsp?catName=kidsCamp


A great resource for activity ideas AND craft ideas is the FamilyFun.com website. **I loved their magazine when the kids were young**


If you live near a state or national park check out their Jr Ranger programs. It will keep the kids busy for a bit and they typically get rewards.


 Barnes & Nobles has a great summer reading program available:
*Click here to print off the Passport of Summer Reading. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/
*Read any 8 books this summer and record them in this Passport (Be sure to document the location you visit in each book).
*Bring your completed Passport to a Barnes & Noble store between May 25 and September 7, 2010.
*Choose your FREE reading adventure from the book list featured on the back of your Passport. Your name will be automatically entered in the sweepstakes for a chance to win a complete set of signed The 39 Clues books.
*Please note that this offer has a limit of 1 free book per school-age child (Grades 1-6)


Borders 2010 Summer Reading Program Double Dog Dare Program
* Kids 12 and under read any 10 books of their choice
* Books need to be listed on the form found here http://media.bordersstores.com/pdf/summerreading.pdf
* Bring the completed form to a Borders, Borders Express, or Waldenbooks store by 8/26/10 and kids can then choose a FREE book of their choice from a pre-determined selection



Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program
* Get a Feed Your Brain reading log at your local Half Price Books or download one here
* Beginning, Tuesday, June 1st, have your kiddos (ages 14 and under) check off each day that they read for 15 minutes or more (be sure that a parent/guardian signs the completed form)
* Bring the completed and signed log to your local Half Price Books.
* Get a Feed Your Brain Reading Reward (i.e. $3 Shopping Card good at all Half Price Books locations)
* Each week through Saturday, July 31st, you can repeat the process above
* For more information, click here http://www.halfpricebooks.com/feed_your_brain.html


 ***our local libraries offer a summer reading incentive program too
If you are planning to travel this summer we found books on CD with a personal CD player to be a HUGE sanity saver for us adults


This summer, more than 600 museums in all 50 states are offering FREE admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 31st, 2010, through Labor Day, September 6th, 2010 to show their appreciation for those who are serving this nation.


Below are some facts about the Blue Star Museum Program…
* Active duty military personnel and/or immediate family members (i.e. spouse, sibling or children) will gain free access by showing either a Geneva Conventions CAC ID or a DD Form 1173 ID card at the museum admissions desk
* Up to five immediate family members plus the military ID holder are allowed in free per visit
* Immediate family members under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an appropriate ID holder.
* Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program, so check with the museum directly.
* There is no limit on the number of participating museums that eligible parties can visit.
* Click here to view the participating museums. http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index.php


 If you live where the city/cities have a parks and recreation department check out what they have listed in their monthly or quarterly newsletter.


While we live outside the city limits, I can go online and check the 4 local cities newsletters online. One does water days for the kids every Wed. in the summer, another does outside concerts, another does Movies in the park. Then there are often fireworks, camp nights, parades and local street fairs or festivals!!!


you can get BOGO Free Tickets at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom / Magic Mountain with a Las Palmas Product label thru 9/6/10. http://www.laspalmassauce.com/