# Free things to do with kids in Grand Rapids this week

> Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Grand Rapids this week: we found 22 free outings, including Haunted Hall at the Kentwood Community Center and Eerie Excitement at the Library (Englehardt (Lowell) Branch), plus 20 library programs. Four free days and events are coming up, including four museum or zoo free days, each with its date. And one place never charges admission, like Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Library.

- Last checked: 2026-10-19
- 22 free outings this week; 4 free days and events coming up; 1 always-free places
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/grand-rapids/free/
- Indoor play (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/grand-rapids/indoor-play/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/grand-rapids/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/grand-rapids/llms.txt

## Free days and free events coming up

- **Bank of America Museums on Us weekend** at Grand Rapids Children's Museum and Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids. When: Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. Price: Free general admission for Bank of America, Merrill and Private Bank cardholders (one per card, with photo ID). Only the cardholder gets in free, so bring the card and an ID. Official page: https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/museums-on-us-partners (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Third Thursday nights at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum** at Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Downtown. When: Third Thursday of every month, 4–8pm. Price: $3 per person. The museum stays open until 8pm that night. Under 1 always free. Official page: https://www.grcm.org/visit (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Museums for All at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum** at Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Downtown. When: Any open day. Price: $1.75 per person for up to 12 people with an EBT or WIC card. Official page: https://www.grcm.org/visit (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Museums for All at Frederik Meijer Gardens** at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Northeast. When: Any open day. Price: $2 with Museums for All; children 2 and younger free. Official page: https://www.meijergardens.org/plan/ (checked 2026-10-19)

## Free this week

- **Family Storytime (Main Library)** at Main Library, 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 10:30am–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Books, songs and fingerplays downtown, finishing with an art project and free play. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a7368b53f18b57d5233935d (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Rhyme Time Music and Movement (Cascade Township Branch)** at Cascade Township Branch, 2870 Jacksmith Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. An hour of rhymes, songs and shakers that gets the wiggles out and builds listening skills. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3c292f57e90b326708c384 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Pajama Time (West Leonard Branch)** at West Leonard Branch, 1017 Leonard St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 6:30pm–7:30pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A bedtime storytime for working parents: come in pajamas, bring a stuffed animal, and shake out the wiggles before bed. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a736b343f18b57d523393d7 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Evening Storytime (Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch)** at Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton SE, Kentwood, MI 49508. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 6:30pm–7:30pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A Monday evening storytime in Kentwood for families who can't make the morning sessions. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3ea1d648c98c3600a28919 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Babytime (East Grand Rapids Branch)** at East Grand Rapids Branch, 746 Lakeside Drive SE, East Grand Rapids, MI 49506. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 9:30am–10am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–1. Songs, rhymes and floor play for babies up to 18 months, with time for grown-ups to chat afterward. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a34363643b41b3d006f6b17 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Toddler Time (West Side Branch)** at West Side Branch, 713 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 10:30am–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 1–3. A 25-minute toddler storytime, then a hands-on activity and playtime for 18 months to 3 years. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a736a2774e3b8b75db7c388 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Things That Go (Byron Township Branch)** at Byron Township Branch, 8191 Byron Center Ave. SW, Byron Center, MI 49315. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 2–6. Crafts and activities all about big trucks, fast cars and rocket ships. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3157cc2ea730c17ab749f1 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Nature Adventures (Cascade Township Branch)** at Cascade Township Branch, 2870 Jacksmith Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 4:30pm–5:30pm. Price: Free. Ages: 2–6. An after-nap session of nature stories, songs and activities in Cascade. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3c29c3f3bd131b675fd0d1 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Yoga Storytime (Byron Township Branch)** at Byron Township Branch, 8191 Byron Center Ave. SW, Byron Center, MI 49315. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 6:30pm–7pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Simple yoga poses mixed into stories and songs. Wear comfy clothes; a few mats are on hand. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a31411e8ea300e2631dfc8b (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Seymour Branch)** at Seymour Branch, 2350 Eastern Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10:30am–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A southeast-side storytime with fingerplays, an art activity and play at the end. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a736bff74e3b8b75db7c615 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Bilingual Storytime / Hora de Cuentos Bilingües (Comstock Park Branch)** at Comstock Park Branch, 3943 W. River Dr. NE, Comstock Park, MI 49321. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes in Spanish and English, for kids and grown-ups in either language. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a32cec5154fb14b00222c74 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Harvest of Stories (Spencer Township Branch)** at Spencer Township Branch, 14960 Meddler Ave., Gowen, MI 49326. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A special autumn storytime with fall books and early-literacy crafts. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3e8a6e5f884f9a10d91972 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Things That Go (Caledonia Township Branch)** at Caledonia Township Branch, 6260 92nd St. SE, Caledonia, MI 49316. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 2–6. The vehicle-themed craft morning comes to Caledonia: trucks, cars and rockets to make and play with. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a4bb0e49bc7ad432011f627 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Preschool Storytime (Plainfield Township Branch)** at Plainfield Township Branch, 2650 5 Mile Rd. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 3–5. Stories, music and rhymes pitched at 3- to 5-year-olds getting ready for school. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a32ced872ddb73600818f7d (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Yankee Clipper Branch)** at Yankee Clipper Branch, 2025 Leonard St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 10:30am–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A northeast-side storytime with books, fingerplays and a take-home art project. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a74954af213992f00c9fcfe (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Toddler Time (Ottawa Hills Branch)** at Ottawa Hills Branch, 1150 Giddings Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. When: Fri Oct 23. Time: 10:30am–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 1–3. Toddler stories and rhymes followed by a hands-on activity and playtime in Ottawa Hills. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a7495a3f213992f00c9fd35 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Baby & Me (Van Belkum Branch)** at Van Belkum Branch, 1563 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. When: Fri Oct 23. Time: 10:30–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–1. A 15-minute baby storytime, then relaxed play where babies up to 18 months can meet new friends. Official page: https://grpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a7495e574e3b8b75db7fff2 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Rhyme Time Music and Movement (Alto Branch)** at Alto Branch, 6071 Linfield Ave. SE, Alto, MI 49302. When: Fri Oct 23. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Friday-morning songs and movement in Alto for ages 0–5 and their grown-ups. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3c2b18f0a66233671aec4d (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Haunted Hall at the Kentwood Community Center** at Kentwood Community Center, 4755 Walma Ave SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. When: Fri Oct 23. Time: 6pm–8pm. Price: Free; optional mini-golf $5 per 15-minute session. Ages: 0–12. The city's free indoor Halloween night: costume-friendly games, spooky decorations, music and a photo booth. No tickets needed. Optional glow mini-golf is $5 per 15-minute session. Official page: https://www.kentwood.us/events_detail_T53_R125.php (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Fall Craft Party (Nelson Township Branch)** at Nelson Township Branch, 88 Eighth St., Sand Lake, MI 49343. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 10am–11am. Price: Free. Ages: 2–10. A Saturday table of leaf, pumpkin and squirrel crafts in Sand Lake. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3040112ea730c17ab70e58 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Eerie Excitement at the Library (Englehardt (Lowell) Branch)** at Englehardt (Lowell) Branch, 200 N. Monroe St., Lowell, MI 49331. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 10am–12pm. Price: Free. Ages: 2–12. Not-so-scary Halloween games, crafts and activities for all ages in Lowell. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3e737b5f884f9a10d913da (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Generations in the Making: Bricks at the Library (East Grand Rapids Branch)** at East Grand Rapids Branch, 746 Lakeside Drive SE, East Grand Rapids, MI 49506. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 1pm–4pm. Price: Free. Ages: 3–99. Drop in with a parent or grandparent and build together with bricks all afternoon. Official page: https://kdl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a3434628ea300e2631eadfd (checked 2026-10-19)

## Always free

- **Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Library**, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Free, with books, a children’s area and no ticket to buy. Official page: https://www.grpl.org/ (checked 2026-10-18)

## Free library storytimes

- **Grand Rapids Public Library and Kent District Library**: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Baby, toddler and family storytimes at branches across Kent County, including Main, West Leonard, Cascade and Wyoming. Calendar: https://www.grpl.org/
- **Herrick District Library**: Weekly at 2 locations; Tuesday–Thursday, mostly mornings, plus an evening session. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby Storytime (Tuesdays 10:30am, Herrick North Branch) and Preschool Storytime (Tuesdays 9:30am, Herrick Main Library). Calendar: https://herrickdl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### What’s free to do with kids in Grand Rapids this weekend?
This week we found 22 free outings for ages 0–6, including Haunted Hall at the Kentwood Community Center, Eerie Excitement at the Library (Englehardt (Lowell) Branch), Family Storytime (Main Library) and Rhyme Time Music and Movement (Cascade Township Branch). See [free this week](https://littlesweekly.com/grand-rapids/free/#this-week); the list is rebuilt every Thursday.

### Are there free museum or zoo days in Grand Rapids?
Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. Third Thursday nights at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum: Third Thursday of every month, 4–8pm ($3 per person). Museums for All at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum: Any open day ($1.75 per person for up to 12 people with an EBT or WIC card). Museums for All at Frederik Meijer Gardens: Any open day ($2 with Museums for All; children 2 and younger free). Dates come from each venue’s own page; see [free days and free events](https://littlesweekly.com/grand-rapids/free/#free-days).

### Where can we go for free any day in Grand Rapids?
Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Library don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.

### Are library storytimes free in Grand Rapids?
Yes. Grand Rapids Public Library and Kent District Library and Herrick District Library run free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.

### How do you check these free listings?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 19, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).