Too often we spend the summer visiting other places, but never really get to know the town where we live. Touring your own town can be fun, educational and inexpensive in the summer months. There are lots of local attractions or public places in most cities to take your kids to for fun activities. Many are free or have children’s days or events that you can watch for to get in for free.
Going to the museum is always a treat for kids and a lot of them have a once monthly free day. Taking time to educate your child at your local museum will help her become aware of the history of your town and how it came to be. Being able to see, and in many cases touch, artifacts makes it come alive. To find out about children’s days or certain events call the museum to get on their mailing list. That way you won’t miss anything.
They've finally finished the remodel of Pike's Place Market. This market offers many opportunities for your children to learn and see new things. The obvious attraction is the local fruits and vegetables brought in by the farmers or orchardists, and I enjoy the quirky shops. This will give your child a chance to meet and interact with some of the people who grow food for your table.
The farmers market has much more than fruits and vegetables though. Some things you may find include:
• fish throwers
• beekeepers selling their honey
• wild picked berries and mushrooms
• homemade goodies, such as jams, jellies, kefir and kombucha
• crafters selling their wares
• live music and dancing
• food vendors
Lots of vendors offer samples of their items so your child may get to try new things she may never have gotten to try otherwise. Also, many markets will have events throughout the summer to draw in more people. Keep on the lookout for upcoming happenings in your area.
We have some fantastic libraries here locally. Taking my daughter to the local library helped foster a lifelong love of reading. Every young child will be amazed at the sheer number of books and may have fun the first time just exploring. In fact I remember when my friend over at Far From Family came back from Spain, the first thing her kids wanted was a trip to the library!
Many libraries offer summer reading programs at no cost as well. These are where groups of kids come to the library all together and one of the library staff or volunteer will read to your children. Sometimes they offer a question and answer session afterwards. One of my favorite memories of my local library was that they would offer movies. It was air conditioned, and my favorite was 'The King And I'. The memories that the library created for me were priceless. Now that my daughter is older I enjoy researching particular topic at the library since all the kids know now is Google. I love Google, but being able to get the answers from both books and internet connection offered for free.
Summer is a big time for social events such as festivals, parades, fairs, carnivals or circuses. Children love the active atmosphere, bright colors and lots of people to see and things to do. These affairs will keep your little ones busy for hours. Another great thing about it is they are free or fairly inexpensive.
But of course, we have so many outdoor areas, like Discovery Park in Magnolia, that I love. Get out and enjoy nature, and you'll get so much in return.
This is a great start to finding local places to take your children. But, explore your town – go to your city hall, library or check the newspaper - for other fun things to do this summer!
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