Cedar Rapids Locals, looking for a great way to take the kids to the movies this summer?! Collins Road Theatres is Offering Free 3-D kids Movies this summer! Every Monday-Thursday at 10 AM (Doors open at 9:15AM). Kids under 18 Free. Adults cost $1.

Movies will include

• May 28-31 Despicable Me
• June 4-7 The Smurfts
• June 11-14 Rango
• June 18-21 Rio
• June 25-28 Dolphin Tale
• July 2-5 Mr Poppers Penguins
• July 9-12 Kung Fu Panda 2
• July 16-19 zookeeper
• July 23-26 Happy Feet Two
• July 30-Aug2 Puss in Boots
• Aug 6-9 The Adventures of Tintin
• Aug 13-16 Megamind

Free 3-D Movies will be presented in the #1 Auditorium limited to 200 seats for free (adults $1). All other Auditoriums will features the same movie in regular format.

DISCOUNTED KIDS TRAYS!

For the FREE! 3-D Kids Movie Summer, the kids trays are discounted even more, down to $4!

Back this year for kids trays is optional CHOCOLATE MILK and premium drinks! You can get chocolate milk, fruit juice and premium drinks like Sunny-D for an extra $1. Drink healthy!

PRIZES!

Lots of stuff! Free popcorn! Free movie passes! Prizes from their partners! Lots of fun!

Don’t forget to check out all of the Summer Fun Short Cuts

Here is another fun reading program for summer!

Kids can sign up and log their reading minutes to win cool rewards with this FREE online program from Scholastic.

Parents can get reading tips, booklists and track their kids reading either online or on their phone. Go to Scholastic for info and to sign up, just click on the “Get Started” button in the lower right corner and then click on join now in the pop-up box.

Don’t miss these other Summer Fun Short Cuts

Wanna take the kids to the movies this summer, but it just seems unaffordable?! Head to Regal Cinemas!

Moviegoers of all ages can climb aboard the Summer Movie Express to enjoy a great selection of films. During this 9-week festival, participating Regal Cinemas, United Artists and Edwards Theatres will offer selected G or PG rated movies for only a dollar on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10:00. A portion of proceeds from the Summer Movie Express will be donated to the Will Rogers Institute.

Don’t miss these other Summer Fun Short Cuts!

REI has a Family Adventure program in the summer that helps get your kid’s outdoors! The program helps teach your kids how fun it can be to spend time outside and the best part is, it’s FREE!

Just head to REI and print this free Adventure Journal. There is even a certificate to fill out when you are done.

**All the information about this program for your kids and family can be found online and also in all REI stores. Also, for more outdoor summer ideas, check out the Bonus Activities while you’re on REI’s website.

Looking for some Frugal Summer fun!? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

Half Price Books has a great summer reading program for Ages 14 and under!

Starts 6/3 (there is a kick off story time at 6/3 2pm at all stores if you want to go), ends 7/25
If you read 600 minutes or more, turn in your form between 7/8-8/5 and you will get a $5 coupon (think free book) to be used 7/25-8/31.

You also enter into the fishbowl contest.  The top reader (1 winner per age group per store) will win a $20 giftcard.

For all the details,Form, rules, etc go here

Looking for more Frugal Fun? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

For those of you with older children, Apple Retail Stores will be holding Apple Camp this summer! This fun, free workshop allows kids between the ages of 8-12 to become filmmakers by learning the ins and outs of iMovie and how to make a film in about the time it takes to watch one. This three day workshop ends with an Apple Camp Film Festival where campers debut their masterpieces. Head over to Apple.com to sign up to be notified when camp registration is open.

Looking for some Frugal Summer fun!? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

I love to encourage my kids to read and this Barnes & Noble Kids Summer Reading Program does just that!

When your kiddo (grade 1 – grade 6) reads any 8 books, and completes this reading log, they can bring it back to Barnes & Noble between 5/24 – 9/6, to receive one of the free books listed here!

Looking for more Frugal Summer Fun? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

Here is another great Summer Fun Deal! Head to Marcus Theatre Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 10am from June 19th through August 16th for your favorite family friendly films for just $2!

Get the full info and find the nearest location here.

Looking for more Frugal Fun? Check out these Summer Savings Shortcuts!

This summer, your children 16 and under can bowl for free at your local AMF. Sound too good to be true? It’s not! Just register your children to get weekly coupons via email for two free games per child per day all summer long. Children love bowling; it’s fun, active, social and local and – best of all – it’s FREE! That’s how AMF does summer!

OR

Share the fun with your kids and save! Get the AMF Summer 17+ Pass for a one-time price of just $27.95. It’s good for up to four people 17 and older. That’s less than $7 per person to bowl two free games every day for the entire summer! That’s summer fun that’s hard to beat!

Looking for more Frugal Fun? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

Kids Bowl Free is back!  It is starting on May 1, 2012. This is one of our favorite offers! This is a great activity for your kids this summer!  Select bowling alleys across the country are offering two free games of bowling all summer long!

Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations.

You do need to pay to rent bowling shoes or provide your own.  Enjoy this summer activity!

Looking for some Frugal Summer fun!? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

Cinemark is offering a great way for you to entertain the kids this summer! Pay as little as $0.50 to spend the morning at the theatre! It is $5 for 10 movies if you pay in advance or $1 per show if purchased at the box office.

Go to Cinemarks website for details and participating theaters or the image above.

TD bank has a great way to get your kids reading this summer!
Starting 5/5 to 9/29 Read 10 books and turn in form at any TD bank to get $10 added to their new or existing Young Saver account.

For More information go here

Looking for more Frugal Fun? Check out these Summer Fun Short Cuts!

It is hard to believe that Summer is almost here.  It is time to start planning activities for the kids and I love free ones!

Wehrenberg Theatres is offering a free family summer series.  Wednesdays and Thursday from 6/6 to 8/16 at 10 AM.

Please visit Wehrenberg Theatres Website for more information.

We love the Lowes Build & Grow Free Clinics! I always post each one once the project is announced however I wanted to share the schedule for 2012Lowe’s Build and Grow Free Kids’ Clinics are:

• Apr 28, 2012 Saturday Terrarium 10:00 – 11:00
• May 12, 2012 Saturday Picture Frame Planter 10:00 – 11:00
• May 26, 2012 Saturday Ice Cream Truck 10:00 – 11:00
• June 09, 2012 – Monkey-Powered Plane
• June 10, 2012 – Monkey Powered Plane (Madagascar 3)
• June 23, 2012 – Luxury Assault Vehicle (Madagascar 3)
• June 2, 2012 – Luxury Assault Vehicle (Madagascar 3)
• July 14, 2012 – Kung Fu Panda Spinning Attack
• July 15, 2012 – Kung Fu Panda Spinning Attack
• July 28, 2012 – Kung Fu Panda Stacking Friends
• July 29, 2012 – Kung Fu Panda Stacking Friends
• August 11, 2012 – Shrek Dragon Ride
• August 12, 2012 – Shrek Dragon Ride
• August 25, 2012 – Shrek Onion Carriage
• August 26, 2012 – Shrek Onion Carriage

All classes are on Saturday and start at 10:00 AM

Visit Lowes.com/BuildAndGrow to register.  The classes are available to register monthly. These are great to keep the kids busy this summer!

Looking for something to keep the kids busy on a rainy day! It is also great for my 3 year old that is home while the others are at school! Check out Kabongo! GoGo Kabongo develops cognitive skills that are essential to reading. Fun, educational children’s games will build confidence and stay challenging with auto-leveling games that advance at your child’s pace. Discover three different games in each habitat, each with six levels.

My daughter gets all excited! She feels so grown when I let her play on the computer.

Looking for something to keep the kids busy on a rainy day! It is also great for my 3 year old that is home while the others are at school! Check out Kabongo! GoGo Kabongo develops cognitive skills that are essential to reading. Fun, educational children’s games will build confidence and stay challenging with auto-leveling games that advance at your child’s pace. Discover three different games in each habitat, each with six levels.

Find more kid friendly sites, and FREE Summer Fun with Summer Savings Shortcuts!

Looking for something to keep the kids busy on a rainy day! Check out Kabongo! GoGo Kabongo develops cognitive skills that are essential to reading. Fun, educational children’s games will build confidence and stay challenging with auto-leveling games that advance at your child’s pace. Discover three different games in each habitat, each with six levels.

Find more kid friendly sites, and FREE Summer Fun with Summer Savings Shortcuts!

Just wanted to remind you that I have a lot of great info on my Summer Savings Shortcuts page. It includes tons of freebies, activities and recipes for you and your kids to try over the Summer!  I have even started adding kid friendly (educational) websites.

I will continue to add to the page as I find new fun things to do!

Summer is almost over, don’t let these pass you by!

Please join EBATES and The Giveaway Alliance in a Back 2 School Live Chat on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 from 8 – 9 PM EST.

We will be discussing all the HOT back to school deals, ways to save this back to school season and more!

We will also have fabulous prizes to giveaway during the Live Chat!  This is a chat you don’t want to miss!

Ebates will be giving away “goodie bag” giveaways during the Live Chat, including gift cards, an iPod Shuffle and other goodies totaling $600!

RSVP HERE and then come back on 7/27/11 when the chat will turn LIVE.

The Giveaway Alliance is very excited to announce that we have also partnered with Ebates to bring you a fabulous giveaway just in time for Back To School – Enter to win an iPad 2 and $200 Cash - Ends 7/30/11.

This weeks Savvy Living Discussion is all about saving money while you are traveling this Summer.  Join me in the Ebates Savvy Living Community and tell me what are you tips to saving money at the airport, and while traveling.