By Sherry Matney
Cousins Niahelie Vasquez, Sariah Molina, Nathan Molina and Carlisse Rios are loving the Splash Pad at Pate Park in Buffalo. School has been out for only one week and already kids and grandkids are whining, “There’s nothing to do!” True, trying to occupy their little minds all summer can be a challenge but there are some fun activities locally.
Both Buffalo and Centerville have libraries that feature summer reading programs as well as books and movies to be checked out. Computers with Internet are also available.
Geocaching is a popular outdoor activity in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to play “hide and seek” or “treasure hunts” right here in Leon County. A standard GPS can be used or the kids can download an “ap” onto their phones that helps them locate the treasures.
A typical cache is a small waterproof container with a logbook where the Geocacher enters the date they found it and signs it with a pre-assigned code name. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Just google “geocaching ap”, download and you are good to go. The prizes are small and inexpensive but the kids love to find them.
The water was “great” at Ft. Boggy State Park. And what better way to spend the long hot summer than to play in the water. Buffalo’s Pate Park has a delightful water park where kids can play and parents can watch from the shaded pavilion.
Centerville has a similar park where kid can play to their hearts content. And just a few miles down the road from Centerville is Ft. Boggy State Park. Now open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the lake water is clean and refreshing and kids love to swim and frolic on the grassy beach area. There is also a fishing pier available.
Cheyenne Simmons, Tina Simmons, Brittney Stahl and Adie Nicar “ beat the heat” at the splash pad in Centerville. For first run movies you and the kids will have to travel out of the county. Palestine is probably closest for Buffalo and Oakwood viewers but Huntsville may be a better choice for Centerville. Jewett kiddos may be closer to Bryan. Red Box, outside Family Dollar has some pretty good movies for just a little more than a dollar.
No matter what you do with your children, have fun and enjoy your time. It goes by way too fast.