School is out! Wait for it, wait for it. Yep, there is it, I knew I’d hear it soon. “Mom, I’m bored. What can we do today?”
Sigh. Of course, there are the traditional summer activities of swimming pools, parks, and amusement parks. But, sometimes hanging outside in the heat and dripping in sweat just isn’t appealing. Personally, I try to so some sort of outing at least twice each week to help break the monotony. One day is usually focused outside around water either at a swimming pool, splash park, lake, or water park. The other day I try to find something to do that’s inside. 
Earlier this week, we tried out a new indoor play place here in San Antonio called Funtastic Playland. Wow, where were these places when I was a kid? It had a huge pirate ship, castle, monster truck, bouncy castle, and playground for the kids to climb on and slide down. My kids' favorite part was the kid-powered train…it wore them out! We only spent a few hours there, but we easily could have stayed longer since they even had a snack bar. Oh, and guess what they used for chairs in their eating area? Lifetime stacking chairs! They probably had about 10 café tables with four Lifetime chairs at each table. At first, I was surprised to see the Lifetime stacking chair, but then I realized it made much more sense than the Lifetime folding chair. First, the black color shows less dirt. Secondly, and more importantly, when you have little ones climbing on and off the chairs, you don’t have to worry about them pushing on the back of the seat and accidentally folding the chair while they are climbing, or pinching fingers.
Anyway, if you're trying to come up with new places to go with your kids this summer, here’s a list of some of my favorite indoor kid-friendly outings to stay cool in the summer.
1. Children’s museums – Don’t let the word museum scare you away! If you’ve never been to a children’s museum, you’re in for a treat. They are like a miniature city of sorts with kid-sized grocery stores, hospitals, painting stations, water stations, and more. And, you can touch everything!
2. Inflatable jumping zones - Places such as Pump It Up or Inflatable Wonderland are rooms dedicated to nothing but bouncy castles! They usually have an "open jump" time each day which is sure to wear your kids out!
3. Indoor playlands – Sometimes shopping malls have great indoor playlands which are free. (And, you can combine them with a quick shopping treat for you, too!) Or, you can also find larger stand-alone playlands (like Funtastic Playland) with a small entrance fee. Just Google "indoor playland" or "indoor playground" for your city.
4. Pottery studios - Let your kids get creative and paint a piece of pottery as a gift for someone or just themselves. Trust me, pottery painting is much more than a plate nowadays! Money banks, flower pots, picture frames, and chip and salsa dishes are just a few of the options you'll find.
5. Libraries - In addition to just checking out new books and movies, don't forget to take advantage of your library's many free activities like reading clubs and storytimes. If your kids won't sit still to listen to a story, don't worry! Storytimes usually include songs, crafts, and sometimes even games and snacks!
6. Bowling allies - What kid doesn't like to throw a ball and make a mess?! Plus, it's an activity that even Mom and Dad can legitimately enjoy. Most lanes now feature gutter guards that automatically pop up for kids and go back down for the adults. And, even the little tikes can enjoy rolling the ball all by themselves with the help of a handicap ball ramp.
7. Painting studios – If you are raising a little Monet, another option is to look for an art studio that has open paint time for kids. Some cities even have art studios just for kids, such as Artworks here in San Antonio. You pay a small fee to paint as much as you want with many different types of mediums ...and the best part is you don't have to clean up the mess!
8. Children's theaters - Lots of cities have theaters that host performances geared solely for kids. The shows are professional, fun, and SHORT! In addition to live theater, don't forget to check out your local movie theaters for summer specials. Many theaters (including Regal Cinemas) show FREE kid movies in the mornings! Honest!
9. Pizza play places – Combine your food and fun in one place! Grab a bite to eat then spend the day playing arcade games at places like Incredible Pizza, Chuck E. Cheese, Peter Piper Pizza, or Gatti's Pizza. (Check your local paper, coupon books, and online before you go for free token coupons!) If you have teenagers, check out the more "grown up" versions like Dave & Buster's and Jillian's that also have billards, shuffleboard, bowling, and a nice sit-down restaurant.
10. Playdates at a friends house - We all know someone else's toys are much more fun than your own! Invite a friend over to your house to play then swap locations next week. Backyards are more fun when you have your own playground too! Check out Lifetime's variety of playgrounds that bring the fun and adventures right to your backyard.
I hope this gives you a few ideas of things to check out in your city this summer. (If you try at least one each week, that should get you through almost the entire summer!) Stay cool and have fun!