Kids are some of the most active human beings on this planet and most of the young ones like to stimulated in a variety of ways. If your kiddos are anything like my son and his buddies, then they are super active, like to be outdoors, like to be on-the-go, and can go all day long!!!
I love to keep my little one busy, going on new adventures but that can get pretty expensive each and every week. I did some thinking and asking around to some of my closest mama friends and put together an awesome list of things to do with our kiddos that are either FREE or CHEAP and within budget!!!
CHECK IT OUT!!!
Activities at Home
- Water balloon and water gun wars paired with sidewalk chalk masterpieces are going super fun in this hot North Texas weather
- Go around your house and neighborhood on a “ROCK HUNT” and then bring them home for the littles to paint
- Have a baking party and let the kiddos help you bake cookies, brownies, cake, etc. – mine loves to use his own whisk or spoon to mix whatever is in the bowl
- Get a sprinkler setup in your backyard and let the kiddos run through the sprinklers, play tag, and chase each other – this is an easy under $20 deal that will last you all Summer long
Local Activities in Collin County
- McKinney Public Libraries (Judy Gay Library and Roy & Helen Hall Library) have a wide variety of FREE activities for kids ages 16 months to 10 years old, including Toddler Time, Adventure Tots, Little Explorers, and their Beehive Program. You can check out the calendar here.
- Frisco Sci-Tech Discovery Center is only $8 per person (children under 3 are free) and is a great place for kids to explore science, math, and technology!
- Urban Air Indoor Trampoline Park & Pump It Up, both in Frisco, are great places to get those wiggles out. They have great specials from time to time to be sure to check their websites for coupons and special offers.
- Arbor Nature Preserve in Plano is a nice place to enjoy a nature walk with the kiddos. Be sure to bring lots of water and snacks!
- Collin County Farm Museum in McKinney is open most Wednesdays and Saturdays with very little admission costs. This is another fun outing to take the kids to, to see tractors, barns, collections and artifacts from Collin County’s rural heritage of the early 1960s.
DIY Activities throughout Collin County
- Breakfast with the ducks at Watters Creek in Allen – I am a big fan of Frogg Coffee Bar & Creperie for their food, coffee drinks and misted patio overlooking the ducks and treehouse.
- Concerts by the Creek in Watters Creek, Allen has been going on since April and goes on every Friday and Saturday night throughout the Summer!
- Color Me Mine offers Mini Mondays, $1 Studio Fees for Preschoolers, and $6 Studio Sessions for Kids everyday!! Let them paint a piece and have a keepsake to take home!
- Music in the Square in Downtown Frisco starts June 2nd! Grab a pizza or pack a picnic dinner and bring the kids for a fun family / friend evening out!! Best part is, it’s totally FREE!
- Cinemark in Downtown Frisco also does $1 movies for Kids during the Summer! Check local listings for showings.
- Downtown McKinney is another great place to walk around, grab a bite to eat and maybe splurge and let the kids fill their own bag of popcorn and candy (for a very special treat of course) at Mom & Pop Popcorn Shop.
- Pay a visit to your local Firehouse!! Firefighters love to get visitors and enjoy giving kids a tour of the house!! Make some cookies and bring them a special “Thank You For Your Service” homemade treat!
- Collin County is filled with parks and splash pads that make for such a fun day out, enjoying sunshine and water!! Pack a picnic and towels and go have a free outing that will keep the kids busy for hours! Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Activities in Dallas
- Klyde Warren Park is a super fun day filled with the splash pad, food trucks, and the best popsicles in Dallas, “Steel City Pops”
- Take the kids on a train ride to Downtown Dallas and enjoy lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse!
- Bring the kids on a fun Trolley Ride throughout Downtown Dallas and stop-and-go wherever you choose! The trolley is free to ride!! Get more information here.
- Visit the Reunion Tower and scope out the entire city of Dallas!! Pack some snacks and enjoy the view! My little guy LOVED it and enjoyed spotting the cars and trucks driving around from so up high!
While there are SO MANY activities in and around Collin and Dallas Counties, these are just a handful that stood out to me!!! If you have other great ideas to share, please do so in the comments!! If I haven’t tried it yet, I’ll be sure to!!!
If you try any of these fun adventures, feel free to share on Facebook and TAG @CollinCountyMomsBlog and @HappyandHealthyMama on your posts!!!