Mom Monday | Stress-free summer tips for Central Florida families
Eryn Vargo, founder of Orlando Mom Collective, shares advice on screen time, outdoor play, affordable activities, summer camps, and childcare resources for families.
ALL RIGHT? WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT ALL MORNING. SUMMER IS HERE. THIS CAN BE AN EXCITING TIME FOR KIDS, BUT YEAH, A CHALLENGING ONE FOR PARENTS TO SAY THE LEAST. HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE? THIS MORNING, WE’RE HELPING FAMILIES MAKE THE MOST OF THE MONTHS AHEAD. JOINING ME NOW, THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF LOCAL PARENTING RESOURCE ORLANDO MOM COLLECTIVE, MY FRIEND ERIN VARGO. THANKS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN WITH US. SO THIS TIME OF YEAR OFTEN MEANS MORE SCREEN TIME. LET’S START WITH THAT. YOU HAVE A TOOL PARENTS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER BEFORE HANDING KIDS A PHONE, A TABLET, A GAMING DEVICE. IT’S TEMPTING BECAUSE THE DAY IS JUST FULL OF FULL OF HOURS WITH NO SCHOOL. ABSOLUTELY. SO I FOUND WITH MY KIDS THAT IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY WAKE UP, THEY’RE JUST TEMPTED TO WATCH A MOVIE, GRAB A DEVICE. AND WE’VE REALIZED OVER THE YEARS WE NEED TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE THIS, SO IT DOESN’T TURN INTO AN ARGUMENT THE WHOLE TIME. SO NOW WE JUST HAVE A QUICK PRE TECH CHECKLIST. YOU KNOW, DID YOU MAKE YOUR BED. DID YOU PLAY WITH YOUR CAT. HAVE YOU READ SOMETHING. HAVE YOU WRITTEN SOMETHING. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO HAVE THEM ENGAGED OUTSIDE OF TECHNOLOGY. BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BARTERING, ARGUING ALL OF THAT JAZZ AND WRITING IT DOWN. YEAH, MORE INTENTIONAL AND CLEAR. LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT HEALTHY BALANCE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY USE AND OUTDOOR PLAY DURING SUMMER BREAK. YEAH, WE ARE THROWING IT BACK AND TRYING TO DO A 90S SUMMER. SO LOTS OF OUTSIDE PLAY. YOU KNOW, AND YOU OBVIOUSLY IN FLORIDA, THE WEATHER IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. BUT JUST TRYING TO GET THEM OUTSIDE. SO THERE’S A HAPPY MEDIUM AND A BALANCE TO IT BECAUSE I’M NOT ANTI TECH. I OBVIOUSLY I WORK FROM HOME SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DO OTHER THINGS AND ENTERTAIN THEMSELVES BEYOND THAT. SO I’M NOT STRESSED ABOUT HOW MUCH TECH I’M GIVING THEM. YEAH. DURING THE SUMMER I’LL GIVE YOU ONE. I COMBINE TECH AND OUTSIDE I CREATE SCAVENGER HUNTS. SO BRING ME A PICTURE OF A LIZARD. OKAY. FIND ME A RED CAR. MY KIDS SIT ON THE CORNER FOR HOURS DURING THE PANDEMIC, WAITING FOR A RED CAR TO GO BY. ALL RIGHT. FOR FAMILIES LOOKING TO SAVE MONEY THIS SUMMER, WHAT ARE SOME AFFORDABLE ACTIVITIES? OH, MY GOSH, THAT’S A BIG ONE. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO DO FREE AND CHEAP IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. YOU JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE INDOOR OR OUTDOOR. BUT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ROCK SPRINGS, KELLY PARK. THOSE ARE PRETTY INEXPENSIVE. YOU JUST GOT TO GET THERE EARLY. THERE’S TONS OF OTHER INDOOR THINGS TO DO TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS. THERE’S, YOU KNOW, MINI GOLFING, THERE’S WE HAVE TONS OF RESOURCES ON ORLANDO.COM FOR ALL OF THAT AND KIND OF BROKEN DOWN BY WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE INTERESTED. THERE’S A LOT OF STEM AND SCIENCE RELATED THINGS YOU CAN DO. AND AS WITH ANYTHING, YOU HAVE THINGS THAT ARE HIGHER END OF TIME, BUT THEN THERE’S REALLY AFFORDABLE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH THE KIDS TOO. JUST GOT TO RESEARCH. YOU DO. AND WE HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR YOU, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO SCOUR THE INTERNET. THAT’S GREAT. AND PARENTS MAY FEEL LIKE THEY’RE A LITTLE LATE TO THE GAME HERE WITH THIS ONE, BUT IS THERE TIME STILL FOR SUMMER CAMPS? OH MY GOSH. ABSOLUTELY. SO SOME OF THE BIGGER CAMPS USUALLY FILL UP JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, WHICH SEEMS CRAZY, BUT THOSE ARE FOR YOUR REALLY, REALLY GOOD PLANNERS. BUT THERE ARE TONS OF CAMPS THAT ARE STILL OPEN AND HAVE AVAILABILITY. YOU JUST HAVE TO CALL AND INQUIRE WITH THEM. AND WE HAVE A SUMMER CAMP GUIDE. WE TRY TO KEEP IT UPDATED WITH AS MANY CAMPS AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT JUST TAKES A FEW MINUTES OF YOU CALLING AROUND AND SEEING. AND AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR KIDS ARE INTERESTED, WE HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN BY CATEGORY. SO WE’RE BOTH WORKING RIGHT? WE’RE HERE. YOUR SON IS HERE. MY KIDS ARE WITH FRIENDS. AND YOU KNOW, WE’RE ALL JUST JUGGLING THESE SCHEDULES, RIGHT? IN CHILD CARE. WHAT RESOURCES OR TIPS CAN HELP MAKE A SUMMER JUST A LITTLE LESS STRESSFUL ON EVERYONE? SO WE HAVE A TON OF RESOURCES ON ORLANDO MOM. FROM THINGS TO DO TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS, THE CAMPS, OBVIOUSLY STAYCATIONS, VACATIONS, LITTLE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITHIN A TWO THREE HOUR DRIVE. IF YOU HAVE THAT TYPE OF FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR SCHEDULE. BUT WE HAVE SO, SO MANY RESOURCES ON ORLANDO MOM TO JUST TRY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA MOMS TO NOT WASTE SO MUCH TIME RESEARCHING, YOU KNOW, AND TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT ON THEIR OWN. THANK YOU ERIN. I’M GOING TO GO HOME AND WEAR MY ORLANDO MOM T SHIRT THAT I HAVE BECAUSE I’M A BIG FAN.
Mom Monday | Stress-free summer tips for Central Florida families
Eryn Vargo, founder of Orlando Mom Collective, shares advice on screen time, outdoor play, affordable activities, summer camps, and childcare resources for families.
Updated: 10:03 AM EDT Jun 1, 2026
Summer is here, bringing excitement for kids and challenges for parents. EEryn Vargo, the founder and owner of Orlando Mom Collective, shared tips to help families navigate the months ahead. Vargo discussed screen time, indoor and outdoor activities, as well as cost-efficient ways to accommodate working parents. Click here to learn more. >>Watch the full interview in the video player above.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Summer is here, bringing excitement for kids and challenges for parents. E
Eryn Vargo, the founder and owner of Orlando Mom Collective, shared tips to help families navigate the months ahead.
Vargo discussed screen time, indoor and outdoor activities, as well as cost-efficient ways to accommodate working parents.
Click here to learn more.
>>Watch the full interview in the video player above.