FREE & Frugal Family Fun June 13 - 18

All listings are free unless price is noted. Be sure to read the Disclaimer before you go to these events.

Friday, June 13

Stone Arch Bridge Festival

Sand Castle Day, Round Lake Park, Eden Prairie, ages 6 and under, 10 AM – 2 PM

Father’s Day Card Craft, American Girl, 5 PM, ages 8+

Canoe When the Moon is Full, Hyland Park Reserve, 8 – 10 PM, $8

Ramsey After Dark: Victorian Superstitions, 8:30 PM, $7 - $10

The Princess Bride, Lake Harriet Bandshell, 15 minutes after sunset

Saturday, June 14
National Get Outdoors Day, FREE admission to all Minnesota State Parks

Stone Arch Bridge Festival

Deutsche Tage Weekend Celebration, St. Paul

National Outdoor Day Hike: From Fish Creek to Prairie, ages 8+, 9:30 – 11:30 AM

Family Flicks, Theatres of Mall of America, 10 AM, Hugo

My Preschooler & Me: Outdoor Adventurers – Fishing Fun, 10 – 11:30 AM, $5

Minnesota PlayCleanGo, Richardson Nature Center, 11 AM – 3 PM

Canoe and Kayak Demos, Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park, 12 – 2 PM, ages 5+

Father’s Day Card Craft, American Girl, 2 PM, ages 8+

Sunday, June 15
Stone Arch Bridge Festival

Deutsche Tage Weekend Celebration, St. Paul

Father’s Day Lunch and Outdoor Activities, Baker Near-Wilderness Settlement, 12 – 3 PM, $8 – 12

Pa and Ma Day, The Landing, 12 – 5 PM, $3 – 5

Father’s Day Card Craft, American Girl, 1 PM, ages 8+

Feeding Frenzy, Eastman Nature Center, 1 – 3 PM

Pond Dipping, Carl Kroening Interpretive Center, 1 – 3 PM

Raptors in the Yard, Lowry Nature Center, 2 – 4 PM

Amazing Father’s in Nature, Richardson Nature Center, 3 – 4 PM

Walk with an Entomologist, Silverwood Park, 5 – 6 PM

Family Archery, Baker Near-Wilderness Settlement, 6 – 8 PM, ages 8+

Monday, June 16
Cafesjian’s Carousel, Como Zoo & Conservatory, 11 AM – 4 PM, FREE rides!

Noodles has extended their  free kid's mac and cheese meal with an adult meal through June. Click here for additional kids eat free deals around the Twin Cities.

Tuesday, June 17
Wonder Pets! Mall of America's Toddler Tuesdays, 10 AM – 12 PM, Rotunda

Wonder Pets, Toddler Flicks, Mall of America, 11:30 AM

Jacqueline West, Still Life (The Books of Elsewhere #5) Launch Party, Red Balloon Bookshop, 6:30 PM

Wednesday, June 18

Groovin’ in the Garden, Como Zoo Conservatory, 6 – 8 PM

Ongoing Programs

American Girl crafts, ages 8+

Barnes & Noble Storytime
Brickmania Toyworks Open House, Minneapolis, Saturdays 10 AM – 4 PM, Sundays 12 – 4 PM, first Thursdays 5 – 9 PM
Children’s Theatre, Shrek the Musical (until 6/15) and The Cat in the Hat (until 7/20),  Minneapolis, cost varies

Como Zoo (suggested donation) $3 adult/$2 child
Crafts for Kids, Lakeshore Learning, Maplewood and St. Louis Park, Saturdays, 11 AM – 3 PM
ExploraDome Show, Bell Natural History Museum, Minneapolis,$4 - 6

F.A.N.tastic Saturday at Eagan Community Center, 5 – 9 PM, $3

Family Fridays, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, 5 - 8 PM
Family Fun Tuesdays, Caponi Art Park, 10 - 11 AM, $4 suggested donation
Fraconia Guided Tours, Sundays, 2 PM, FREE!
Free Tuesday Nights, Minnesota History Center, 5 - 8 PM
Gammalgarden Museum Tours, Scandia, Fridays & Saturdays, 1 & 2:30 PM, $7 adults, kids free
Hennepin County Library Storytime, Book Clubs, and Events
Historic Train Depot Open Day, St. Louis Park, Saturdays (through 9/13) 1 – 4 PM, Wednesdays  July 2, Aug 6, and Sep 3, 7 - 8:30 PM
Kids Bowl Free   Mastermind, Mold, and Make:Creativity Jam, Children's Museum, St. Paul, 9 AM - 8 PM, $9.95/ticket or buy a membership (exhibit closes 9/7)
Kiddywampus Open Studio, Hopkins, Mondays – Saturdays, 10 AM – 4:30 PM, $8, ages 18 months – 10
Maplewood Nature Center
Midtown Global Market Neighborhood Night, Thursdays, 5 - 8 PM

Minneapolis Music & Movies in the Park Program

Minnesota Historical Society, full listing of events

Mommy & Me Music Class, Teeny Bee Boutique, Thursdays, 3:30 - 4:15 PM, birth - 3
Open Eye Driveway Tours – Summer 2014 Schedule
Play Date Wednesday, Teeny Bee Boutique, St. Paul, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge (through 7/17)
Saturday Morning on the Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista, 9:30 AM – 12 PM, all ages, $5 

State Capital LEGO Model Display, State Capitol, St. Paul, 8:30 - 5 PM

Summit Avenue Walking Tours, James J. Hill House, St. Paul, 11 AM & 2 PM, $8 kids, $12 adults, discount for members

Sunday Guided Tour of Fraconia, 2 - 3 PM
Tail Time, Wild Rumpus, Mondays, 10:30 AM

St. Paul Public Libraries, events and classes

St. Paul Music in the Parks
Toys of the 50s, 60s, & 70s, Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, 10 AM-5 PM, $6 kids/$11 adults or buy a membershipHistoric Fort Snelling, Opening Weekend, Veterans receive free entrance on Memorial Day, 10 AM-5 PM, kids $6, adults $11 or buy a membership
Twin City Model Railroad Museum and Toy Train Division, St. Paul, 10 AM – 3 PM, $6

Ultimate Dinosaurs, Science Museum of Minnesota, (runs until 8/24)
Walker Art Center, Target Free Thursday Nights, 5 - 9 PM

Walking Tours, St. Paul, 1st, 3rd, and 4th Wednesday, 10 AM
Wee Wednesdays, Midtown Global Market, 10 AM - 1 PM

ADDITIONAL FAMILY FUN RESOURCES
Family Fun Twin Cities highlights several free family-friendly activities going on this weekend and also provides an on-going free calendar of activities each day.
Macaroni Kid is a great resource for finding kid-friendly events in your area.
MELSA Library Calendar makes it easy to find events at your local library (and they have much more than just reading-based activities)
PhenoMNal Twin Cities lists freebies and discounts for adults in the Twin Cities and maintains an events calendar, as well.
Thrifty Minnesota has an “events” category highlighting free and discounted activities for Minnesota folks.
Twin Cities Frugal Mom cherry-picks a wide variety of family-friendly events with her Deals & Events calendar.