Looking for some new ideas for activities for the summer to entertain the kids? Last summer when I lost my job and was home with Emma ALL SUMMER LONG, I was in need of some inexpensive or free things to do. I got super creative and did a bunch of research around the Dallas area to find free activities that would also get out us out of the house. Here’s a great list of free activities that will help you make it a great summer. Some of the specific activities are based in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex but I bet you can find something similar in your own town.
LOCAL LIBRARY CLASSES AND EVENTS
Your local library is a great place to spend the summer and is a FREE and an amazing resource for just about anything. You can read as many books as you want and most libraries have a play area for kids. You can also check their classes and events schedule for lots of FREE activities for kids and adults. Emma and I visited the library at least once a week, if not more, all summer long. They have arts and crafts, science and discovery, activities and games, movie nights and story time (for younger kids). We even got to see a magician and a pet show. Make sure to double check the classes and events online as some do require you to register with an email address if there’s limited amount of space, but it’ll still be free.
Another great activity for kids of all ages is to take the Summer Reading Challenge held by the libraries. Reading is a great way to keep kids engaged in learning while they’re out of school for a couple of months. Plus, there are so many FREE summer reading programs that reward kids for hitting the books all summer long. Our city libraries’ incentives is a free book and to be entered into a prize drawing for your age group. Children under 17 who complete the challenge will also be invited to a special Water Works Park Party. All you do is get the form, and your kid needs to complete a certain amount of reading and activities throughout the summer. Emma was able to get the free book and our whole family got to go to the Water Works Park for FREE during a night that was just for the library party. Time to give your library a visit or go online for their summer schedule and/or list of freebie perks.
PARKS WITH SPLASH PADS
Are the kids looking to run off some energy or cool off in the heat? Head to a local park with a splash pad where kids and adults can have some fun. Most splash pad sites are completely FREE! Here’s a few in the DFW metroplex.
Klyde Warren Park
2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX 75201 | 214.716.4500
At Klyde Warren Park, there’s no shortage of FREE family activities to do at this urban park on top of the freeway. There’s assortment of kids programs going on during the daytime, ranging from storytelling and yoga to lawn games and acting sessions with the Dallas Children’s Theater. There’s also a playground where kids can explore and water jets to cool off in. There is live music every Thursday evening throughout the summer, so pack a picnic for the family and spend an evening under the stars.
Celebration Park
701 Angel Parkway, Allen, TX 75002 | 214.509.4700
Celebration Park has an all-accessible playground filled with climbing structures, walkways, slides and swings. In addition to play areas, the park offers an awesome hike and bike trail. The park also has a massive-sized spray-ground featuring everything from ground fountains, spray rings and loading buckets to water cannons and shooters. What kid wouldn’t want to go here for the summer?
Doubletree Ranch Park
310 Highland Village Rd, Highland Village, TX 75077 | 972.317.7430
At the Doubletree Ranch Park, you can walk nearly a mile of trail, enjoy family picnics in the pavilion or grand lawn, play in the splash pad, take in a soccer game and enjoy snacks from the concession stand. The splash pad has three wet play sequence zones for continuous water action, including 15 water features served by 66 spray features and one waterfall. The splash pad was designed with a natural creek look and flow. This is a great place to bring a pop up tent, set it up in the lawn and watch the kids run around.
MUSEUMS
Check with your local museums and art galleries to see if they offer free admission for specific days or to children under a certain age.
Dallas Museum Of Art
1717 N. Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201 | 214.922.1200
No longer do you need to pay admission to explore one of the largest art museums in America, it’s FREE. And with over 23,000 works ranging from paintings and sculptures to jewelry and artifacts, a visit here will be anything but dull for you and the kids. The museum also houses a kids creative zone that provides hands-on activities and an area to crawl, climb and play. There’s also a host of free programs to take advantage of, including art-making activities, family-friendly late nights and jazz concerts. Stretch your budget even further by bringing a sack lunch to enjoy in the museum’s sculpture garden.
Check online for the DMA Family Summer Experiences. Enjoy a new experience each day! Make family connections and memories with works of art as you enjoy story time, guided tours, and drop-in art making. Free and fun for all ages!
Kimball Art Museum
3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76107 | 817.332.8451
The family can get a FREE dose of culture at Fort Worth’s stunning Kimball Art Museum. Here, you’ll find a small, but spectacular collection of masterpieces. Kids can hone in on their artistic abilities in the Kimball Kids Drop-in Studio on select Saturdays. The Piano Pavilion’s family drop-in area is free and open during regular Museum hours for children ages 5 and younger. The area offers opportunities for relaxation between gallery explorations and meaningful connections with art fundamentals such as color, line, shape, and texture. and their favorite adults may enjoy “do-it-together” activities, a well-stocked children’s library, and digital interactive stations.
Trammell Crow Museum
2010 Flora St., Dallas, TX 75201 | 214.979.6430
The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art is always FREE. This museum is dedicated to the arts and cultures of China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia, located in downtown Dallas, Texas. The Crow Collection of Asian Art honors the vision, generosity of spirit and collecting tradition of Trammell and Margaret Crow. Mr. and Mrs. Crow’s love of the applied arts of Asia. It is communicated to the general public by exhibiting, preserving, collecting, interpreting and researching original works of art. Through innovative programs, the museum works to advance an understanding of the meanings and values embodied in the Asian artistic traditions.
BOTANICAL GARDENS
Depending on where you live, your local botanical garden may offer free admission days for all (or for children under a certain age). Be sure to check their website or call ahead to find out about any promotions so you can score a free visit!
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX 75218 | 214.515.6615
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, one of the most beautiful outdoor attractions in Dallas, features 66-acres of spectacular display gardens that showcase incredible seasonal flowers, ornamental shrubs, trees and plant collections in a serene setting on White Rock Lake. The City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department contracts with the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society to manage the day-to-day operations of the garden. FREE Dallas Arboretum tickets are available in limited quantities at City of Dallas recreation centers on a first-come basis to individuals only; no group(s) distribution. Contact a recreation center in your DFW area for details.
Fort Worth Botanical Garden
3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas | 817.392.5510
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in Texas, with 2,501 species of native and exotic plants in its 21 specialty gardens. It is open daily and 90% of the Garden is FREE! An admission fee is charged for the Conservatory and Japanese Garden. Major garden features includes Back Yard Vegetable Garden, Four Seasons Garden, Fragrance Garden, Fuller Garden, Lower Rose Garden, Native Texas Boardwalk, Oval Rose Garden, Perennial Garden, Rock Springs, Trial Garden, Water Conservation Garden, Water Wise Entrance and a Begonia Species Bank.
Fort Worth Water Gardens
1502 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102 | 817.392.7111
The Fort Worth Water Gardens is a beautiful and refreshing oasis adjacent to the Fort Worth Convention Center. The Water Gardens is an architectural and engineering marvel to be enjoyed any time of the year. Visitors can experience a variety of water features as they wander through this relaxing urban park. It’s a great place to visit on a hot day with the mist of the waters hitting you.
TECHNOLOGY CAMPS
With technology growing and changing all the time, here are some great opportunities for your kids to expand their knowledge, be creative and learn for FREE.
Kids ages 8 to 12 can attend Apple Camp for FREE to expand their digital creativity through hands-on projects with experts at Apple. Campers choose one of three tracks and then spend 90 minutes a day for three days at a local Apple Store immersed in the subject of their choice. This is especially great for kids who already love Apple products.
This FREE summer camp is held at Microsoft stores across the country and offers a range of activities to suit all interests for ages 6 and up. Kids are guaranteed to have loads of fun making friends, completing creative projects, and gaining new skills — they won’t even realize how educational it is!
ACTIVITIES BY RETAIL STORES
Check out Michaels for crafting activities in-store or on their website. For the summer they have Camp Creativity. Each week features different projects on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, ranging from $2 – $5, and the Friday slime classes are FREE! Throughout the year, you’ll find other free crafting activities as well. We’ve been to several at our local Michaels.
If you live near a LEGO store, you can register your child to partake in monthly mini builds where kids will receive a FREE LEGO set and participate in a building demo! Registration for the classes starts on the 15th of each month and fill up fast (set a calendar reminder so you don’t miss out)! Registration opens at 10am EST on the 15th of the month prior to the event. Spaces are limited for each store, so don’t wait!
The Home Depot offers a FREE kids’ workshop on the first Saturday of every month from 9am-12pm for kids ages 5-12. The kids can get different hands-on experience and tackle small, fun DIY wooden projects each month all year round. Check their list of upcoming workshops for your area to get your kiddo registered. You can still participate when you haven’t registered, but it is first come first serve with limited projects and supplies. Sometimes they have plenty and sometimes they run out quickly. If you register, then you’re guaranteed a spot. I have taken Emma to several of the workshops since she was 5, and she loves it. She got to build her own projects by hammering them together (with some help) and decorating with stickers and paint. They supply everything needed to build and decorate the projects. Not only do the kids get to keep their build your own wooden project, they also get their very own orange Home Depot apron to wear, a certificate of achievement and a cute little pin to attach to their apron. The kids will leave feeling accomplished and free goodies to prove it.
Bass Pro Shops Family Summer Camp
The Bass Pro Shops holds a FREE family summer camp from June 23 – July 22 on every Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday starting at 12pm. Check out their upcoming schedule to see what your local shop has available. They have free games, activities, crafts and workshops. The workshops available are fishing, watersports, shooting sports, conservation, emergency preparedness and camping. You even receive a lanyard and earn a pin for each workshop you complete. When you finish all 6 workshops, you could also receive a finisher pin while supplies last.
FIRE AND POLICE STATION TOURS
Just incase you never knew, your local Fire Station and Police Station will give FREE tours to you and the kids. Usually these are quick tours but they are fun for the kids to see inside the stations. They love showing the kids around and answering questions. The kids even get to get into the vehicles to check them out and sometimes turn on the lights. Call ahead to see if there’s specific days and times that are better for them. Just remember, emergencies will always take priority to tours. Most of the stations will even do group tours if you call ahead. We did one for the fire station for 10 kids and they showed them all around, answered questions and gave each kid a firefighters hat and sticker badge. They all enjoyed it.
KIDS BOWL FREE
Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Free program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 FREE games each day of the KBF program, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations.
FACTORY TOURS
This is something I really never thought of but found this nice website that tells you all about factory tours in every state. Options will obviously vary based on where you live, but check FactoryToursUSA.com to see what’s nearby. Many companies offer free tours of their facilities to give consumers an inside look at day-to-day operations. You never know what fun and unique factories could be around you. Double check to see if they still give tours, I have found several that no longer give tours to the public anymore.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing – Western Currency Facility
9000 Blue Mound Road, Fort Worth, TX 76131 | 817.231.4000
The BEP’s public Tour and Visitor Center is a great place to learn about U.S. currency. Visitors can see where billions of dollars are printed from an enclosed walkway, which is suspended above the production floor! Over half of the nation’s currency order is produced in Fort Worth. Available before or after the free self-guided tour, the experience includes an informative theater film, and visitors have the opportunity to walk through two floors of interactive exhibits and displays showcasing currency history and the intricate art of currency manufacturing. Also located in the visitor center is the Moneyfactory Gift Shop where the public can purchase souvenir items including uncut currency sheets and other specialty currency products. Restrooms and vending machines are available.
There you have it! This list has a ton of FREE activities for you and the family to enjoy no matter where you are in the country. There are a bunch more in your local area, so don’t hesitate to do some research. I wasn’t able to take Emma to all of these places, but we did get a chance to do a lot of fun activities all summer long for FREE. Hope this helps you and your family have a lot of fun summer even on a budget.
Love,
Jeannie
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