Struggle to find fun activities to do during the summer that don’t break the bank? Not anymore! Here are dozens of fun summer freebies (or close to it) to keep your whole family entertained:

Enjoy fun activities!

* Go bowling: Over 600 bowling centers across the country are offering kids two free games a day all summer long. Want to join in on the fun? You can get a family pass for a one-time charge of $24.95, which covers two games per person per day for up to four adults for the whole summer. Find participating bowling centers near you, plus their age, time, date and other restrictions at kidsbowlfree.com.

* Attend museum exhibits: If you call or check the website of your favorite children, art, history and museums, you’ll find that most set aside one weekday to offer free admission to visitors. But, what if your schedule only allows for a weekend visit? You’re in luck! Target has partnered with 120 museums to provide free and reduced admission on certain Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (find dates and locations at target.com/arts) and Bank of America cardholders get free entry to over 100 museums during the first weekend of every month (find locations at promotions.bankofamerica.com/museums).

* Laugh at puppet shows: Or enjoy live animal demonstrations, join a sing-along, enter photo contests, learn to dance or participate in any of the other dozens of free activities offered by public libraries this June, July and August. Find a schedule of events on your library’s website at publiclibraries.com. But, don’t limit yourself by heading only to your nearest branch—check out what other libraries within driving distance are also offering. Each one hosts different events—and you don’t need a library card to attend. Bonus: Many libraries also let you “borrow” complimentary one-time passes to zoos, museums, sporting events and/or art performances.

* Find more free happenings: Type in your zip code and the word “free” at zvents.com and you’ll instantly get a list of no-cost activities—like concerts, fairs and guided nature hikes—going on in your area.

* Snag amusement park coupons: Get discounts for 10% to 30% off ticket prices at retailmenot.com/coupons/amusementpark.

Go on a trip!

* Get a behind-the-scenes peek: At factorytoursusa.com, you can choose from over 500 tours of factories—which show you how to make everything from ice cream and hand-blown glass to teddy bears and robots—as well as sports stadiums and television and movie studios. Most tours are free; some may charge a nominal fee.

* Pick peaches: Or see how Alpaca fiber is turned into yarn or learn the secrets to growing award-winning tomatoes by visiting local farms that host free tours, which you can find at localharvest.org.

* Take a scenic drive: Get photos and directions for driving routes near you that boast beautiful nature scenery or take you by fun roadside attractions at byways.org and weather.com/activities/driving/scenicdrives.

* Feed the kids for free: All that traveling can make kids hungry! Luckily, where ever you go, you’re probably near one of the over 5,300 restaurants offer kid’s meals on the house. Find out the dates, times and locations where you can get complimentary food at mykidseatfree.com.

Learn something new!

* Master the outdoors: Participating Bass Pro Shops across the country are offering basic instruction for burgeoning outdoor enthusiasts through July 11 on weekends, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Workshops include instruction in hiking, camping, fishing, bird watching, archery, outdoor-themed children’s crafts and—most important of all—s’mores-making! Store activities and times will vary; check your local Bass Pro Shops’ schedule at  basspro.com/summercamp.

* Make a movie: Apple computer stores give kids 8-12 valuable hands-on experience as they learn how to use Mac computers to make a movie, compose a song, assemble a photobook and create presentations. Registration is free; class times and dates at your local Apple store can be found at apple.com/retail/youth.

* Channel your inner artist: Michael’s craft stores workshops teach kids all sorts of useful crafts projects—such as how to make corsages, decorate T-shirts and create hand-made greeting cards. Instruction is free; you may have to purchase supplies for some classes. Get schedules, times, locations and supply requirements at theknackkids.com/EventView.aspx.

* Build a planter: Kids ages 5-12 get free instruction and materials to make wooden projects—such as planters, games and bird feeders—at Lowes every Saturday between 10 am and 11 am and at Home Depot on the first Saturday of each month between 9 am and noon. For a schedule of projects planned for the summer at Lowes, head to lowesbuildandgrow.com and for Home Depot, head to homedepot.com/kidsworkshop.

* Find the Big Dipper: At skymaps.com, you can print out clear, easy-to-read maps of constellations that you can pinpoint in the night sky this summer.

Get lost in a story!

* Earn free books for reading: Kids 12 and under who read eight books this summer will receive a free book from Barnes & Noble (barnesandnoble.com/summerreading) and those who read 10 books get a free book from Borders (borders.com). Simply pick up a worksheet at your local Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores, write in the books your kids have read, then bring it in to your local store when the kids finish their last book.

* Listen to stories read aloud: Pottery Barn Kids (potterybarnkids.com) hosts a live story-time every Tuesday 11 am to 11:30 am. Kids who attend five story-times receive a free gift. You can also find live book reading at your local bookstores—simply ask them for their story-time schedule.

* Watch animated books online: Younger children can read along on the screen while enjoying fun stories and poems brought to life through colorful animation. Choose from four of the most popular Aesop’s Fables—including The Tortoise and the Hare and The Fox and His Shadow—at us.penguingroup.com and original stories and poems from mightybook.com.

Cool off at a movie!

* Attend free morning matinees: Do your kids clamor for Kung Fu Panda, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, The Karate Kid and other children’s film favorites? Regal Cinemas offer free seating on a first-come, first-serve basis during its weekly morning matinee series (find theatres and showtimes at regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestival.aspx). And, for just $1 per person, the Summer Movie Camp at participating AMC Theatres offers a different kids’ movie at 10 a.m. every Tuesday from June 15 through August 10 (find theatres at amcentertainment.com/smc) and Cinemark offers 10 weekly children’s movies for $5 at participating theatres when purchased in advance and $1 per movie when purchased on the day of the show (find theatres and showtimes at cinemark.com/summermovieclubhouse).

* Get discounts on blockbusters: The price of tickets to see new releases has been going up, but you can score major discounts that bring the price back down. Simply purchase tickets through AAA, Costco and other large associations who buy them in bulk and then pass the savings on to you. Get tickets through Entertainment (entertainment.com), which charges $15 to $45 for books of half-price coupons for movies. Or join a free movie club, which is offered by many theatres as an incentive to customers and rewards you with points toward complimentary tickets and other discounts every time you see a movie.

* Check your membership benefits: Certain groups—like alumni groups and trade organizations—credit card companies, credit unions and other companies and associations offer free and discounted movie tickets just for being a member.

Have a blast indoors on rainy days!

* Watch live butterflies: The butterfly webcam at National Museum of History (amnh.org) shows live images of colorful Monarchs, Swallowtails and Malachites all day long.

* Find out where your food comes from: For milk, log onto whereismymilkfrom.com. For fruits and vegetables, log onto harvestmark.com and leopold.iastate.edu.

* Color and draw online: At crayola.com, your kids can play games, color any of the over 1,000 printable coloring pages and choose from the hundreds of craft projects, including making certificates and holiday cards.

* Take virtual tours: Explore the White House (whitehousemuseum.org), see how Jelly Belly jelly beans are made (jellybelly.com) or take a virtual walk on the moon’s surface (moon.arounder.com).

[photo: Lin Pernille Photography]

According to a recent study in the journal PLoS ONE, we end up throwing away an astonishing 40% of the food from our fridge and cabinets, usually because they expire before we eat them. Luckily, there’s an easy way to make use of all your food before it goes bad: Log onto supercook.com and simply type in the ingredients you have in your kitchen. You’ll be given hundreds of links to easy recipes for soups, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts that use all those items so they don’t go to waste.

[photo: carolyn.will]

Cinnabon is taking the sting out of Tax Day by offering free bite-sized versions of their famous cinnamon bun dessert. To find a Cinnabon near you, log onto cinnabon.findlocation.com. Hours and participation vary by location.

[photo: Andrew Currie]

Sure, they bring May flowers, but getting drenched in an unexpected April downpour can ruin your hair, clothes and makeup. The good news: You can always know exactly when a rainstorm is on its way—and when it’s wise to take your umbrella even if it’s currently sunny outside—with these free services that make it easy to get the local weather anywhere anytime:
* On the web: For a four-day forecast, simply type “weather” plus your zip code in Google’s search box.
* Via text message: Send a text to The Weather Channel (42278) with your city’s name or zip code. You’ll immediately get a text back with the weather for that day.
* Over the phone: Dial 1 (800) 555-TELL and say “weather” to hear today’s forecast.

[photo: *Greig*]

Have a standout resume, but tend to get tongue-tied in the interview? Get free question-and-answer practice at bettertalking.com. Simply log in, then sign up and use a PIN number to call into an automated system that asks you common interview questions, such as “Tell me about yourself”, “What are your greatest strengths?” and “What are your greatest weaknesses?” Your answers will be recorded so you can play them back on the website and figure out which ones sound great and which ones you need to work on. Bonus: You can send the recordings to friends and family members to get their input.

[photo: I Don't Know, Maybe]

Need to remember something important, such as a dentist appointment or when to take a pill? Log onto the free reminder service memorari.us and simply choose a date, time and delivery option (email, text or IM), then type your reminder message. It will be delivered automatically.

[photo: Julia Freeman-Woolpert]

According to a survey of wealthy lottery winners who could easily afford both, chocolate is the bigger happiness-booster hands down. And when University of Nottingham psychologists asked what else makes them happiest, the lottery winners overwhelmingly chose other free or low-cost indulgences—such as a long bath, an afternoon nap and a stroll in the park—over high-priced luxuries like flashy cars and exotic vacations. “Spending time relaxing is the secret to a happy life. Cost-free pleasures are the ones that make the difference—even when you can afford anything that you want,” says study author Richard Tunney, Ph.D.

[photo: pixietart]

Curious about what you’d look like if you had Botox, an eyebrow lift or another facial cosmetic procedure? Find out for free by uploading your photo at liftmagic.com, then clicking on one or more of the 16 treatment options to instantly see how you’d look.

[photo: Charles Williams]

Heads up, pancakes lovers: On Tuesday, February 23, IHOP restaurants are offering customers a complimentary stack to help celebrate Pancake Day—an annual holiday that began hundreds of years ago as a way to use up milk and eggs before fasting for Lent. Simply show up between 7 am and 10 am and you’ll be treated to three yummy buttermilk biscuits in return for a donation of any amount to support local children’s hospitals.  

Did you know? Pancakes are brain food! That’s the news from Tufts University researchers who found that folks who cut out carbohydrates—like those found in pancakes—from their diet had foggier memories and slower reaction times than those who ate the same number of calories, but without carbs. And for good reason: Carbohydrates provide the brain with glucose, its primary source of fuel.

[photo: srqpix]

Want to listen to music that makes you feel happier? More energized? Relaxed? Or simply enjoy tunes that match your current mood? Log onto stereomood.com and click the mindset you’re in or want to be in. You’ll be given a list of hundreds of popular songs that match that mood in tempo and lyrics that you can listen to immediately free of charge.

[photo: bigpresh]