Best family-friendly summer fun

RALEIGH, N.C. — Summer is here! Most traditional calendar students will get out of school this week. Many others already are out or will be looking forward to a track out soon.

Each year I compile a big summer fun guide on Go Ask Mom, which lists all kinds of ways to pass these long summer days ahead of us. Here are five of my favorite summer fun ideas.

Free and cheap summer movies – You can find free and cheap movies all year at local libraries and a few $2 or $3 theaters. We have even more deals in the summer when many theaters open their doors for free and inexpensive summer movie series for kids. On weekday mornings, usually around 9:30 a.m. or 10 a.m., theaters will show G and PG-rated movies from the last few years. There’s nothing better than cooling down on a hot summer day in a darkened movie theater to watch a movie for free. Go Ask Mom has a big database of free and cheap summer movies so you can find one near you.

Sweet treats – Summer wouldn’t be summer without some splurging, at least in my book. Last summer, I featured all sorts of summer treats – from fresh North Carolina peaches and you-pick blueberries to homemade ice cream and doughnuts. I’ll be on the lookout for more yummy places with my kids this summer. Check the Summer Treats posts for some of my favorite summer places to indulge.

Going outside – Summer isn’t really prime playground time around here unless you’re lucky to find a shady playground or do as I do with my kids…go in the morning. We’ll head out first thing to avoid the extreme heat of the day. We’ve been known to even bring a picnic breakfast. After a couple of hours of play, we’re ready for the free movie! Check the Go Ask Mom park and playground review database to find a new playground near you.

Go for a swim – It’s cheap to swim at one of the many public pools around here and they are the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day. Just as much fun are the region’s spraygrounds, which spray and dump water on you. Some are part of a pool. Others stand on their own. Check our public pools database to find out where they are.

Head to the library – It’s hard to overstate the amount of free programs and activities that local libraries offer for kids and adults. Of course, in the summer those include summer reading programs that encourage kids to keep a book in hand and offer prizes and incentives. My family is a big fan of these programs. Check this post with details about what local libraries are doing this summer.