As summer winds down, there is still time for inexpensive summer fun before the business of the school year begins. Salina Public Library has several guidebooks if you want to go on a road trip around Kansas and find an unfamiliar destination. These many resources to check out with your library card and read through include Kansas official travel guide 2021 : to the stars ; The Kansas guidebook for explorers ; The Kansas Guidebook 2 : for explorers ; 8 wonders of Kansas guidebook : [216 great places to explore in Kansas] ; Kansas curiosities: quirky characters, roadside oddities & other offbeat stuff ; Roadside Kansas : a traveler’s guide to its geology and landmarks ; Exploring Kansas ; Kansas Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places ; Kansas curiosities: quirky characters, roadside oddities & other offbeat stuff ; and  Wandermore in Kansas : your ultimate guide to the Sunflower State! 

Although wandering around Kansas can be fun, there is no need to leave the Salina area. There are plenty of great activities to partake in near home, saving money on gas and other attractions. 

Most importantly, your family can visit the library and enjoy a program together or simply play with Legos, the kitchen with a variety of play food, or other toys in the Imagination Station. Some upcoming events at Salina Public Library include the weekly Thursday Evening Storytime, combining the best elements of all story times to suit a wide range of ages so that the whole family can attend together for stories, songs, rhymes and music time. There is still time to check out this event before the school year begins when homework may be assigned leading to busy nights if your family comes on Thursday, August 1 and/or Thursday, August 8, both at 6:30 p.m. Other events can be found in our printed calendar and the online calendar.  Without needing a specific event, the entire family can spend some time in the youth services department around a table with paper on it to draw with crayons and see what artwork everyone can create with each other. 

Other than the library, there are many nearby activities to enjoy with children. Down the street, at the local independent bookstore Red Fern Booksellers, there are several events taking place during the summertime. Red Fern Booksellers is hosting a children’s reading hour on Tuesdays this summer. Join Ms. Margy and Ms. Nancy weekly to read an exciting book and make a craft you can take home. While your kids are being read to, you can browse the lovely bookstore and find a title or two to add to your personal library. The next reading hour is today featuring the book “The Squish” by Breanna Carzoo which Salina Public Library also owns to check out in case you want to read it again but do not want to purchase it. In this story in an effort to protect themselves from ever getting squished again, Sandcastle tries to be bigger and taller and stronger,  but is that enough to stop all the squishes? This is said to be an uplifting picture book story that reminds us that while we can’t stop all of life’s squishes, we can reach out to others, reconnect with our ingrained resilience, and maybe even have some fun. 

Another free local destination to check out is the Smoky Hill Museum. Most museums have an admittance fee but our museum in Salina, Kansas does not. Even if you have been to the museum before as a family, it is well worth your time to return multiple times as the exhibits continually change and the Curiosity Shop invites youngsters to be creative and use their imagination while learning, with a new experience each time. According to the museum’s website, “With the emphasis on ‘curiosity,’ this inviting and playful space offers a dynamic, sensory environment. Visitors will throw themselves into new surroundings, exploring through sight, feel and imagination. This interactive children’s area features a tot section alongside four primary themed spaces for youth ages three to 14: The World of Radio, Town Building, The Dirty ’30s and Kansas Weather. The Curiosity Shop’s educational activities encourage cognitive, social and emotional development of children and students while serving as a safe, stimulating place of enrichment. Research shows that children who engage in meaningful play outside of the classroom perform better in school and have more success throughout life.”  In addition to these areas, other areas in the museum invite children to interact with and touch, such as a teepee and home from the past to sit and walk in. 

In addition to the museum, Lakewood Discovery Center has many activities for the family to enjoy and there is one left before summer ends. According to a recent post on the Salina Parks and Recreation Facebook page: “Rediscover your love for canoeing or learn a new skill with a peaceful paddle across Lakewood pond! Explore the wetlands and watch for wildlife as you cruise around the waters of the wildlife sanctuary. Bring friends and family along; you can switch out as much as you want! Each canoe holds two adults and one child and comes with life jackets and paddles. Reserve the number of boats you need, not the number of participants. $12 per canoe!” This Family Canoe Event is on Wednesday, July 31 at 7 p.m. at Lakewood Discovery Center. This inexpensive activity would be a great way to enjoy the outdoors before the school calendar starts without traveling far. 

Even if you have toys at home, sometimes it is fun to go to a place with different toys and activities for the family to enjoy inside, especially on a sweltering hot summer day, for a nominal fee. There are multiple places to do this in Salina on each side of town. Kid’s Creative Corners is a place where families of different age ranges can come explore and learn through play with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; imaginative play; fine/gross motor skills; sensory play; and more. Children can pretend to shop, work at a construction site, give stuffed animals veterinary care, and explore with dinosaurs. South of town located in the mall, Joyful Noise Playhouse also has a variety of options for families to enjoy a play area with air conditioning.  Adults can play alongside their children, or they can relax in the parent area, called the “Cafe” where items such as coffee and snacks can be purchased. At this location, children can pretend to work in a restaurant, play in a custom-built house as well as a barn with a loft; go down a twisty indoor slide; act as if they are camping with a fake fire and make s’mores; create a garden; and much more. 

Just outside of Salina is Rolling Hills Zoo, where there are special summer activities though Labor Day. Each day has a unique animal feeding encounter for a small charge at 11 a.m. with the following schedule:
Friday: Giraffe
Saturday: Camel & Highland Cow
Sunday: Aldabra Tortoise
Monday: Ostrich

There are ambassador animal meet and greets every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Kid’s Country Stage. In case of bad weather or extreme heat, this activity will move to the Museum Lobby.

There is also an upcoming Back to School Blast event on Saturday, August 10 with half-off admission; an inflatable bounce house and water slide; keeper chats; animal meet and greets; great deals on food and beverages; and more. Also related to the library, a Salina Public Library staff member travels to Rolling Hills Zoo every first Tuesday of the month for Toddler Tuesday. Together, toddlers will connect with nature, wildlife and each other. They will enjoy a special storytime, learn more about the animal featured in the story, create a fun craft, and enjoy playtime. Then both grown-ups and toddlers can enjoy a stroll through the Zoo, the Museum, or both.

Recently, my family happened to be passing the tortoise enclosure on a Sunday morning and were able to experience helping feed the animal. 

Another fun place in Salina, especially if you are a car enthusiast family, is The Garage Automotive Museum where there is much more to do than looking at old vehicles, such as checking out Hot Wheels and Lego exhibits that you can interact with. There is also a fun magnet wall and photo opportunities at a “parking spot” to take with your family. Like the zoo, admission is $15 with a decreased cost for students. 

There is also still time to beat the summer heat by playing in the water at Kenwood Cove. The last day for public swim will be on Sunday, August 11 and the annual Pooch Plunge will be on Monday, August 12 from 5-8 p.m. where dogs are allowed in the water for one day before the pool closes until next year. Typical hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 12:30-7 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30-6 p.m. In addition to the city’s water park, there are multiple splash pads that are still open throughout August to play among equipment to spray families with water and cool off. There are slightly fewer locations than usual though. According to https://www.salina-ks.gov/extended-closure-of-jerry-ivey-spray-pad-for-significant-repairs, “The decision to close the Jerry Ivey Spray Pad was made after careful consideration and exploration of the plumbing infrastructure with a camera designed for internal plumbing. The camera found several plumbing breaks most likely due to settling of the structure. Despite regular maintenance and proper winterization, the extent of the repairs required to address the plumbing issues necessitates a more comprehensive approach that requires the facility to be closed for an unknown extended period. In the meantime, patrons are encouraged to use the other Spray pads in the City of Salina, including Centennial Park and Hawthorne Park. The City remains dedicated to providing safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities for all residents and will work towards solutions for the Jerry Ivey Spray Pad.” Those parks with water playgrounds are open through September, weather permitting. A large list of park locations and their amenities can all be found here https://www.salina-ks.gov/city-parks-playgrounds to decide which or more to go to as a family activity. 

There is also a neat park named Oliva’s Playground that is all-inclusive. According to the website, “At this playground, inclusion means not only all children but also adults. A running/walking path winds around the play area in a quarter-mile loop. From any place on the track, an adult can see their children on the playground. There is also adult fitness equipment called the Thrive 450, located near the playground inside the walking path. The Thrive has multiple training stations and can accommodate several users at once, reducing wait times and providing a wide range of training options at every station. This area also includes ADA-accessible stations.” Olivia’s Playground includes many traditional playground favorites, such as slides, swings, and jungle gyms, all adapted for children with special needs. For safety, the entire playground is surrounded by a wrought iron fence and is lit in the evening. One of my favorite aspects of Olivia’s Playground are the tandem swings that an adult and child can be on together at the same time, with the adult’s movement also moving the swing attached. I had never seen a feature like that before and it is very cool that makes me want to return. Pictured is what this looks like as it may be easier to picture when you see what it looks like rather than just a description. 

As you can see there are plenty of activities in the Salina Area and still time to take advantage of these low-cost or no-cost locations before summer ends. And if you want to leave home and take a road trip, be sure to check out a book or a handful from the beginning of this blog to help you and your family with your explorations!

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