Summer Fun For Families in the Saint Cloud Area

As the weather warms, it is great to get out and enjoy all the Saint Cloud area has to offer for summer fun. Your family can enjoy these great amenities come rain or shine!

Image by Andrew Ciscel via Wikimedia Commons

Quarry Park

A hidden gem on the west side of Saint Cloud, Quarry Park and Nature Preserve is 683 acres of hiking trails, rock climbing, fishing, and swimming. The forest, prairie, and quarries offer a variety of breathtaking sights and teaching opportunities for your kids.

Splash Pads

If the weather is particularly warm, enjoy the day at one of the Saint Cloud area's many splash pads. There are large splash pads near the downtown area at Riverside Park and Lake George. On the west side of town, you can find a nice splash pad and playground in Waite Park at River's Edge Park and a smaller, more private splash pad near Westwood Elementary school. All of these parks offer picnic tables and playground equipment to make a wonderful afternoon activity.

Indoor Fun

If the weather is rainy, but you still need an activity to entertain the kids, consider some indoor fun in Saint Cloud. A popular choice is the play place in Crossroads mall where your small children can climb and play in between shopping. Consider hitting the movie theater; Marcus Parkwood Theaters has a summer movie series just for kids with discounted ticket prices. Another option for indoor fun is open gym times. Granite City Gymnastics, North Crest Kids Activity Center, Whitney Community Center, and the YMCA all have great facilities for open gym geared towards kids!


More ideas can be found at Fun4KidsMN.com, a website geared towards promoting family friendly events in the Saint Cloud area. If you are ever looking for something to do this summer, look no further! There are lots of options for family summer fun, even if the sun is not shining.

How to Ease Your Kindergartener’s Bus Anxieties

If you have a young child at home who is just starting school, chances are that they are nervous about starting. Kindergartners often have some anxiety about entering a new school and taking on new responsibilities as a big kid. One of those biggest anxieties is often about riding the school bus. They might think, “What if I get on the wrong bus? What if I get bullied on the bus? How do I know what to do?”

To help quell their worries about the bus, consider the following:  

Greet the driver. If your bus driver can greet your child every morning, this can help your child establish a positive relationship with the driver, which can make them feel more safe and comfortable. They will also feel more comfortable sharing any problems or issues that arise on the bus.

Share experiences. Share your own school and school bus experiences with your child to help them know what to expect. Encourage older siblings, cousins, or friends to share as well so that your child will have a lot of people to draw from. If those older kids ride the same bus, encourage them to buddy up with your kindergartner to help ease their worries.

Drive the route. Help your child become familiar with their bus route. Drive to school from home and back, and point out familiar landmarks or points of interest so they can recognize their neighborhood.

Be consistent. Get your kids to the bus on time. Consistently drop them off and wait for them at the end of the day. Give clear directions if any day is different from the norm. This consistency will build a routine for your kindergartner and will help relax their worries.

Teach them about safety. Go over good listening and sitting habits with your child so their transportation goes well. Reading a picture book, like Molly Rides the School Bus and My School Bus, can help them visual the habits to follow.

Establish a routine. Fear of the unknown can be the biggest cause of stress for a child. Take away the unknown, and establish a routine to help alleviate some of that stress. Set dinner and bedtimes, develop and stick to a schedule for the week, and set age-appropriate responsibilities.

Provide positive encouragement. Let your kindergartener know that it’s natural to be nervous or anxious when encountering new things. Your kids will gain confidence and learn to problem solve on their own in due time. Be a constant source of encouragement and support for them.

Visit Spanier Bus Service for more resources for helping your child be their very best for the school bus this year!