Arts, Music, Theatre
Children's Theatre - - 2400 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis (612) 874-0400
Circus Juventas - a wonder-filled 2 1/2 hour show, performed by children. 1720 Montreal Ave., St. Paul (651) 699-8229
Minnesota Institute of Arts - artsmia.org (612) 870-3000
Orchestra Hall - (612) 371-5600
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra - (651) 291-1144
Stages Theatre - 1111 Main Street, Hopkins. Reasonably priced theatre, small venue, heavy emphasis on children's performances. (952) 979-1111
Steppingstone Theatre - 55 Victoria St. N., St. Paul. Another smaller venue, theatre geared toward children. Camps available. (651) 225-9265
Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden - 725 Vineland Pl., Minneapolis (612) 375-7600
Weismann Art Museum - 333 E River Pkwy., Minneapolis (612) 625-9494
Celebrations, Festivals, Fairs
Fairs - Ramsey County -
Washington County -
Minnesota State Fair -
Flint Hills International Children's Festival - - May 29 - June 3During the Family Weekend, downtown Saint Paul comes alive! The parks around the Ordway fill with free arts activities, arts exhibitions, and performances! A startling array of Minnesota favorites on the Festival’s two stages, Target Alley and the World Stage, and walking around the parks... all free. (Some Ordway indoor performances $5/ticket)
Activity, Gyms, Water Parks, Beaches
Battle Creek Recreation Center and Water Park - 2401 Upper Afton Road - (651) 501-6340
Big Marine Park Reserve
Eagles Nest Indoor Play Area - (651) 638-2130
Lake Elmo Park Reserve - camping, pool, several playgrounds, fee for yearly or daily car pass,
Lookout Ridge - (651) 714-3500
Maplewood Community Center/North St. Paul Community Center - (651) 249-2000
Metro Transit Light Rail - ride a city bus or the light rail
Pump It Up - inflatables - (651) 735-1556
SkyZone - trampoline park - (651) 200-3383
Vertical Endeavors - indoor rock climbing - (651) 776-1430
Destinations
Crystal Cave - Wisconsin's longest cave, bats included! -
Fawn-Doe-Rosa - petting zoo -
Crafts, Little Builders, Little Gardeners, Nature, Geocaching
Lakeshore Learning Store - free crafts for kids every Saturday, 11:00-3:00 -
Home Depot - free build-it projects 1st & 3rd Saturday mornings -
Linder's - Little Sprouts - (651) 488-1927
Lowe's - free Build and Grow projects, 2nd & 4th Saturday mornings, must pre-register -
JoAnn - arts & crafts -
Maplewood Nature Center - rediscover the outdoors, geocaching offered through "Passport to Maplewood Parks" (651) 249-2170
Michael's - The Knack - free or low cost arts & crafts projects, check schedule -
Concerts in the Park/Live Music
Como Zoo Music in the Park -
Maplewood -
Oakdale -
Midtown Global Market - Family Night Fridays - (612)872-4041
Libraries and Museums
Childish Films @ the Library - monthly kids films at various Hennepin County Libraries - (612) 543-8107
Jackson St. Roundhouse - train museum and short caboose ride, or (651) 228-0263
Minnesota Historical Society - Minnesota history preserved and shared. Start a family genealogy project this summer! (651) 259-3000
Minnesota Streetcar Museum - (612) 920-5005
Ramsey County Libraries - storytimes, Make-and-Take, weekly entertainment, all free - and don't forget the Museum Adventure passes! -
St. Paul Public Libraries - storytimes, family entertainment, all free -
Day Camps
ISD 622 youth enrichment -
Bakken Museum -
Camp Invention - science and exploration -
Como Planetarium - new website coming soon -
Leonardo's Basement - science -
The Loft - writing skills/author workshops -
Maplewood - (651) 249-2000
Mayer Arts Dance - dance -
Oakdale Discovery Center - (geocaching program also available)
Ramsey County -
Science Museum -
Shoreview -
St. Paul Public Schools -
St. Paul -
The Works -
White Bear Arts - arts -
Volunteer
Adopt-a-Park - (651) 249-2007
Hands On Twin Cities - 2021 E. Hennepin Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 379-4900
Meals on Wheels - 651-777-5222
More ideas for family volunteer opportunities at Doing Good Together -
Resource: 77 Creative Ways Kids can Serve by Sondra Clark