Moms Inc. Presents:Free Family FunSpeaker: Holly Hanson, April 18, 2011Easter Vacation and Summer are fast approaching! Time to start planning some serious family fun. But wait! You say, “ I don’t have any money! You can’t have fun without money!!!” I say, you’re in luck! We live in one of the best locations around for free family fun, and I’ll prove it.Here is a compilation of some fantastic family ideas that will put little to no strain on your wallet. All you need is some time, a willing family and a sense of adventure!

Free Kids Meals

Free Balboa Park Museums

The Ikea Experience

Chuck E Cheese

Local Parks

Movie Mornings

VBS

Your Local LibraryLocal History ToursBabysitter TradeDiscount Sources/ Year round ideas

Free Kids Mealswww.mykidseatfree.comMonday:IHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeTuesday:Coco’s- Kids free after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréePat & Oscar’s- all day, 1 free kid’s meal with minimum purchase of $5: multiple kids, do multiple checks!Chevy’s- all day, 1 free kid’s meal per 1 adult entrée Denny’s- 4-10pm, age 10 and under, 2 kids meals per 1 adult entréeIHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeWednesday:El Torito- all day, 1 kid’s meal per 1 adult entrée, age 12 and underCoco’s- Kids free after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeIHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeThursday:IHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeFriday:

IHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeSaturday:Denny’s- 4-10pm, age 10 and under, 2 kids meals per 1 adult entréeIHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entréeSunday:IHOP – Kids free every day in April after 4pm: 1 kid per 1 adult entrée

Balboa Park Free Museums

First Tuesday

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

Centro Cultural de la Raza

Model Railroad Museum

Natural History Museum (See Special Information following museum listings)

Second Tuesday

Museum of Photographic Arts

Museum of San Diego History

Veterans’ Museum and Memorial Center

Third Tuesday

San Diego Art Institute

San Diego Museum of Art**

Mingei International Museum

San Diego Museum of Man

Japanese Friendship Garden**

Fourth Tuesday

San Diego Air & Space Museum (See Special Information following museum listings)

San Diego Automotive Museum (Last admission at 3:45 p.m.)

San Diego Hall of Champions

House of Pacific Relations International Cottages

Fifth Tuesday

Normal museum prices in effect.

The Timken Museum of Art is always free.

*Some museums may offer complimentary admission to their permanent collections only and charge

admission to special exhibitions or films.

**Free to San Diego County Residents and Active Military only

THE IKEA EXPERIENCE:

1. (Almost Free) Family Breakfast: .99 each, Eggs, 2 bacon, country potatoes yum! Ikea coffee is

seriously my favorite. Stop on your way to Seaworld if you have passes, or on your way to the free

museums at Balboa Park! Breakfast is served 9:30-11am.

2. Date lunch or dinner with free 1 hour babysitting! Go with your hubby to Ikea, drop the kids off at

the supervised ball pit, head upstairs to the restaurant for an hour alone and have an inexpensive

dinner date! Menu items include: penne pasta $1.99, Tuesday special: 15pc Swedish meatballs with

mashed potatoes and Lingonberry Jam, $2.49 (downstairs bistro special for the kids before you

drop them off: 2 hotdogs, 1 bag of chips and a drink $2)

Rules for supervised play area: Kids must be between 37” and 54”, potty trained with no pull ups.

Monday-Saturday 10-7, Sunday 10-6. Access based on first come first serve basis, limited number

of children allowed in play area at one time.

3. Repeat idea 2 for some sanity to read a good book or chat with a friend any day of the week!

CHUCK E CHEESE:

Chuck E Cheese is open every day, and has free admission. Kids can climb the play gym for free and can

watch the Chuck-E and friends shows for free. For 10 free tokens, go to www.chuckecheese.com and look for

the reward charts under the promotions tab. You can print a coupon for free tokens with any food purchase.

Get yourself a drink and your child can play! (You can also invest $3 in their refillable cups, which means

that you can bring it with you any time for the rest of your life and refill for free!)

EXPLORE YOUR LOCAL PARKS

When I ran a playgroup for 3 years, I investigated a lot of parks. Here are some of the best, so you can save

the disappointment of heading to a not-so-fun one!

Harry Griffen Park, 9950 Milden St. La Mesa: Behind Grossmont High School: Lots of shade and grass to

run, easy parking that is close-by. Restrooms, picnic tables, play structures for toddlers and bigger kids

Shadow Hill Park, Santee: 9161 Shadow Hill Road : Has wonderful shaded play area for all ages, restrooms, pavilion with

picnic tables, convenient parking.Hilton Head Park, Rancho San Diego: 16005 Hilton Head Road: Located across the street from Kohl’s, has a water park that runs May through October. Fun play areas for kids, lots of shady pavilions, restrooms, and grass galore. Sand is under the multiple play structures which are built for all ages. Path for bike, scooter, or tricycle riding.

MOVIE MORNINGS:

Ultrastar cinemas in Hazard Center: $2.50 G-rated movies every Saturday morning at 10:30 am. April’s feature is

Strawberry Shortcake: Sky’s the Limit. Free admission coupons in San Diego Family Magazine.

Summer Free Family Festival: Regal and Edwards Cinemas: Dates TBA. Watch the regal cinemas website for

information about the free family movie festival this summer. It usually runs Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at

10am from Mid June to late August.

SUMMER BLAST AND VBS:

This summer, take advantage of the VBS programs going on around town. Consider volunteering, too. Shadow

Mountain’s Summer Blast will be going on July 18-22nd. Kids age 4 through 5th grade. FREE! 8:30 am to Noon.

Sonrise church in Santee usually does one and so does Lakeside Presbyterian (theirs starts June 6th). Check with

other churches around town (the ones that teach trustworthy doctrine, of course) to see what they are offering.

YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY:

Experience the fun of the local library. You can find kids movies on DVD that can be checked out for 1 week at a time,

great kids board books and early reader books, free computer programs that the kids can play at the library, many

libraries have baby & preschool reading times and other special activities for kids. Check the calendar for your local

library at www.sdcl.org

PROJECT HOME FRONT: CORONADO

2/16/11 – 2/12/12 Great for that kid who loves airplanes and flying and everything associated with it!

As part of the Centennial of Naval Aviation, the Coronado Historical Association has honored Coronado's

aviation heritage with yard signs identifying the homes of aviators past and present. Maps with biographical

information on this self-guided community tour may be picked up at the Coronado Visitor Center, 1100

Orange Avenue. (619) 435-7242

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT, WHALEWATCHING AND TIDEPOOLS (Free April 16-24 th, also June

21, Sept 24, Nov 11-13th.) $5 per vehicle other days. Located in Point Loma, this is a fantastic place to spend the day

and take pictures. The tidepools are awesome and there is a little sheltered beach where you can eat lunch or let

the kids play (bring your own shade). Go during low tide. During whale season (through March and maybe April),

you can see whales swim by the Cabrillo lookout point.

CREATION AND EARTH HISTORY MUSEUM

You can do a FREE fun family outing at the museum, located in Santee. Formerly founded by the Institute for

Creation Research, it has been sold to a non-profit foundation that now maintains it. Admission is free and there

are lots of wonderful exhibits to help you discuss with your kids how the world was made, from the Biblical

worldview. Open M-Sat 9-4, closed Sundays and most holidays. 10946 Woodside Avenue North, Santee 92071

www.lifeandlightfoundation.org/museum.html

ARTWALK, LITTLE ITALY

April 30 & May 1st, FREE. Annual Festival in San Diego’s Little Italy Area. Features Adult and kids art area, music,

dance. 11am to 6pm each day www.missionfederalartwalk.org

BABYSITTER TRADE

Trade kids with another family one night a once a month to give yourself a free date night and let the kids have

some fun together. For an extra special treat, consider a sleepover. This saves on sitter fees and allows you some

much needed mom and dad time. Be sure the family you choose has similar values and a home that is child-

proofed to an appropriate level for your child. For those of you with little ones, maybe just a trade for an hour or

two might work…time to sneak in a dinner, a pedicure, or just a nap. ;)

DISCOUNT SOURCES:

Clipper Magazine (comes in your mailbox or you can find coupons online) www.clippermagazine.com

Get1Free Magazine: comes in your mailbox or www.get1free.com

Entertainment Book: Buy from your local school fundraiser, or get one on sale now ($15) www.entertainment.com

Pennysaver : Comes in your mailbox each week. Or: www.pennysaverusa.com/coupons/usa/california/san-

diego/el-cajon/index.html

MORE YEAR-ROUND IDEAS:

http://www.sandiegofamily.com/out-and-about/over-500-things-to-do