by Monica Vereana Williams

Created on: June 07, 2008   Last Updated: June 26, 2008

I remember the first summer that I lived with my husband and his two school-aged children. It was wonderful to have so much time to spend with kids who still wanted to spend time with us. The days were filled with busy activity and the nights were spent cooling down and enjoy quiet time together.

Things began to change when I finished university, but fortunately I was quickly hired by my local school board and had the wonderful luxury of having summers off; more time to spend with the kids.

But what if you don't have that kind of time off during your kids' summer vacation? What if you have two working parents, or are a single working parent and need to entertain kids during the hottest months of the year? What if your kids are not quite old enough to take care of themselves during the day, but a little too old for daycare? Compound that with a tight income and you have the makings of a potentially stressful and anxious summer. Some strategic planning and creativity can help make your kids' summer vacation the fun time it should be.

1) Many summer camps, especially day camps, offer various types of subsidy. The YMCA, for example, offers subsidization for all of their day camps. You simply have to ask. And its always worth it to apply; often, even when you don't qualify for a full subsidy, they are willing to waive a portion of your costs. And most importantly, they often have a fantastic variety of camp themes, from Drama Camp to Sports Bag (which looks at a different sport each day of the week)!

2) Your local library is one of the most valuable resources when it comes to finding free, or very cheap, activities for kids. Many libraries have programs for every age, from infants to teens. Song circles, story time, reading clubs...all offer something for everyone. And after you enjoy your day's activities you can encourage your kids to get a few books, to help fill those occasional nasty rainy days.

3) Tap into your circle of friends. Often, parents overlook one of the most valuable resources they have, namely their friends or their children's friends. Many parents work, but most don't work the same schedule as everyone else. Work on co-ordinating a childcare schedule with your friends or your kids' friends parents. This is a win-win-win situation; you get free childcare, your kids get to spend time with other kids and you don't have to spend all of your time with them 'entertaining'.

4) Museums and art galleries are very often overlooked as places to spend some time.

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