Best Tips for Free/ Low Cost Summer Entertainment??

A....
Check out www.familyeguide.com

We've got a brand new website with an extensive calendar of events... most of which are free or very affordable. We feature activities in Lewisville, Highland Village, Flower Mound, and the surrounding areas (Lake Dallas, Corinth, Grapevine, Coppell, Argyle, The Colony, etc.) We've even got a section in our newsletter "Worth the Drive?" where we tell readers about other cheap, unique activities throughout the metroplex.

Our newsletter will keep you informed on a weekly basis on what's going on in the area, and our website lists lots of resources (Favorite Parks, "Kids Eat Free" and 2-for-1 kids meal nights, etc.)

Next week, we're publishing a list of SUMMER CAMPS including VBS, High School Sponsored, Rec Center Camps, etc - the most affordable ones out there!

In answer to your question, here's a quick list of FREE & AFFORDABLE things I can think of:

Fireworks at Grapevine Lake every Friday 5/21 - 9/6
Special activities at area libraries (magicians, critterman, etc)
Outdoor concerts
Outdoor movies
Lowes, Home Depot and Michaels Workshops
Bass Pro KidFish/Fish Feeding (and explore)
DFW Founders Plaza (an outdoor airport observatory)
FREE - $2 family movies all summer at Studio Movie Grill, Cinemark, Rave, Harkins, AMC
Lots of disc frisbee, fishing, swimming, etc.
Community and High School Theatre performances
Bowling at AMC Lewisville ($1.29/game Sunday from 9a-1p)

Here's a sample of what you'll find in our newsletter and on our calendar...

TONIGHT
Grapevine Main Street Days - FREE
Carnival in Lake Dallas
Chick-Fil-A Idol FINALE in Lewisville - FREE
Hidden Wounds: Teen production at The ACT ($7-10)
Marcus Marquettes Spring Show ($5-7)
Friday Nite Live Forestwood (Mavs Man) $10
Summer Concerts in the Park (Parker Square) FREE
Free Outdoor Movies at Castle Hills - "Bolt" FREE

We list activities like this EVERY DAY!

Check out our website to get details on all of these events (and check out Dollar Day at Boomerangs this weekend)!

Finally, we also have a "fun at home" page, with ideas to keep your kids occupied and entertained at home.

Check us out... www.familyeguide.com
Your FREE guide to affordable family activities!

Hello A.,

I try to compile a list of the weekly activities at the following libraries: Lewisville, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Coppell and Lake Cities, Denton & Farmer's Branch Library

I made a list and sorted it by date/time.
Here is a SAMPLE (NOTE... NOT ACTUAL DATE!)
WED 7/1? 2:00 & 3:15pm FM Library -- puppet Show
WED 7/1? 3pm Farmers Branch Lib. -- Tortoise & Hare
THU 7/1? 7pm Lewisville Library -- Magician (Grades K-5)

Then depending on what was going on, I could pick one of the activities.

Lake Cities Library (summer brochure)
http://www.lakecitieslibrary.org/SRC09%20Brochure.pdf

Denton
http://www.cityofdenton.com/pages/library.cfm

Flower Mound
http://www.fmlibrary.net/images/pdf/SummerReading2009.pdf

Lewisville
http://www.cityoflewisville.com/wcmsite/publishing.nsf/Co...

Carrollton
http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=CARROLLTON

Coppell
http://www.ci.coppell.tx.us/

Here is a list someone sent me a couple of years ago.
Phone and website listed. some may be outdated.

-------------------------------------------------
-----------SUMMER OUTING IDEAS-------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Idea: City: Web Site: Phone:
~~ AA C.R. Smith Museum Arlington www.crsmithmuseum.org ###-###-####
~~ Cats Summer Series - Plays Arlington http://creativearts.org/summer.html ###-###-####
~~ River Legacy Living Science Arlington www.riverlegacy.org/livingsciencecenter ###-###-####
~~ Six Flags-Free Passes Arlington www.sixflags.com ###-###-####
~~ Blue Bell Creameries Tour Brenham www.bluebell.com 800-327-8135
~~ Coppell Aquatics Center Coppell http://www.ci.coppell.tx.us/ ###-###-####
~~ Pump It Up - Pop In Playtime Coppell www.pumpitupparty.com ###-###-####
~~ Collin Street Bakery Tour Corsicana www.collinstreet.com 800-353-7437
~~ Age of Steam Railroad Museum Dallas www.dallasrailwaymuseum.com ###-###-####
~~ Dallas Children's Theater Dallas www.dct.org ###-###-####
~~ Dallas Firefighters Museum Dallas dallasfirerescue.com/museum.htm ###-###-####
~~ Dallas Museum of Art Dallas www.dallasmuseumofart.org ###-###-####
~~ Dallas Zoo Dallas www.dallas-zoo.org ###-###-####
~~ Farmers Market Dallas www.dallasfarmersmarket.org ###-###-####
~~ Frontiers of Flight Museum Dallas www.flightmuseum.com ###-###-####
~~ JFK School Book Depository Dallas http://jfk.org/Home.htm ###-###-####
~~ Mary Kay Cosmetics Tour Dallas www.virtualtourist.com ###-###-####
~~ Nasher Sculpture Center Dallas www.nashersculpturecenter.org ###-###-####
~~ Science Place Dallas www.scienceplace.org ###-###-####
~~ Monroe Observatory-Sky Lab @ UNT Denton http://web2.unt.edu/news/story.cfm?story=8936 ###-###-####
~~ DFW Airport Tour DFW ____@____.com
~~ Galaxy Drive In Theatre Ennis www.galaxydriveintheatre.com ###-###-####
~~ Art House-Free Passes Flower Mound www.studioarthouse.com ###-###-####
~~ Circle R Ranch - Fireworks Flower Mound www.flower-mound.com ###-###-####
~~ Color Me Mine Kids Camps Flower Mound www.dfw.colormemine.com ###-###-####
~~ Flower Mound Library-Shows/Movies Flower Mound www.library.flower-mound.com ###-###-####
~~ Bureau of Engraving and Printing Fort Worth www.moneyfactory.com ###-###-####
~~ Burger's Lake Fort Worth www.burgerslake.com ###-###-####
~~ Cowtown Cattlepen Maze Fort Worth www.fortworth.com ###-###-####
~~ Fire Station No. 1 Museum Fort Worth www.fortworth.com ###-###-####
~~ Forest Park Mini Train Fort Worth www.fortworth.com ###-###-####
~~ Fort Worth Museum Science Fort Worth www.fwmuseum.org ###-###-####
~~ Fort Worth Nature Center Fort Worth www.fwnaturecenter.org ###-###-####
~~ Fort Worth Noble Planetarium Fort Worth www.fwmuseum.org ###-###-####
~~ Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Fort Worth www.fwsymphony.org ###-###-####
~~ Fort Worth Zoo Fort Worth www.fortworthzoo.com ###-###-####
~~ Kimbell Art Museum Fort Worth www.kimbellart.org ###-###-####
~~ Log Cabin Village Fort Worth www.logcabinvillage.org ###-###-####
~~ Monnig Meteorite Gallery-TCU Fort Worth monnigmuseum.tcu.edu/events.htm 817-257-Mars
~~ Mrs. Baird's Bakery Tour Fort Worth www.mrsbairds.com ###-###-####
~~ National Cowgirl Museum Fort Worth www.cowgirl.net ###-###-####
~~ Texas Motor Speedway Tour Fort Worth www.texasmotorspeedway.com ###-###-####
~~ Frank Buck Zoo and Traim Gainsville www.frankbuckzoo.com ###-###-####
~~ Dinosaur Valley State Park Glen Rose www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/dinosaur ###-###-####
~~ Fossil Rim Glen Rose www.fossilrim.org ###-###-####
~~ The Promise Glen Rose www.thepromiseglenrose.com 800-687-2661
~~ Lone Star Park Grand Prairie www.lonestarpark.com 972-263-Race
~~ Palace of Wax & Ripleys Grand Prairie www.palaceofwax.com ###-###-####
~~ Grapevine Mills AMC Kids Series Grapevine http://www.amctheatres.com/smc/ ###-###-####
~~ Grapevine Opry Grapevine www.gvopry.com ###-###-####
~~ Pump It Up - Pop In Playtime Grapevine www.pumpitupparty.com ###-###-####
~~ Dinner Station Conductor Camp Highland Village www.thedinnerstation.com ###-###-####
~~ Irving Arts Center-Kids Performances Irving www.irvingartscenter.com 972-252-Arts
~~ Fine Arts Camp-Lakeland Baptist Lewisville ____@____.com ###-###-####
~~ Sounds of Lewisville Concert Series Lewisville www.cityoflewisville.com ###-###-####
~~ Upwards Basketball Camp-Lakeland Lewisville www.lakelandbaptist.org ###-###-####
~~ Heritage Farmstead Museum Plano www.heritagefarmstead.org ###-###-####
~~ Studio Movie Grill Children's Summer Plano www.studiomoviegrill.com ###-###-####
~~ Bailey's Berry Patch Sadler www.txberry.com ###-###-####
~~ Parker County Annual Peach Festival Wetherford www.wetherford-chamber.com 888-594-3801
~~ Sandy Lake Amusement Park Carrollton www.sandylake.com ###-###-####
~~ General Information:
~~ Factory Tours USA www.factorytoursusa.com/
~~ Just for Kids in Fort Worth www.fortworth.com/01visitors/0108justkids/0108justkids.shtml
~~ Texas Education Vacations www.texaseducationvacation.com
~~ Texas Museums: www.texascoollinks.com/tm.htm
~~ Tour Information www.virtualtourist.com
~~ U-Pick Farms and Orchards http://www.pickyourown.org/TXdallas.htm#listings

Good luck and have fun!

Great question. The thought of summer gives me a little anxiety I must admit. The only thing I can think of is the summer library program. They have cool shows weekly at the Flower Mound library. I don't know of anything else that is inexpensive and that's what I need to know as well. Thanks for asking this question. I look forward to hearing all the responses.

check the movie theaters - some of them have kid friendly movies weekly for $1. I know Stonebriar mall does this every summer and Studio Movie Grill is $1 for children & $2 for adults.

A.,

The F.M. library has weekly storytimes, monthly family storytimes at night (7 p.m.), and other activities at night as well. Every Thursday afternoon, there are shows at the F.M. Library (a 2:00 show and a 3:15 show - tickets are free, but required to get in). Go to F.M. library's website and check it all out. Also, the Lewisville library will have shows every Fri. morning at 11:30. Their show schedule is also online.

Another free, wonderful activity is spraygrounds. I don't know if there are any by you, but there are spraygrounds in F.M., at the Kroger shopping plaza on 3040 and Morris for your kids to run through. There are also spraygrounds at the Shops of Highland Village right in front of Barnes & Noble. Kids love it!

Another free or very cheap activity is movies. I think every Wednesday, some movie theatres show movies for free or $1.00. Check out your local theatres.

Going to a shaded park first thing in the morning (when it's not too terribly hot) is another idea.

Also, my kids love the Grapevine Mills Mall. They have a merry go round (not sure how much it is), a harness/jump/trampoline thing on the weekends (I think it's $6.00), a skateboarding rink (not sure how much that is), and a Thomas the Train store. In the Thomas store, there are three trains to ride on and two play areas. My kids played there for hours - they loved it! You can pay by the half hour or hour, or pay $7.00 per kid and it's good all day. It is such a neat store, and I never knew it was there until recently.

Have a great summer. You sure have your hands full! Congrats on baby #5!