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"For every Hollywood tot that plays on a private playground (we&amp;apos;re talking to you, Suri Cruise), there are countless others who are entertained for free by their A-list parents at beaches, parks and pools. &amp;quot;Your kids just want to be with you...it doesn&amp;apos;t matter where you are!&amp;quot; says Hot Mom Handbook series author Jessica Denay (who has planned baby showers for Charlie Sheen, Jenny McCarthy and Mariska Hargitay). Below, her ideas for affordable family fun:Go Hiking&amp;quot;It gets you and your kids out into nature and the fresh air. They can discover and collect pine cones or rocks. My son takes them home and we paint them!&amp;quot; Denay tells Us. For younger kids, you can entertain them by &amp;quot;counting how many dogs or animals you see.&amp;quot; Nicole Richie and Harlow and Jerry O&amp;apos;Connell and his twin girls Dolly and Charlie often spend time together on the trails.\r\n\r\n\r\nHit the Beach&amp;quot;Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey, Brooke Burke, Gwen Stefani and Kate Hudson are just a few of the celebs who have been photographed at the beach with their kids,&amp;quot; says Denay. And why not? Most are free. Save a few bucks by bringing a picnic. If you don&amp;apos;t live near water, go for a stroll at your local farmers market. &amp;quot;Jennifer Garner, Heidi Klum, Busy Philipps and Lisa Rinna are frequent their local farmers market with their kids.&amp;quot; Ask for a Discount at the Aquarium or ZooThere is often wiggle room in the price of admission. &amp;quot;Call and ask about special rates and discounts,&amp;quot; recommends Denay. &amp;quot;Some places even offer free days.&amp;quot; Halle Berry likes to take Nahla to the L.A. Zoo and &amp;quot;Trista and Ryan Sutter took their kids to the aquarium this summer and they loved it!&amp;quot; says Denay. &amp;quot;It&amp;apos;s perfect for kids of any age.&amp;quot; Plus, you may spark a new passion for your brood. &amp;quot;Naomi Watts recently said her son is obsessed with animals,&amp;quot; says Denay.Check Out the Firehouse&amp;quot;If you can&amp;apos;t afford the aquarium or zoo, make an appointment to take your kids to visit the local fire station, where Liev Schreiber and his son were recently photographed petting a Dalmatian,&amp;quot; says Denay. Speaking of pooches, another free option: the dog park! &amp;quot;It&amp;apos;s fun for your pet and kids will love to see the other dogs,&amp;quot; says Denay.\r\nPHOTOS: Who&amp;apos;s due next?Play in the Park&amp;quot;You can never go wrong with the park no matter how fabulous your backyard,&amp;quot; says Denay. &amp;quot;It&amp;apos;s always fun to bring kids out to a social setting like a playground.&amp;quot; And who knows: they may run into Jessica Alba and Honor, Denise Richards and her daughters or Minnie Driver and her son, Henry, to name a few.Host a Movie Night&amp;quot;Get the kids in your bed, put on a family-friendly movie or play cards and all fall asleep together!&amp;quot; says Denay. &amp;quot;Once in a while, this is a treat that can be fun and exciting for your family. Angelina Jolie and her brood often have &amp;apos;group sleeps.&amp;apos;&amp;quot;For 15 pages of Hollywood moms&amp;apos; must-have accessories, parenting tips and exclusive photos, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now. Denay&amp;apos;s newest tome, The Hot Mom to Be Handbook, hit stores in paperback last March."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/stars-fave-free-family-activities-2010128>