Summer Fun For Less

We are enjoying summer, but trying to entertain my two children on a daily basis can get expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of activities to do that won’t break the bank. Your library is a great place to start, they often have discount passes for museums and science centers, and more ideas for fun things to do.

Here are 10 activities you can do with your kids for less than $10:

Catch a free movie: At the Rave Cinemas in Manchester, they offer free family movies for kids on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The same Free Family Film Festival is in West Springfield, Mass., at the Rave Cinemas on Mondays and Thursday.  Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and the movie starts at 10 a.m. It’s your choice whether to spring for popcorn and a drink, but the movie tickets for kids and parents are free.

There is a movie schedule online that shows what movies are included, such as Dolphin Tale, Happy Feet 2 and Journey 2, The Mysterious Island, but when we went the movies didn’t match up with the dates. So if you want a specific movie you might want to call ahead, otherwise it’s a free mystery movie day.

Go berry picking: Although strawberry season has passed, some local farms still have blueberries and raspberries ripe for the picking. With smaller children, just picking a couple baskets can be a fun distraction on a summer morning. With older children, you may be able to stay longer and pick more for canning or pies.

Easy Pickin’s in Enfield has pick-your-own blueberries and vegetables right now. You can check their website or call 860-763-3276 to check for updates.

in West Suffield has blueberries and is finishing their raspberry season, they may only be available through this week. The farm is at 1901 Mountain Road, call 860-668-2942 to check their hours and for updates. They also will have a fall raspberry picking season.

Learn more about trolleys: With a pass from your local library, you can visit the Connecticut Trolley Museum, at 58 North Road, East Windsor, for free. The pass includes free admission for two adults and four children, 12 and younger. There may be restrictions during special events. You can visit the trolley museum and take a ride on the trolley, always a big hit with the little ones. The Connecticut Fire Museum also is next door, so you can check out antique fire engines. They are closed on Tuesdays, for more information, go to ceraonline.org

Create your own kiddie car wash: This is a fun activity to do at home, with just your own children, or invite some friends over for a car wash party. Children can bring their ride-on vehicles, and you can set up buckets and sponges, as well as sprinklers, for the kids to wash their cars and cool off. Have them wear swim suits and bring towels and you can use dish detergent to make the water soapy. Another fun activity at home is summer games, set up relay races or obstacles courses for kids to compete against each other.

Hit the driving range: Family fun also can be found at the local driving range. Whether it is an afternoon out with Dad or an activity for the whole family, hitting a bucket of balls can be entertaining. There are a number of driving ranges in the region, including at golf courses or stand-alone. Some, such as Sonny’s Place, offers not only a driving range, but mini-golf, batting cages and go-karts, so depending on the activities it can definitely be more than $10. But most driving ranges offer a bucket of balls for $4 to $8.

Some local spots include:

• Pleasant View Golf Park, 110 North St., Enfield, 860-763-4202.
• Sonny’s Place, offers mini golf, batting cages and more, including a driving range, 349 Main St, Somers
• Willow Brook Golf Course has a driving range with all grass tees, two practice greens for putting and chipping and a practice bunker. A small basket of balls is $4 and a large basket is $8. 124 Brookfield St., South Windsor, CT, 860-648-2061
• East Windsor Golf & Track, offers a driving range, go-karts, and more, 20 North Road, East Windsor, 860-254-5572

Look for five more ideas next week and let us know your favorite free or low-cost summer activities!