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Washington State Parks are waiving or reducing campsite fees for foster

parents and relative caregivers with a foster child currently in their care.

This bill was sponsored by Sen. Jim Honeyford of the 15th

District, which includes Klickitat and Skamania County.

Camping at a first come, first served park has no charge at all. Campers

reserving sites in reservation parks pay only the $8.50 reservation fee.

This adds up to pretty big savings, as campsite fees range from $19.00 to

$33.00 per night.

Take a kid camping!

Bonneville Dam-great fish viewing site! 2 miles west of Bridge of the Gods, off SR 14 in Washington.
Bonneville Fish Hatchery-off 1-84 just west of Cascade Locks, Oregon. The sturgeon are COOL!
The Dalles Dam-ancient petroglyphs, a fun little park where you can feed ducks and see sturgeon.
Dog Mountain-off SR 14 in Washington. Day hike, great views of the Gorge.
Catherine Creek, Lyle, Washington. Excellent hiking site. Spring wildflowers are spectacular.
Children's Park in Hood River, Oregon.
Sorosis Park in The Dalles, Oregon.
Daubenspeck Park in Bingen, Washington.
Rock Creek Park in Stevenson, Washington.
Goldendale Observatory State Park in Goldendale, Washington. Free.
The Fort Vancouver Regional Library-check for story times for children at your local branch!
Wishram Railroad Park, Wishram, Washington. Check out the huge steam engine there.
Rock Creek Skate Park, Stevenson, Washington. Wear your helmet!
Hood River Skate Park-bring your bike, scooter, blades or board.
Klickitat Trail for parents in Lyle and Klickitat. Trail heads can be accessed by a short walk from town, and the trail has recently been partially paved for a mile or two near each populated area for easy biking, walking or stroller pushing.
Northwest Lake, Husum, Washington. Swimming & picnic site. Off Highway 141.
Rowena Overlook/Tom McCall Wildflower Park. Off Old Highway 30, Rowena, Oregon.
Mosier Tunnels, off Old Highway 30, in Mosier, Oregon.
Drive the Fruit Loop through Hood River County.
Home Valley Park, off SR 14 in Home Valley, Washington. Swimming, picnic, small play area.
Whoop-N-Holler Museum, Bickleton, Washington. Small admission charge.
Hood River Aquatic Center Dollar-a-Swim night. Friday nights 6:30-8:00 pm.
Skamania County Pool-check their site for "Dive-in" movies or other fun activities.
White Salmon Pool-Free swim times on Wednesday and Saturday during summer.

Thank you, Beneventi's!

Mill-A 4th of July Parade. The best little hometown parade on this side of the Gorge.

Parade starts at 10:30 am, and ends at Mill A School. Old fashioned Firemen's Picnic follows.

Hood River Saturday Market, across from HR Cinemas. Opens 9 am. May to Mid-October.
Gorge Grown Farmer's Market. Thursday evenings at May Street Middle School.

Family Activities

Make a simple family tree with your children. Show them pictures of you as a little kid. Children love hearing what you did when you were that age.
Go fishing. Go for a bike ride. Fly a kite in the park.
Read comic books.
Make comic books.
Go out at night and look at the stars and moon.
Watch the clouds.
Turn the T.V. OFF! Put on some music, listen to the sounds of your neighborhood, or just enjoy the silence.
Visit a fire house and look at the fire trucks.(Call ahead)
Have a spontaneous picnic in your yard or living room.
Grab some stale bread and go feed the geese and ducks somewhere. Hood River Marina or Rock Creek are great sites.
Build a fort out of blankets, coffee or end tables and chairs.
Put small items in a small paper bag one at a time. Have your kids reach in and guess only by feeling what the object is.
Go to the library and just look around at the books and movies. Get a free library card and use it!
Teach your kids to play hopscotch. Or jump rope. Or ride a bike. Or swim.
Buy or make a birdfeeder, get some inexpensive bird seed and feed the birds.
Learn to play Slapjack with your kids. Let them win.
Us parrints aren't purrfictt. Let your kids know it's OK to make mistakes. Learn from them.
Give little ones a shallow bowl of water with a little dish soap in it. Put a towel on the floor under the bowl. Help them whip up bubbles with an old fashioned egg beater, then let them play with the suds. DON"T leave them unattended-stay with them!
Grow pumpkins. Grow sunflowers. Grow string beans.
Give them old metal muffin or cake pans, and let them get messy and muddy by making mud pies.
Together, learn to cook a simple meal. Try a new recipe! Help them read the cookbook to you.
Make a bottom drawer in the kitchen cabinets just for them. Fill it with clean used yogurt cups, plastic lids, and other large unbreakable items, and let them stay busy getting into it. Yogurt cups are fun to stack and then knock down.
Build a Lego or wooden block tower as high as you can. Will it reach the ceiling?
Dance to a silly song. Sing to a silly dance.
Teach them to set the table or fold wash cloths and towels. Little ones love to help out-they feel so important!
Eak-spay ig-patin-lay.
Give your kids a backscratch. Draw a letter or number on their back and have them guess it.
Hug 'em every day. Always say good night and good morning.
Cut apple slices and then use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. Dip them in lemon or pineapple juice so they don't go brown and yukky. Wrap up and send with lunch or snack.

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