The Summer Sun is shining brightly in our backyard! Our favorite season brings tons of outdoor activities to compliment the heat we yearn for all year long. School is out, so the kids are in need of things to do. Don’t fret! You won’t have to break the bank for those kiddos to have fun. We’ll give you a run-down on the local activities you can enjoy as a family, while spending sparingly over Summer.
SPENDING SPARINGLY OVER SUMMER
It’s not always easy to cut costs down when the whole family is at home. There are three meals to be made every day, chores to get done, quality time to be spent, and so much more! With these tips and ideas, we hope to make it a bit easier to spend sparingly over the Summer.
no spending: Get Out Get Active
The weather is nice, school is out, and let’s be honest the kids are just dying to burn some energy. This is the perfect time to get them active outside. Sports are a great way to stay active. Not only can they benefit a child’s health, but it also gets them to socialize with other children their age. Meeting other families can be a great way to help one another out in our community, whether that means carpooling, offering rides to practice, borrowing basic needs items, sharing experiences, and of course it can be great for mom and dad to maintain a healthy social life as well.
Field days can be so thrilling, but we sure aren’t seeing enough of them! They can be an entire day devoted to sports or other outdoor activities. Ours always consisted of as many creative ways possible to get each other wet, perfect for a hot summer day! You can still spend sparingly with a field day, just be sure to get creative when coming up with activities for your yard, here are just a few.
- Bobbing for apples in a big bucket filled with water
- Two single file lines, buckets on each end (4 total), and a sponge for each line (2 total). Soak the sponges and pass them overhead for the last person to squeeze water into end bucket. First to fill line wins.
- Water balloon fight!
- Hold bucket overhead without spilling and hop on one foot to dump bucket out into larger bucket.
- Tug of War
- Sack Race
- Corn Hole
- Three-Legged Race
GETTING OUT this summer RIGHT HERE IN TOWN
Alright, maybe the kids are dying to leave the house! They’re begging saying “Please Mom! Please Dad!” You may be thinking once you turn that car on you won’t stop spending! Remember what I said? Don’t fret! We still got your back. Here are a few activities you can take the little ones out to, and still spend sparingly over summer.
- Visit our local Splash Pad at Cordell Municipal Pool located at 9 SW 13th St. Richmond, IN
- Learn how to play pickleball at local parks such as Clear Creek in Richmond, Golay Center in Cambridge City, and UC Nature Park.
- Disc Golf is another highly popular sport that has taken off in the past few years, we’ve got an entire blog that will run down the basics you need to know here, it’s the perfect time to start.
- Maybe you’ll get in that car and just keep driving? The sky is your limit! Pack the kids in for a road trip they’ll never forget, it might just lead to a camp out.
- Drive-in movie theaters are not only nostalgic, but they’re also a great change of scenery.
- Enjoy the lake! There is reservoir kayaking through the parks department or visit Brookville Lake in the Whitewater Valley.
SPENDING TIME IN THE COMMUNITY
Keep in mind, support can look different in many ways, and you can be sure to get out there while still spending sparingly over summer. Choosing to spend time in your community can have a positive impact on your family, your neighbors, and your local businesses. Being sure to share the importance of community with your children can have lasting influences on their futures. That’s why we’re finishing up by highlighting some of our favorite things to do over the Summer in Wayne and Union County.
- Richmond Jazz Summer Collegiate League has games all Summer long at 201 NW 13th St, Richmond, IN 47374 and other nearby cities.
- Join Cope Environmental Center’s Summer Nature Camp
- Local organizations need your support and participation for their annual fundraising tournaments that are meant to be inexpensive and fun!
- Attend one of Cambridge City Main Street’s Summer Concert Series.
- Support our local Farmer’s Markets and Cardinal Greenway trail
- County Fair
- Union County’s Live in Liberty
We hope some of the ideas we’ve provided you help spare the spending this Summer, while not sparing all the fun! There is plenty to do this season without needing to break the bank!
Learn More About United Way Whitewater Valley
Summer is the perfect time to get out and get involved, we’re in need of your help to make positive changes in our community. Come out and join us for a great cause!
Learn more about our program partners working in our four focus areas: childhood success, youth success, economic mobility, and access to health. Read more about their stories here, or sign up for our newsletter to learn more about what we do at United Way of Whitewater Valley.
