Free Admission for Military Families

Looking for something to do with your spouse or the kids this summer? Well, thanks to a new program, military families get complimentary admission to more than 2,000 art, science and history museums from now through labor day! The new program, called “Blue Star Museums,” includes free entrance at museums in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa. To be eligible for free admission, you must be active duty, National Guard, Reserve military personnel or a family member. The Blue Star Museums program is brought to us through Blue Star Families, the National Endowment … Continue reading

20 Ways to Get Free Entertainment

Free Entertainment is all around us. We just have to reach out for it. 1. Free movie rentals from Redbox. Search for “Redbox codes” online. You’ll get at least one free movie rental a week when using the Redbox video machines. 2. Free Lego Build Event. Each month Lego stores sponsor free building events for ages 6 through 14. Kids can build a new Lego model each month (this month it is a log cabin) and then take it home. 3. Free video games from the library. Chances are that your library is stocked with video games for current systems. … Continue reading

How to Score Free Day Trips

Need some fun getaway ideas? How about scoring a free day trip? It isn’t as hard as you might think. 1. Check out national parks and museums Many national parks and museums are free to the public. You can donate any amount you wish to help support the museum or park, but what you pay, or even if you pay at all, is up to you. Out of 397 national parks, 264 for them never charge a fee. The others offer “free admission days” to visitors. The same goes for private museums. Take a look at the websites for your … Continue reading

Holiday Fun for Free

Various retailers have been displaying their holiday merchandise since Labor Day, so it’s no surprise that city Christmas parades are taking place earlier and earlier each year. Yesterday, I discovered that our town’s annual holiday parade is heading down Main Street on November 17th this year. A Christmas parade less than three weeks after Halloween? Apparently, this early-bird trend is sweeping the nation and it’s not just parades, but a slew of other holiday-related events as well. On the bright side, many of these festive experiences are free and open to the public, allowing cash-strapped families a chance to get … Continue reading

Summer Fun for Free

Summer is one of my favorite times of the year, not just for the great weather and the easy living but for all of the wonderful free fun that can be had, from free classes to free concerts, free food to free movies. You just have to know where to look. Skip the expense of the summer camp and take advantage of plenty of free fun for the kids instead. Do some research to find free events. Start local and work your way out. Find out if your town or city has a website or cable channel that lists free … Continue reading

Search Ellis Island Records For Free Online

The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation is a free resource for genealogists seeking to find information about ancestors that came to America through what is perhaps the best known point of entry into the United States. The foundation was established in 1982 when President Ronald Reagan asked the Chairman of Chrysler Corporation, Lee Iacocca, to start a private sector effort to raise funds for the restoration and preservation of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The fundraising effort was a huge success, and in 1986 restoration of the Statue of Liberty was complete. The Foundation next turned … Continue reading

The Walt Disney Family Museum

To keep many of his animators from being drafted, Walt Disney struck a deal with the government to create promotional material during the Second World War. I’ve written twice now about things relating to The Walt Disney Family Museum, but I realized that I’ve never covered details about the museum itself. Before it opened it was examined here on the families.com Disney blog, but now that it’s been in operation for over a year let’s look at the institution again. The Walt Disney Family Museum was co-founded by Diane Disney Miller, eldest daughter of Walt Disney, and Richard Benefield in … Continue reading

Family-Friendly Museums

Not all children’s museums are family friendly. Many establishments that market themselves as “kid-friendly” often pay more attention to toddlers than tweens. If your kids are older and don’t much care to take part in museum scavenger hunts or make pretend pizzas with plastic ingredients, don’t give up on educational establishments. Instead, plan a trip to the following museums across the U.S. that aim to stimulate families with members of all ages: Exploratorium, San Francisco Learning has never been more fun thanks to the Bay Area’s Exploratorium. The interactive San Francisco museum is a hands-on wonderland for tweens and teens. … Continue reading

Visit A Museum For Free!

If you have been wanting to visit a museum near you, but it’s just not in your budget, you should take advantage of this deal by Smithsonian Magazine. On September 25, 2010, you can visit a participating museum near you for free! Just print out their coupon. This is their 6th Annual Museum Day. Museums are fun to visit. They always have something interesting to see, are family friendly, and an excellent way to learn about something. Many of us have memories of visiting museums with our families when we were children. Or, you might have gone on a field … Continue reading

10 Free or Cheap Things to Do With Kids During the Spring

I was reading a blog post by Tricia Edgar this morning called “How Goes the Outdoor Challenge?” It got me to thinking about things my kids and I could do this spring. As a single mom, I don’t have a lot of money to budget for activities, but there are a lot of free and cheap things that can be done with kids. Here’s what I found: 1. Take a nature walk or hike. Stop along the way to talk about the things you see: leaves, rocks, birds, animal tracks, etc. 2. Go for a bike ride: Your bikes have … Continue reading