FREE

Picnic at a park

Have a potluck-blow-out-slumber-party

Set up a water feature in the back yard

Waterballoon Pinatas

Make a Summer Camp for your little kids – food coloring bubbles http://www.pinterest.com/pin/315322411383749462/

Make a fire in the fire-pit

Camp out in the back yard

Borrow a projector & have a back-yard movie night

Day trip to Grabillhttp://www.visitfortwayne.com/page-detail-visitors.aspx?sename=amish-country-in-grabill-indiana#.U9ubtvldWHt

Free, community party in Headwaters Park East July 28, 5:30 – 9:30 pm.

• Free hot dogs, chips, water and cupcakes, while supply lasts
• Trek the Trails ride at 6 pm
• Carnival Games
• Inflatables
• Horse-drawn wagon rides
• Face painting
• Fire Department, SWAT, K9 Team appearances
• Entertainment Stage with Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, youth center performances and at 7:15 the band Trichotomous Hippopotamus will perform.
• Along with the fun and games, the Parks & Recreation Department will give away 110 tickets to the Bel Airs and B45’s concert and to the Bulldogs concert, a Family Golf Membership, a Family Swim Membership, a free week at Salomon’s Farmin’ Fun Camp and Franke Park Day Camp, a Botanical Conservatory Family Membership, a Hurshtown Reservoir Membership and a trip for two to the Sauerkraut Festival in Waynesville, OH.

Summer Festivals in Fort Waynehttp://www.visitfortwayne.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas/festivals-and-events/

Live music Thurs 12-1:30pm Frieman Square thru Aug

Follinger Outdoor Theatre

• June 17  Into the Woods
• June 24  Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
• July 8     The Boxtrolls
• July 15   Paddington
• July 22   Big Hero 6
• July 29   Frozen
• August 5  Cinderella (2015)
• Fri, Aug 8, 7:30pm FW Children’s Choir
• Tues, Aug 12, 7:30pm FW Area Community Band
• May 17, 4:00 pm Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Symphony & Concert Orchestra
• June 9, 7:30 pmFort Wayne Area Community Band
• June 22, 7:00 pmThe United States Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus
• July 14 , 7:30 pm Fort Wayne Area Community Band
• July 16, 7:30 pm Fort Wayne Sister Cities International
• July 31, 7:00 pmFort Wayne Children’s Choir Choral Fest
• August 11, 7:30 pmFort Wayne Area Community Band
• August 22, 7:00 pmThe United States Navy Cruisers Ensemble

Festivals

• Sat, Aug 23 Taste of the Arts Fort Wayne http://www.tasteoftheartsfortwayne.org/
• Aug 28-31, Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Festival http://acdfestival.org/festival/
• Sun, Sept 7, Be a Tourist In Your Own Hometown 12-5: Tickets @Kroger end of Aug
  • Allen County Courthouse
  • Cathedral Museum
  • Botanical Conservatory
• Sat-Sun, Sept 13-14, FW Regional Maker Faire http://makerfairefortwayne.com/home/
• Sat-Sun, Sept 20-21, Johnny Appleseed Festival http://www.johnnyappleseedfest.com/

FREE National Parks

Indiana Dunes http://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm

George Rogers Clark Park http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks in 2015:

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial http://www.nps.gov/libo

• January 19            Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 14-16   Presidents Day weekend
• April 18-19            opening weekend of National Park Week
• August 25              National Park Service Birthday
• September 26       National Public Lands Day
• November 11       Veterans Day 

Lifetime Sports Academy – FREE tennis, golf and swimming lessons… they also have free lunch at the McMillan pavilion… crafts and games during the day http://www.fortwayneparks.org/images/stories/Home/LSA_2015_web.pdf

Park Days – join other homeschoolers:

• Wednesdays w/ Discovery Clubs
  • May – Buckner noon
    

    Lion’s Park, Fort Wayne, IN

  • June – Foster  10am
  • July 1, 8, 15, 22 – Kreiger 10am
  • July 29 – Riverside Gardens at 14701 Schwartz Road in Leo, IN 10am
  • August – Shoaff – 10am
  • September – Lions noon
• Fridays w/ Unschoolers 2-4ish
  • Tuesdays at Parkview North Park during May
  • Lawton Park on Fridays

SUMMER READING PROGRAMS  

• Book Adventure – Sylvan offers this FREE reading incentive program. Basically your child reads books and then takes a simple comprehension quiz to make sure they understood what they read. The quiz is usually about 10 questions long. They earn points based on how much they remember from reading the book.   http://savingdollarsandsense.com/sylvan-book-adventure/

There are hundreds of books to choose from in all reading levels. These are common books that can be found at your local library. Once they have earned enough points they can trade them in for some really neat prizes!

• Half Price Books – They are offering kids ages 14 and under a chance to earn a $5 Gift Card for reading just 15 each day throughout the summer!  http://www.hpb.com/fyb
• Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesdays – Your child can earn a FREE movie ticket from National Amusements Theaters when they read a book and complete a book report. http://www.showcasecinemas.com/programs/kids-and-families/bookwormwed
• ·         Barnes & Noble Imagination Destination – This summer reading program through Barnes & Noble gives your child the ability to earn a FREE book after reading 8 books and keeping track of them in a reading log. http://savingdollarsandsense.com/barnes-noble-summer-reading-program/
• ACPL 
• TD Bank Summer Reading Program – Read and keep track of 10 books this summer and your child will get $10 added to their Young Saver Account FREE! http://www.tdbank.com/summerreading/
• ·         Chuck E. Cheese – Earn 10 FREE tokens every time your child reads for 2 weeks in a row. Just fill out the form and bring it in to claim your free token. https://www.chuckecheese.com/_content_assets/files/pdf/Rewards%20Calendars%201.2.14/ReadingRewards_RC_1213.pdf
• Scholastic Summer Challenge – Log in your reading minutes to the Scholastic site and your child will be able to participate in a World Record challenge as well as earn digital prizes! http://www.scholastic.com/summer/
• Pottery Barn Summer Reading Challenge – Open only to children under 10 years of age on any day during the promotion period. Must present completed Award-Winning or Early Reader book list to receive a free book at participating Pottery Barn Kids stores. http://www.potterybarnkids.com/design-studio/articles/summer-reading-challenge.html
• Six Flags Read to Succeed – K-6 students who complete six hours of non-school-related reading approved by their parents and teachers are eligible for free admission to their nearest theme park. http://readtosucceed.discoveryeducation.com/

Fort Wayne Museum of Art – free admission every Thursday from 5-8pm

Some Cost

Chain-of-Lakes

Pokagon Nature Center

Hurshtown Resevoir – rent a rowboat for the day $20 http://www.fortwayneparks.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=149&Itemid=288

Bubbles, Sidewalk Chalk, Kites, squirt guns, pool toys

Glow sticks in water bottles for night-time bowling / dumped into bubbles / night-time ring toss game

Kids Skate Free http://kidsskatefree.com/index.php – I think you need to pay for skate rental

@ Roller Dome North 444 W Coliseum Blvd Fort Wayne,IN 46805 Phone: (260) 483-6303

Kids Bowl Free http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/ – bowling shoes must be brought from home or rented

@ Georgetown Bowl 6770 E State Blvd Fort Wayne, IN, 46815-7762 (260) 749-9610

$1.10 admissions to the following:

• Sunday, May 31, after 2 PM, play 9 holes of golf at Foster, McMillen or Shoaff golf courses. (Cart not included)
• Friday, June 12, 12:30-5:00PM, Swim at Memorial Pool for $1.10 per person
• Thursday, June 18, 5 – 8 PM, $1.10 night at Conservatory
• Friday, June 26, 12:30 – 5 PM, Swim at Northside Pool, $1.10 per person
• Friday, July 10, 1:30 – 7 PM, Swim at McMillen Pool, $1.10 per person
• Saturday, July 25, 7:30 AM – 8 PM, Hurshtown Reservoir, $1.10 per car

Farmers Markets

• Mon – Parkview YMCA 4-7pm
• Wed – Schnelker Park, New Haven 4-7pm & Salomon Farm
• Thurs – One Summit Square, 11-2pm & Georgetown Square 4-7pm
• Fri – Jefferson Pointe 4-7pm
• Sat – Barr & Wayne Street 9am-1pm