Low Cost or No Cost things to do with the kids this summer

Summer is here and I’m sure the last thing any parent wants for their kids is 2 months of mindless video games and social networking.  As a working parent of four, the summer time is a busy and expensive time of year for me.  But keeping my kids active and engaged and off the couch is my number one priority.  So I thought that I’d compile a list of inexpensive and sometimes free activities for parents to enjoy with their children.

Go to the Beach: we live in San Diego, folks!  Even in the gloomiest of June gloom, the weather is still beautiful.  My family and I love to frequent Silverstrand State Beach on beach days, but there are an abundance of awesome beach communities to enjoy.  At the “Strand”, the life guard stations are staffed nicely, the facilities are clean, it’s not usually as crowded as the more central beaches, and they offer fire pits for evening bon fires.  There is a $10 parking fee per car for an all-day parking permit.  So pack up a few sandwiches, slather on the sunscreen and head out to one of our many beautiful beaches.
Go on a Hike: Visit Mission Trails Regional Park. There are 40 miles of nature for you to hike or bike through.  I recommend that you hydrate prior to the journey and make sure to pack healthy snack and lots of water for this one!

Check out your local Library:  My kids adore the free summer activities that our local library holds every Thursday.  They have enjoyed puppet shows, arts and crafts demonstrations, photography classes, science experiments and much more. Check out https://www.sdcl.org/ for their calendar of events.
Go to the Museums:  as a public service, Balboa Park organizations offer free admissions to their venues on rotating Tuesdays! Take in the Museum of Photographic Arts, visit the Museum of Man, or check out the Natural History Museum.  For a schedule of the rotating free admission Tuesday, check out https://www.balboapark.org/visit/tuesdays.