Summertime Fun!

       Besides the horrific humidity, the sweltering heat, and the lovely state bird (the mosquitoes).......summer is one of my favorite seasons.  There are a number of things you can do as a family at little or no costs for some summer fun.
       
         1.) Back yard BBQ - Who doesn't love to sit around enjoying the smell of the grill.  Get some friends together and have everyone bring their own dish and B.Y.O.B.  It's a low cost solution to a fun and entertaining dinner party.

         2.) Go for a bike ride or hike -  We all say we need to lose the dreaded holiday weight and we even make resolutions at the beginning of the year.  But let's face it, we pay for gym memberships and go for maybe 3 or 4 mths but never follow through.  Get out with you kids and go for a walk around the neighborhood or hop on your bike.  (I discovered a vintage bike in my garage that belonged to my grandmother. I cleaned it up and have enjoyed riding around the neighborhood with Parker)  

         3) Go camping-  Do it the old fashioned way by setting up a tent. It could be your back yard, living room, or an actual campground.  If you have a large family or group going then consider a cabin.  Make s'mores, catch fireflies, play family-favorite games, go fishing, etc.

          4.) Back yard scavenger hunt - Turn your back yard in to an adventure land. Get the kids outside and set up a scavenger hunt and give your kids clues.  Give prizes at the end. Make it fair and split up into teams so everyone gets a chance to play.

        5.) Movie night under the stars- Everyone loves a good movie.  Even better is to watch a movie under the stars.  If you have the extra cash and are willing to spend some money for a good investment then you could buy your own projector.  You can find them on amazon.com for as low as $115.  It hooks up to a laptop or dvd player.  If you don't want to spend that kind of money you can always check out your nearest library to see if they rent out projectors. Often times they do for a small fee.  Throw a light colored sheet on top of the garage door, pop some popcorn and lay out some blankets and you've got your very own movie theater outdoors.

         6.) Become Explorers- Ever wonder what you are missing by working your 9-5, cooking, and cleaning?  If you stop and look around you'd probably realized that there are things you never noticed.  For some summer fun, drive downtown, park, and just walk and explore your surroundings. Don't forget your water.....staying hydrated in the hot weather is important!!!!  The good thing about walking and exploring is that there is always a store with a/c to cool off.  If you have young kids who are learning shapes and colors, make it a game.  If they can identify so many shapes and colors then they get a prize or a nice cool ice cream cone.  


*What are your favorite free or low cost summer activities?