Are your kids bored this summer? Here are some affordable things to do during school break

Summer break is upon us.

The time of year kids look forward to since the first day of school — sleeping in on Mondays, playing games and no more homework. But eventually the novelty wears off and kids turn to their parents to say the dreaded two words:

“I’m bored.”

It can be a hard problem to solve, but there’s plenty to do in the Coachella Valley to entertain your kids on a budget. Here’s The Desert Sun’s list of some affordable options:

Go on an outdoors adventure

It may sound counterintuitive, but kids can enjoy the outdoors and mobile games at the same time in Desert Hot Springs.

Long Canyon Trailhead is on the free “Agents of Discovery” app, which offers augmented reality games or “missions” for kids to play and learn while they’re out there. Mission Springs Park is also on the app if you’re not up for the hike.

And, you know, nature is nice on its own too if for some reason your phone stops working.

Just keep swimming

It’s not summer without spending so much time in the pool you turn into a prune.

Several Coachella Valley cities work with the Desert Recreation District to open pools to the public and offer activities like swim lessons. Entry fees are $3 for kids and $4 for adults, but are not required if you’ve enrolled in a class; plus, children under 3 are free, according to the DRD's website.

Here’s where they’re located:

• Bagdouma Community Pool at 84-599 Ave. 52 in Coachella

• Cathedral City High School Pool at 69-250 Dinah Shore Drive in Cathedral City

• Fritz Burns Pool at 78-107 Ave. 52 in La Quinta

• Mecca Community Pool at 65-250 Coahuilla St. in Mecca

• Pawley Pool Family Aquatic Complex at 46-350 Jackson St. in Indio

More: Cathedral City wants to help residents stay cool this summer at the pool. Learn more

Summer hours vary and can be found on the DRD's website at MyRecreationDistrict.com. Most of these pools are open for summer programs and activities from June 5 to Sept. 4, except Cathedral City High School Pool, which is open from June 11 to Aug. 4.

There was a "Free Swim Friday" on June 9 at Bagdouma Community Pool, Fritz Burns Pool, Mecca Community Pool and Pawley Pool Family Aquatic Complex. Most of the pools offered free swimming from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., except Pawley Pool Family Aquatic Complex, which offered it from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Coachella residents can apply for passes on the DRD's website to swim at the Bagdouma Community Pool at no charge this summer. There were 275 out of 300 passes still available as of June 1. You need to show a utility bill and photo ID to prove you're a resident.

Swim lessons for kids are typically $62.50 per session, with sessions including multiple classes. Classes are based on age and skill, so even if your child already knows how to swim they can learn new techniques like the backstroke.

In Cathedral City, Councilmember Nancy Ross has offered to pay for a limited number of lessons for kids if they live in District 2 using her community assistance funds. There were about 25 slots left as of June 1.

Anyone interested can email Ross at nross@cathedralcity.gov to receive a voucher and then contact the DRD to schedule a swim lesson. She said she's making the funds available to keep kids safe since so many homes in the desert have pools.

You can also apply for a scholarship to get free swim lessons for kids ages 18 months to 5 years old as part of the DRD's "Ready Set Swim Jr." program, or kids above 5 years old as part of its "Operation Splash" program. The applications are available on the DRD's website.

The DRD also offers financial assistance for most of its programs — in or outside the pool. Scott Sear, the DRD's public information officer, said you can receive up to 75% off the cost of an activity or up to $150 in financial assistance per family member per year.

Information on if you qualify and the application are on the DRD's website.

Watch a movie

Cathedral City is once again hosting free movie screenings for kids this summer every Friday at 11 a.m. from June 16 to Aug. 4 at the Mary Pickford Theatre. There will be free water and a small popcorn for the first 50 kids on each of those days.

You can pick up a “Priority Line Pass” a week ahead of a movie date at the Cathedral City Public Library, or choose to wait in a standby line on the day of the event if there are available seats.

Here are the movies and the days they’ll be shown:

• "The Bad Guys" on June 16

• "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" on June 23

• "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" on June 30

• "Minions: The Rise of Gru" on July 7

• "Tom & Jerry" on July 14

• "Mummies" on July 21

• "DC League of Super-Pets" on July 28

• "Hotel Transylvania" on Aug. 4

The DRD is hosting free "dive-in movies" at pools in La Quinta and Cathedral City from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Here's what it's showing, where and when:

• "Minions: The Rise of Gru" on June 23 at the Fritz Burns Pool

• "Minions: The Rise of Gru" on June 24 at the Cathedral City High School Pool

• "Lightyear" on July 14 at the Fritz Burns Pool

• "Lightyear"on July 15 at the Cathedral City High School Pool

• "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" on Aug. 4 at the Fritz Burns Pool

Palm Desert Aquatic Center, located at 73-751 Magnesia Falls Drive, is also hosting dive-in movies this year for $5 per person. Kids under 2 years old are free. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. and the movie will begin once the sun sets, according to the center's website.

You can purchase tickets online by going to pdpool.com, at the front desk of the center ahead of the event, or at the event before they sell out. There will be food trucks at the screenings. The center recommends people bring towels to sit in the grass.

Here are the movies scheduled as of June 1:

• "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" on June 16

• "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" on July 14

• "Surf's Up" on Aug. 11

Have a museum day — or night

The Palm Springs Art Museum has free entry on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. It also has a free “Family+” event every third Sunday of the month where it offers activities and workshops for kids and teens. You can listen to live music, make art as a family and enjoy the museum’s galleries.

Explore a downtown

My favorite thing to do when I visited Palm Springs as a kid was going to VillageFest — a nighttime street fair held every Thursday on Palm Canyon Drive from Baristo to Amado roads. VillageFest's hours during the summer are 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

It's fun to walk through, and is on the same street as many downtown shops and restaurants if you want to check multiple things off your list at once. You could even enjoy free entry to the Palm Springs Art Museum that same night.

The market features entertainment and stalls selling items like food and drinks, fresh produce, artwork, soaps and other wares. There’s no admission fee to attend and free parking offered throughout the area, though spots can fill up quickly.

But if you're looking to venture out of the Palm Springs area, you can drive over to Desert Hot Springs for the new Friday Nights on Pierson event being held every Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. The event was originally set to end on June 9, but the city announced that it will be extended indefinitely, with new hours and more types of businesses. Your family can enjoy dinner from food trucks parked on the corner of Palm Drive and Pierson Boulevard, look at items sold by vendors, enjoy music and then explore other downtown businesses like Lizzy's Premium Frozen Yogurt.

Don't forget the classics

It's worth mentioning some of the free things your city offers year-round, such as libraries and parks.

Cathedral City recently installed shading over Panorama Park that makes playing outdoors more bearable in the hot summer months. The splash pad at La Quinta Park is closed, but a new one is expected mid summer, according to the City of La Quinta's website.

Several libraries also offer programs for all ages.

The Palm Springs Public Library is having its summer reading program that offers weekly activities for kids, teenagers and adults at the library based around the theme "Find Your Voice." It will be held for six weeks and you can register at palmspringsca.beanstack.org starting June 12.

It also hosts preschool story times, youth DIY crafts and other events. You can find their dates and times on the city's website under library events. There are also events listed on the Riverside County library system's website.

Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cheap and entertaining summer activities for kids in Coachella Valley