FOLIOby Kellie Abrahamson
Kiddos on the First Coast will be celebrating this month as they start their summer vacations. This time of freedom for them is a time of panic for parents as we scramble for things to do to fight off boredom. Here’s a list of free and cheap ways to keep your progeny entertained during these lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Movies
You can catch plenty of family-friendly films at a variety of different venues this summer.
Moonlight Movies- SeaWalk Pavilion (Jacksonville Beach) Grab a blanket and enjoy the last two installments of this Beaches favorite:
June 4: The Bourne Identity (PG-13)
June 11: The Mummy (PG-13)
Free Family Film Festival– Regal Cinemas Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Regal Cinemas offers free select G and PG movies at 10 am. Doors open at 9 am, seating is first come, first served. Regal Beach 18 (14051 Beach Blvd.) or The Avenues 20 (9525 Philips Hwy.)
Regal Beach 18 (14051 Beach Blvd.)
June 15- 17: Arctic Tale (G), Planet 51 (PG)
June 22- 24: Doogal (G), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (PG)
June 29- July 1: Charlotte’s Web (G), Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)
July 6- 8: Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything (G), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)
July 13- 15: Trumpet Of The Swan (G), Hotel For Dogs (PG)
July 20- 22: Tale of Despereaux (G), Astro Boy (PG)
July 27- 29: Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie (G), The Spy Next Door (PG)
August 3- 5: Wallace and Gromit (G), Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)
August 10- 12: All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 (G), Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)
The Avenues 20 (9525 Philips Hwy.)
June 15- 17: Doogal (G)
June 16-17: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (PG)
June 22- 24: Charlotte’s Web (G), Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)
June 29- July 1: Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything (G), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)
July 6- 8: Trumpet Of The Swan (G), Hotel For Dogs (PG)
July 13- 15: Tale of Despereaux (G), Astro Boy (PG)
July 20- 22: Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie (G), The Spy Next Door (PG)
July 27- 29: Wallace and Gromit (G), Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)
August 3- 5: Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)
August 10- 12: Arctic Tale (G), Planet 51 (PG)
2010 Summer Kid’s Series– Carmike Fleming Island 12 (1820 Town Center Blvd.) Every Tuesday this summer the First Coast’s newest theater will offer movies, drinks and popcorn for just $1 each. Show times are 10 am.
Show times are 10 am:
June 8: Night at the Museum (PG)
June 15: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)
June 22: Aliens in the Attic (PG)
June 29: Ice Age (PG)
July 6: Ice Age: The Meltdown (PG)
July 13: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)
July 20: Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (G)
July 27: Alvin and the Chipmunks (PG)
August 3: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (PG)
August 10: Tooth Fairy (PG)
Summer MovieCamp– AMC Theaters Each Tuesday morning at 10 am families can enjoy a PG rated film for just $1. Doors open at 9:30 am, seating is first com, first served. Orange Park 24 (1910 Wells Rd.) or Regency 24 (9451 Regency Square Blvd.)
Books-A-Million Kids’ Movies– Regency (9400 Atlantic Blvd.) Every Friday you can catch a free kids’ movie at Books-A-Million’s Regency location. The films are usually rated G or PG and they begin at 7 pm. For titles call 805-0004.
Movies in the Park The City of Jacksonville presents Movies in the Park on Friday evenings at various locations around Jacksonville. Use this opportunity to see a great movie and explore a park you don’t usually frequent. The shows begin at 7 pm, so arrive early for a good spot on the grass. For more information call 630-4100. June 11: Crystal Springs Park (10151 Crystal Springs Rd.) July 16: Memorial Park (1620 Riverside Ave.) August 13: Burnett Park (3740 Burnett Park Rd.)
Museums
Throw a little culture into your kids’ routines with free admission to our area museums.
Family Free Days– MOCA Jacksonville (333 Laura St. N.) Every Sunday from noon- 4 pm are Family Free Days. Children under the age of 18 and accompanying adults can enjoy a different art-making activity on the 5th floor guided by a Museum Educator.
Free Tuesdays at the Cummer (829 Riverside Ave.) Free from 4 pm to 9 pm. Be sure to take the kids to Art Connections, a hands-on area that will keep them engrossed until it’s time to go home.
Make It / Take It
Children enjoy making things with their hands and these fun activities give them a chance to do just that! Best of all, these are year-round events, allowing your kids to come back and make something new month after month.
Creative Kids Event– Jo-Ann’s Fabric Kids up to the age of 14 get to enjoy a free 10- 20 minute craft session on select Saturdays from 10 am to noon. Pre-registration is required due to limited seating. For more information or to register, call either the Argyle Forest location (317-0250) or the St. Johns Town Center location (642-2557).
Home Depot Kids Workshops Kids ages 5- 12 can attend these free “How-To Workshops,” which give kids a chance to build something cool the first Saturday of each month. Come into any Home Depot between 9 am and noon to help your little carpenter build a DIY toy or craft. Each time your child completes a kit they earn a pin to put on their free Home Depot apron.
Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinics Each free Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic lets children in grades 2 through 5 make a wooden craft or toy. The clinics are only from 10 am to 11 am and because space is limited parents are encouraged to either show up early or pre-register online. Kids will get a free apron on their first trip and will earn patches to put on it for each completed project. Visit the Lowe’s website (www.lowes.com) for upcoming clinic dates.
The Knack workshops- Michael’s Arts & Crafts This program offers no- or low-cost crafts for kids ages 5- 12 that can be anything from books to tote bags to mugs. Visit www.michaels.com for dates, times and offered crafts for each location.
Pools and Parks
Jacksonville is brimming with parks and you can get a full list of all the locations and events offered this summer at www.jaxparks.com. In the meantime, here are just a few of the noteworthy activities you might want to indulge in.
Summer Night Lights JaxParks will keep the lights on in five parks for from June 18 through August 7. These parks will be open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights for basketball games, arts & crafts and family competitions. Saturday nights will also have a movie in the park and appearances by local radio personalities and improv comedy groups. Swimming pools will be open at four of the five sites.
Mitchell Center (1010 Acorn St.)
C.T. Brown Park (4545 Moncrief Rd.)
R.F. Kennedy Park (1133 Ionia St.)
Charles Clark Park (8793 Sibbald Rd.)
M.L. Gibbs Park (6974 Wilson Blvd.)
JaxParks Community Pools If the heat becomes too much, consider heading to one of our community pools. There are 33 locations sprinkled throughout the city. Visit the JaxParks website for facility hours and the pool nearest you.
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