Tag Archives: Playground

Free Places to Take Kids

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Recently, one of our members asked a very good question, “Where can I take my child that’s free, besides playgrounds?”  If your toddler or child is anything like mine, they get bored easily and don’t want to stay inside the house all day. Sometimes we get bored of the same playground or the weather doesn’t allow. We got so many great suggestions from our members and readers I decided to make this list.

Free Places to Take Kids:

English: Children's area, Sutton branch

English: Children’s area, Sutton branch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1)Libraries & Bookstores:
most have story times and other events for kids where its perfectly ok for them to be a little loud and have fun with books or toys. Presentations are common and offer opportunities to learn about different professions like firemen, police officers. These are ideal places to network with other parents too.

2) Nature Walks: hiking, nature trails or walks as they may be known offer great opportunities for little ones to stretch their legs, explore and learn.  Many places will also have playgrounds or other amenities.  Check your local state/national parks for more information or botanical gardens.

Splash Pad #1

Splash Pad #1 (Photo credit: chooyutshing)

3) Splashpads: a favorite during hot months! Many towns have splashpads that are either free or $3 or less. Great for little tots and bigger kids alike. Make sure to go prepared to get wet!

 

 

4) Central Florida parents: We love Downtown Disney! This is another great spot to let kids roam relatively free. The shops, splashpad, live entertainment and plenty of space to walk makes it very kid friendly. If you’re feeling bold, or are a DVC member, you can also visit one of the Disney resorts. I recommend Boardwalk Resort because you can walk on the boardwalk or Animal Kingdom Lodge which allows you to walk and see animals.

Lobby of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Orland...

Lobby of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Orlando, Florida, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

5) U-Pick Farms: in Clermont, FL we like to go to Showcase of Citrus and Marks Blueberries. Showcase of Citrus has a playground, sandbox, kittens, farm animals and you can pick from many varieties of citrus fruits. You can also purchase them from the shop along with other local delicacies.  Marks Blueberries has 20 varieties of blueberries and is lots of fun to eat while you pick. The pine trees also offer a nice area for them to walk and get pinecones for crafts.

6) Large stores: This is more of a desperate measures sort of thing, but some how I end up doing it quite a bit. Like with any place, you do have to watch the kids but at stores you have to be extra vigilant. Still, they’re good choices for rainy days, if you don’t want to drive far and are willing to shop very slowly. My boy loves to walk around in Lowes, Target, TJ Maxx, etc. He’s not yet 2, so its all one big playground to him. Malls also offer plenty of space to explore, and if you’re lucky, might even have an indoor play area.

What other places do you take your kids to?

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