Bowling
Kids 12 and under can bowl two free games every day before 5 p, all summer long, at participating bowling centers. www.kidsbowlfree.com
Como Zoo
1250 Kaufman. St. Paul (off Lexington Parkway at Horton)
Summer Hours: open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm every day (April 1 - Sept. 30).
Winter Hours: open 10:00 am - 4:00 pm every day (Oct. 1 - March 31).
Free to all. 651-487-8200
Craft Activities
Every Saturday morning from 11 AM - 3 PM there are free interactive craft activities for kids ages 3 and up at the Lakeshore Learning Store, 5699 W.16th Street, St. Louis Park, (952) 541-0991.
FREE Children's Gym Class
JW Tumbles is a unique skill and confidence-building program set in a
non-competitive environment designed especially for children 4 months
to 9 years. Call 952-922-2660 for a FREE introductory class.
Free Airplane Ride
The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give interested young people, ages 8 - 17, an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge.
Call toll free at 877-806-8902 or visit www.youngeagles.org/programs/youngeagles/requestflight.asp
for more information.
Free Family Flicks at MOA
The entire family can enjoy select movies for FREE every Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Mall of America Theatre. Admission is first-come, first-served with seating limited to theatre capacity. Go to www.theatresmoa.com to see what's playing.
FREE Movies
Kids 12 and under are admitted free for triple features (if you stay awake!) at local drive-in theater Vali-Hi north of I-94 at Manning in Lake Elmo. 651-436-7464 (showtimes)
Regal Theaters Summer Family Film Festival offers free G and PG movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10 am at Eagan Stadium 16 Theater on 2055 Cliff Road for nine weeks each summer www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx?state=MN
FREE Performances
Free Courtroom Concert Recital Series by the Schubert Club. Every
Thursday, October – April, Noon-1 pm. Located in Courtroom 317 at the
Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St., downtown St. Paul.
Free Concerts: The mission of the Minnesota Sinfonia is to serve the musical and educational needs of the citizens of Minnesota, with special emphasis given to families with young children, inner-city youth, seniors and those with limited financial means. All concerts are offered free of charge, and are held several times every month. Check the website: www.mnsinfonia.org or call 612-871-1701 for schedule of performances.
U OF M Music School presents free band and orchestra concerts throughout the school year. Most take place in the evening at the Ted Mann Concert Hall on the West Bank of the U of M in Minneapolis. Please visit website for a list of performances: www.music.umn.edu or call 612-624-2345.
Home Depot
1st Saturday of every Month • 9 am to 12 pm
Free building projects for kids. Call your local
Home Depot for details.
Lowe's
Free kids' Build and Grow woodworking clinics on selected Saturdays. Find dates, themes and pre-registration online at www.lowesbuildandgrow.com
Mall of America - Lego Land
West side of first floor (Nickelodeon Universe)
Always free hands-on imaginative play area.
Different size legos for different ages.
Mall of America - Toddler Tuesdays
is a program that provides free entertainment, discounts and various events that include arts and crafts, storytime and special character appearances. especially for toddlers, every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.This program is free and open to the public. Please check the online Events Calendar for a complete listing of events for Toddler Tuesdays. www.mallofamerica.com/adults_toddler_tuesdays.aspx
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Free Thursdays! All day: November - April 24, After 4:30 p.m.: April 25 – October. Located 4 miles west of Chanhassen on Hwy 5. (just west of intersection of State Hwys. 5 and 41. 952-443-1459. www.arboretum.umn.edu.
Passport to Play
Passport to Play, available through the St. Paul and Dakota County Libraries, allows you to check out a free admission pass for your family (kids ages 6 months-10 years) to the Minnesota Children's Museum http://www.mcm.org/ . The Passport can be checked out at any library location by an adult18 or older with a registered library card, one per family. The pass can be taken out for one week and is good for up to six people. For more information in St. Paul you can call 651-266-7034 or go online http://www.stpaul.lib.mn.us and 651-688-1500 or http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/library for Dakota County.
State Capitol Tour
651-296-2881
See the Legislature in action in the historic House and Senate chambers. Original furnishings and vivid colors of the restored House, Senate, Supreme Court and Rathskeller Cafe by acclaimed architect Cass Gilbert. Weather permitting, tour includes a visit to Quadriga (the golden horses).
Free Guided Tours every hour on the hour. Groups of 10 or more need reservations two weeks in advance.
9-4 Weekdays
9-4 Weekdays
10-3 Saturday
1-4 Sunday
Classified Ads
Place ad for any item(s) priced less than $250 for 3 days for free in the Pioneer Press. Ad must be two lines or less (46 characters), will run Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday and must be mailed, faxed: 651-228-5064 or emailed to Pioneer Press: freeads@pioneerpress.com
Campground Membership
Unlimited camping at two Wisconsin resort/campgrounds - Door County and Watertown. Transferable membership offered free for a family that likes to camp. Call Jim Welch: 1-414-761-2514.
Free 1st Birthday Cake
Lunds and Byerly's stores will provide a 7” round birthday cake for your child's first birthday. Bring in child's birth certificate a few days prior to the birthday and place the order. You can also personalize the cake and choose white, chocolate or marble flavor.
Free Goods
From cars to cats, you can get almost anything for free through the Freecycle Network™- http://www.freecycle.org/ - a grassroots nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Membership is free and Minnesota currently has over 60 groups. A one-click online sign up will generate an automatic e-mail to get you started.
Free Printables
Find forms and templates you can print from your home computer. Includes arts & crafts, calendars & planners, cards & stationary, charts & logs, coloring books, forms, gift tags, bags & boxes, recipe cards, teaching materials and much more at
http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/directory/links6.html
Free Tokens
Bring your child's report card into Chuck E. Cheese and receive free tokens for good grades.
www.chuckecheese.com/promotions/tokens.php
The Free Market
www.twincitiesfreemarket.org
A listing service for Twin Cities’ residents who
want to give or get free, reuseable goods for home, garage and garden.
Movie Screenings
Offers access to current movie screenings at www.filmmetro.com. Sign up for a free account, search for films by city and download passes to local free movie screenings.
Movie Ticket
Free movie tickets available at Carmike Cinemas for patrons in wheelchairs. Sign up at the box office for 1 free pass to a movie showing that day. Wheelchair positions are limited in the theaters, so free passes are first come, first served. Good at Carmike Cinema - Apple Valley, Oakdale Stadium 20 - Oakdale, Windsong 15 - Moundsview.
Rebates
Visit http://www.freeafterrebate.info to find a clearinghouse of many different items that are free after sending in the rebate.
return to top
Free Math Assessment
The Eduss math assessment is a computer-based test covering math concepts from K-8. It can pinpoint where a student's learning of a particular math subject has stopped, giving parents the information they need to address the problems. Free assessment available online at www.eduss.com/freeassessment or call 800-993-3877.
Free Safety Check
The Saint Paul Fire Department invites homeowners to take part in a new program called Project Safe Haven. Those interested will receive a self-conducted safety checklist and a short form to fill out when completed. When finished, SPFD and firefighters will make a courtesy visit to your home to make sure your smoke alarms work and your home is safe. If needed, they will install a free smoke alarm and/or a digital carbon monoxide detector and present you with a certificate and complimentary gift as a thank you. The program is free and open to St. Paul owner-occupied single family homes including town homes and condos. For more information, call 651-228-6273 or email fireevents@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
return to top
Red Balloon Bookshop
891 Grand Avenue, St. Paul
651-224-8320
www.redballoonbookshop.com
Stop in with the kids for storytimes and special events that are always free.
Baby Storytime: Tuesdays 10:15am and
1st Saturday of each month at 10:30am
Toddler Storytime: Tuesdays 11:00am
Preschool Storytime: Wednesdays 10:30
Check the website for upcoming visits by award winning authors.
StoryLine
952-352-1350
Excellent children's books read aloud by local actors. Available 24/7, free throughout the Twin Cities.
Wild Rumpus Books
2720 W. 43rd St., Linden Hills
612-920-5005
A great free destination for little ones and parents alike. There is a regularly scheduled "Tale Time" on Monday mornings at 10:30 and numerous events on Saturdays that are always free - call or visit www.wildrumpusbooks.com for specifics. Kids will want to come for the animals as well. The store boasts a menagerie of pets from cats to rats and all manner of birds in between.
return to top
Museum Adventure Pass
www.melsa.org/museumadventurePass
Sponsored by Macys. Available at all metro area libraries. Twin Cities library card holders can receive up to four complimentary passes to 17 of the Twin Cities’ arts and cultural institutions. Participants will also receive a comprehensive brochure which includes a list of suggested readings, tapes and DVD’s to complement the museum experience.
Participating organizations include:
American Swedish Institute (2)
The Bakken (2)
Bell Museum of Natural History (4)
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory (4)
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden (2)
Firefighters Hall & Museum (2)
Hennepin History Museum (2)
HIstoric Fort Snelling (2)
Minneapolis Institute of Arts (4)
Minnesota History Center (2)
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (2)
Minnesota Museum of American Art (4)
Minnesota Streetcar Museum (2)
Minnesota Transportation Museum (2)
Minnesota Zoo (2)
The Landing (2)
The Museum of Russian Art (2)
The Raptor Center (2)
TRACES Museum Center for History and Culture (2)
Twin City Model Railroad Museum (2)
Walker Art Center (2)
Weisman Art Museum (4)
The Works: A Technology Discovery Center (2)
American Swedish Institute
2600 Park Ave., Mpls
612-871-4907
www.americanswedishinst.org/
Free admission the first Wednesday of each month.
Children under six are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Admission is always free for members of the American Swedish Institute.
Bell Museum of Natural History
10 SE Church Street
Minneapolis , MN
612-624-7083
www.bellmuseum.org
Free admission on Sundays - Open noon - 5pm
Displays and events on science and natural history, including MN habitats.
9 am - 5 pm Tues-Fri., 10 am - 5 pm Saturday
Minnesota Children's Museum
10 W. 77th St., St. Paul
Corner of 7th and Wabasha
651-225-6000
www.mcm.org
Free admission the 3rd Sunday of each month.
Made possible by The Target Foundation.
Minnesota History Center Museum
10 W. 7th Street
Downtown St. Paul
651-259-3000
www.mnhs.org/places/historycenter/
Admission always free to MHS members and children under age 5.
Admission free to MHS members and Tuesdays, 5-8 pm.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
1/4 mile west of State Hwys 5 & 41
Chanhassen
952-433-1400
www.arboretum.umn.edu
Free Thursdays all day: November - April 24. Free Thursdays after 4:30 p.m.: April 25 – October.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
2400 3rd Ave.S
Minneapolis
612-870-3131
www.artsmia.org
Free general admission every day. The Institute is proud to offer Ford Free Sundays in partnership with Ford Motor Co. every Sunday from 11-5 the museum offers live music, art tours, family center activities, audio tours, interactive learning stations, treasure hunts and more, all free!
Minnesota Museum of American Art
50 W. Kellogg Blvd. at Market Street
St. Paul
651-266-1030
www.mmaa.org/
Free general admission for al visitors.
The Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul
651-221-9444
www.smm.org
Free admission for fathers on Father's Day and mothers on Mother's Day with one paid admission, adult or child. Children under 5 always free with paid adult.
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum
333 East River Road
U of M campus, East Bank, Mpls.
612-625-9494
www.weisman.umn.edu
Admission free
Walker Art Center
725 Vineland Place, Mpls.
612-375-7577
www.walkerart.org
Free gallery admission from 5 to 9 pm every Thursday night.
Free admission and family programming the first Saturday of every month. The Sculpture Garden is always free.
return to top
