Chances are, most of us have heard those two annoying words from our children already this summer.
School's been out only 11 days for most area children. And there are still 71 days to go before classes resume. But who's counting? Just us parents, that's who.
So we've got you covered until Aug. 31. (Sorry, you're on your own for Labor Day weekend.) Slap on the sunscreen and enjoy your summer with your children. Really, time is short - 71 days short.
1. Start the summer off right. Take the kids to the Missoula Public Library today and pick up a family reading program. While keeping track of the time you spend reading to your child, or the time your child spends reading alone, you can earn summer treats, such as free ice cream from Dairy Queen. Keep the kids reading this summer and your child's teacher will thank you in the fall.
2. Speaking of the library, every Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., through July 27, there will be a special program at the library for school-age children. On June 22, local children's author Sneed Collard will entertain kids with stories and facts about his popular science books.
3. Looking for something to feed the kids for lunch that doesn't involve peanut butter and jelly? Try Out to Lunch at Caras Park, held 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 25. The children's activities will please the kids and the live entertainment will make the adults in the crowd happy.
4. The city's public wading and spray pools have been open since early June. Wading pools are at Westside, Bonner and Franklin parks. Hours vary. Spray pools are open at Southside Lions and Sacajawea parks 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The facilities close when the weather's bad. Call 541-7200 for weather information.
5. June 25 is the Missoula Osprey's first home game in the new Missoula ballpark. As an added bonus, for $10, the kids can join the Ollie Osprey Kids' Club. Buying a membership gets you two tickets to every Sunday home game, a T-shirt, a baseball clinic with the Osprey players and more. Call 543-3300 for more information. Visit www.missoulaosprey.com for this season's schedule.
6. It's Seuss Saturday at the Missoula Children's Museum at 11:30 a.m. June 26. Join the Cat-in-the-Hat for a reading of "The Foot Book" and a chance to make some footprints.
7. Once a month, the Montana Natural History Center holds its Saturday Discovery Days program. On June 26, families can gather for "Birds of the Black Mountain Burn." Participants will go up to the fire site with Sue Reel, wildlife educator for Lolo National Forest, and Dick Hutto of the University of Montana's Avian Science Center. Registration is required. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Call 327-0405 for more information.
8. Jellystone Park, 9900 Jellystone Drive, off of U.S. Highway 93, has a 19-hole miniature golf course. Cost is $4 for adults and $3 for children. Watch for Yogi the Bear to be making appearances throughout the summer, too. The Jellystone pool also is open to the public 1 to 4 p.m. daily. Cost is $4 a person. Call 543-9400 for more information.
9. Did you know that Missoula has some 45 parks, more than half of which have play equipment of some kind? That's a lot of parks, and a lot of options for families. Whenever the kids need to let off some energy, try taking them to the park - any park.
10. At 1:30 p.m. June 29, Kate Davis will present her Raptors of the Rockies program to children at the Missoula Public Library. Davis will bring her eagles, owls and other raptors she has rescued. Attendance is limited. Free tickets are available at the children's desk the day of the program.
11. The Missoula City Band returns to Bonner Park for Wednesday night concerts beginning around June 30 and ending in early August. Concerts start at 8 p.m. and are free. The wading pool at the park also will be open for families.
12. On June 30, the popular children's series Junie B. Jones is being celebrated at both the Missoula Public Library and downtown's Fact & Fiction. Fact & Fiction will have its party from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Call 721-2881 for details. Call the library at 721-2665 for details there.
13. From June 30 to July 3, visit Travelers' Rest State Park in Lolo to commemorate Lewis and Clark's 1806 return visit to the area. Discover Travelers' Rest is a free event open to the public. It will include a historical re-enactment, crafts for kids, bird walks and historical presentations throughout the three days. Travelers' Rest is open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer. For more information, call 273-4253.
14. Every Thursday, the Missoula Downtown Association sponsors Downtown Tonight at Caras Park. In it's fourth year, the event features live music and local food vendors as well as a family activity that's sponsored by a local organization. On July 1, family play time will be led by the Missoula Parks and Recreation Department. The event is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Visit www.missouladowntown.com for the summer schedule for this event.
15. The Missoula Farmers Market is held 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays at Circle Square. Stroll the market for locally grown fruits and vegetables. The Saturday Arts and Crafts Market is held in conjunction with the Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Missoula's downtown.
16. The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is putting on an old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration. This year's festivities will include mock gunfights, live music, a cannon demonstration, children's games and tours of the museum's exhibits and buildings. The event is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors, $1 for students and free to children under 6 and Friends of the Museum. For more information, call 728-3476.
17. Southgate Mall's Kids Klub is July 6. Children who would like to attend can register at the Guest Services Center. Membership is free and includes an identification card good for special discounts and other extras from participating Southgate Mall merchants. Call 721-5140 for details.
18. The YMCA skate park on Russell Street is open noon to 8 p.m. daily. Cost is $7 a child, with knee and elbow pads costing an additional $1 each to rent. Children must wear a helmet.
19. Does your child love horses? Come learn about them at the Missoula Public Library's Tuesday program, at 1:30 p.m. July 6 at Kiwanis Park, across Front Street and south of the library. The kids will get to meet Majic and Milagro and learn about horse care.
20. Got a budding scientist in the house? The Missoula Children's Museum holds its summer science series Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. Next month's classes begin July 6 and will focus on color and light. August classes will be Aug. 3, 10 and 17. Those will focus on static. Space is limited. Call the museum at 541-PLAY to reserve your family's space.
21. Children can go for a pony ride every Wednesday this summer at Fort Missoula. Parsons' Pony Farm will be at the fort from noon to 3 p.m. Children will be led on 10-minute rides around the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. Or, if you're looking to take the kids on a trail ride, call the Parsons' farm at 273-3363.
22. Missoula has three recreation areas within miles of town. Take a picnic up to Pattee Canyon Recreation Area and play some folf with the kids. Or head up to the Blue Mountain Recreation area to walk the Maclay Flat interpretive trail or hike to the fire lookout. Or, explore the Rattlesnake Recreation Area on bike or on foot. For more information about these recreation areas, call the Lolo National Forest office at 329-3814. Maps of all the recreation areas are available.
23. The Missoula Children's Museum is unveiling its new dinosaur dig exhibit 6 to 8 p.m. July 9. The first 25 kids to attend will receive a free velociraptor "killing claw." The kids can act like archaeologists while digging for fossils in the mock dig site.
24. Make butterfly baubles at the Missoula Children's Museum at 2 p.m. July 10.
25. After being in day camp all week, the children of the Missoula Children's Theatre will perform "Sleeping Beauty" at 7 p.m. July 10 and 5 p.m. July 11. Call 728-7529 for details.
26. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch Western Heritage Days Celebration is July 10-11 in Deer Lodge. Events will include roping, branding, chuck wagon cooking, blacksmithing and traditional cowboy music and poetry. Free admission all year.
27. It's Saturday Discovery Days on July 10 at the Montana Natural History Center. Participants will be traveling to Kay Davis' raptor refuge in Florence and then go to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge near Corvallis. Registration is required. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Call 327-0405 to inquire about when the event starts and for family rates.
28. Garnet Appreciation Day on July 10 is a fun, free, family day to celebrate Garnet Ghost Town. The day will include children's activities, a barbecue and interpretive displays. From Highway 200, turn south on the Garnet Range Road between mile markers 22 and 23. Follow the gravel road 11 miles to Garnet.
29. A Carousel for Missoula is always a hit with the kids. Add Dragon Hollow to the trip, and you've got a for-sure good time for the family. Summer hours at the carousel are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A miniature train also will be running out front of the carousel this summer giving rides to the children.
30. Around mid-July, cherry picking season begins along the east shore of Flathead Lake. Pack the kids up for an out-of-town trip. Most of the cherry orchards along the lake supply the buckets, you supply the pickers. Call the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce at 837-5888 for more information.
31. The petting zoo at the Missoula KOA Kampground, 3450 Tina Ave., has long been a favorite field trip for area school children. But the petting zoo is open year-round. Food for the goats, miniature horses, ducks and llamas is sold at the camp store.
32. At 1:30 p.m. July 13, the Science Woman will be at the Missoula Public Library. Kids will be treated to some fun science experiments. This program is for school-aged children.
33. If everyone's looking to cool off, the beach at Sacajewea Park in Polson is one of the nicest, most family friendly on Flathead Lake. The park is near the city's downtown.
34. The National Bison Range at Moiese is a chance for the kids to see bison, elk, deer and antelope. One of the oldest big-game areas in the nation, the range preserves nearly 400 bison and other wildlife. Call 644-2211 for more information.
35. The kids will be making jewelry July 17 at the Missoula Children's Museum. The fun starts at 2 p.m. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
36. Here's another out-of-town trip you don't want to miss this year. Helena this summer celebrates the 140th anniversary of the discovery of gold in our state's capital. The celebration is July 12-17 and will include historic tours, music, art shows, mining demonstrations, laser shows and food festivals. Call 447-1945 for details.
37. The third annual Logger Days is July 16-17 in Darby. There will be logging competitions as well as kids events. The kids can compete in the greased pole climb, tug-o-war, an axe throw and a watermelon eating contest.
38. Daly Days in Hamilton is also July 16-17. This is a celebration of the town's founder. There will be games for the kids, vendors from around Montana, a horse and mule parade, and carriage rides. A Saturday night street dance is one of the highlights of the weekend.
39. Take a walk around the duck pond at Pattee Creek Park on 34th Street. The ducks of 34th Street are some of Missoula's favorite residents. Short paths around the pond give the kids different views of the ducks.
40. The Kerr Dam in Polson is an awesome sight for young eyes. On the Flathead River, the 204-foot dam is about 7 miles from Polson.
41. The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is a beautiful place to walk with the kids while learning a little something about our area. Summer hours at the museum are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 728-3476.
42. At 1:30 p.m. July 20, local children's author Dorothy Patent will talk to the kids at the Missoula Public Library about plants and animals found on the Lewis and Clark Trail. This program is for school-age children.
43. At 4 p.m. July 21, it's storyboard fairytales at the Missoula Children's Museum. This interactive story time allows the kids to give the classics their own twist.
44. For an easy family fishing trip, try Frenchtown Pond State Park. Remember, adults need a Montana fishing license.
45. The Bitterroot Valley All Nations Pow Wow is July 23-24 in Hamilton. The event draws tribes from all over the nation. Drummers, singers and dancers perform in a traditional lodge pole pine arbor.
46. The Missoula Children's Museum is having a clay workshop at 2 p.m. July 24. Learn different techniques using different ceramic tools with air-dry clay.
47. Missoula is a biking city, so why not join in the fun? A popular biking route is the Kim Williams trail because it's flat and follows the Clark Fork River.
48. The children of Missoula Children's Theatre will perform the Wizard of Oz at 7 p.m. July 24 and 5 p.m. July 25. Call 728-7529 for details.
49. The Bitterroot National Forest maintains 1,600 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding. There are several books out about hiking opportunities in the Bitterroot Valley. Some family friendly options are the Blodgett Canyon Trail and Canyon Falls, both of which are just north of Hamilton.
50. On July 27, there's an end-of-the-summer party at the Missoula Public Library. The party kicks off at 1:30 p.m. with music, stories, games and treats. Attendance is limited. Free tickets are available at the children's desk the day of the program. This program is for school-age children.
51. Introduce your child to a new sport. You can try tennis at Playfair or Fort Missoula parks or soccer or baseball at any number of parks. Get the kids out and show them what you know.
52. On July 30, it's Family Fun Friday at the Children's Museum. The theme is Amazing Mazes. Simple or complex, kids and parents will try to solve them all. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.
53. It's another Seuss Saturday at 11:30 a.m. July 31. Join the Cat-in-the-Hat for story time and a project.
54. Southgate Mall is having its back-to-school fashion show July 31.
55. Here's one you don't even have to leave the house for. Well, technically, you do have to leave the house. Just pitch a tent in the backyard and have a campout this summer.
56. Let's not forget about our No. 1 tourist attraction in western Montana - Glacier National Park. Glacier isn't just for tourists coming from out of state.
57. Kids Fest, a celebration of Missoula's children put on by the city's parks and recreation department, will be 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 5 at Caras Park. The popular event is the official end to the city's Kids in Action program. There will be stage performances by kids, music, children's booths and food and drink concessions. Admittance is free.
58. The Creamery Picnic on Aug. 6-7 in Stevensville will feature a Saturday parade, games, music and food. Visit www.bvchamber.com for details.
59. The Western Montana Fair and Rodeo returns Aug. 10-15 to the Missoula County. This end-of-the-summer event is good for at least a couple days of activities for the whole family. Whether you're into riding the Kamikaze, petting the pigs or watching the horse races, there's something for everyone at our county fair.
60. Southgate Mall's Kids Klub is Aug. 17. Children who would like to attend can register at the Guest Services Center. Membership is free and includes an identification card good for special discounts and other extras from participating Southgate Mall merchants.
61. At 4 p.m. Aug. 18, it's storyboard fairytales at the Missoula Children's Museum. This interactive story time allows the kids to give the classics their own twist.
62. Virginia City and Nevada City, the state's two best-preserved ghost towns, are a hotbed of activity during the summer months. Once a month through August, Living History camps will be set up in Nevada City. Participants dress in period clothes, sell period crafts and serve frontier foods. There will be Victorian games for the kids. Also in August is the Virginia City Gathering. From Aug. 6 to 8, top cowboy poets, musicians, storytellers and artists will gather. Evening performances will be held Friday and Saturday nights. Or, just visit one of the cities for the day - there's plenty going on in these ghost towns. For more information, call 843-5247.
63. At 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20, it's Family Fun Friday at the Missoula Children's Museum. Learn about the Latin language, the food, traditional dress, music and customs.
64. The hike up to the "M" on the University of Montana campus is a steep one. In fact, with the kids tagging along, you'll probably have to stop a few times. But once you all get to the "M" on Mount Sentinel, you'll enjoy a bird's-eye view of our city.
65. The kids will be making jewelry at 2 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Missoula Children's Museum.
66. The Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park are the largest limestone caves in Montana. Families can take the two-hour tour of the underground chambers through September. Call 287-3541 for more information.
67. The Westside Lanes and Fun Center isn't just a bowling alley. Try the miniature golf course there, too. Call 721-5263 for details.
68. Aug. 28 is Seuss Saturday at the Missoula Children's Museum. Join the Cat-in-the-Hat for story time fun and a project, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Later that day, at 2 p.m., children can participate in an art project using watercolors and coffee filters.
69. Big Sky Waterpark in Columbia Falls is a great cure for the hot days of summer. The water park is on U.S. Highway 2, 16 miles north of Kalispell.
70. The four-acre Bibler Garden in Kalispell is a relaxing treat for any family. Stroll the beautiful property's luscious lawns, flowing streams and ponds, and flower gardens that bloom until fall. The late summer flowers begin blooming in late July. Living on the property in a log stable are donkeys, goats and sheep. Call 755-6558 for details.
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