I'm facing a summer full of nothing for my elementary school aged kids. Normally, they would have a long road trip to see their cousins and two weeks of day camp. This isn't in the budget this year. My kids tend to fight if parked in front of "the idiot box" and that drives me crazy since I telecommute. I can't plan enough play dates.

Splash pools are useful even for older small kids - just to get wet. I have a friend that has a larger temporary pool with a pump that she uses every year. An 8 YO can get some swimming in that. The cost was maybe $200 in initial investment and this is her third year.

I am planning a library day each week because my kids do well with schedules. Libraries do have good free programs for kids in the summer. They also have air conditioning. There will be a grocery day. There's air conditioning at the store too. I'll probably drag those visits out a little (math games? scavenger hunts?). Also, I will have to invest energy in finding the free museum days, though I have difficulty in crowds.

This past Saturday was National Parks Day and we visited one about an hour from our house and it was SPECTACULAR! I love National Parks and their junior ranger programs are fun and informative. Also, they are pretty much everywhere. Even when they require a fee, you can bring a lunch and carpool with friends and it's still affordable.

I'm also thinking of getting my kids in the garden. Their teachers have set them up for that real well and even though we live in the desert there's lots of stuff to tend. Plus we can watch the lizards scurry. This is only good early mornings and evenings.

All this requires a lot of time and energy that, frankly, I'm not sure I have. So, coming to my original statement, I would love to see more posts (and comments) on just this sort of thing. Thanks!