Maria Robinson
Let’s get real here. While you’re way more than thrilled to be done with helping the kids with their math homework, piecing together insects out of toilet paper tubes, or trying to make it out the door without forgetting a lunchbox or Friday Folder (or child), summer break sends chills down your spine!
What the heck are you going to do to keep the little cherubs entertained this summer?! Fear not – we have five sure-fire ways to keep the kiddos active and engaged until the school bell rings once more.
Photo courtesy of @displaycalifornia
1. Head to one of Downtown Sac’s Certified Farmers’ Markets and fill your bag with everything you need to make a tasty, farm-to-fork meal. Need ideas? Our friends at Food Literacy Center have great recipes, from breakfasts and snacks to dinner and desserts. Need something for yourself? Check out our delish farm-to-sip margarita.
2. Make your way through your child’s summer reading list by heading to the Sacramento Public Library. We love the Central Library located in the heart of downtown Sac where you can also find plenty of great programs for kids and adults, alike. It’s said that kids can lose up to two months of learned reading skills if they don’t read over the summer. Help prevent the “summer slide” by signing up for the Sac Library’s Summer Reading Challenge.
Photo courtesy of Nicholas Wray
3. Old Sacramento is always a great destination for the family, but there’s a lot more to this beautiful historic district than you probably realize. Head to The Greenhouse (located within Anna Apple), a creative space for children where they can participate in loads of hands-on workshops and family-friendly events.
4. Load up the mini-vans and SUVs and take your group of kiddos to downtown Sac for an Urban Adventure Quest, where the city literally becomes their gameboard. Urban Adventure Quest is a scavenger hunt, that you access via an app on your smartphone, that begins at 16th and Capitol and ends in Old Sacramento. You’ll visit historic and famous sites and learn interesting facts and Sacramento’s unique history. Need tips on where to park? With more than 20,000 parking spots in downtown Sac, ample parking is always available.
Photo courtesy of @TwoTwentyPhotos
5. There’s nothing better than a Sacramento summer night. Am I right, or what? Enjoy those cool Delta Breezes at Concerts in the Park (CIP), Sacramento’s largest outdoor music festival. The kids will enjoy the music, the balloons, the sno-cones, the Coca-Cola inflatable, and the food! You’ll enjoy all that – plus ice-cold beer! Featuring a variety of musical genres, CIP takes place in Cesar Chavez Plaza, in downtown Sac, every Friday through August 5, from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
