Family-Friendly Things to Do with Kids in Grand Rapids

Just about every holiday in Grand Rapids is a kid-friendly one. November and December are filled with parades, Santa visits, festive family fun at the European-style Christkindl Markt and much more – including two dazzling shows at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: Christmas & Holiday Traditions features 40+ cultural displays and 350,000+ lights while ENLIGHTEN is an immersive outdoor spectacle of art, light and nature. The new year brings opportunities to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month and Valentine’s Day in family-friendly ways.

Remember how much fun you had playing in the snow as a kid? Well, Grand Rapids has a two-month long festival devoted to playing in the white stuff – and it’s fun for all ages. World of Winter is America’s largest winter festival, and it takes place entirely outdoors, all around downtown Grand Rapids. See giant works of interactive, kid-friendly art. Play games, ice skate under the stars, dance at a silent disco, and more. It all takes place Jan. 10- March 2, 2025.

The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is built on the premise that play is essential for healthy development, and it offers a range of fun, interactive activities and experiences for kids 2-10. The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park invites kids to take wintertime walks of the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, enjoy cozy story times and attend winter break day camp (the first week of January).

The Grand Rapids Public Museum offers three floors of fascinating exhibits, many offering interactive features for kids, plus a working carousel and a wow-worthy planetarium. The Grand Rapids Art Museum hosts kids and families for creative workshops every Saturday. Blandford Nature Center presents wildlife events and outdoor experiences, including a historical village and miles of trails to explore.

Pack the right clothes for you and your kids to take advantage of our winter wonderland. Hike, snowshoe and cross-country ski on 60+ trails in and around the city. Go sledding and tubing at Belknap Park , Cascade Township Park, Covell Dog Park, Johnson Park, Manhattan Park, Mary Waters Park, Richmond Park, Pinery Park and Wabasis Lake Park . Tackle 10+ groomed fatbike trails around town. Bring your own gear or rent what you need.

Cannonsburg Ski Area is a great place for kids to learn and advance their winter sports skills. Cannonsburg Kids is a weekend learn-to-ski-and ride program for kids ages 6-12 at any ability level, while the Cannonsburg Snow Cats is a junior development ski team for kids ages 8-14. Mountain Minnies (Sundays, for girls ages 3-5) and Mini Mountaineers (Saturdays, boys ages 3-5) are all about sledding, spooner boards, playing games and more.

Head to downtown GR to ice skate under the sun and stars at Rosa Parks Circle. Youth 17 and under can skate for just $2 (adults are $4) and skate rental is included in the admission. (You can bring your own skates if you prefer.) The rink is wheelchair accessible and ice balance aids are available for novice skaters.

Not all kids are outdoorsy – and few are outdoorsy all the time – so Grand Rapids also offers plenty of activities to keep families occupied inside. Check out 13 area bowling (and fowling) alleys. Get in on the duckpin bowling craze. Play laser tag or archery tag  in an indoor arena. Ride indoor go-karts, bumper cars and a roller coaster at Craig’s Cruisers. Tee up for a round of miniature golf under the glow of black light. Roller skate at Tarry Hall or GR Skate.

Bounce around at Altitude, Sky Zone, Launch and Rebounderz trampoline parks. Strap on a headset for a solo or team game at Amped Virtual Reality (appropriate for ages 4+). Work together to make your way out of an escape room. Race go-karts and bumper cars at Craig’s Cruisers. Play alongside your kids at area arcades.

Do more under one roof at Main Event, which offers bowling, virtual reality, laser tag, escape rooms, miniature golf, gravity ropes and more, plus an onsite restaurant with lots of kid-friendly selections and a bar for the adults.

Watch a family-friendly movie at Celebration Cinema, attend a kid-friendly production at Broadway Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Ballet or Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, and browse the Van Andel Arena schedule for Disney tours, monster truck shows, concerts and more.

Help your kids explore their and others’ heritage at 15+ cultural festivals throughout the year, celebrating the lives and contributions of local Native Americans, African Americans, Polish Americans, Hispanics and more. Almost all of them feature special kid-friendly programming plus lots of delicious food.

Visit Grand Rapids in January and February to experience World of Winter, an outdoor festival featuring giant art installations, entertainment and kids’ games; March and April to see Butterflies are Blooming!, the nation’s largest temporary butterfly exhibit. Late July and Early August is the annual Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival, a summer staple in West Michigan. Head to the beach town just a short drive away to enjoy the week-long celebration. September and October for harvest festivals at family farms, complete with hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin picking and more.

Cheer on the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team (a Detroit Red Wings affiliate), the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team (playing for the Denver Nuggets) and the Grand Rapids Rise pro women's volleyball team at Van Andel Arena. All of them pepper their schedules with fantastic family promotions, including discount tickets, giveaways, contests, fireworks and more.

Attend or participate in the Meijer State Games of Michigan - Winter, an Olympics-style event featuring multiple sports, Feb 14-16, 2025. There’s also a Summer version with even more sports and a lavish Opening Ceremony. The Games are open to athletes of all ages across the state.

Come spring, head out to LMCU Ballpark to catch the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Detroit Tigers affiliate, and enjoy a season full of family-friendly promotions. You can also check out the West Michigan Sports Commission Events Calendar for year-round foot races, invitationals and other athletic competitions.

Tanger Outlets, an outdoor mall, offers discount prices on designer wear from Adidas, American Eagle, Carter’s Babies & Kids, Gap Factory and more. Woodland Mall and Rivertown Crossings are traditional indoor malls that boast 100 stores each, including Journeys Kidz, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Candylicious, The Toy Shelf, Game Stop and FYE. Shop Village Kids Consignment Boutique and other secondhand/thrift stores for great deals on gently used wearables for babies to tweens and Aunt Candy’s Toy Company for unique puzzles, books, games and crafts.

The Grand Rapids Public Library and Kent District Library systems offer a range of events for kids, including family storytimes, at locations throughout the area. The Storytelling Garden in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park hosts puppet and theatre shows. Storytime Grand Rapids presents a Storytime in the Park series in select city parks every summer.

Kid-friendly food destinations abound in Grand Rapids, from pizza parlors to taco joints, ice cream parlors to frozen yogurt bars, and sweets shops to the food courts at Rivertown Crossings, Tanger Outlet and Woodland malls. Sticky Fingers is a magical candy store, filled with new and nostalgic treats to satisfy you and your kids. And believe it or not, many local breweries are family-friendly, with foods kids like and outdoor spaces to run around in.

Read how two moms and five boys under 5 years old spent their two days in Grand Rapids. Check out fun itineraries for a summer weekend, fall weekend and holiday season visit. Discover which attractions are equipped to deliver sensory-friendly experiences. Finally, search our events listing for things to do by date and category – you can filter by children’s activities, art, music, sporting events and much more.