ON DEMAND
Family Entertainment On A Shoe-String
A low-cost guide for family fun

By Christy Brothers/ info@longislandernews.com

With prices rising, people are feeling the crunch, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your family. Here are our five picks on fun-filled events between $10 and $25.

OUR PICKS OF THE WEEK:

Caleb Smith Preserve in Smithtown is for nature-lovers. The preserve has picnic tables and three different nature hikes. The hiking trails are a 1/2-mile, 1 mile and 2-1/4 miles long. There are environmental programs designed for children and families. The price is $6 to park and the environmental programs are $2 for kids and $3 for adults. “Our programs have different games related to the skills and senses of animals,” said Clarence Ware, park manager of Caleb State Park. “We gear games so they’re related to a particular species.” Many families come to enjoy fishing and although adults are not permitted to fish, they may accompany minors.

Castle Golf Amusement in Centereach offers an 18-hole miniature golf course. Kids play for $5.25, students play for $5.75 and adults play for $6.25. There is also a go-kart track. Everyone pays $5 for a four-minute race, but after 10 p.m. the price is $5.50. There is just one catch, you must be 54” tall and at least 10 years old to drive. “We’re the least busy during the week,” said Julie Silverman, manager at Castle Golf Amusement. “But Saturday and Sunday would be good for families too.” There is also an arcade that uses tokens. Each game costs 1 or 2 tokens and each token is equivalent to a quarter, said Silverman.

The Long Island Ducks won the Atlantic League Championship last year. The Ducks’ stadium, Citibank Park holds 6,002 people. One of the highlights for kids at a Ducks game is meeting the Long Island Ducks’ Kids Club president, Quacker Jack. This is no ordinary duck, Quacker Jack enjoys walking through the stadium and mingling with the fans. He has also been known to dance on top of the dugout. Long Island Ducks tickets start at $9, but for $7 you can buy a standing room only ticket.

Build-a-Bear in the Smithaven Mall is a unique experience for any child. A child starts by picking a style of bear and then makes all of the decisions regarding the finer details of the teddy bear. Oftentimes, kids are excited by the fact that their bear has a heart. Yes, as your child puts the stuffing inside the bear, a heart is included. A child can build a bear for about $10, but depending on your child’s taste and if the bear needs an outfit, the cost could rise to about $25.

Dave & Buster’s in Islandia is a complete family fun center. First, there is the full-service restaurant. No reservations are accepted, but the service is quick and the food is reasonably priced. There is a complete list of appetizers, entrees, desserts and a kid’s menu. Past the restaurant, there is a game room with over 200 games. There are racing games where you can compete against one another, a giant claw where you can try and retrieve a stuffed animal, as well as skeet ball and other arcade-style games. Games are played using “chips” and these “chips” can be put onto a power card. Each game costs on average, about five chips. There is a $2 fee for purchasing a power card, but once you have one, it is yours for life. You can purchase any amount of chips. $1 will buy you three chips, but $25 will buy you 135 chips.