Inexpensive Summer Fun: The Library.

Like many households, Casa de Geekery is under budget restraints, which makes planning for summer even more of a challenge. Fortunately, there is no shortage of free or low-cost fun in Modesto, and I'll be sharing some ideas on how to keep the cash crunch from defining your summer.

I know The Bee and I have said this before, but don’t forget the Stanislaus County Library as a source of free entertainment. Librarian Susan Cassidy had a great piece in last Monday’s Bee about reading aloud to your kids. Our family goes to the library just about every week, year-round. In the summer, we often combine our library visit with a stop at the Farmers Market on Thursdays or Saturdays.

If financial woes have trickled down to your kids, reading to them can bring double benefits: It reinforces the importance of reading *and* gives them time to be with you when you’re not worried about money or distracted by other things. Start by reading aloud a chapter or two per night while cuddling on the couch. Have fun with it, ham it up, use accents and an animated tone. Roald Dahl books are great for that sort of thing.

Once you’ve found and read a book you all love, watch the movie based on the book, if there is one. (This site has a long list of books that have been made into movies in recent years, and Common Sense Media and Kids in Mind offer movie reviews.) It may sound silly or simplistic, but when trips and dinners out have been curtailed because of budget restraints, it’s time to turn on a bit of sparkle at home. I recommend a family movie night, with a free library movie, homemade popcorn and some sort of sweet treat; it’s budget-friendly and so much fun. My kids especially like our “dinner and a movie” nights, when we have a carpet picnic before watching a movie together.

We recently read the book, and then watched the movie adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle. It sparked some great conversations about how movies can differ from books, as well as Japanese animation and (from the eight-year-old’s annoyed perspective), “Why does there always has to be kissing in movies?!” We’ve also enjoyed The Secret of Roan Inish, which we borrowed from the library after reading books about selkies, mythical creatures that transform themselves from seal to human.

For reluctant older readers, try graphic novels, which the library has in large supply, or picture books specifically for older readers; the artwork in those books, which are usually about 30 pages, is often breathtaking. The librarians are great resources for helping you find a just right book. Oh, and don’t forget about books on tape and CD, which can make a wonderful road trip companion. PlayAways, which are kind of like iPods but loaded with one story, can keep the peace once they’ve counted cows and gotten bruises from Beetle-spotting.

There’s one more bonus to the library habit. Reserving books and other media from the library’s Web site is kind of like getting a package in the mail: You can “order” the book online, and get an email when it has arrived. Go to the library and voila! Your book is ready for you. You may be surprised how much excitement your children will derive from hearing that the book or movie they’ve been waiting for has arrived.