Low or no cost ideas for kids this summer

I am always looking for ideas of things to do with my little ones. I thought we could start a list of free or almost free things to do around the city.

Here's my list to start:

July 17: visit a National Historic Site or National Park and get in for free on Parks day www.pc.gc.ca

Go swimming at Birds Hill park (free entrance to the Provincial Parks this summer)

Attend the Kids Fringe in Old Market Square http://www.winnipegfringe.com/Side-N...DS-FRINGE.aspx

Go to a city-run splash pad (open from 11AM to 7PM, I think)

Go to the library (free unless you have fines like me :redface: :lolsign:)
Pick up crafts at the dollar store

Go to the zoo (it's still affordable compared to other cities)

Go to the cheap cinema

Okay - your turn!;)

-bowling - there is coupons in the entertainment book

-water baloons on a hot day in the yard

-picnic in the park then play in the playground

-feed the ducks at st.vital park or any other park with a pond.

-scavenger hunt: make a list of items (penny, bottle cap, feather, etc.) then walk around your town or neighborhood & look for them.

- garage sale: good way to get them to clean out their rooms & they can get involved by selling koolaid or lemonade.

thats all i can think of for now.

If you go to CinemaCity on tuesdays its only $1.50 a ticket versus $3 regular

Public beaches

Festivals
http://www.travelmanitoba.com/images...and_events.pdf

Go to Petland or the Humane Society (as long as you don't come home with a pet!)
Go to different parks around the city
Go to the Conservatory at Assiniboine Park (You can do this in the winter too)
Check out the Living Prairie Museum Activities
Summer theme days have returned to Living Prairie Museum. Every Thursday in the summer Living Prairie will be offering free family programming at 11 am and 2 pm. This years themes are:


July 8th: Undercover Squirrels

July 15th: Planting Paradise

July 22nd: Secret Shopping

July 29th: LPM''s Believe it or Not

August 5th: Snap of the Prairie

August 12th: Prairie Pioneers

August 19th: Treasure Hunters

August 26th: Take Action!

Join us Sunday, July 18th from 12-4:00 p.m. as we celebrate the magnificent monarch butterfly and the biodiversity of butterflies across Manitoba. We have a full day of activities for the whole family including storytelling with Joe McLellan, butterfly gardening workshops andpresentations with prairie plant expert John Morgan, and butterfly scientist Dr. Jeffrey Marcus. Enjoy crafts, hikes and live music!

Check out the Mint

Check out the Police and Fire Museums

That's all I can think off at the moment.

No one said the Forks or of course, the Children's Museum.

There's also mini golfing...

And for a little bit of older kids there are lots of really good used bookstores.

St. Norbert Farmer's Market every Saturday morning and Wednesday late afternoons.

Oh also Oak Hammock Marsch as well as the Fort Whyte Centre.

The IMAX.

And right now is a perfect time for strawberry picking...

strawberries are pretty much finished.....was jsut trying to find a place to get more!!!

Assiniboia Downs - Horse Racing
free addmission and parking
Racing is on wednesday, thursday, friday and saturday
http://www.assiniboiadowns.com/live-racing.cfm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GottaLoveFreeebies

strawberries are pretty much finished.....was jsut trying to find a place to get more!!!

---

I got some at Jardin Saint-Léon on St-Mary's on the weekend. I don't know if there are any left, but there was a limit of one per customer.

Great ideas, guys! Keep'em coming :)

Splash Island in Portage la Prairie

Carberry (Spirit Sands) Desert & Spruce Woods Provincial Park

Craft & Story Time at Chapters & Indigo stores
(Thursdays at 10:30 @ Indigo on Kenaston)

BBQ or Potluck with other families in your neighbourhood

Canadian Fossil Museum in Morden

Morden Corn & Apple Festival

Goldeyes Baseball Game

Kildonan Park
"Walk among some of the oldest and largest trees in Manitoba, through a formal garden and Hansel & Gretel’s “Witch Hut.” The park is also home to Canada’s longest-running outdoor theatre, Rainbow Stage. An Olympic-size swimming pool and plenty of picnic tables and barbeque pits are available in the summer. The toboggan slides and skating pond are open in the winter." Courtesy of www.destinationwinnipeg.ca

Millennium Library
"This award-winning architectural gem is the main branch of Winnipeg Public Library's 20 branch system and is truly worth a visit. Every day, up to 5,000 visitors come through its doors in search of reading material, movies and music, free internet and wifi access and stimulating programs for all ages. The Human Bean Coffee & Tea, the Best of Friends Gift Shop, the Local History Room, expressive public art, informative displays, soaring grand staircase bathed in light, access to the skywalk system and convenient hours all make the Millennium Library a favourite downtown destination for residents and visitors alike." Courtesy of www.destinationwinnipeg.ca

Then of course there is the Lyric Theatre at the Assiniboine park, there are all sorts of free shows including Ballet in the Park starting July 28th.
http://www.assiniboinepark.ca/images...summer2010.pdf this is the full 2010 Summer Program for the Lyric and other attractions at the Park.