You can always tell summer’s in full swing when the kids are home with nothing to do. Cure everyone’s case of boredom with these free and low-cost ways to have fun.
‘Reel’ it in
Forget Blockbuster nights; make it a movie morning by heading to the local cinema. MnM Theatres has free family films on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. Popcorn and sodas are $1, but if you bring a canned good for their food drive, popcorn is free. Until July 30, selected Regal Cinemas will host their free family film festival on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. AMC Theatres also will offer family flicks on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. during their $1 Movies for Charity.
If you prefer watching the stars under the stars, check out an outdoor movie night. Screen on the Green at Centennial Olympic Park shows family-centric films at sunset, every Thursday through June 25. Flicks on 5th, at Georgia Tech’s Technology Square (5th Street), runs Wednesday nights in June and July, starting at 9 p.m. (These tend to have more mature titles, so be sure to check their schedule before heading out.) Friday Night Flicks, hosted by the Douglasville Convention & Visitors Bureau, begin at 8 p.m. and are shown on various Fridays throughout the summer. In addition to the family films shown during Movie Nights at East Cobb Park, there are also hula-hoop contests, music and dancing.
Make a splash
For less than $4, the Bogan Aquatic Center in Gwinnett County offers the thrill of an indoor water park with its giant slide and lazy river. Many other communities also have swimming pools and water lagoon areas that are free to residents. Centennial Olympic Park‘s Fountain of Rings is a cool (and free) treat on hot days; and they also offer free Fourth Saturday Family Fun Days packed with interactive, entertaining and educational children’s activities. For more information, check your local parks and recreation Web site.
Chill out
On lazy days, picnics are a relaxing way to enjoy the backyard or neighborhood park. Bring the blanket, Frisbee, football and food, and you’re all set. Or, get creative and think up fun and silly games for the entire family to enjoy.
Strike out
Register your child for a Summer Fun Bowling Pass and they can bowl two free games each day throughout the course of the program. There’s also a discounted family pass that covers up to four adults. Kids Bowl Free is available at participating AMF and Suburban Lanes.
Grab your bookmarks and go
School’s out, but that doesn’t mean parents can’t encourage scholastic achievement. With Barnes and Noble’s Summer Reading Program, kids (grades 1-6) can earn a free book when they read eight books by Sept.7. Pottery Barn also has a children’s book club every Tuesday, from 11-11:30 a.m. After attending five sessions, kids receive a special gift. Be sure to check with your local library as well; many of them offer reading programs, too.
History lesson
The King Center gives families a free peak into the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Open daily, visitors can tour his birth home and church, plus see his crypt and the Eternal Flame.
Arts and sciences
Add a little cultural exploration to your kids’ summer plans. The High Museum of Art offers free admission the first Saturday of every month to Fulton County residents. The Fernbank Science Center (not to be confused with the Fernbank Museum of Natural) is free for all to explore. Kids can check out the exhibits and artifacts, learn about a solar experiment, bird-watch in the Fernbank Forest or observe stars in the observatory; there are also aerospace and meteorology labs. For an extra $3-4, you can visit the planetarium, too.
Nature’s calling
Get outside the city limits and explore the Cochran Mill Nature Center (20 miles south of Atlanta). Engage the whole family in hiking, wildlife/animal exploration and various adventure programs. Admission is $2 for kids and $3 for adults. Day camps are available for an additional fee. Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center is free to the public. Located in Alpharetta, there are miles of walking trails, a Heritage Village with original buildings and artifacts from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, animal exhibits and replicas of Native American dwellings. Spend the day at Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell. Various activities are free with admission ($5 for adults and $2 for children), including guided hikes, story time by the river, bird walks, animal encounters and more. Canoe trips and Backyard Campouts also are available.
Hide and seek
If your family loves adventure, Geocaching is an inexpensive option. Using a handheld GPS unit, set out as a team to locate hidden treasures (caches) in various outdoor locations around the state. There are over 1,500 caches hidden in the Atlanta area. Though designed to be played using a GPS, you can sometimes hunt using familiar landmarks and clues from the Web site; or use your cell phone’s built in technology via applications like Geocache Navigator or Groundspeak’s Geocaching iPhone App. Afterwards, share your findings with other geocachers online. For more information, visit Geocaching.com or contact the Cobb County and Gwinnett County Convention and Visitors Bureaus.
