Nashville Memberships Worth Paying For

I love finding free things to do with my kids in the summer, but there are some things that are worth spending money on. Here are three Nashville memberships that have been worth every penny.

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens: With the focus on children’s literature in both the art exhibits and the storybook houses, imaginations are free to run wild. Pack a picnic and plan to spend most of the day exploring the gardens, with plenty of shade and stroller friendly pathways.

The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere: Nashville Zoo is the perfect size to take a morning stroll or make an all-day excursion. With the membership, I don’t feel bad if all we do is go to the playground.

Middle Tennessee YMCA: Summer memberships are available. They have childcare, free wifi, and swimming pools. My favorite thing is that children over seven who pass a swim test can swim while their parents are working out (or sitting inside catching up on some writing). It’s a big score for my summer sanity.

Favorite 3 Things to do with Kids in Nashville

Sometimes I get the impression that my kids think I’m a one-stop concierge service to provide their summer entertainment. I love the extra time we get together, but all that fun can get expensive. Here are my top three FREE things to do with the kids in Nashville. These will be nothing new for longtime Nashvillians (if there even is such a thing), but they were absolute treasures to find as newcomers.

1. Nashville Public Library: You know I’m a fan of libraries and the Nashville Public Library does not disappoint. It offers everything from ukulele lessons to puppet shows, audio books and the summer reading challenge. It’s our favorite way to spend a hot afternoon. Nashville residents, did you know you can even check out a pass to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum?

2. Radnor Lake: It doesn’t matter what season it is, this is my favorite place to get in the shade and get moving. Bring the stroller and stay on the road or venture off on the trails. Little ones will love watching for turtles and listening for bull frogs.

3. Cumberland Park: I don’t love crowds, but I’ve decided this one is worth it. The splashpad with ample seating for spectators, walking path, climbing wall, and what they call “the hollow” add up to a full morning that will guarantee tired kids by the time you get home. If it’s not too hot, make a trip across the pedestrian bridge so your kids can get a good look at the Cumberland River and downtown.

We started our summer with a road trip from Nashville to West Texas. Honestly, if it’s just me and the kids, I prefer driving over flying. I can pack as much as I want, stop whenever we need to, and keep our crazy contained. Of course, driving poses the challenge of what to do in the car for over 40 hours round trip. One thing that makes our family unique is that we don’t give our kids screens in the car. They had a bucket of other activities in the backseat, and I had a stash of snacks to hand them every ten minutes. 

We passed most of the hours, with audiobooks. It can be challenging to make selections that are enjoyable for everyone, so I’m sharing a highlight reel of our most recent trip.

·     Audio Collection by Kevin Henkes -Both of my kids love Kevin Henkes. His books are long enough to make some miles pass, rich enough not to be annoying, and relatable enough for everyone to enjoy. Whether it’s Owen learning to leave his fuzzy yellow blanket behind or Louise teaching Sheila Rae to be brave, we can all find something to love.

·     Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo-These are humorous beginning chapter books, so again, they are long enough to get us from one town to the next. Repetition, silliness, and simple characters allow the kids to visualize and stay engaged with what’s happening. 

·     Dr. Seuss Collection-Honestly, these are not my favorite, but the kids both love the rhythm and rhyme. I refuse to read most of his books aloud because they are insufferably long, so this feels like a compromise.

·     William Steig Collection-The three-year-old definitely needed the hard copies to follow these stories, but with picture support, she was totally engrossed. The vocabulary is rich and the stories are sweet and endearing.

·     Bonus! When the three-year-old was sleeping, the nine-year-old and I enjoyed our first taste of Louis L’Amour. We had to pause and talk through a lot, but I think it was worth it!

Note: We got all of these from our library, so it didn’t cost us a dime. Ask your children’s librarian if they have Vox Books or Playaway kits. If you don’t have the Overdrive app, what are you waiting for?

I’ve noticed that some times and places are better than others for letting my mind-wander. I’ve learned to have pencil and paper on hand after any of these activities, because I will almost certainly have an idea or a solution to a plot problem by the time I finish. 

Running: It’s hard to give up 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted podcast listening, but it’s also hard to find 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted mind-wandering. Add the benefit of increased heart rate and getting out of my house and the world of creative possibilities opens up.

Folding Clothes: If running is about duration of mind-wandering, folding clothes is about frequency. I have time set aside almost every day. This month I’ve used it as a break in my writing time. When I get stuck or I’ve been sitting at my desk too long (45 minutes is usually my productive max), I get clothes out of the drier and start folding. When I finish 10 minutes later, I’m ready to sit back down, usually with a way out of the problem I’d written myself into.

Shooting Baskets: At least twice a week, I shoot baskets at the YMCA. I haven’t played a competitive game in over twenty years, and I’m not expecting to encounter a pick-up game on my block. I do it because it’s fun. It’s also very nostalgic. The muscle memories for basketball are apparently associated with all sorts of other memories. It brings back childhood, high school, faces, and events I haven’t thought of in years. It’s a very specific sort of mind wandering. If I ever write a memoir, it will be because I shoot baskets. 

I’ve shared before how important the rule of creation before consumption is for me. It’s been reinforced by the Bored and Brilliant Challenge. As I’ve avoided consumption more often, creativity has had a chance to germinate. TV is not my vice, but I love music, podcasts, and audiobooks, and I enjoy listening to the news. When I’m standing in line, I compulsively check the weather app on my phone (even as a kid, I frequently called the time and temp “lady” and kept tabs on the “local on the 8s” when we got cable). None of those things are bad habits. They’re not things I feel any need to give up.

For the past week, however, I’ve given myself more space without noise. I’ve driven with the radio off when I’m by myself, kept my phone in my purse when I’m in line, and tried to leave it on the table (without wearing my headphones) as I go about my day. I don’t think it’s an accident that I’ve been more productive and consistently hit my writing and teaching goals in the last two weeks.