By Julie Patno, Manager, Center for Community Health and Wellness, Lowell General Hospital

Summer vacation is exciting, but has the summer boredom sunk in among your kids? Keeping kids busy all summer can be overwhelming and the costs can add up fast.

But don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be that way!

The Center for Community Health & Wellness at Lowell General Hospital put together a packet full of inexpensive ideas for you and your family to do, and plenty of programs offered in the Greater Lowell area with links for more information. You will also find information on special offers and even free admissions to local museums, parks, and even movie theaters.

Looking for some inexpensive ideas to keep your kids busy during their time off? Here is a preview of some of the programs, tips and ideas you will find in the complete LGH Summer Fun on Budget Packet

 Create your own Summer Budget Kit!

• Large plastic bin or box hold all of the supplies
• Craft supplies such as glue, contraction paper, watercolors, finger paints and scissors
• Coloring books and crayons
• Sidewalk chalk
• Water balloons
• Bubbles (liquid and wands)
• Supplies to make a fort such as old sheets and pillows or card board boxes
• Gardening supplies such as plastic pots, plastic shovels and free seeds from kitchen (dried beans, apple seeds, avocado pits)
• Jump ropes
• Hula hoops

Bookworm Wednesdays!   

Every Wednesday at 10:00am starting July 6^th for six weeks

• Bookworm Wednesday entitles kids to free admission to a select children’s film were they present a book report at a participating Showcase Cinemas, Multiplex Cinemas, or Cinema de Lux box office
• Parents/Guardians and children under 6 years old do not need to submit a book report
• This is a fun and rewarding summer reading program that was developed to encourage young children to read during the summer months

Remember keeping your kids happy and busy doesn’t have to be expensive. Want access to more Summer Fun on a Budget ideas, programs, camps and special offers in the Greater Lowell area?

Check out this link.  We’d love to hear your ideas too!