Winter Activities for Kids in Minneapolis

It can be difficult to keep kids occupied when the weather is cold and unappealing. Luckily, there are lots of Winter Activities for Kids in Minneapolis. Many of which are either free or affordable. Next time you’re searching for something fun to do, here’s a list of kids activity events and businesses to check out during winter.

Photo Hours at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

Capture some great memories at Como Park Conservatory. You can bring your camera and snap some family pictures or let your kids experiment with their own forays into photo composition. Enjoy access to all public areas of the Conservatory, including:

● Bonsai Collection: These diminutive trees are the product of thousands of years of Japanese technique. This collection, part garden, part art, is the largest in the upper Midwest.

● Centennial Garden: This outdoor area boasts stylized pathways and greenery, as well as numerous benches on which to sit and enjoy the scenery.

● The Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden: Home to the Bonsai Collection, the Japanese Garden was designed by Masami Matsuda, a landscape architect based in St. Paul’s sister city, Nagasaki.

● Enchanted Garden: A butterfly haven, this garden is filled with a variety of flowers.

● Excedra: This area offers a great vantage point to look over the Enchanted Garden as well as the Frog Pond.

● Fern Room: Travel back in time with this mist-filled greenhouse sheltering over a 100 kinds of ferns.

● Minnesota and Circle Garden: This sprawling lawn offers a welcoming expanse to visitors as they approach the Conservatory.

● North Garden: Learn about the plants used every day in kitchens and pharmacies in this economic garden.

● Orchid House: This greenhouse collection of neotropical orchids is award-winning, filled with the brilliant color and unusual shapes that make orchids magnificent even when the weather outside is frightful.

● The Ordway Gardens: Traverse the Jo and Gordon Bailey Pine Grove Walk and contemplate the Huelsmann Foundation Meditative Garden beneath the pristine glass of this new wing.

● Palm Dome: Take a trip to the tropics in this dome containing towering palms and blooming orchids.

● Sunken Garden: Featuring statues and a pond, this garden changes every season, meaning you can have new experiences throughout the year.

● Tropic Encounters: Enter the jungle with this combined exhibit from the Conservatory and Zoo. If your kids are interested in rainforests, this is a great opportunity for an immersive and educational experience.

● Water Gardens: These ponds are home to the famed Blooming Victorias, which are amazing lilies that produce the archetypal “lily pad” most people encounter in picture books and paintings.

While the Photo Hours are limited, you and your family can still visit the Conservatory for a purely sensational experience from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter season. Admission is free with the option to donate.

Family Day at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts hosts free creative workshops every second Sunday of the month for families who are interested in developing artistic expression. Families who attend can experiment with a variety of creative outlets, including:

● Music: Kids can learn about instruments and musical performance with local musicians that will introduce kids to a variety of different genres of music.

● Entertainment: Kids will have a blast with the Institute’s revolving Family Day entertainment. Your kids will get a chance to meet and see performances from dancers, storytellers, and more.

● Art Projects: Kids and their families can explore the museum appreciating the vast works of art then make their own soft sculptures in the Institute’s studios.

Winter Activities for Kids in Minneapolis at Zero Gravity

Looking for Winter Activities for Kids in Minneapolis to occupy active kids? You can find fun at Zero Gravity’s trampoline courts, where kids can jump to their heart’s content while getting the exercise they need to stay healthy.

In addition to the open jump area, Zero Gravity offers a variety of attractions, including:

● Arcade games: Win prizes and tickets from a wide assortment of games, including driving games, skeeball and crane machines for an instant treat.

● Slam Dunk Court: One trampoline area is specifically set aside for visitors to practice their dunking skills. With two hoops available, you can even challenge a friend to a contest.

● Ninja Obstacle Course: This aerial obstacle course boasts a balance beam, wavy ladder, hanging T bars, horizontal ladder, Jacob’s ladder, zig-zag walk, and hanging disks, all suspended above two layers of safety nets.

● Foam Pit: These pits surround trampolines and are filled with cubes of soft foam, providing a safe landing for flips and tricks.

● Laser Tag: This space-themed arena is filled with walls, ramps, and platforms to provide a thrilling experience for all ages.

● Dodgeball: With two courts available, players can choose to enter a laid-back game for fun or join an intense, fast-paced competition to win. The addition of trampolines allows players to dodge and weave in ways they never could on solid ground.

● Climbing wall: You can spend hours navigating its traverse-style wall, which encourages climbers to move horizontally as well as vertically. All landings are softened by the same soft cubes that fill the foam pit, meaning there’s no need for harnesses or safety gear.

● Virtual Reality Zone: Video game enthusiasts won’t want to miss the virtual reality zone. With over 50 game choices, you can experience total immersion in the cutting-edge world of virtual reality.

● Tot Spot: Worried about your little one bouncing with the big kids? Zero Gravity has a special area for toddlers and parents to play with trampolines designed specifically for smaller kiddos.

Birthday Parties & More

If you need a great place to host a wintertime gathering, Zero Gravity offers party packages for groups up to eighteen people. Choose a basic package for an hour of jumping or an ultimate package for an additional 30 minutes and access to laser tag. Both options include pizza, cupcakes, and beverages.

Prices

Outside of party packages, there are two types of passes available: the Jump Pass and the Ultimate Pass. With a Jump Pass, you get access to all trampoline courts for a specific amount of time, which you can choose from the following:

● $10.99 for 1 hour
● $14.99 for 1 ½ hours
● $18.99 for 2 hours

 

The Ultimate Pass, by contrast, affords you access to all kids activities for 2 ½ hours for $23.99

Specials

Zero Gravity also offers Weekend Specials from 8-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For $13.97, you get 2 hours of jumping, plus access to either one laser tag game or one try on the Ninja Obstacle Course. We are your headquarters for Winter Activities for Kids in Minneapolis and indoor fun, especially during the cold months when children might be feeling a little cooped up. Contact us to check out our kid-friendly events and kids activities, including organized games and extended hours.