dad and daughter by lakeside

Summertime Fun

In the blog, I seek to provide information from time to time about vacation ideas. If you have divorced, you know that your pocketbook can suffer. If you are divorcing, the realization is probably dawning on you that finances won’t be quite the same. This blog is full of some fun, and relatively inexpensive ways to build memories with your kids over the summer break.

Camps

Camps can get expensive, and usually parents don’t stay, but some of them allow for you to hang around and watch. This is an instance where that co-parenting we are always discussing can feature itself. Your kids will have fun, they will remember that you took them and dropped them off, and they will build skills or learn new things. It is a little pricey for some, but hopefully splitting the cost is an option. It’s worth the money and time.

Art Galleries

In our own area, there are several art galleries featuring children’s centers or activities for children. One of our galleries recently opened a “touch gallery” for kids in order for them to truly experience art in the most basic, but satisfying, ways -- touch. It also has days to drop by and create art, and many of these days are free! Most of the time, museums will have activities for different age groups, and there will be a few camps. Further north: Crystal Bridges houses not only a well-equipped area for exploration and creativity, but beautiful hiking trails and it is walking distance to the Amazeum. It might not be what you’d immediately think of, but kids have a blast for no cost, and you have memories and your own artwork to hang in your house.

Water Parks

The chaos and fun in a waterpark will leave you all exhausted, but yield some fantastic moments of laughter. My own child thinks that they’ve won the lottery when I say we’re going to the water park. The experience of junk food, hours in different areas swimming, floating, and sliding, and the attention of a parent, make for a delightful day. We are watching out for you and your pocketbook, so here’s a tip: many of them have half-price hours. Grab your sunscreen, a towel, and budget in some ice cream, and you’ve made their day!

There are so many other ways to spend time with your kiddo and never leave your home: Build a fort together, research some engineering activities you all can do with stuff in the house, visit the library weekly for a ritual they’ll remember, watch movies, and cook dinner as a family. Your family dynamics change, but the love and laughter you share can abound all summer.