Take Back Your Day
Full Version · Raleigh
Take Back the Summer
Enter your access password to open your planner.
Check your Gumroad receipt for the password.
Raleigh & within ~3 hours

Take Back the Summer

A short list of good days — so you can stop carrying the whole calendar in your head.

You don't have to make summer magical. You don't have to do all of these. Pick one thing today. That counts. That's a good day.

Add your kids once 👶 — then tap their heart on the spots they love, and I'll build their faves.

👶 Add your crew

Add each kid, then tap their heart on the spots they love.

🌞 Pick your day

Tap a name for live hours & directions.

✨ Plan & personalize

☀️ Outside

Fresh air, close to home, mostly free.

State Farmers Market ↗

Wander, sample, grab a snack. Cheap, easy morning out — and nobody melts down before nap.

Free to roamMon–Sat 5a–6p · Sun 8a–6p
💦 Splash pads & spraygrounds

Free water play, mostly open ~May through September. The full guide has fees, hours & open dates.

Full splash pad guide — fees, hours & open dates ↗

🌳 Parks & playgrounds

The big favorites up top, then shady playgrounds for when it's too hot.

🥾 Easy hikes & trails
🏊 Swimming & lakes
🎶 Free live music

Outdoor concert series — bring a blanket, let the kids dance, grab a food-truck dinner. Mostly Friday evenings, almost all free.

Full live-music roundup & current dates ↗

🐐 Farms, goats & fruit picking

Meet some animals or pick your own berries. Picking is seasonal — strawberries wind down by mid-June, then blueberries & blackberries take over into July — so check the farm's Facebook before you drive out.

  • Spring Haven Farm · Chapel Hill · baby-goat snuggles, goat yoga, highland cows & alpacas, plus a gem mine
  • Old Mill Farm at the Vineyard · Durham · summer "Fridays on the Farm" — goat hayrides, petting zoo & live music
  • Phillips Farms of Cary · Cary · 100-year family farm — U-pick berries plus a play area with swings & a bounce pad$$
  • Vollmer Farm · Bunn · organic U-pick blueberries & blackberries, homemade ice cream + the weekend "Back Forty" play area$$
  • Lyon Farms · Creedmoor · U-pick strawberries, blackberries, blueberries & peaches$$
  • Smith's Nursery · Benson · summer blueberry U-pick, a farm market & an ice cream stand$$
  • Pope's Strawberry Farm · Knightdale · U-pick close to town — strawberries in spring, blueberries July–Aug$$

Full pick-your-own farm list & what's in season ↗

NCMA Movie Nights at Moore Square ↗

Free outdoor movies downtown with NCMA — food trucks at 6, film at 7:15. Bring a blanket and dinner money.

  • Sat, June 20 — Shrek
  • Fri, July 10 — Godzilla vs. Mothra
  • Fri, Aug 21 — Wicked: For Good
FreeTrucks 6p · film 7:15p

This week's festivals & one-offs

This is the part that changes daily — so let the people who track it full-time do the work. These three update constantly: Triangle on the Cheap, Fun4RaleighKids, and Raleigh Family Adventure.

FreePaidUpdated daily — not by me

❄️ Indoors

A/C — for the hot days and the rainy ones.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences ↗

Four floors of dinosaurs, whale skeletons, a butterfly room and an aquarium. The big free win downtown.

FreeDaily 10a–5p (summer)
NC Museum of History ↗

Right next door — pair the two, or save one for the next hot afternoon.

FreeTue–Sat 9a–5p · Sun 12–5p
Marbles Kids Museum ↗

A kid-sized town, water table, climbing — built for little hands. Book ahead; it fills up.

$ from $9Tue–Sun 10a–5p (Thu to 7p)
Library summer reading & storytimes ↗

Free reading programs, prizes and weekly storytimes all summer. A/C, books, a craft, home by lunch.

FreeVaries by branch
🎬 Cheap kids' movies
$1–$37 theaters · all summer

Every cheap summer movie series in one place. Tap a theater for its lineup.

Regal — Summer Movie Express
Participating Regal theaters · 11 a.m.
$1Mon–Thu · Jun 1–Aug 13

$1 a ticket, plus $3 off a snack pack. Find a Regal ↗

  • Jun 1–4 — Sing · TMNT: Mutant Mayhem
  • Jun 8–11 — Kung Fu Panda 4 · David
  • Jun 15–18 — KPop Demon Hunters · The Wild Robot
  • Jun 22–25 — The Bad Guys 2 · The Garfield Movie
  • Jun 29–Jul 2 — A Minecraft Movie · Sonic 2
  • Jul 6–9 — Sonic 3 · How to Train Your Dragon
  • Jul 13–16 — Scoob!
  • Jul 20–23 — Animal Farm · SpongeBob
  • Jul 27–30 — Dog Man · Paddington in Peru
  • Aug 3–6 — Charlie the Wonderdog · Despicable Me 4
  • Aug 10–13 — The Sandlot · Muppets Treasure Island
Cinemark — Summer Movie Clubhouse
Cinemark Bistro Raleigh · Wed 9:30 a.m.
$1.75Wednesdays · Jun 1–Aug 6

$1.75 a ticket (+ snack combos). Some locations add other days. Directions ↗

  • Jun 1–4 — Paddington
  • Jun 8–11 — Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Jun 15–18 — KPOP Demon Hunters
  • Jun 22–25 — Shrek Forever After
  • Jun 29–Jul 2 — SpongeBob
  • Jul 6–9 — A Minecraft Movie
  • Jul 13–16 — Dog Man
  • Jul 20–23 — How to Train Your Dragon
  • Jul 27–30 — The Bad Guys 2
  • Aug 3–6 — Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
Paragon Theaters — Fenton
21 Fenton Main St, Cary · 10 a.m.
$2Wed & Thu · Jun 10–Aug 20

$2 a ticket, with discount kids' trays. Directions ↗

  • Jun 10–11 — KPOP Demon Hunters
  • Jun 17–18 — Dog Man
  • Jun 24–25 — The Bad Guys 2
  • Jul 1–2 — David
  • Jul 8–9 — Sonic 3
  • Jul 15–16 — The SpongeBob Movie
  • Jul 22–23 — How to Train Your Dragon
  • Jul 29–30 — The Wild Robot
  • Aug 5–6 — A Minecraft Movie
  • Aug 12–13 — Despicable Me 4
  • Aug 19–20 — Goat
AMC — Summer Movie Camp
Participating AMC theaters · 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
$3Mon & Wed · Jun 22–Aug 12

$3 a ticket; details vary by location. Find an AMC ↗

  • Jun 22 & 24 — Paddington in Peru
  • Jun 29 & Jul 1 — David
  • Jul 6 & 8 — How to Train Your Dragon
  • Jul 13 & 15 — The Lego Movie
  • Jul 20 & 22 — Sonic 3
  • Jul 27 & 29 — The Bad Guys 2
  • Aug 3 & 5 — SpongeBob
  • Aug 10 & 12 — Muppet Treasure Island
Marquee Cinemas — Wakefield 12
N. Raleigh · 9:30 & 9:45 a.m.
FreeTue & Wed · two films/day

Free admission — two film choices each day. Directions ↗

  • Jun 16–17 — Minecraft · KPOP Demon Hunters
  • Jun 23–24 — Charlie the Wonderdog · SpongeBob
  • Jun 30–Jul 1 — David · The Bad Guys 2
  • Jul 7–8 — Sonic 3 · The Garfield Movie
  • Jul 14–15 — How to Train Your Dragon · Paddington
  • Jul 21–22 — The Wild Robot · The Pout-Pout Fish
  • Jul 28–29 — Kung Fu Panda 4 · Harold & the Purple Crayon
  • Aug 4–5 — The King of Kings · Dog Man
Triangle Cinemas
Forum Dr, Raleigh · 10 a.m.
FreeTue–Thu · Jun 16–Aug 20

Free kids' movies all summer. Directions ↗

  • Jun 16–18 — Shrek 2
  • Jun 23–26 — Curious George
  • Jun 30–Jul 2 — How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
  • Jul 7–9 — Sing
  • Jul 14–17 — Kung Fu Panda 4
  • Jul 21–23 — The Secret Life of Pets
  • Jul 28–30 — Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
  • Aug 4–7 — Penguins of Madagascar
  • Aug 11–14 — The Wild Robot
  • Aug 18–20 — Trolls
The Lumina Theater
Chapel Hill · Tue 10 a.m.
$3Tuesdays · Jun 23–Aug 25

$3 Kids Summer Movie Camp. Directions ↗

  • Jun 23 — Paddington in Peru
  • Jun 30 — Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
  • Jul 7 — Hotel Transylvania 2
  • Jul 14 — The Angry Birds Movie
  • Jul 21 — The Lorax
  • Jul 28 — Hop
  • Aug 4 — Migration
  • Aug 11 — Sing 2
  • Aug 18 — The Secret Life of Pets
  • Aug 25 — Despicable Me

Showtimes can change — double-check with the theater. Schedules via Triangle on the Cheap.

🤸 Indoor play — trampolines & jump parks
🧸 Indoor play — cafés & little ones
☕ Coffee shops & hangouts

Local, non-chain spots that actually welcome kids — for when you just want to chill or meet up with another family. Shop local. 💛

Got a kid-friendly local spot I should add? Tap the 💛 button and tell me!

⛸️ Indoor play — skate, climb, bowl & arcades

This week's festivals & one-offs

This is the part that changes daily — so let the people who track it full-time do the work. These three update constantly: Triangle on the Cheap, Fun4RaleighKids, and Raleigh Family Adventure.

FreePaidUpdated daily — not by me

🌧️ At home

Rained out, worn out, or just staying in. Pick a vibe and tap through — one idea at a time.

🎨 Make & build
Blanket fort + flashlight
Couch cushions, every blanket, a stack of books. The mess is part of it.
Bake something together
Boxed mix counts. Let them crack the eggs and lick the spoon.
Big art session at the table
Markers, stickers, tape, paper. No project, no plan — just make stuff.
Paper-bag puppets
A lunch bag, markers, scraps for ears and eyes. Make a few, then put on a show behind the couch.
Egg-carton creatures
Cut up an egg carton, add dots for eyes and pipe-cleaner legs. Caterpillars, bugs, tiny monsters.
🎶 Move & wind down
Living-room dance party
Everyone picks one song. Lights off, sound up. Ten minutes resets the whole mood.
Floor-picnic movie
Popcorn, a blanket on the floor, one movie. Dinner doesn't have to happen at the table.
Freeze dance
Music on, dance like crazy — pause it and everybody freezes. Repeat till they're worn out.
Keep the balloon up
One balloon, the whole family, don't let it touch the floor. Surprisingly tiring, very giggly.
Pajamas + a pile of books
Dim the lights, everyone in PJs, a stack of books on the couch. The soft landing into bedtime.
🧪 Kitchen & science
Shake-it butter
Heavy cream in a jar, lid on tight, shake till it turns to butter. It's an arm workout — and a little magic.
Baking-soda volcano
Baking soda + a splash of vinegar + a drop of dish soap. Do it in the sink or outside and let them gasp.
Homemade play dough
Flour, salt, water, a little oil, food coloring. Warm on the stove till it comes together — lasts for weeks.
Rainbow milk
A plate of milk, drops of food coloring, one cotton swab dipped in dish soap. Watch the colors run.
Freeze your own popsicles
Juice (or smushed fruit) in any cup with a spoon. Tomorrow's treat, made today.
🔍 Games & hunts
Indoor treasure hunt
Hide a little prize, then a trail of clues leading to it. Work backward from the hiding spot — 5 clues is plenty.
Sock-ball basketball
Laundry basket + rolled socks. Move it back a step each time they score.
The memory game
"I went to the store and bought…" — each person adds one thing and repeats the whole list. Giggles guaranteed.
Charades or 20 Questions
No supplies, no setup, works in the car too. Let the youngest go first.
Indoor "floor is lava"
Couch cushions across the floor, don't touch the ground. Surprisingly long shelf life.
📦 Cardboard & build
Box rocket or robot
That delivery box + markers + foil. Cut a hatch, add buttons, blast off.
Toy-car tape track
Painter's tape roads across the floor — loops, intersections, a parking lot. They'll add to it for hours.
Toothpick + marshmallow towers
How tall before it topples? Dried spaghetti works too.
Cardboard city
Stack boxes into buildings, color the windows. Bonus points for a drive-through.
Fort, version two
Chairs + a bedsheet + clips. Add a flashlight and a "no grown-ups" sign.

Stuck for ideas? 100 more

Triangle on the Cheap keeps a big list of 100 screen-free things to do at home — forts, slime, treasure hunts, the works.

Free

⏱️ Got time?

How much time have you actually got? Tap it — I'll hand you one plan, not a list.

Indoors or out?

👆 Tap how much time you've got, and I'll give you one good plan for it.

🚗 Day trips

A real day out — sorted by drive time, closest first.

🦕 Durham · ~30 min
  • Museum of Life and Science · a real train, bear habitat, dinosaurs, butterfly house — easily a full day
  • Duke Lemur Center · world's largest lemur sanctuary; small tours, book ~a week ahead
  • The Parlour · downtown · handmade ice cream on CCB Plaza by "Major the Bull" — the perfect after-museum treat
🐯 Pittsboro · ~45 min
  • Carolina Tiger Rescue · tigers, lions and ocelots up close on a guided walk; tours by reservation only
  • S&T Soda Shoppe · downtown · a restored 1950s soda fountain — hand-dipped ice cream, burgers & hot dogs
  • Fearrington Village · ~10 min · the famous belted "Oreo" cows & goats kids adore, plus a bakery and gardens
🔬 Greensboro · ~1 hr 15 min
  • Greensboro Science Center · zoo + aquarium + science museum on one ticket; treetop ropes course
  • Yum Yum Better Ice Cream · a Greensboro institution since 1906 — homemade ice cream + famous hot dogs, by the UNCG campus
  • Make the train the trip 🚆 · skip the drive — ride NC By Train to downtown Greensboro, then walk to the Children's Museum. Kids 2–12 ride half-price; check the site for the cheap summer kids fare.

Heading west? Triad Moms on Main

For the Greensboro / Winston-Salem / High Point direction, this site keeps a live family-events calendar (sortable by kid stage): triadmomsonmain.com.

FreePaid
🦒 Asheboro · ~1 hr 30 min
  • NC Zoo · world's largest natural-habitat zoo; a big day of walking — bring a stroller + water
  • The Table · downtown Asheboro · bakery + eatery with house-made desserts and Homeland Creamery ice cream, minutes from the zoo
  • Ride the zoo tram · the park is ~2 miles end to end — hop the tram between the North America & Africa entrances, and rent a stroller to save little legs
🦩 Scotland Neck · ~1 hr 45 min

A scenic countryside drive east — an easy half-day.

  • Sylvan Heights Bird Park · walk-through aviaries — feed flamingos & parakeets from your hand; ~$14 adults / $10 kids, free parking + picnic tables
  • McDowell's Pharmacy soda fountain · downtown Scotland Neck · old-school soda fountain & ice cream, vintage vibes and a bird mural out front
  • La Casetta · Main St · the local Italian spot — friendly, New York–style pizza if you'd rather sit down for lunch
🏖️ Carolina Beach · ~2 hr 15 min

A classic NC beach day — sand, a boardwalk, and the best donut in the state.

  • Carolina Beach Boardwalk & beach · Ferris wheel, amusement rides and beach access steps away; rides run Memorial Day–Labor Day, weeknights are calmerFree to stroll
  • Britt's Donuts · boardwalk legend since 1939 — hot glazed donuts, cash only, summers only; get in line early before it grows
  • Where to park · paid lots & meters by the boardwalk — arrive early for free street parking (and to beat the Britt's line)
🎢 Charlotte · ~2 hr 30 min

A bigger haul — best saved for a full day or an overnight.

  • Slick City Action Park · South Charlotte · indoor slide park — giant drop slides, climbing, air courts
  • Carowinds · Charlotte · roller coasters + the Carolina Harbor water park; a big-kid thrill day
  • Discovery Place Science · Uptown · hands-on science museum — aquarium, big experiments, an IMAX dome; a great rainy-day anchor

Take Back the Summer · Raleigh

Our Summer Bucket List 🌞

A short list of good days.

📝 Bucket list

Tap to check off the ones you want, ✕ to remove, or add your own. When it's how you like it, hit Print / Save as PDF to keep it — it's your list to print for the fridge or save to your phone.

0 of 0 done — let's make some good days

☀️ Outside

  • Run through a splash pad
  • Ride the train & carousel at Pullen Park
  • Play at Gipson Playground at Dorothea Dix Park
  • Swim at a lake or pool
  • Catch a free outdoor concert at sunset
  • Watch an outdoor movie under the stars
  • Pick your own strawberries or blueberries
  • Snuggle the baby goats at an animal farm
  • Grab a treat at the State Farmers Market

❄️ Cool off / indoors

  • See the dinosaurs at the Natural Sciences museum
  • Catch a $1 summer movie at the theater
  • Jump it out at an indoor play place
  • Meet a friend at a kid-friendly coffee shop
  • Hit up library story time

🌧️ At home

  • Build a blanket fort and read in it
  • Make homemade popsicles
  • Have a living-room dance party
  • Build something epic out of a cardboard box
  • Camp out in the backyard (or living room)

🚗 Big adventures

  • Spend a day at the Museum of Life & Science
  • Meet the lemurs or the tigers
  • Take the train to Greensboro for the day
  • Walk the whole NC Zoo
  • Spend a beach day at Carolina Beach (+ Britt's Donuts)
  • See the flamingos at Sylvan Heights Bird Park
  • Take on Charlotte — Discovery Place & Carowinds

✏️ Our own family picks

Our Week 🗓️

Take Back the Summer — Raleigh family edition

🗓️ My week

Can't face planning? Tap the button and I'll fill your week — one good thing a day. Tap any day to write your own (emojis welcome 🍦), swap it, or skip it. You don't have to do all seven. 💛

Your week's a blank slate. Tap ✨ Plan my week and I'll do the deciding. 🌞

Take Back the Summer · Raleigh

Our Crew Faves 💛

The spots we all love.

💛 My crew

Tap the colored hearts on Outside & Indoors spots — I'll show you what your crew loves. 💛

💛 Feedback