Keep The Kids Busy This Summer

Keep The Kids Busy This Summer

I’ve said before that my summer planning mostly deals with finding things for the kids to do so they are busy and I don’t hear “I’m Bored!” every chance they get.  The good thing about summer break is that there’s always something to do because everyone knows the kids are free during the summer time.  My kids are younger so most of my tips would be geared towards parents with younger kids.  A Worthy Read has a great list of ideas for parents of tweens.

A Worthy Read has a list of 25 Things for Tween To Do This Summer that will keep your tween busy and enjoy all that summer has to offer.  I can’t end this post without sharing some of my own tips so here’s ten things to do with kids this summer – Baltimore Edition.

1. Visit a State Park – there are lots of great parks in the Baltimore area one of our favorites is North Point State Park.  It costs just $4 per car for MD residents to enter the park.  They have a swimming area, lots of grills and plenty of space for spreading a blanket and hanging out.
2. Visit a community pool.  One of the benefits of living in and around Baltimore City is getting to visit a public pool.  Here’s a listing of public pools in Baltimore.  Remember to arrive early at public pools and look for the rules of each pool so your family is safe.  Pool fees for the season last year was set at $2 for Park pools and $1 at walk-to pools. Admission for splash pads is free.  You can call the pool you plan to visit for update fees.
3. Visit the Maryland Zoo at Baltimore.  My family and I recently participated on a Kindness Safari with KIND Snacks at the zoo and it was so much fun for the kids.  Visit the zoo’s website for upcoming events, ticket prices and lots of other great information.
4. Visit the Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC.  Their offerings of free admission is worth the trip to Washington DC from the Baltimore area.  You could easily make a two – three day trip out of it and enjoy all they have to offer for free.  They even have the National Zoo which is free.  My major tip for the National Zoo is to arrive early to get parking or use the transit system.
5. Take a hike with your family.  There are lots of great hiking trails near the Baltimore area.  I like hiking because it’s an activity you can do for free, you can go at your own paste and it keeps the family active.
6. Visit a farmers market for some local produce and a lesson in farming.  I love going to the Farmers Markets around our area.  Not only do we get to support local farmers it’s an opportunity for the kids to learn about gardening and farming from MD farmers.
7. Take the summer reading challenge through the Enoch Pratt Free Library and the Baltimore County Public Library.  Both feature summer reading programs for kids of all ages and even adults.  The kids can earn prizes based on the number of books they read and all kids who reach their goal can go back to the library and get their completion prize.
8. Enjoy the outdoors.  Two years ago I co-wrote an ebook in partnership with the National Wildlife Foundation and the Motherhood about spending time outdoors.  You can read more about my contributions to the book and download your free copy.
9. Take the subway or light rail and go exploring.  Maryland has great options for public transportation.  Instead of driving your own car around town take the kids on the subway or light rail to another part of town for them to explore.  The light rail runs from Camden Yards to Hunt Valley and the subway runs from Owings Mills towards Downtown.  There’s so much to explore between the two and I’m sure the kids will enjoy riding if it’s their first time.
10. Take a trip to Hersheypark in Hershey PA.  Visiting the Sweetest Place on Earth is a must for kids of all ages.  It’s fun for the entire family and something you should definitely do if you live close enough.  Hersheypark is only a 90 minute drive from Baltimore so it’s perfect for day trips or you can make it a two day trip.  My Quick Guide to Hersheypark has tons of information and tips to help you save on your trip to the park and much more.

Summer is always hectic with kids and finding things for them to do can become costly.  If you planning any summer travel or just staying close to home you have to check out these free road trip printables from insuremyrental.com, they created the perfect set of travel games to keep the kids occupied while in the car.  No more worrying about them asking if we arrived yet or fussing over toys and space.

We received our very own in car entertainment pack from insuremyrental.com for the kids to enjoy while traveling in the car during the summer months.  Included in our kit was print-outs of the games, plus a pen, colored crayons, a clipboard and a Disney singalong CD.  The kids loved it because it was one convenient pocket envelope with lots of fun things for them to use.  The clipboard made it super easy for them to use while in the car.  It provided the hard surface they needed to color and draw.   You can easily create your own in car entertainment pack.  Start with the printables from insuremyrental.com, get a clipboard for the pages, crayons for coloring and playing the games, your child’s favorite CD to play music in the car and anything else you think would work for your child.  Package it nicely and enjoy your road trip.

Do you have any favorite road trip games you liked when you were a child?  Mines was spotting license plates from different states.  If you live in the Baltimore area what’s one must do activity for kids?