Free Reading Event for All Kids at Central Library (San Diego, CA)

June 5, 2019June 5, 2019Abby H.

On June 22 from 10am-1pm, the Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego and San Diego Family will be holding an All-Inclusive Read 3×3 Literacy Event: 3 Authors, 3 Hours, 3 Times the Fun at the San Diego Central Library.

San Diego Family Magazine is partnering with the San Diego Central Library @ Joan & Irwin Jacobs Common, Binford I CAN, Too! Center to promote literacy in kids from 0-10, put a free book in the hands of every child, teach empathy and compassion through stories and promote summer reading.

Every child that attends will receive a free book (while supplies last) donated by San Diego Family Magazine. We will have 3 authors (Salina Yoon, Sally J. Pla and Andrea Zimmerman) each read two of their books, followed by a craft for the kids.

The San Diego Central Library houses the Binford I CAN, Too! Center serving children with accessibility needs and their caregivers. The Binford I CAN, Too! Center offers access to technology, allowing patrons access to the following:

ZoomText: computer screen magnifier
JAWS: computer screen reader for the visually impaired, Read & Write Literacy: speech-to-text software, SARA Reader: converts text from printed to spoken
Optelec ClearView: 22” magnifier, High-definition keyboards, Adjustable height tables and Assistive Mouse/Ball Tracking.

In addition to the technology and equipment, the Center also provides periodic programming for and about children with special needs. These programs provide children with the opportunities to socialize, learn and have fun. Additional resources include large print and braille books, Sensory Integration Kits for children on the autism spectrum, and parent resource materials.

I’m excited to take the kids to this event and check out the Binford I CAN, Too! Center this summer.

Free & Low-Cost Events for Kids at Michaels!

June 3, 2019June 3, 2019Abby H.1 Comment

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Did you know that Michael’s hosts free and low-cost crafting events for kids ages 3+?

This week there are some really fun activities!

6/3: Sparkling Dragonflies (4-6pm)
6/4: Woven Turtles (4-6pm)
6/5: Butterfly Puppet Garden (4-6pm)
6/6: Bug Catcher Jar (4-6pm)
6/7 Painted Bug Rocks (4-6pm)

And the first 100 event attendees per store will receive a $5 off $5+ coupon! With so many craft supplies at $5 or less, you’ll be able to score something cool!

Screen Shot 2019-06-03 at 12.14.41 PM.png And Every Saturday there is a new craft class from 10am-12pm for just $3!

I’m really looking forward to Camp Creativity.

Each week has a different theme, and each 30 minute craft session is only $3!

What I really like about these craft classes at Michaels is that the kids get to try out new crafts and I don’t have to lay out a ton of money to buy a bunch of supplies for something that the kids may not be all that into.

And- to be honest, I’m not faced with the craft aftermath clean up. Yall know what I mean.

Summer Fun on a Budget!

June 3, 2019June 2, 2019Abby H.

It’s here again… Summer Vacation. Soon we shall hear the sounds of sighs, the boredom, and the wailing about how there is nothing to do or eat.

Ya’ll can feel me, right? Ok, so here are some ways to beat the boredom without breaking the bank.

Kids Bowl Free All Summer! Just pay for bowling shoe rental!

Free Summer Lunches for kids– Lots of locations have events or activities nearby, so you can have fun and have a free lunch!

The splash ground at Santee Lakes is GREAT! It’s only $2.00 per kid to play and if you park outside the Santee Lakes, you don’t have to pay to park! Take a picnic and it’s a great frugal outing! We go at least once a week in the summer and it’s always
a GREAT time!

The Santee Lakes hosts free summer movies throughout the summer. If you park your car outside the gates (there is lots of street parking!), there is no cost of the movies. If you drive your car into the park, it’s $8.00 per car, regardless of how many ppl are in your car. Bring a picnic and some blankets and kick back for a fun family movie!

There are a bunch of municipal pools in San Diego that have open swim times, and a couple that have splash pads!

Most San Diego, CA area YMCA locations have fun events for kids a few Saturday nights per month. Our local Y does Kids Night at the Y twice a month. It’s only $20 per kid (Just a little more if you aren’t a member), and your kids go have fun for 4 hours. It’s cheaper than a sitter and a lot more fun!

Speaking of the YMCA- Most locations have pools, splash pads, or other aquatic fun, entrance is included with YMCA membership. If you aren’t a member, entrance fees are just a few dollars (it varies by location).

Balboa Park still offers Free Tuesdays at various museums in the park.

San Diego County Libraries have story time and various kid events each week. I love taking the kids to the Santee library story time!

El Cajon, La Mesa, and Escondido all have classic car shows/rallies each week that are free. Most have free live music too! Check out some sweet rides, cool tunes, and have a fun frugal night with the fam!

San Diego County has great parks, as do most of the cities in San Diego County! Our favorite parks include Big Rock Park in Santee, Kennedy Park in El Cajon, La Mesita/Junior Seau Park in La Mesa, Harry Griffin Park in La Mesa (great for little kids).

If you’ve got a Starwood Managed Mall Near you (We do- It’s Parkway Plaza), check out their fun kid’s events each month called: MallStars. There are different crafts, games, and sometimes even snacks for the kids (10 and under) to do! Times and locations within the mall vary, so check with mall management.

Talk Back: What kind of stuff do you do to keep your family entertained for free?

Free Bowling for Kids This Summer!

June 1, 2019June 1, 2019Abby H.1 Comment

Looking for something fun, air-conditioned, and cheap to do this summer? Yeah, you are!

Kids Bowl Free has been around for years, and it’s a great way to get kids active even when it’s hot outside.

Kids (usually ages 2-18, but it varies by location) can bowl 2 games for free each day the program is running at participating bowling centers. All you pay for is shoe rental- or if you are like us, you’ve got a pair of bowling shoes (thanks to the local AmVets thrift store that had them last year for $5/pair).

This program is available all over the US and Canada. The complete list can be found here. Sign up is quick and easy. To get started, register here.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of this deal! It’s one of our favorite summer activities.

2019 Free Meals this Summer for Kids!

June 1, 2019Abby H.3 Comments

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Like last year, I’m still pulling together resources at the time that this is published, and I’ll be adding additional sites as soon as I can.

School will be out within a month for most kids in San Diego, and that means there are some parents (and kids) who usually rely on free or subsidized school lunches may find themselves wondering what to do.

Thankfully, a lot of great organizations have stepped up and partnered with local area schools, libraries, rec centers, and civic organizations to provide free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for al kids 18 and under this summer.

For any of these opportunities, there is NO PROOF OF INCOME OR PROOF OF NEED REQUIRED. You take your kiddos, show up at a location near you during the lunch period (each location sets its own hours), and the kids get a yummy, healthy lunch for free. Menus vary, but all lunches meet USDA guidelines for a healthy lunch (think of the food pyramid).

You can search here for a list of California Department of Education sites that offer free meals (some sites offer breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks).

Screen Shot 2019-06-01 at 1.52.03 PM.png For those of us in Eastern San Diego County, Cajon Valley School District sponsors free lunches!

Menus will probably be available in the next few weeks. Last Summer every Friday was pizza day! And there are usually vegetarian options daily for those of you who have meat-free kiddos (previous options included bean, rice, and cheese burritos, hard boiled eggs, string cheese, cheese sandwiches, nut butter sandwiches, or Uncrustables)!

Last summer The El Cajon Library had lunch and activities (crafts, story time, etc) each day (Monday -Friday).

Screen Shot 2019-06-01 at 2.03.13 PM.png San Diego Unified School District has partnered with some awesome sponsors to host the Summer Fun Cafe 2019 all over San Diego County! Lunch will be served at over 30 locations all summer for kids 18 and under! The kick-off Summer BBQ (with free lunch for adults too) at Penn Athletic Field on 6/20/19 10:30am-2:00pm! There are all kinds of activities, community resources, and even free produce for families to take home!

Most locations will be serving lunch on June 17-August 16, 2019.

What I love about this program is that there are tons of rec centers hosting these lunches and they are usually adjacent to a playground, which means after a long morning of playing, the kids don’t have long to wait to get a yummy lunch!

Looking for a few ideas of summer fun with a nearby lunch?

There is a lunch location down at the Waterfront Park- which is also free (You have to pay to park at the meters)! It has a great playground and a splash area.
The Tierrasanta Rec Center has a cool kids splash ground that’s open early in the day. It’s not free, but it’s pretty cheap ($2/ kid, $4/adult).

If you know of more summer lunch programs for kids in San Diego County, I’d love to hear about them! Please leave a comment!

If you aren’t in the immediate San Diego area, text FOOD (Or COMIDA for a list in Spanish) to 877-877, or call 211 and you can find a list of free summer lunch locations near you.

Olive Garden: Buy One, Take One is Back!

May 30, 2019May 29, 2019Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-05-29 at 9.53.47 PM Olive Garden in the big kid’s favorite “grown-up” restaurant (aka they have cloth napkins). He saw a commercial for this deal the other day and told me I had to tell the internet about it.

Olive Gardens Buy One, Take One deal is back for a limited time. The complete list can be found here.

The basics of the deal are that you order a meal to eat in the restaurant from the list above (complete with the soup or salad and breadsticks that you all know and love), and you get to take home another prepped meal (Spaghetti with Meat Sauce*, Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, or Cheese Ravioli) sans soup/salad and breadsticks (although you usually can snag a couple extra breadsticks in a doggy bag if you ask your waitperson nicely).

And don’t forget that Olive Garden has a loyalty club too! You earn points with every purchase, and points can be redeemed for freebies like non-alcoholic drinks, appetizers, entrees, kids meals, and desserts. You can sign up on their website, or in the restaurant at your table on the little Zoosk kiosks.

FREE Credit Score and Savings Advice from Credit Sesame!

May 28, 2019May 27, 2019Abby H.

Knowing your credit score is important. Having good credit can help you in several aspects of life:

Good credit gives you better access to better APR’s for credit cards, mortgages, car loans, lines of credit.

Credit Sesame is so much better than some of the other credit report services.

You can get your credit score for FREE each month.
No credit card required – ever.
Personalized savings advice!

Getting started with Credit Sesame is easy- just click here! We’ve been using Credit Sesame for over 5 years!

HouseParty by Ripple Street: Host a Cinderella Movie Night Party

May 23, 2019May 22, 2019Abby H.

Host a Cinderella Movie Night Party

One of the most beloved Disney classics of all time, Cinderella is available on Digital & Movies Anywhere June 18, on Blu-ray June 25. To celebrate, treat your kids and their friends to a Royal Ball featuring a viewing of the movie. Have the kids dress up as princesses to watch the magical story of a strong princess who never stopped dreaming or believing in herself. A great message to share with the little princesses in your life and a story which will live in their hearts forever.

This event is only open to residents of the contiguous US.

Party Date: June 28, 2019 – June 30, 2019

If you’re selected and confirmed as a host, your exclusive Party Pack will contain:

Microwave popcorn
Princess Cups and Plates
And more

Screen Shot 2019-05-22 at 3.49.57 PM.png To Apply for this party, click here. Ripple Street/Houseparty always has a bunch of great parties you can apply for, so if Cinderella ain’t your thing, you can find something that is!

Summer Reading Program at San Diego Area Libraries!

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019Abby H.

Summer is upon us! And that means summer reading program at both San Diego County and City of San Diego Libraries!

The County of San Diego Library System has not yet put up their 2019 reading program. But their main website is here and las years summer reading program can be found here. I’m going to go talk to the kid’s librarian over at our local branch this weekend and see if I can get some info to post.

srp_2019_web_banner The City of San Diego Library System has its 2019 reading program up here.

Each program is different, and the prizes for each program are pretty cool. From tote bags and free lunches, to raffle tickets to win awesome grand prizes like drones and Lego sets, these programs are a great way to motivate kids to keep reading all summer long.

In addition to reading programs, there are also fun events at county and city libraries throughout the summer. My recommendation is to check out your local branches Facebook page. The Mission Valley branch has tons of great summer events planned!