Family fun at minor league baseball games

It's summer and what would summer be if you didn't go to a baseball game? My family loves baseball. Of course our favorite team is the Tampa Bay Rays! But we also like to support the minor league teams in our area: the Dunedin Blue Jays, Clearwater Threshers, Tampa Yankees and Bradenton Marauders. 

These teams are a lot of fun for the family. Recently we went with our girls softball team the Riptides from Gulf Beaches Little League to the Clearwater Threshers game and bought tickets for $14. The price included admission plus all you could eat and drink from select concession items including hot dogs and hamburgers. We had a blast that night because the softball team was honored at the game. 

Our girls team was announced prior to the game, given a baseball, had a chance to meet all the ball players and get a picture with Phinley the team's mascot. The kids had great seats and even caught a few foul balls. Some of the girls from the softball team were in the races the Thresher's play during innings like spaghetti dodge ball and riding small bikes around cones. One of our coaches, Darren McClellan even won $300 by throwing a baseball through a very small hole! The Thresher's made it a memorable night for both the kids and their families.

Minor league teams are great because the teams do all sorts of promotions throughout the week to get you to their games and the tickets are very reasonable. Most ticket prices around $8 for adults and $6 for kids and seniors. A lot of the minor league teams even have a day when kids get in free to the game and some have fireworks after the game.

My family had the opportunity to attend mascot day at the Dunedin Blue Jays game a few weeks ago. We went to the game because my youngest daughter received free tickets from her golf camp because Largo Recreation's mascot Captain play was going to be at the game. It turned out to be a pretty inexpensive night. We even got parking for free because at this stadium parking is free. The only money we ending up spending was on concessions and the prices weren't too bad. Drinks were $3-$5, pizza was $3.50 and hotdogs were $3. The kids were so excited because they even got a free bobble head of the Blue Jay's mascot D.J. There were tables once you got inside of all sorts of fun things to do with the kids.

The girls got their faces painted, a person made balloon animals and there were games. My oldest daughter even won a free Blue Jay's shirt with a $10 gift card to Rally. We had great seats too right down the first base line. The only sad thing that night was the Blue Jay's lost. We will have to go back again to see them win.

If you get a chance head out this summer with your kids to a game. Check online to see what kind of promotions each team is running. If your kids are on little league teams and you want them to have the opportunity to take the field with the pros, call the team. It's a great experience and one your kids will remember. 

Summer Fun on A Budget

The kids are out of school and if you are like me, you are looking for fun things to do that won’t cost you ton. Every year I browse the paper, internet and flyers sent home from school to find some of the best and cheapest things to do. Here are some of the activities I’ve done with my two girls, ages 8 and 9, over the years and a few new ones I’ve found.

My kids love going to the movies, but they can be so expensive. During the summer you can go to the movies for $1. This is part of the Regal Theaters Summer Movie Express. It runs for 9 weeks starting June 10^th in our area.  The movies are Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute. Click here for the movies. The movie theaters locally are Park Place Stadium 16 and Regal Largo Mall 8. The movies are G or PG and start at 10 a.m. Some of the movies include: Smurfs 2, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Arthur Christmas and more.

My girls love to bowl. Kids can go bowling for free all summer long. It is part of the Kids Bowl Free program. Bowling alleys all around the United States participate. Locally kids can go in Largo to Liberty Lanes, in St. Petersburg to Ten Pin Lanes, in Dunedin to Dunedin Lanes and in Port Richey to Lane-Glo Lanes North. Kids get to bowl 2 games free a day. You must register at here at www.kidsbowlfree.com. Remember to bring bowling shoes or you can rent them.

We are so fortunate to have baseball all around us. Not only do we have the Tampa Bay Rays, but we also have 4 minor-league baseball teams in the area. If your kids like baseball, the minor league team tickets very affordable. The Clearwater Threshers have dollar Tuesdays, where the tickets and food sell for $1. The Tampa Bay Yankees have a great kids club where you pay $10 and all Wednesday and Sunday games are free. The Dunedin Blue Jays have a Junior Jays Kids Club and have some free admission days for kids with a paying adult. TheLakeland Flying Tigers offer Sunday games free for kids and on Monday’s tickets are one dollar along with food. Go to the team’s web sites for more information.

One place my two girls love going to is the beach and it’s free. Did you know that on Friday nights there’s a place on North Redington Beach that offers hula dance lessons to kids and adults? It is at Mango’s Restaurant and Tiki Bar which is located right behind DoubleTree Beach Resort. You can listen to tropical music on the beach and right before sunset on Friday nights the Sunset Island Dances come out and put on a fabulous hula show. They even do the limbo. It is a lot of fun.

If your kids like to read, they can read their way around the bases with the Reading with the Rays program. If kids read a certain number of hours during the summer, they can get a free ticket to a Ray’s game. You can find out more at your local library. Kids can earn a free book at Barnes and Noble with the Barnes and Nobel Summer reading program. If your child reads 8 of their own books and journals the books, they can get a free book at the store. You can find out more at Barnes and Noble. Click on words for information.

I know the summer can be long, if you don’t have things to do with your kids.  Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for the summer and you won’t have to spend too much money.