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25 Summer Crafts for Kids

Posted on May 20, 2019 | Filed Under: DIY, Summer | 4 Comments

Summer is usually a child’s favorite time of year — but not always for parents and day care providers. It can actually be tricky to find enough activities to keep children busy all summer long. You can only go to the beach, the pool and the waterpark so often!

So what else can you do to bring some excitement into these long summer days and beautiful summer nights? The answer: crafts!

To get you started, here are 25 Summer Crafts for Kids that are inexpensive, easy, great for all age groups and perfect to do either indoors or outdoors. Enjoy your time crafting together this season!

Have a great summer!

Jilleen

25 Summer Crafts for Kids

Paper Plate Watermelon Suncatchers – Kids Activities Blog

Tropical Seashell Fish Craft – Crafts by Amanda

Apple Craft Made with Pool Noodles – Glue Sticks & Gumdrops

Caterpillar Clothespin Kids Craft – DIY Inspired

Shark Toilet Paper Roll Craft – Glue Sticks & Gumdrops

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15 Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids

Posted on May 19, 2019 | Filed Under: Uncategorized | 15 Comments

This post may contain an affiliate link.

Reading every night before bedtime has been a tradition in our family since my children were born. Every evening my children pick two books for mom and dad to read to them while we snuggle up together in bed. However, in the summer, I like to up the ante and encourage my children participate in one or more Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids. Some programs are local, while others are nationwide.

Did you know that on average students lose 2 months of reading skills over the summer? So to combat this trend, there are several Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids that you can sign your children up for right now. In addition to this list of 15 free summer reading programs, many local libraries also host summer reading programs for kids. I encourage you to stop by and sign your children up. In the past, my children have won prizes to such places as BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com.

Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids

Sylvan’s Learning Book Adventure

Using Sylvan’s Learning Book Adventure, readers in grades K-8 not only receive the satisfaction of reading a book from cover to cover, they also earn rewards for taking online quizzes to demonstrate their comprehension of the books they’ve read. This motivational approach to learning is proven to help build a love of reading that lasts a lifetime!

To set up an account for your child, visit here. Kids earn prizes online and then redeem them via snail mail for prizes from the Balloon HQ, Gripper Products, Highlights Magazine, IGOR™, Patch Products, Quiz Hub, The Reading Stage in concert with Playbooks, Inc., Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Whitney Worldwide.

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program

Parents can visit the Barnes & Noble website and download the Summer Reading Journal for children to participate. Throughout the summer, children read three books, fill out their reading journal and then take it to any Barnes & Noble Bookstore to receive a free book. This year’s Barnes & Noble’s Summer Reading Program runs from August 1 – August 31, 2019.

Pizza Hut’s Book It Summer Reading Challenge

With the Pizza Hut Summer Reading Challenge, children can beat the “summer slide” by downloading and printing Pizza Hut’s summer activities that keep kids reading throughout the summer months. Parents and teachers can choose from book lists to book reviews to story starters. Pizza Hut also partnered with Candlewick Press to bring children a great list of summer reading activities. Don’t forget to also sign up for Pizza Hut’s Book It Homeschooling Program too.

New York Times Summer Reading Contest

The 9th annual New York Times Summer Reading contest is just for students ages 13-19. Students are able to tell the NYTimes why they loved or disliked a particular piece and each week they publish the best comments. The NYTimes.com has a digital subscription system in which gives readers free access to 20 articles each month.

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Register For Kids Bowl Free This Summer

Posted on May 15, 2019 | Filed Under: Field trips in Los Angeles, Field Trips in Orange County, Field Trips in Riverside, Field Trips in San Bernardino, Field Trips in San Diego, Field Trips in Santa Barbara, Field Trips In Ventura | 11 Comments

Moms! Dads! Sign your kids up for Kids Bowl Free this summer!

Kids Bowl Free is a program designed by bowling centers across the nation to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. Children (whose age limit is determined by each participating bowling center) are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers.

How To Sign Up For Kids Bowl Free

Visit Kids Bowl Free and click on your state to see a list of all the bowling centers participating in Kids Bowl Free 2019.
Select your local bowling alley to see all the details for that particular Kids Bowl Free program. You’ll see the dates and times available for free bowling, the age requirements, and whether there will be a fee for shoe rentals.
Once you’ve selected the bowling alley, you’ll need to fill out the registration form to register your child for their free bowling experience.
You can only select one bowling alley per account but are welcome to open multiple accounts.
Every Sunday morning during the summer long program, you’ll receive an email from Kids Bowl Free with a link to your coupons to print. You will need to bring the coupons with you to the bowling alley where you registered or you have the option of sending the coupons on your smartphone.
All participants must wear bowling shoes and rental shoes are available.

Happy Field Tripping!

Jilleen

More Summer Activities For Kids

15 Free Summer Reading Programs For Kids

20+ Water Parks in Southern California

7 Free Summer Disney Movie Nights in Anaheim

75+ Splash Pads in Southern California

What’s New at Knott’s Berry Farm This Summer

LA County FairKids Field Trip Program

Posted on May 2, 2019 | Filed Under: Field trips in Los Angeles | 13 Comments

Going to your local county fair is a great way to get more educational bang for your buck! At the fair children can learn all types things such as how to grow a garden (agriculture), how to milk a cow (husbandry), how to make a bottle rocket (science) or attend a music concert (creative arts).

Recently, the LA County Fair announced that they are accepting field trip reservations for the 2019 fair season! The best part about attending an LA County FairKids Field Trip is that admission and parking is free for any public, private or homeschooler in preschool – high school. Teachers and chaperones are free as well.

2019 LA County FairKids Exhibits

This year’s LA County Fair’s field trip dates are set for August 30 – September 22.

FairKids Field Trips are on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday throughout the season. If you’re looking to beat the crowds, the first week of FairKids has the lowest attendance.

The LA County Fair opens three hours early at 9 am on field trip days for children to participate in controlled fun and educational activities related to agriculture, art, science, literature, California heritage, and life on a real farm. All fair exhibits aligned with California State Department of Education standards are open during FairKids Field Trips. Curriculum is grade-level and subject specific so they fit easily into existing classroom goals and objectives.

2019 FairKids Field Trips will offer old favorites such as The Farm, Mojo’s Wild & Crazy Lagoon and The Big Red Barn while offering new exhibits to be announced in mid-May.

Here’s a sample of past LA County FairKids exhibits:

The Rock Candy Factory – The Science of Rocks & Candy

Candy shops have long been an essential part of the great American road trip. Science and history will come alive as you explore its role within pop culture, gems and minerals, rock candy and more.

Haunted 66 – The Museum of Halloween

This is the Halloween Super Show you don’t want to miss, complete with an interactive Halloween art and educational exhibit in a maze of rooms, weekly Featured Frights, Makeup Transformations, Haunter’s Corner and Haunted Carnival Games.

The Millard Sheets Art Center Presents Alt 66

The exhibition will feature unique immersive environments designed for guests to experience Route 66 in essence and variations of its historic landmarks and roadside attractions. Experience Route 66 in up to twenty different exhibitions that share the interesting, odd, weird, and kitsch that has come to define the most iconic road trip for travelers around the world.

America’s Kids: Adventures in Literature

Some of the greatest adventures ever told take place on the pages of a book. Imagine if those adventures came to life! With America’s Kids’ Adventures in Literature you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into an enchanted library where giant books, costumed characters, colorful props, and hands-on activities come together to create a literary adventure of your very own.

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Best Tips For Attending Knott’s Boysenberry Festival

Posted on April 22, 2019 | Filed Under: Field Trips in Orange County | 7 Comments

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Over spring break, my family and I had the privilege of attending the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival in Buena Park, California. Knott’s Berry Farm was completely decked out in 100% boysenberry fashion! From endless boysenberry food pairings to boysenberry photo ops to a highly contentious boysenberry pie-eating contest, there was something for every boysenberry fan!

The boysenberry is Knott’s founding fruit. The Boysenberry Festival celebrates this precious fruit, which is a cross between a blackberry, raspberry, and loganberry. It was originally created by Walter Knott and Rudolph Boysen. During the festival, taking place March 29 – April 28, the highly acclaimed purple berry is put up on a pedestal and showcased in unimaginable ways!

Quick Link: Discount Tickets For Knott’s Boysenberry Festival

Knott’s Boysenberry Festival Food Bites

First, let’s talk about the amazing boysenberry food tastings. During the Boysenberry Festival over 70 unique boysenberry inspired food and drinks selections are offered throughout Ghost Town. Most of the selections are sweet and savory including the boysenberry chicken wings, delectable spare ribs and other BBQ dishes flavored with Knott’s very own Boysenberry BBQ Sauce.

Knott’s Boysenberry Bites Tasting Card

To make choosing what to taste easier, I highly recommend that you purchase a Boysenberry Bites Tasting Card for only $35. The tasting card allows guests to sample generous portions of eight boysenberry inspired treats including: