Summer is here! We all made it through another school year and another year of uncertainty. It is time to have some fun! Luckily in central Texas, there are so many cheap and fun ways to keep your kids entertained for the summer.
Movies
For all the movie lovers there are so many fun options. Many of our cities offer movies in the park on Friday nights, movies in the pool if you need to cool off, and of course Alamo’s Kids Camp that allows you to see movies for only a few bucks!
Concerts
There are always a lot of outdoor concerts this time of year! To fully enjoy the experience without feeling like your melting into a pile a goo, here are some good things to keep in mind when attending these concerts.
Pack a picnic with all the snacks and food! If you are going to bring cold items, freeze them before you head to the outdoor show. Of course, don’t forget to bring lots and lots of water!
Bring another activity to the show like bubbles or a football. Sitting and waiting for things to start, has never been a child’s strong suit. Make sure you always know where the bathrooms are, and have a meeting spot in case the kiddos get lost in the crowd.
Story Times and Summer Reading
Every library in central Texas has weekly story times as well as crafts to do during. It is a great activity to head to the library once a week, and check out books for your kids’ summer reading. There are a ton of great summer reading incentives through HEB, Pizza Hut or create your own reading chart for your kids!
It really is amazing all the things local libraries plan for kids over the summer. See what is going on in Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Leander and Austin!
Splash pads
The number of pools and splash pads around the central Texas area is amazing. Because of the lifeguard shortage, many of the pools are limiting their hours. Splash pads do not require lifeguards and are on most hours of the day.
When visiting a pool or a splash pad it is always a good idea to have kids wear water shoes or crocs. Splash pads are pretty good at keeping the area clean, but it only takes one stray rock to ruin the day.
Crafting and Baking
After quarantine I am sure most of us feel like we have done every craft there is to do! But there are always more craft activities to keep your kids busy. Check out this great website, or enjoy scrolling through Pinterest for easy crafts and baking projects.
Make a day of it by going to a craft store or a grocery store, have the kids get all the things they need for their project, and then go home and do the project!
Hitting Milestones
Summer is the perfect time to work on important milestones for kids. Stay inside during the hot afternoons and work on potty training. With more time in the morning, you can get the kids used a to a morning routine that includes more chores like making their bed or making their own breakfast.
If your child is interested in playing a sport in the fall, summer is the perfect time to spend time and practice swimming, basketball, playing catch or any other activity your child may want to improve. One of the first things I worked on with my nanny kids during quarantine was helping them learn how to ride their bikes!
Embrace Boredom
There are only so many hours in the day that we can fill with activities. It may seem like you have to fill up every single second to keep your kids busy, and get them tired at the end of the day. But boredom can be a very helpful thing for kids.
It helps encourage creativity as well as time management. Don’t be afraid to tell your kids that you need to take care of something and they need to think of something to do on their own. Let kids know it’s okay if they have nothing to do. Sometimes enjoying the quiet without screen time can be refreshing for a young mind.
We wish everyone a happy and safe summer!