Free/cheap Activities

I'm in a mom's group that often does inhome playdates which are the best. We also schedule free/inexpensive activities at places that can entertain the kiddos and allow the mommies to relax and visit a bit. If you want more info just shoot me a private message or email and I will be glad to share.

Rave 18 theater at Northeast Mall is showing a free kids movie on Wednesdays until July 30th. They are older movies but it might be fun if you have never taken your son to the movies. It would be great for a trial run. Also Glenview Baptist Church off 820 has a great indoor playground that is open to the public on certain days of the week.

Hi A.,
I recently posted to a similar question. So I hope it's not considered rude that I just cut and paste from a previous post and added a bit to it.

The Botanical Gardens are great when the weather is nice. Mid October is the monarch butterfly migration - there are caterpillars and butterflies everywhere!

And the Ft Worth Modern Art Museum is free on Wednesdays. You may want to double check what exhibits they have running before you go - they are not always kid friendly, depending on your comfort level. I have been pleasantly surprised that those visits have gone well. I think and hope my 2 1/2 year old is learning how to behave in a museum. Sometimes we bring snacks and go eat outside near the water for a break. And he loves to hear the echoes in the sculpture out front!

Toddlers get in to the Fort Worth zoo for free and Wednesdays everyone gets in half priced. If you bring a lunch it can be a cheap and fun date.

Admission to the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science costs $9 for adults, but toddlers are free. They have a terrific section just for children that includes water play, dress up, building and nature. But my son was just as fascinated with all the exhibits we saw throughout the museum. They have a dino dig that is especially nice, because it is inside.

Both the Keller rec center and Roanoke rec center offer some great classes at reasonable prices (even for non-member and non-residents). We have taken several swim classes at Keller and been very happy. And we have taken two gymnastic classes at the Roanoke center. The woman who runs the class is amazing and she has been teaching pre - K gymnastics for over 20 years. She incorporates counting, colors and language arts into her lessons. Not to mention teaching little things like sharing and waiting your turn.

Homestead Farms has become a new favorite too. It's a small local farm in Keller (on Keller Hicks Road). We go there to pick up fresh eggs, but Michael Farris, the owner is always so nice and goes above and beyond. If he isn't busy he shows my son around the farm and even lets him climb in to the tractor. They have special events sometimes too. On Earth Day they had a small petting zoo, snow cones and let the kids plant their own flowers or beans and it was all free. My son gets excited any time we go.

We frequent parks, trying new ones throughout the area. We are so fortunate to have so many public parks nearby. We like to pack a lunch or a snack and make an afternoon of it. If I get desperate we have even been know to go to Cabela's just to check out their fish aquarium! And Ridgemar Mall has a great toddler play area (But check this out early in the day,the crowd seems to get older and rougher the later it gets). And there is always story time at the library.

We have visited the Glennview Baptist playground like another person suggested. It is a nice facility. Just get there early. Once they have hit their max capacity, they have to turn you away. And it fills up fast!

Hope this helps!
Stacey

sometimes the library will have magic show,etc. during the summer they have special shows (besides the regular story times). I'd even check surrounding towns for their library shows to see when they're having magicians, critters, etc.
find one of those open fountains where kids can get wet.
one day run your sprinklers after 6pm and let the kids get wet. I did that last night and the kids had a blast! go feed the ducks at the pond, etc.

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is FREE on Wed. I went today with my 7 month old and we met up with a friend of mine and her baby. The boys liked looking at the art. It was a nice change of pace, air conditioned and you can't beat the price!

my church, First Baptist Church of Ft Worth, has a Moms' play group about every 3 weeks. They meet at different places and the kids play while the moms have grown up fellowship time. You may call the church for more info.
Also, Fossil Creek theatres have free movies every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 am. They have one G movie and one PG movie. It is completely free. Sometimes, my daughter and I go to one movie on Tuesday and see the other one the next day. It's a good, inexpensive way to spend a couple of hours.

Get a family membership to the YMCA. That includes the pool so you can take the kids there to swim, play, etc. They also have a child care area so you can get some exercise if you want. Its not free but its not too bad for a family membership.

There is a sprinkler park, called Broadway sprinkler park. I believe it is in Haltom City? I never have gotten around to going but its free and I hear its lots of fun. You might need to google it because I can't for the life of me remember the details.

the glenview baptist church freeplay summer schedule is the 1st, 3rd, and 5th mondays for kindergarten and younger. from 10-noon...closed july 21. i've never been but have had it written down as an idea for awhile:)

there's a church in grapevine...really not too far...i think it's fbc...but the thing is called paradise pond. you can search it online and get more details. there is a bounce house slide there, but there's also a giant tower with a great slide...plus areas for dress up, dinosaurs, cars, grocery shopping, a very small climbing wall, legos, and even an activity table for babies. it's a dollar per person (including the adult.) i went for the first time with a friend last week and left saying, WE ARE COMING BACK HERE!! my son had so much fun.

other than that, we go to parks first thing in the morning (there's so many), our rec center pool ($1 each for residents in Hurst anyway), and good ol' mall play areas. can't wait to see other moms' ideas:)