Weekend Activities & Entertainment Round-Up
A.C. Moore
On Saturday from 1-3PM, make and take a FREE Pony Bead Name Keychain!! Also, be sure to check out the Summer Fun Wednesday Make & Take events that happen on Wednesdays from 3-5PM.
Apple Camp
At Apple Camp, kids aged 8-12 learn how to shoot their own footage, create an original song in GarageBand on an iPad, and put it all together in iMovie on a Mac. This free workshop, held at the Apple Store, spans three days and ends with campers debuting their masterpieces at the Apple Camp Film Festival. Space is limited and workshops fill up quickly. Head on over here for more details and to find a store/event dates near you.
(To see the rest of the entertainment round-up, click the link below “Read More/Post Your Comments”)
Barnes & Noble
Through September 6th, Barnes & Noble is having their Summer Reading Imagination’s Destination program where kids in grades 1-6 can earn a FREE book whenever they read ANY 8 books! Go here for more details.
Blockbuster
If your child has a B average or higher on his/her report card from the last semester, you can get a FREE rental at Blockbuster stores! Go here for more details. Starting Sunday July 10th, you can get rentals priced $1.99 or less for just $0.49 at Blockbuster stores, valid every Sunday through 9/5. Go here for more details.
Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums are offering free admission to active duty military personnel and their families through Labor Day, September 5, 2011. Go here for more details.
Borders <—-STORE CLOSING! 🙁 They are no longer honoring the free book in this program 🙁
Through September 5th, Kids under 12 read can read 10 books (no purchase necessary, list the books read on the form found here and have a parent/guardian sign it. Then, starting 6/1/11 – 9/5/11, take the completed form to any Borders, Borders Express, or Waldenbooks store for a free book from this list of 20 books! Go here for more details on the Double-Dog Dare Challenge Summer reading program.
Chuck E. Cheese
Head on over here to play an online Skee Ball game for a chance to win up to 40 free Chuck E. Cheese tickets! You can use one free rewards ticket voucher per child per day. Also, head on over here to print the following Chuck E. Cheese food and entertainment coupons, valid through August 19th, 2011. *Large 1 topping pizza & 75 game tokens for only $25 *2 regular soft drinks & 20 game tokens for only $6 *3 regular soft drinks & 30 game tokens for only $9 *Buy 60 tokens for $15 get 30 tokens FREE.
Cinemark
Head on over to your local Cinemark theater to purchase punch cards (while supplies last) for the Summer Movie Clubhouse promotion! You can purchase 10 tickets to select G or PG-rated movies for ONLY $5.00 when purchased in advance at the Box Office (that makes each movie only $0.50 each!) OR you will pay only $1 per ticket at the Box Office on movie day! Head on over here for more details, showtimes, or to find a participating theater near you. The $5 Series punch cards are limited and are available NOW at the theater box office while supplies last.
Fandango
If you’re going to the movies TODAY and if you’re a VISA Signature cardholder, you can head on over here to snag 2-for-1 Fandango movie tickets (up to a $19 value limit) to be used TODAY only. This promotion is valid every Friday through 7/29.
Half Price Books
Half Price Books is currently running their Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program and whenever your child reads for at least 15 minutes a day and fills out a reading log (with parent/guardian signature), they’ll then be able to turn in their logs between July 25th and August 2nd to receive one $5 Back-to-School Bucks coupon to use towards anything in the store. You can only turn in one log per child during July 25-August 2. Also, they will be having a contest where one top reader per age group will be selected to win a $20 Half Price Books gift card! Go here for more details.
Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores
On Saturday from 11AM to 3PM, attend the Free Demo: Papercrafting with Cricut Expression. Go here for more details. In addition to the ongoing offer for teachers to save 15% year round, they are also having a special back to school event where teachers can save 20% between August 13-14. To qualify for the discount, teachers must present current teacher identification along with state-issued photo identification upon checkout. No Coupon needed.
Kids Bowl Free
Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Free program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. 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. Head on over here for more details.
Lakeshore Learning
On Saturday from 11AM-3PM, children can create a jazzy journal to draw and write in!
Lowes Build and Grow
On Saturday from 10AM to Noon, Kids can build wooden Binoculars! Go here for more details.
Michael’s
On Friday 6-7PM, attend the Christmas in July – Duck Tape Santa Suit Pail Demo (Adult event). On Saturday 11AM to – 2PM, attend the Passport to Fun FREE Make-It Take-It Event Mexico: Create your own Mexican Sun and Tissue Paper Flowers. Also, on Saturday 3-5PM, attend the Christmas in July – Glitter Ornament Event: Make-It Take-It with purchase of ornament (Adult event). Get more details here.
Pottery Barn Kids
On Saturday at 10AM, attend the Decorating Class Back to School & Study Spaces and get advice on setting up a study space for your kids. Kids can enjoy a special crafting activity too! Call your local store to RSVP.
Regal Cinemas
Head on over here to print a coupon for a Free small drink with any purchase, valid through 12/31. Currently, participating Regal Cinemas, United Artists and Edwards Theaters are running their 9-week Summer Movie Express 2011 and encouraging moviegoers of all ages to climb aboard to enjoy a selection of G or PG-rated films for only $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting at 10:00AM. Head on over here for more details and to find a participating Regal theater near you.
Also, now through August 31st or whenever 1 million fans have signed up (whichever comes first), Yahoo Movies and Regal Cinemas are offering up a Text Offer for a FREE small popcorn valid at any Regal, UA, or Edwards theater! Here’s what you’ll need to do…
*Visit any Regal, UA, or Edwards Theater
*Go to popcorn.yahoo.net on your smartphone
*Check in on your smartphone to get an instant coupon valid for a FREE small popcorn!
Keep in mind that standard text messaging rates apply. Head on over here for more details.
REI Sporting Goods
This summer, REI sporting goods stores are having a FREE Family Adventure program where you can download free adventure Kid’s journals (with games and activities), find local kid-friendly hikes and bike rides, share photos, swap tips, and more! Go here for more details.
Showcase Cinemas
Every Wednesday morning at 10AM from July 6-August 10, whenever your child brings in a completed book report they can snag a free admission to see the select movie for that day! Go here to download the book report or to see the participating theaters near you.
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day
In the spirit of Smithsonian Museums, who offer free admission everyday, Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket…for free. More Details – Only an official Museum Day ticket is eligible for free entry. Official tickets can be found here on the Museum Day website. One ticket per household, for two people. A ticket will gain entry to only one of the participating museums, excluding parking and special events and exhibits. If museum reaches capacity, museum has right to limit the number of guests until space becomes available.
Target
Head on over here and select a city to find free or reduced-price admission to arts and cultural events in your area, sponsored by Target.
Walmart
Today 7/22, head to your local Walmart and try samples of Fiber One® 80 Calorie Honey Squares, Cocoa Puffs® Brownie Crunch, Nature Valley® Dark Chocolate & Oats Granola Bars, and Yoplait® Yogurt! Be sure to check out the Walmart Event Finder and enter your zip code to see what other events are going on in your area.
(Thanks, Nicole, Little House Living, Keeping Cents, Just Married with Coupons, and Dayna!)
I signed my son up for the Apple camp, he’s going next week. I figured, since it’s kind of a drive for me I would group my errands in that part of town. However, when I received the email confirmation, it said that the parent must remain in the store for the duration of each of the 3 days. I have not decided is if this is worth it yet for me.
My kids are doing this now and it is pretty neat! They debut Their movies on Sat! My store did not make us stay as space was small and we were in the way! You have to shoot the video at home, but my 8 yr old was able to do it so it shouldn’t be that difficult! They really enjoyed it! Hope this helps!!
My son would love to do the Apple Camp but it’s already full at the only store in all of Nashville, TN to do it. He’s on the waitlist. Hope he gets in!! Thanks for the info on it though! I will be on the lookout for future camps to be sure to sign up on time.
@Kristin – I did not have to stay in the store with my son, but I did have to stay in the mall. If the store didn’t call you ahead of time, if you have any videos or photos that he would like to use to make his movie (along with music for the background – although my son used the song they create in GarageBand), bring them with you on a flash drive to the first day. He was able to get a lot more accomplished that first day. Also really cool ~ they get an Apple Camp t-shirt!
I am looking forward to seeing all of the movies tomorrow!
Collin, thank you so much for posting about the Apple Camp. My 10 year son and his best friend did it this week and had a great time! I wouldn’t have heard about it without you!