Cheap or Free Summer Family Fun Ideas Not Far from Claremore

Whew! Finished just in the nick of time before the kids get out of school…and minutes before my hands give out from typing. Here is my annual list of, you know, as the title says, cheap or free family fun in Tulsa (yeah, I know I should have come up with a better name way back when, but it’s kind of established now). Please feel free to share with anyone else who might be interested. I copy some of the verbiage direct from various websites, but it does take an awful long time to compile, so if you do pass on or post somewhere, I’d appreciate it if you credit me as the source, and include link to this Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CheaporFreeFamilyFuninTulsa/, so users can find updates, make comments or additions, etc. If YOU have suggested additions, make them on this Facebook page so they will all be in one place.

I have gotten info online in most cases and have tried to include links for more information if available – I encourage you to ALWAYS check in advance before making a trek someplace, as details may change (or I may have gotten it wrong!).

Here’s hoping everyone has a fun, safe and CHEAP summer!

Tulsa Library summer reading program Go into any library and sign up, and then get prizes and coupons for free things for reading certain number of books over the summer (younger children can be read to—we started doing it at about age 2). There are programs for Children, Teens and Tweens, and even adults…the last two links aren’t live yet but general info is here. There are TONS of other library activities going on this summer – too many to list, but go here to check the calendar for literally hundreds of events and activities all across the county all summer long.

Barnes & Noble Summer Free Reading Reward Program Fun and easy way for kids to earn free books. Read any eight books and bring in your reading log in to any Barnes & Noble bookstore to get a free book. Get more info and the downloadable log at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/summer-reading/_/N-rs9.

Guthrie Green Storytime Every Wednesday June-August at 10:30 am. Guthrie Green is proud to bring about the return of #StoryTime for the 2016 Season! Ages 2-5 will read tall tales, sing silly songs, and dive into the world of books. Stick around after for fun in the sun, the Guthrie Green splash pad, and Food Truck Wednesday at 11:30 every Wednesday!

Guthrie Green Movies in the Park Free movies every Thursday through Nov. 3 on the outdoor big screen at Guthrie Green (111 E. Brady). All movies begin at dusk, around 8:30. Bring blankets or chairs. May 18 Finding Dory 25 La La Land June 1 Wizard of Oz 8 Transformers 15 Hidden Figures 22 Something’s Gotta Give 29 The Great Outdoors

July 6 Creed 13 Zootopia 20 Christmas Vacation 27 Moana

August 3 Frida 10 TBA 17 Beauty and the Beast 24 Julia/Julia 31 TBA

Cinemark Theater Summer Movie Clubhouse All shows at 10 am, Mondays & Wednesdays at Cinemark Sand Springs, 1112 E Charles Page Blvd., and Monday-Thursday at 10 am at Cinemark Broken Arrow, 1801 East Hillside Drive. *All 10 movies can be purchased in advance for $5, or can be purchased separately at the box office for $1 per show. For more info BA-https://www.cinemark.com/media/smc/2017/2017%20SMC%20Flyer_1036.pdf or Sand Springs- https://www.cinemark.com/media/smc/2017/2017%20SMC%20Flyer_041.pdf

Week of May 29 Sing Week of June 5 The Secret Life of Pets Week of June 12 The LEGO Batman Movie Week of June 19 Trolls Week of June 26 Shrek the Third Week of July 3 Goosebumps Week of July 10 The Iron Giant Week of July 17 Hotel Transylvania 2 Week of July 24 Megamind Week of July 31 The Angry Birds Movie

Starlight Concert Series Longstanding Tulsa free concert series, held at held at Guthrie Green (111 E. Brady). All concerts begin at 8 pm. For more information go to http://www.starlightbands.net/Tuesday, June 13 Concert Band Theme: Americana Night Tuesday, June 20 Concert Band Theme: Made in America Tuesday, June 27 Concert Band Theme: Across the Briny Seas Tuesday, July 7 Jazz Orchestra Theme: Jazz Under the Stars Tuesday, July 11 Concert Band Theme: Night at the Movies Friday July 18 Jazz Orchestra Theme: The Best of the Big Band Era

Tuesdays in the Park Concerts in Broken Arrow Tuesday nights at Central Park on Main Street. Bring your own lawn chair and refreshments, 7- 9 pm free and open to the public. http://www.baarts.org/events/June 6 Grady Nichols June 13 Mary Cogan June 20 Starr Fisher Ensemble with Larry Stokes June 27 Zodiac

Summer’s 5th Night at Utica Square Every Thursday through August, 7-9 pm. Utica Square’s summer concert series serves up everything from jazz to rock to country. Pack a picnic or dine at one of the center’s restaurants as you unwind to your favorite local bands. This one is popular with pre-driving teens because there is always a horde of them hanging around! Bring your own lawn chair and refreshments. http://www.uticasquare.com/events/summers-fifth-nightMay 25 Swunky Face Big Band featuring Branjea June 1 Starr Fisher Ensemble w/Larry Stokes June 8 Mid-Life Crisis June 15 Zodiac June 22 Red Dirt Rangers June 29 Mary Cogan July 6 GrooveYard July 13 Eldredge Jackson July 20 Alaska & Madi July 27 Mark Gibson Aug. 3 Doctors of Replay Aug. 10 Chris Hyde Band Aug. 17 Jambalaya Jass Band Aug. 24 Bop Cats Aug. 31 Grady Nichols

First Friday Concerts at LaFortune Park Concerts run 7-9 pm at LaFortune Garden Park (5202 S. Hudson), the first Friday or the month May-September. This is a free concert, open to the public. Dogs on leash are always welcome. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of music in an outdoor setting. This one is great for those with toddlers because it’s a fairly contained area where they can run around and kick a ball, blow bubbles, etc. June 2 James Groves (Blues) July 7 Hi-Fi Hippies (‘60s & ‘70s) Aug. 4 Merle Jam (Country) Sept. 1 Wanda Watson (Blues)

Jenks Riverwalk Summer Concert Series The Riverwalk Crossing center in Jenks offers an amphitheater area for Saturday night shows, all set for 7-9 p.m., with live radio station remote broadcasts on site from 6-8 p.m. May 20 Sextion 8 (dance party) May 27 Full Flava Kings (R&B/soul) June 3 Travis Kidd Band (singer-songwriter) June 10 Brandon Clark Band (red dirt/singer-songwriter) June 17 Brian Lee & Tom Basler (dueling pianos) July 1 Let’s Zeppelin (tribute band) July 8 The Sellouts (party band) July 15 The Tiptons (country) July 22 G-Force (’70s/’80s/big-band horns)

Shops of Seville Live Concert Series Thursday evening free concerts featuring the MidLife Crisis Band, 7-9 pm at 10051 S. Yale Ave. Dates are May 19, June 23, July 14, Sept. 15 and Oct. 14. For information and calendar, https://www.facebook.com/shopsofsev…

Guthrie Green Sunday Concert Series Free concerts every Sunday May-October 2:30-6:30 pm at Guthrie Green (111 E. Brady).

Tulsa Mayfest, May 18-21. A Tulsa classic. Downtown Tulsa, (11 am-11 pm Thursday-Saturday, and 11 am-6 pm Sunday). Free family-oriented outdoor tribute to the arts, with an array of dance and music performances in addition to the many visual arts booths and four indoor galleries (including a Youth Gallery at the PAC) and a KidZone at the park at 6th and Main featuring hands-on activities for children of all ages as well as family-friendly entertainment. For a schedule of KidZone entertainment, go here: http://tulsamayfest.org/fun/kidzone/. Dozens of music acts will perform on three stages—see schedule here: http://tulsamayfest.org/music/. For listing of exhibitors and performers or other information, go to http://www.tulsamayfest.org/

Blue Dome Arts Festival, May 19-21. The Blue Dome Arts Festival, held within the historic Blue Dome Entertainment District in downtown Tulsa, features over 250 vendors and artists, plus kids’ activities, live music and more during the annual three-day festival. Come and enjoy browsing through booths filled with handmade crafts, paintings, pottery, carvings, photography, jewelry, home decor and more. Visitors to the Blue Dome Arts Festival are encouraged to chat with local, Oklahoma artists while perusing or purchasing original works by these regional artisans. http://bluedomearts.org/

Tulsa Route 66 PatriotFest, Saturday, May 27, 8 am-3 pm. Free! Begins with a car cruise from East Tulsa to Southwest Tulsa along historic Route 66 Includes a car show, patriotic pet contest, military exhibits, bands & entertainment, a free Kidzone and more. Venue will cover closed areas of the old highway as well as the Route 66 Village and Webster High School, 3770 Southwest Blvd. For information: http://www.rt66patriotfest.com/

Bartlesville’s SunFest, June 2-4. “Oklahoma’s Biggest Outdoor Picnic” returns for a long weekend with its trademark combination of a relaxed, family picnic atmosphere, quality, cost-free entertainment, a diverse range of arts and crafts, creative, supervised activities for children, terrific food in abundant variety, and an eye-popping car show. This free premier arts & entertainment festival – now in its 35th year – is held in Sooner Park located at Madison Boulevard and Tuxedo Avenue in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Parking is available in several lots near the park. For information: http://www.bartlesvillesunfest.org/

Asian-American Festival, June 4. FREE. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, at Martin Regional Library, 2601 S. Garnett Road. Celebrate and learn about the customs and traditions of Asian-Americans. Explore the colorful cultures of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and other countries in Asia. Numerous activities and presentations are scheduled indoors throughout the festival, as well as authentic arts and crafts booths and food concession.

Tulsa Tough, June 9-11. A three-day cycling festival designed to promote fitness and healthy lifestyles while showcasing the beautiful city of Tulsa. Tulsa Tough offers events and spectating opportunities for everyone with professional-level races, recreational and tour rides, kids and youth activities, live music and vendors in one action packed weekend. The highlight for many Tulsans? The festive crowds lining the infamous “Cry Baby Hill” stretch of the race on Riverside Drive. For more information, go to http://www.tulsatough.com

Tulsa International Balloon Festival June 14-18. Located at 41st Street and 129th East Avenue, Casino) The Tulsa Balloon Festival is one of the largest free admission events in the state of Oklahoma, and aspires to become the second largest ballooning event in the USA. In addition to spectacular balloon glows and the twice daily flights, the Tulsa Balloon Festival is unique in offering a state fair size carnival, shopping tents, a wide variety of foods, live entertainment and more! For schedules and more festival information, go to www.tulsaibf.com.

Glenpool Black Gold Days, June 15-18. This annual festival celebrates the discovery of the Glenn Pool oil field in 1905. A variety of food and craft vendors, live entertainment every evening, frog and turtle races, the Lions Pancake Breakfast, the Black Gold Parade, carnival rides, and more! The event takes place at Black Gold Park, near 141st Street along Highway 75 http://www.glenpoolchamber.org/pages/BlackGoldDays/

Bixby Green Corn Festival, June 22-24. Charley Young Park in downtown Bixby (southeast of `15st and Memorial). A kick back to the good old fashioned family oriented picnics. The annual festival (held on the 4th Thursday, Friday and Saturday of June) features great music, arts and crafts, food, bingo, carnival and great games and contests for the young and young at heart. A talent show to highlight area youth is held on Friday at the Community Center and the annual Green Corn Parade entertains the masses on Saturday morning. http://bixbyoptimist.org/green-corn-festival

Woolaroc Kidsfest, June 24-25. One of my favorite kid festivals. 10 am-5 pm – Regular Woolaroc admission (adults $12, over 65 $10 and children 11 and under are FREE) at the great family museum/wildlife sanctuary/ranch southwest of Bartlesville. Kidsfest features events, games, crafts and entertainment presented on the Woolaroc grounds where visitors can enjoy all of the activities in the rustic outdoor environment, along with the natural beauty of the Osage Hills, the historic art and artifacts in the Woolaroc Museum and the animals on the Wildlife Preserve. Kids can participate in a variety of activities, such as pony rides, wagon rides, treasure dig, face painting, Carpenter’s corner, tattoos, beaded necklaces, Indian head bands, native sand art, rock painting, bean bag games, and lots of nature crafts. Our living history booths will include horseshoeing, saddle & boot makers, bridle, bit and spur makers, woodcarvers, silversmiths, flint knapping, rope making, black-smithing, old west re-enactors and lots more. More info and directions to Woolaroc at: http://www.woolaroc.org/

Folds of Honor FreedomFest presented by QuikTrip, July 4. Annual July 4th celebration held at the River West Festival Park, 19th & Riverside Drive, and Veterans Park featuring fireworks, entertainment, activities, food & beverages. Fireworks are shot from the 21st Street Bridge at approximately 9:30 p.m. Go to http://www.riverparks.org/freedomfest/ for more information.

50th Annual Porter Peach Festival, July 13-15. Mmmmmm! It’s a bit of a drive, but c’mon, for fresh Porter peaches and ice cream, it’s worth it! Downtown Porter. Rodeo, music, arts, 5k run, carnival rides, free peaches and cream! For more information, http://www.porterpeachfestivals.com/ .

Tulsa County Free Fair, July 20-21. At the Exchange Center at the Tulsa Fairgrounds. This event is open to the public and features 4-H and community exhibits as well as learning events and competitions. On Friday night, the Tulsa County 4-H holds the Festival of Fun with entertainment for the entire family. Includes live entertainment, inflatables for children and food vendors. http://www.oces.tulsacounty.org/.

Tulsa Drillers
The national pastime and a good way to spend a few summer hours. We love the downtown stadium and love Tulsa baseball! Tickets are cheap and there are always specials and giveaways. For a list of various promotions, go here: http://www.milb.com/promotions/index.jsp?sid=t260 You can bring your (vaccinated!) dogs to games on Wednesday nights. There are several “Kids Eat Free” nights, where kids can go on the field for a free clinic and with a paid admission, they get a free hot dog, milk and fruit. And even if you don’t feel like watching the game, be sure to check the list for one of the nights that will feature fireworks after the games – all home Friday night games plus several other dates. They put on really impressive shows (better than many 4th of July shows) and you can join the hundreds of people who congregate nearby to watch with the downtown skyline in the background.

A fun and cheap park for younger kids (age limit is 12, but probably best up to age 7 or 8 – it’s been a long time since my kids fit on most of it!). Some of the rides were so mild that even very young toddlers can ride them safely. No admission charge and ride tickets are 50 cents — all rides are just one ticket, so you can have a lot of fun for only a few bucks. At least last time we went, concessions were good “fair fare” and cheap — $1 cotton candy, 75 cents snowcones, etc. Plenty of benches to sit on and watch the kids. There also were wandering clowns, face painting, etc. Good old-fashioned summer fun! It’s open through the summer, only in the evening: Fridays and Saturday evenings through May, then open Tues-Thurs 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm; Fri-Sat 7:00 pm -10:00 pm. Closed Sundays, Mondays & the 4th of July. If you want to make it the quintessential summer date, go early enough to stop at the Bartlesville Sonic on the way — you pass it on your way to the Park, and it’s the only Sonic I’ve seen with a big outdoor playground. Kiddie Park is located at 215 N. Cherokee Ave. in Johnstone Park. For info or directions, go to http://www.kiddiepark.net.

Free Bowling Kids can bowl free all summer long at Andy B’s, located at 8711 S Lewis Ave, or Broken Arrow Lanes, 4701 S. Elm Place. Just go to www.kidsbowlfree.com/andybs or https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/brokenarrow and register each child, and receive passes every week by email. Registered children can bowl 2 games free every day all summer long!

And if you are willing to throw the kids in the car for an hour or more, here are several other fun Okie options compiled by others: Oklahoma Swimming Holes — http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/oklahoma/swimming-holes

Oklahoma Flea Markets — http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/oklahoma/flea-markets-ok/

Oklahoma Under $10 Activities — http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/oklahoma/10-things-to-do-ok/

Day Trips From Tulsa — http://mclifetulsa.com/travel/5-road-trips-from-tulsa-day-trips-weekend-getaways

Oklahoma Hiking Spots — http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/oklahoma/hiking-spots-ok

City of Tulsa Parks. Unless otherwise noted, call 596-PARK (7275) for information.

Pools Admission fees and hours vary. Pools will open the first week of June. McClure Pool will be closed this summer for renovations — the 4 pools scheduled to open this summer are: Lacy ($1), 2134 N. Madison Pl. Open Tues.-Sun, noon-6pm Reed ($1), 4233 S. Yukon Ave. Open Tues.-Sun, 1 pm-7pm. Berry (Free), 5002 N. Wheeling. Open Mon.-Sat., 10 am-5 pm. Whiteside-junior pool for age 14 and younger (Free), 4009 S. Pittsburg Ave. Open Mon.-Sat., noon-6 pm.

Water Playgrounds
Twelve Tulsa Parks feature water playgrounds, which offer cool relief from summer heat and fun for “kids” of all ages — turned on noon-8 pm starting May 27. Chamberlain, 4949 N. Frankfort Ave. Helmerich, 7301 S. Riverside Drive Hunter, 5804 E. 91st St. Kendall-Whittier, 2645 E. 5th St. Manion, 3003 E. 56th St. Maxwell, 5251 E. Newton St. Mohawk, 5701 E. 36th St. North Owen, 560 N. Maybelle St. Schlegel, 3825 W. 53rd Pl. Vining, 6502 N. Cincinnati Ave. Springdale, 2223 East Pine St. Whiteside, 4009 S. Pittsburg Ave.

Summer Day Camps May 31-August 12. Registration has already begun. Ages 6-12. At various Community Centers. Rates vary. Includes traditional day camps and art and other specialty camps. For more information: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/government/departments/park-and-recreation/community-and-specialty-centers/summer-day-camp/ Other Tulsa Park events include classes in Martial Arts, Soccer, T-Ball, Gymnastics, Volleyball, Aerobics, Yoga, Pilates, Swim Lessons, and Dance. For more info (click on center name over on the right side of page to find out more about each site): https://www.cityoftulsa.org/government/departments/park-and-recreation/community-and-specialty-centers/

Oxley Nature Center In Mohawk Park – free. One of my favorite places in Tulsa! (Note you will have to pay a $2 parking fee for Mohawk on weekends if you aren’t a Zoo Friends or Oxley Nature Center member.) With more than 9 miles of trails covering 804 acres, the Mary K. Oxley Nature Center at Mohawk Park is one of Tulsa’s treasures. The gates are open daily (except city holidays) 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and the trails are open as early as 7 a.m. or as late as 9 p.m. to hikers who park outside the gates. Visitors may pick up maps and trail information at the Oxley-Yetter Interpretive Building 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily (noon-4:30 Sunday). The Interpretive Building houses inter-active, hands-on exhibits explaining the local natural history. Gift shop, restrooms, drinking water and a classroom are also available. For more information: http://www.oxleynaturecenter.org/.

Redbud Valley Nature Preserve More wild that Oxley, but wonderful spot for a hike. Free. Natural diversity is protected at Redbud Valley Nature Preserve. Located on North 161st East Avenue about 3.8 miles north of I-44, Redbud Valley Nature Preserve protects 220+ acres of unique plant and animal life. The rugged one-mile trail is open to hikers only when the gates are open: Wed.-Sun., 8 am-5 pm. The Barclay Visitor Center is open 11 am-3 pm. Pets are not permitted. The Preserve is closed every Monday and Tuesday, and most holidays. For more information: http://www.oxleynaturecenter.org/redbud.htm

Tulsa County Parks also has swimming pools, summer camps and lots of other programming at LaFortune, 51st & Yale – http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/parks.aspx?page=lafortune; O’Brien, 6149 N. Lewis Ave. – http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/parks.aspx?page=obrien; and Chandler, 6500 West 21st St. – http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/parks.aspx?page=chandler . To view a complete list of activities and events at all Tulsa County Parks, check out the 2017 Guide https://issuu.com/tulsacounty/docs/2017_activities_guidemaster.

Turkey Mountain Wilderness Area Open dawn to dusk. The 300-acre wilderness nestled in southwest Tulsa stretches from I-44 to 71st Street on the west bank of the Arkansas River. This heavily-wooded property has miles of winding dirt trails and two large ponds. The main entrance at 67th and South Elwood offers landscaped parking – including an area for horse trailers – a restroom, climbing boulders, and flagstone walkways leading to the main trailhead. A map of the marked trails, which are shared by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, is located near the trailhead. The summit of Turkey Mountain rises 300 feet above the Arkansas River and offers a panoramic view of Tulsa. Crowded with the very best playthings: roots, rocks and sticks, and blessed with views of the Arkansas River, it’s a great place to go with kids, dogs or just yourself to get in touch with nature just a few feet away from urban living. More info at: http://www.turkeymtn.com/

Keystone Ancient Forest I’m totally embarrassed that I have yet to visit — on my for-sure bucket list this summer. A 1,260-acre preserve located at 160 Ancient Forest Drive in Sand Springs. Here, you can hike among classic Oklahoma crosstimbers forest with 500-year-old cedars and 300-year-old post oaks (and maybe see habitants like mountain lions, bobcat, deer, eagles, and more than 80 species of butterflies. Gates open 8 am-2 pm. For a map, schedule and info: http://sandspringsok.org/index.aspx?NID=175

Fitness on the Green presented by Fowler Toyota with the YMCA Guthrie Green, an urban park and entertainment space in the heart of Tulsa’s Brady Arts District, resides on the square block between Brady & Cameron and Boston Avenue & MLK Blvd. It features a wide variety of events, including a variety of free family-friendly fitness classes every day (family friendly because even if the kids don’t want to do yoga, they can play in the splash pad while you do. Or you can play in the splash pad while THEY do the yoga!)

YOGA – Mondays & Wednesdays 5:30 pm DEFEND TOGETHER – Mondays & Wednesdays 6:30 pm BOOTCAMP – Tuesdays & Thursday 5:30 pm PARTNER POWER – Wednesdays 6:00 am ZUMBA – Sundays 10:30 am For a schedule of these and other events: www.guthriegreen.com/events

10th Annual Tulsa ArtCar Weekend, May 18-20 Sponsored by Living Arts of Tulsa, Tulsa ArtCar weekend is a 3-day event that invites local and national artists to create their own drivable artwork and share it with the Tulsa Community. You’ve probably seen the very cool, funky cars driving around town when this festival is in town, but check out the schedule to see various times where you can see them all in one place: http://livingarts.org/artcar

Gilcrease Museum Gilcrease — https://gilcrease.org — is one of the country’s best facilities for the preservation and study of American art and history. The museum’s charm, beauty and art collections draw thousands of visitors from around the world to the Osage Hills for a glimpse into the past. Gilcrease houses the world’s largest, most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts of the American West. The museum also offers an unparalleled collection of Native American art and artifacts, as well as historical manuscripts, documents and maps. FREE admission on “TU Tuesday,” the first Tuesday of each month, and “Funday Sunday,” the third Sunday of each month. Visitors will enjoy different art making stations in the museum, each offering different materials and themes as well as teaching artists to help guide and inspire. An art hunt is available to explore in the galleries, with a prize at the end. Families will also enjoy our interactive spaces, the Kids Site and the Kravis Discovery Center, as well as the different galleries and gardens, and special featured activities.

Philbrook Museum-Free 2nd Saturday Every 2nd Saturday of the month is Free Family Day at Philbrook. Drop in anytime from 10:30 am – 4 pm. Experiment with fun materials to make hands-on art projects, go on a scavenger hunt, take a family-friendly tour of the museum, and so much more on this day specifically for families. https://philbrook.org

Brady Arts District First Friday Art Crawl On the first Friday evening of each month, head on down to the Brady Arts District just north of downtown. Starting at around 5:30, galleries open their doors for exhibits, new shows, art demonstrations, and more. The demonstrations are especially interesting to kids – what kid doesn’t see glassblowers at the Tulsa Glassblowing Studio and start imagining what she could do with a blowtorch? (Just my kid? Hmm.) There’s always live free entertainment at Guthrie Green, lots of food trucks, and one of the best places to run into friends.

ONGOING FUN PROGRAMS (That are even more fun in the summer!)

Free Kids Workshops – Home Depot. At 9 am on the first Saturday of the month…they can build all kinds of cool projects, with all supplies provided free. I started doing this with my kids from ages 3 and up. You can just drop in, but you can go here: http://www.homedepot.com/workshops to find the nearest Home Depot and see what project is coming up

A variety of local Farmers Markets offer fresh local produce, crafts, plants, herbs and more. Most markets run May through October. Great place to wander around with the kids, and one of the few where you can actually buy them a healthy snack! In Tulsa Cherry Street is the most popular, but there are several others in the area.

Cherry Street Farmers Market 15th Street between Quaker & Rockford, Saturdays, 7 am-11 am.

The Farm’s Market The Farm Shopping Center, 51st & Sheridan, Saturdays 8-11:30 am.

Brookside Farmers Market 41st & Peoria, Wednesdays, 7:30-11 am.

Rose District Farmers Market Corner of First & Dallas in downtown BA, Saturdays, 7 am-noon & Tuesdays 4-7 pm.

Jenks Saturday Market 2nd & Main., Saturdays, 9 am-noon.

Variety of area farms will let you pick berries or other seasonal produce. For more info on the farms below go to: http://www.pickyourown.org/OKnortheast.htm. Berryhill Blueberries, 5312 W. 41st St., Tulsa; 918.346.7934. Endicott Farms, 211th Street between Lewis and Harvard avenues; 918.344.4582. Outback Farm, 4163 E. 470 Rd. in Pryor, 918.519.2148. GBreisch, 3001 S. 137th W. Avenue, Sand Springs, 918.261.4279. Gibson Gardens, 18406 S. 73rd East Ave., Bixby; 918.638.3858. High-Fence Farm, 19401 W. Sixth St., Sand Springs; 918.527-0735. Owasso Christmas Tree and Blackberry Farm, 11039 N 129th East Ave., Owasso; 918.272.9445. Thunderbird Berry Farm, 7515 S. Hansen Rd. in Broken Arrow, OK; 918.640.7168

Don’t forget to also check out the great Tulsa Kids Summer Fun Guide. The award-winning local family magazine has a downloadable guide to summer activities, including camps, places to eat and more. To get a free copy, fill out the form here: http://www.tulsakids.com/Summer-Fam…

And a few good sites for summer activities, games, crafts, etc.: http://family.disney.com http://www.parents.com/familyfun-magazine/ http://www.creativekidsathome.com/summerkidsactivities.html

Aaaaand, if that isn’t enough, here is a list of some of our favorite fun summertime crafts you can do at home:

Kool-Aid Play Dough 2- 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup salt 2 pkg. unsweetened Kool-Aid 2 cups boiling water 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Mix all dry ingredients together. Add water and oil and stir. Knead with hands when mixture is cool. Store in air-tight container. This recipe lasts for several months.

Sidewalk paint 1 part corn starch 1 part water , few drops of food coloring (more if you want brighter colors)… I use the plastic cups we get at restaurants to mix it in. the paint brushes you get to paint on walls work better (get 1” and 1/2″ ones) When the paint dries it looks really cool… but when you are tired of it just sweep it away. If it leaves a slight stain don’t worry the sun will fade it away in a day. It also comes off clothes easy. My kids can paint for hrs… let them paint rocks, flower pots, even the house. You can put the paint in shallow pans to let them dip their feet in and make foot prints… really cute

Salt Dough 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon cooking oil (optional) This is the most basic and time tested dough mixture. First mix all the ingredients together. Next knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. The kneading will make the dough smooth and shiny. Floor your hand to prevent the dough from sticking. This dough can be baked in a low (250 degree) oven and then painted. Spray with a varnish for added shine.

Bubble recipe 11 cups of water 4 cups Ajax Anti-Bacterial dish soap 1 cup corn syrup Will fill a gallon milk jug and will store indefinitely if kept cool.