We homeschool throughout the summer but our curriculum is a little lighter and full of more experiences than desk work. Enter our DIY Day Camp. Listen actual day camp gets quite expensive, especially if you’re paying for more than one child. So each summer we round up all the children in the family, cousins, nieces, and sometimes their friends and put the minivan to good use. Here are a few activities with reasonable price tags that will fill your children’s fun summer memory bank.
ADVENTURELAND
The kids love Adventureland. This is a summer staple for us. We go every year and all the kids love it, long-leggers and short-leggers alike. It’s an amusement park Farmingdale,Long Island. We get day pass specials on Livingsocial.com. 2 all day passes were $51. You can get cheaper passes if you come after 4pm, which we’ve also done. The best part about Adventureland is admission is FREE! You don’t have to pay to get in the park, only to ride. So Adults that aren’t riding rides can come and sit in the park-like atmosphere free of charge. And should they choose to ride, there is the option to pay per ride (like a carnival). Now the food is expensive and they say no outside food allowed but we always bring snacks and water (like 24 frozen waters in a temp controlled bag) without any issues. And if we happened to bring sandwiches too…I’m not sure they’d make a huge deal but use your discretion. This works pretty well for us. However, you can leave and go picnic in the car or somewhere more affordable and just come back to the park because admission is free and so is parking.
As for attractions, the park has just enough. There is one major rollercoaster and a host of other fast, spinning, kid-flinging rides. There’s also an area for the wittle people. If you have small children you’ll likely need a pass to get on rides with them at some point, even though there are plenty things for them to ride alone too. The park has mist fans all over to help you beat the heat and there are several shaded areas to sit as well. It wouldn’t hurt to bring a personal fan of some sort though; I’ve done that too. All in all this is a must go.
BOWLING
If you need a inexpensive weekly activity, this is it! KIDS BOWL FREE! If you go to Kidsbowlfree.com you can register your children for the summer bowling program. Enter your zip code to find a participating bowling center in your area. You get 2 free games per visit. Shoe rental may or may not be included depending on the participating bowling center. We purchased our own bowling shoes because we go often enough that the investment made sense. And they happened to be a little large when we got them last year so we were able to get another summer out of them.
BERGEN COUNTY ZOOLOGICAL CENTER
The Bergen County Zoological Center and Van Saun Park in Paramus, NJ is a great trip. Last time we went, it cost is $26 for zoo admission, a train ride, and a carousel ride for a family of 6!! Granted the baby was free and 2 out of 4 children didn’t want to go on the carousel but still. Bergen County residents do get a discount. Adult resident tickets are $4, children are $2 and under 3 years old is FREE. But it’s still affordable for non-residents with tickets priced at $8 and $5 respectively.
The zoo closed the earliest, at 4:30p, so do that part first, then the carousel which closed around 5p the day we went and finally the park which closes the latest. The park is really nice and large. It also has a cool sprinkler splash park area for the kids. This little area gets shut off at a certain time too. However, it isn’t always on when it should be. So if we go, we try not to get the kiddies hopes up. We manage expectations with language like “if the sprinklers are on…” You get the idea.
We packed sandwiches and salads for lunch and there are picnic tables conveniently placed all around so there was no additional cost for food. That’s said, there is no concession, only vending machines. So meal plan accordingly if you’re coming out for the day.
BOUNCE U
There are Bounce U’s everywhere and they’re no secret. But I did notice a very sweet deal they’ve been offering for the summer and that’s their Summer Bounce deal. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday you can bounce for an hour and a half and you get a FREE 3oz ice cream sundae afterwards for $9.95. This deal is offered at their Smithtown, Long Island location. Check to see if they have the same or similar deals near you. I haven’t seen the deal offered in Paramus but it doesn’t hurt to inquire.
These are just a few activities that the kids enjoy during the warmer months. And it’s even better when we can drag their cousins along, which we do. What activities do your children enjoy for the summer? Please share in the comments below.
Until next time Be Blessed and Shalom.
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