We're getting to that time of year again and my oldes son DOES NOT self-entertain. We're on a very tight budget this summer, so I'm looking for some activities we can get out of the house and do, but not break the bank in the process. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I was able to research everyone's ideas and come up with a great summer calendar to keep them busy! One thing that no one mentioned that we love doing every summer is season passes to Classic Skating. They're $10 apiece and then you pay $1 per activity when you go. We usually just go and do one activity- so it pays for itself after a couple visits!
If you live in the SLC area, check out this wesite:
http://www.gagcutah.org/summer.cfm?subpage=299623
I'm interested in seeing the other responses you get - I could use some ideas as well. Here are some budget-friendly options I know of -
Utah Museum of Natural History (on U of U campus) is free 1st Monday of every month.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts is free 1st Wednesday of every month, and there are free special programs that include an art project from 2-4 p.m. 3rd Saturday of every month. At the museum, if you know to ask for it, they have family activity backpacks at the front desk that highlight the different sections of the museum.
You do not mention how old your son is, but at Sego Lily School on the Murray-Holladay road there is a free drawing class for kids 4 and up the last Wednesday of every month. I don't know whether there is still space in the class, but you could call and ask.
If you invest in a $40 family membership at the Tracy Aviary, you get admission there any time for a year, plus free admission 1st Thursday of every month at Hogle zoo, Thanksgiving Point Farm, or Ogden Nature Center, plus free admission on weekdays at Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park. I looked at that and decided the $40 investment was worth it.
Up at Hill AFB there is a free flight museum that is pretty cool.
There are kid-friendly hiking trails all over.
There are free concerts down at Gallivan Center and at Murray Park all summer. I haven't seen a schedule, but I'll bet it's available online somewhere.
Liberty Park has all sorts of cool water features in the play area, and if money is tight enough that feeding the family is a challenge, the school system has in past years offered free bag lunches on weekdays for children at Liberty Park and other parks around the city. They don't ask about your income or anything - they simply offer lunch for any child. I don't know what current budget concerns might have done to this program - I hope it still exists, because it is needed more than ever right now.
The public library system (both county and city) has free kid programs regularly.
I hope this list helps.
A fun, cheap idea for the Summer - The Gateway has the water "fountains" on the North end of the mall. My friends and I are planning on taking our play group there this Friday to play in the water. The best part is it is FREE.
Liberty Park has a water play area that's free. And you can look into you local library's summer reading program. They have fun activities, usually weekly, for different age groups.
You may want to look into getting an annual membership to Hogle Zoo or the Tracey Aviary. They are a bit of an investment at first (I think the zoo is $60, depending on family size) but you only need to go a few times for it to pay for itself. I would take my kids for a couple of hours and not feel guilty about not spending all day there to "get my money's worth." It also gets you a few member's perks, and it's good all year (go in November or March when nobody's there and see the animal who usually hide, and see them all acting more natural).
My kids love the Lehi pool and it is cheap - http://www.lehicity.com/legacycenter/aquaticscenter.php
Also, there is Wheeler Farm - http://www.wheelerfarm.com/
Others: Gardner Village, Thanksgiving Pt has $2 Tuesdays last year that I am watching out for, we love Red Butte Gardens and a family membership is real cheap, Temple Square and Museam of Church History and Art.
