I am a stay-at-home mom of three in Temecula, and I’m always looking for fun and free activities to do around town.
I’m also a children’s author and former teacher, so I like to tie in reading to whatever I do.
Paired with each activity is a book recommendation that relates to the activity. It’s a great way to keep your kids connected to books and reading all summer long. And no need to purchase any of these books because all of them are available through the Riverside County Library System.
I've linked all of them to the library's pages, so you can click on each title and place a hold on them as you read this post.
Here are eight things to do for free in Temecula:
1. Start a book club
You can meet at your house, the park, or your local library.
Bunny’s Book Club by Annie Silvestro is a great book to inspire kids to start a book club. You can read it aloud to your kids and show them how fun it is to read with friends. Or even set up a weekly date where you meet up with other parents and rotate to read a story to each other’s kids.
If you have older kids ages 8-12, have them check out Sincerely, Diary by Maryna Doughty (that’s me!). I have a book club bundle available for free here. Just print it off and have your kids start their club! (Read my book's full description here.)
If your kids’ friends are on vacation and can’t meet up locally, you can do a virtual book club and video chat for meetings or talk on the phone. Another idea is to email friends to get practice typing and writing about the book. There are tons of options!
2. Watch airplanes take off at French Valley Airport
Although French Valley Airport isn’t technically in Temecula, it’s still pretty close (located in Murrieta), so I thought it’d be okay to include it.
The airplanes at this airport are all smaller planes; however, they are just as fun to watch take off and land. To prepare for your field trip to the airport, read these books to your kids. Although they talk about large commercial airplanes in the books, kids will still love getting in the flying spirit by reading these.
Five Trucks by Brian Floca focuses on the different trucks that help load the planes and prepare them for their flights.
Airport by Byron Barton shows the progression of getting to the airport all the way to take off.
As a side note, make sure to visit the airport on a sunny day. It is a flight school, so students typically don’t fly in bad weather. If you want to see planes take off, go when there are clear skies.
3. Go to the splash pad
During the hot summer months, what better activity is there than the splash pad? Check out the one on Margarita Road called Eagle Soar Playground & Splash Pad.
After reading the book Tow Truck Joe Makes a Splash by June Sobel, have kids bring their toy trucks to the splash pad for a “carwash.”
4. Ride scooters or bikes at the pump track
Getting exercise and fresh air is another great activity for kids. Have them ride scooters or bikes on the pump track at Ronald Reagan Sports Park on Margarita Road and Rancho Vista Road.
Or head down to the pump track at Wolf Creek Park on Wolf Valley Road and Wolf Creek Drive.
Make sure to read up on safety before going. Bike Safety by Sarah L. Schuette has very short sentences and is a super quick read, so kids won’t get bored reading about safety first.
Bike Safety by Emma Bassier has a few more words but is still fairly short.
5. Visit a nursery
Seeing the different plants and flowers at a local nursery is a great way to switch things up. It’s educational, it’s pretty, and it gets you and your kids out of the house.
Visit Curby’s Nursery off of Butterfield Stage Road and Calle Chapos. Or go to Home Depot on Temecula Parkway between Meadows Parkway and Margarita Road.
To prep your kids before their visit, read An ABC of Flowers by Jutta Hilpuesch or The Big Book of Blooms. An ABC of Flowers is a very fast read, as it says the name of a different flower on each page, and it’s in alphabetical order. If you don’t have much time, read this one.
If you have more time, check out The Big Book of Blooms by Yuval Zommer. Look in the table of contents and find the type of flowers you’re most interested in. Then read up on them before heading to the nursery.
6. Walk around the duck pond or Harveston Lake
If you want to get outside and enjoy the scenery, go on a walk at the duck pond at the corner of Ynez Road and Rancho California Road. You could even pack a picnic and hang out with the ducks.
Or go on a walk around Harveston Lake near Margarita Road and Harveston Way.
A fun book to read to get your kids excited about the ducks is Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. When you read the ending, you’ll see why it’s a fun one about ducks.
7. Look at animals at a pet store
If you want an indoor activity to get out of the heat, head to the promenade plaza to visit PetCo. There you’ll be able to look at fish, birds, reptiles, hamsters, and guinea pigs.
If you’re interested in adopting an animal, they have cats available up front.
Check out the book Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings, which talks about adopting pets in the back matter at the end of the story.
8. Visit the Temecula Valley Museum
Another great indoor activity to get out of the heat is visiting the Temecula Valley Museum located on Mercedes Street in Downtown Temecula.
The first level of the museum has pictures and displays of history. If you take the elevator to the second floor, you’ll find the children’s area. It is full of old artifacts that kids can play with.
For example, they have an old kitchen with fake eggs and kitchen utensils, so kids can pretend to live in the olden days and experience what life was like. They also have a tent and pretend campfire so kids can act like they’re roasting marshmallows. A life-size horse is also available for kids to sit on and get the feel for what horseback riding might be like.
As a side note, they are closed Mondays. So, make sure to visit the museum Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Although it is free, they do have a suggested donation of $10.00 per family.
To get your kids excited for the museum, read The Museum by Susan Verde. Ask your kids to think about what inspires them at the museum.
Whether you start a book club, watch airplanes, go to the splash pad, ride bikes and scooters at the pump track, visit a nursery, walk around the pond or lake, look at animals at the pet store, or visit the museum, I hope you enjoy these activities while saving money.
Which of these eight free activities will you and your kids try? Let me know in the comments!
Enjoy!
Maryna Doughty
P.S. For more children’s book recommendations, follow my bookstagram.
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