kid

Summer Movie Deals for 2024!

Abby H.

One of the kid’s favorite summer activities is to hit up the local theater for a showing of one of their favorite movies.

Big buckets of popcorn, snuck in candy (shhhh), and a drink and they are ready for 2 hours of fun in the Air Conditioning.

In my search for theater chains offering this fun this summer, several of our old friends are not participating as of the writing of this post.

Select Reading Cinemas will have the Reel Kids program, where throughout the summer (June-August) there will be kid-approved movies for the reduced price of $1/ticket!

And perhaps my kids’ favorite,Regal Summer Movie Express is back! Express tickets are just $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays featuring summer movies the whole family will enjoy. Availability varies by location. My kids are excited to see Puss in Boots, Across the Spider-verse, and Angry Birds 2.

AMC has nothing planned per their website, but they do offer discounts for students and the elderly.

Cinemark (No locations near us) has 8 weeks of Movie Fun planned. More Details can be found here.

Talk Back: What summer movies are you looking forward to seeing?

2024 Summer Reading Programs!

Abby H.1 Comment

Summer break from school means summer reading programs from the local library systems, plus a few other places.

Here are a few of our favorite summer reading programs. I’ve listed the prizes that I could find, but at the time this post was published, not all of the prizes were known.

Unless specifically stated, the programs start June 1st.

Book It has a summer program called Camp Book it, where kids can read, and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house. parents can enroll their kids for the summer!

The City of San Diego Library system program has published its prizes this year, and lemme tell you, it’s pretty amazing.

Children (Ages 0- 11)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Pass for 4 for The San Diego New Children’s Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland
  • Free kid’s meal from Mendocino Farms
  • Free kid’s meal from Panda Express

Teens (Ages 12-17)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland

Adults (Ages 18+)

  • Free book at participating Friends of the Library Book Sales and Used Bookstores
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • 1 reusable utensil kit

For more information or to sign up, click here. 

The County of San Diego Library summer reading program started June 1st. They have all sorts of prizes for kids and adults.

If you want your family to experience a multicultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish. The books were super useful for me learning to read in Spanish (Beyond what Duolingo teaches).

Barnes and Noble have a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination Library, it is available in select regions (sadly not available in San Diego California), and those who live in participating areas can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.

5/22/2024 Full Spectrum Soccer Clinic at Santee Sportsplex!

Abby H.

If you have a friend or family member with social, emotional, of physical special needs ages 5-20, this event looks like a great night out!

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 6-8pm at the Santee Sportsplex there is a Full Spectrum Soccer Clinic.

The event is free, however, the Sportsplex does have a $3 per 18+ entrance fee.

For more information, check out the graphic on this post. I found this information via email from my kids’ school. Googling the contact name and phone number didn’t give me any additional information or a website, so I’m unsure which organization sponsors this event.

Save $$ on Prescriptions with SingleCare!

Abby H.

I am all about saving money any way I can, y’all know this! Everyone in our house has at least two daily prescription meds. It seriously adds up. That’s why I was excited to learn about SingleCare.

SingleCare is a free service that helps you save money on your prescriptions. Sign up with SingleCare and receive a free prescription discount card and new users receive a $3 Off Coupon on the first eligible prescription you fill, just for signing up.

SingleCare offers discounts on 10,000+ brand-name and generic drugs. Save up to 80% on the retail or “cash” price.

Next time you fill a prescription, tell your pharmacist you have a SingleCare coupon card, and ask them to fill and process your prescription with it. They’ll input the magic numbers and apply your savings.

To get started saving with SingleCare, sign up for a free card here.

 

Free Downloadable Birthday kits from Netflix!

Abby H.

Check out this cool Freebie! If you’ve got a kiddo who likes any of the following shows, these printables may be great for their next birthday party!

Netflix is offering free downloadable birthday party kits, only on NetflixFamily.com! Fans of Hot Wheels Let’s Race, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and CoComelon Lane can celebrate their birthdays with printable invitations, banners, cupcake toppers, and food labels featuring characters from their favorite show!

Low Cost Laptops and Desktops from C2K (San Diego County) October 2023

Abby H.

Does your school-age kiddo need a laptop or desktop for schoolwork?

Do you live in San Diego County?

If you answered yes to both of these, check out this awesome program from North County Regional Education Center in San Marcos.

Sign up here by October 5, 2023, to take advantage of this event, which takes place on October 7, 2023, from 9:00-11:30 AM.

There is and laptop or desktop to choose from, and the prices start at $100, which is a really great deal.

If you have any questions, please call 858-200-9788 or email programs@c2sdk.org.

Kids Bowl Free- It’s Back for Summer 2023!

Abby H.

file0001910298986.jpgThis popped into my inbox last night. I’m so glad it’s back.

Looking for something fun, air-conditioned, and cheap to do this summer with the kids?

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

Kids 2-18 can bowl 2 games for free each day the program is running at participating bowling centers all across the US and Canada. All you pay for is shoe rental- or bring your own if you have them!kidsbowlfree_logo-new-2019.jpg

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. If you live in San Diego, the only bowling alley participating is Aztec Lanes.

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

Free, Frugal, Fun Adventures for Kids

Abby H.1 Comment

It’s the first day of Summer Break here, and I’ve already got a list of the fun stuff we can do to get the kids off devices and out of the house. I do not want to hear about boredom at all!

This list is very San Diego County-centered, but with a little bit of googling, I’m sure you’ll be able to find fun freebies and adventures near you.

Check with your local shopping mall, many of them offer free events for kids and families during the summer. For those of us in San Diego, Parkway Plaza in El Cajon has a twice-monthly event.

Kids Night Out
  Jun 23rd, 2023
  05:00 pm – 06:30 pm
Kids Night Out is back and better than ever!  The party continues right outside of Ulta Beauty every 2nd and 4th Friday from 5pm-6:30pm, starting in February.
There will be free crafting for kids,  dancing,  games,  giveaways, and more!
Registered guests will be entered to win rotating prize packages. Register here.
In La Mesa, Grossmont Center Mall has events for the entire family from summer concerts to Free Lego Building events.

Looking for Swim Lessons for the Kids- 2023 Edition

Abby H.2 Comments

Summer is here, or will be soon. The kids need to brush up on their skills-I can’t be the only parent looking for information on swim lessons and getting kids’ water ready.

My usual go-to is the swim lessons held at our local high school district, Grossmont Unified High School District. They have lessons for kids ages 3 and up. Schedules and pricing can be seen here.

The City of San Diego has private, semi-private, and group swim lessons at several of its pools. The prices are pretty decent. The prices and more info can be found here.

If you live in El Cajon, you’ve got some really excellent swim lesson options. Visit the Rec Center online here and take a look at all of the classes. Anyone can take classes, but El Cajon residents (of the incorporated city) can get killer discounts.

The Kroc Center offers swim lessons. Information can be found here.

The YMCA offers swim lessons at many of its facilities. Currently, they are offering private/semi-private lessons only. You do not need to be a YMCA member to take lessons there, however, the rate is cheaper if you are. The list of San Diego, CA area YMCAs that offer swim lessons can be found here.

I also did some digging for parents of kids on the Autism Spectrum. Aqua Pros offers classes specially designed for kids on the spectrum! More information and class prices can be found on their website.

These are just a few of the options available. There are of course private swim instructors and private companies that offer private or small group lessons. The ones listed above are for more of the price-conscious in mind.

Talk Back: If you or your kids have had great swim lessons, leave a comment and let us know where! The more options, the better!

2023 Summer Reading Programs (Free!)

Abby H.2 Comments

There are 6 days of school left for my kids, and maybe your’s too.  And you know what that means- keeping kids occupied so we don’t have to hear choruses of, “I’M BORED!” And how do we do that?

Around these parts, both kids go to summer school, but we also take advantage of free and low-cost summer programs. One of my favorites is the Summer Reading Programs that are sponsored by both the City of San Diego Library system, but also the County of San Diego Library system.

The City of San Diego Summer Reading Program started June 1st. You can find out more details here.

The County of San Diego Library summer reading program started June 1st. They have all sorts of prizes for kids and adults.

If you want your family to experience a multicultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish.

Barnes and Noble have a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination Library, it is available in select regions (sadly not available in San Diego California), and those who live in participating areas can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.

Book It has a summer program called Camp Book it, where kids can read, and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house. parents can enroll their kids for the summer!

And if you haven’t done it yet, don’t forget to sign your kids up for the 2023-2024 school year Book It program. Teachers can sign their classes up too!

 

Talk Back: If you know of any other reading programs in the San Diego/Southern California area, please leave a comment!