Free & Cheap Things to Do with Kids
Explore the best free & cheap things to do with kids options for kids and families in Ames
Riverview Park
Charming park with trails & lakes. Sprawling city park known for its green expanses, biking & walking paths & numerous bodies of water.
Breakout Games
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Heritage Carousel of Des Moines
Hand-carved & -painted wooden menagerie. Featuring 30 hand-carved & -painted animals, this replica carousel turns to band organ tunes.
Birdland Park
Public park with trails & a marina. Park on a lake with trails, a marina & a boat ramp, plus enclosed shelters to reserve in advance.
Union Park
Storied park with BBQs & nostalgic rides. Public park since 1892, with an old-fashioned carousel, water play area, BBQ grills & sports courts.
Living History Farms
Outdoor agricultural-history museum. Iowa farming-history exhibits on a 500-acre site with an 1875 village & educational programs.
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Horticultural exhibits & art galleries. Seasonal blooms showcased outdoors & in a geodesic dome, plus educational programs & art shows.
Robert D. Ray Asian Garden
Garden park with pagodas, a pond & more. Garden park featuring an Asian pavilion, stone pagodas, a pond, a series of waterfalls & more.
Cowles Commons
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Des Moines Children's Museum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Pedestrian space with public attractions. Park housing a sculpture garden, dedicated chess & picnic tables, the Central Library & more.
Science Center of Iowa
Hands-on exhibits, IMAX theater & more. Science-focused interactive galleries & learning labs plus a planetarium & IMAX cinema.
Salisbury House & Gardens
Museum & concert venue in a 1920s manor. Furnished 1920s stone mansion housing an art museum, library, concert venue & botanical garden.
Gray's Lake Park
Park with a lakeside walking loop. 167-acre park featuring a 1.9-mi. lighted walking path around a lake with small boat rentals.
Des Moines Water Works Park
Daytime activities in open woodlands. Daytime spot with jogging & cycling trails, fishing, a picnic area with grills & sports fields.
Jordan House
Underground Railroad exhibits & history. Landmark Victorian home features guided tours, Underground Railroad history exhibits & artifacts.
Raccoon River Park
Spacious park, beach & sports complex. Large sports & recreation venue with athletic fields, a swimming beach, fishing pier & nature trail.
South Des Moines Sculpture Park
Quaint park featuring quirky sculptures. Small, offbeat attraction showcasing a jumbo archery target, an egg-shaped UFO & a giant clothespin.
Blank Park Zoo
Indoor/outdoor animal exhibits & more. Train rides, petting areas, carousel, concessions & more in a year-round zoo & conservation center.
Explore More Activities
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