Now that school is out and summer is finally here, you’re looking for things to do with your children without losing your sanity. Here is a list of kid friendly restaurants, indoor entertainment and outside activities that have helped me keep mine.
Restaurants
Finding restaurants that offer healthy food options and a kid friendly atmosphere is a bit of a challenge at times. These are the establishments that my family and I have found most accommodating.
- Chili’s – meal options include whole wheat hamburger buns; crayons and coloring booklet are provided. The location near us has servers who are very familiar with serving children and are happy to place a kid order first, even if we have not decided yet.
- Red Robin – menu options offer grilled chicken and steamed veggies (if your child will eat them); crayons and coloring booklet are provided. Locations are usually noisy, so should your child get loud it is not a problem
- Tomatina – menu options include pasta, pizza and veggies; crayons and coloring booklet are provided. This restaurant is one of the few places in our area where you can feed your child for under $5.
- Dennys – This is not a place we frequent, but I they do have days where children eat free
- Olive Garden – you can share a meal with your child and they will bring you an extra plate at no cost or hassle.
Indoor Play Areas
Indoor entertainment is great because you can cool off using someone else’s air conditioning. These places are free or low cost.
- Local Library – many activities for babies through teenagers. Our library offers toddler time on Thursdays where children can come and the librarian sings songs, reads books and engages them and parents in activities.
- The Jungle – This is an indoor playground where children can climb, slide and run around. There is a charge for children, but parents are free. Tuesdays, toddlers get in for $4 in our area. They often have evening specials for older children.
- First Five Center – (California Only) Has activities at no cost for children up to five years of age. Here your child can enjoy activities like tumbling, music, reading readiness and other programs to increase your child’s preparedness for kindergarten.
- The Mall – many malls have playgrounds in them. This is a great way to cool down from the heat as well as meet other parents.
- Chuck E. Cheese – it is free to enter, but everything there costs money. The best deal is that if you purchase a soda you can have unlimited refills. This is not my favorite place, but some parents enjoy it.
Outdoor Play Areas
In our area, outdoor locations are not hard to come by. Here is a list of our favorites.
- The Zoo – there is usually a charge for admission, but if you bring your own lunch it can be quite economical. If you go often enough, it may be best to look into a membership as it usually pays for itself in a few visits.
- Local parks – these are free and often a great place for children to burn off the extra energy that comes with being home during the summer. I prefer ones with lots of shade or bring my own umbrella.
- Community Pool – the cost of entrance is usually minimal, but check their schedule because they are not open all day due to swimming lessons.
Go and explore your home town. You will be surprised at all the things you can do with your family for little to no money.
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