# Free things to do with kids in Minneapolis–St. Paul this week

> Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Minneapolis–St. Paul this week: we found 27 free outings, including Free Thursday Nights at the Minnesota History Center, Little Explorer Thursday! and Baile latino para niños / Latin Dance for Kids (Sumner), plus 17 library programs. Four free days and events are coming up, including three museum or zoo free days, each with its date. And eight places never charge admission, like Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and Como Park Zoo.

- Last checked: 2026-10-19
- 27 free outings this week; 4 free days and events coming up; 8 always-free places
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/free/
- Indoor play (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/indoor-play/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/llms.txt

## Free days and free events coming up

- **Bank of America Museums on Us weekend** at Mill City Museum, Minnesota History Center, and Historic Fort Snelling, Minneapolis and St. Paul. 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)
- **Turkey Day 5K**, Downtown Minneapolis. When: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Time: 8 a.m. Price: Free for kids 18 and under (TC Kids Run Free); adult prices on the race page. Official page: https://www.tcmevents.org/alleventsandraces/turkeyday/turkeyday5k (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Securian Financial Free First Sunday at Minnesota Children’s Museum** at Minnesota Children’s Museum, Downtown St. Paul. When: First Sunday of every month. Price: Free; reservations required. Reserve a time and arrive within 10 minutes of it. These Sundays get busy. Official page: https://mcm.org/give-to-mcm/securian-financial-free-first-sunday/ (checked 2026-10-19)
- **All Play tickets at Minnesota Children’s Museum** at Minnesota Children’s Museum, Downtown St. Paul. When: Any open day. Price: $5 tickets for families who show EBT, WIC, a National School Lunch Program letter or a tribal ID. Official page: https://mcm.org/tickets/ (checked 2026-10-19)

## Free this week

- **Free Thursday Nights at the Minnesota History Center** at Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 4pm–8pm. Price: Free Thursday evening. Ages: 0–99. Free admission and parking on Thursday evenings at the Minnesota History Center. Official page: https://www.mnhs.org/historycenter (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Little Explorer Thursday!** at Visitor Center, 1225 Estabrook Dr, St Paul, MN 55103. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 10am–12pm. Price: Free. Ages: 1–3. A free morning for 1- to 3-year-olds with animal visitors, a story and games. Official page: https://comozooconservatory.org/event/little-explorer-thursday/2026-10-22/ (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Story Time at Como Zoo** at Visitor Center, 1225 Estabrook Dr, St Paul, MN 55103. When: Next: Mon Oct 19, Tue Oct 20, Wed Oct 21, Thu Oct 22 and 2 more. Time: 12pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A short nature-themed storytime at the Como visitor center. Official page: https://comozooconservatory.org/event/story-time-vc-2-2-2/2026-10-19/ (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Baby Storytime (Linden Hills)** at Hennepin County Library – Linden Hills, 2900 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis, MN 55410. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 10–10:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–1. Songs, rhymes and books for babies and their caregivers. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a7fd9bbb20478002992fa71 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime With ECFE (Brooklyn Park)** at Hennepin County Library – Brooklyn Park, 8500 W. Broadway Ave, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445. When: Mon Oct 19. Time: 9:30–10am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A family storytime led with Early Childhood Family Education. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a90cc4f57c264087ad45d2f (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Baile latino para niños / Latin Dance for Kids (Sumner)** at Hennepin County Library – Sumner, 611 Van White Memorial Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55411. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 10:30–11:15am. Price: Free. Ages: 2–8. A bilingual Latin dance class for kids and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a5a98597b79214226a952af (checked 2026-10-19)
- **LEGO Lab (St. Anthony)** at Hennepin County Library – St. Anthony, 2941 Pentagon Dr. N.E., St. Anthony, MN 55418. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 4:30–6:30pm. Price: Free. Ages: 4–12. Drop in and build with the library’s LEGO bricks. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a73e654c5fbcf8eb27c5a87 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Excelsior)** at Hennepin County Library – Excelsior, 337 Water St., Excelsior, MN 55331. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 10–10:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a56b82bdaaaf4f51a1fc8a0 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Minneapolis Central)** at Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10–10:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a959721be148200298b56cd (checked 2026-10-19)
- **LEGO Lab (East Lake)** at Hennepin County Library – East Lake, 2727 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55406. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 4–6pm. Price: Free. Ages: 4–12. Drop in and build with the library’s LEGO bricks. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a6d18bef4e5db3d00c5aedc (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Movie Night (North Regional)** at Hennepin County Library – North Regional, 1315 Lowry Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 5:30–7pm. Price: Free. Ages: 3–12. A family movie in the library, free. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a63a5ad0d65ac360041f6fc (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Augsburg Park)** at Hennepin County Library – Augsburg Park, 7100 Nicollet Ave., Richfield, MN 55423. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 10:15–10:45am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a5ad41dcca66c2f00a436d1 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Ridgedale)** at Hennepin County Library – Ridgedale, 12601 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka, MN 55305. When: Fri Oct 23. Time: 10–10:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a69678388e9bf2800340780 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Baby Storytime (Walker)** at Hennepin County Library – Walker, 2880 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55408. When: Fri Oct 23. Time: 10–10:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–1. Songs, rhymes and books for babies and their caregivers. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a161bc8703c3363002a2e1e (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Chess and LEGO Play (Walker)** at Hennepin County Library – Walker, 2880 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55408. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 10–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 4–12. Drop-in chess and LEGO building for kids and families. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a7258a2a5e5f025a9ce54df (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Webber Park)** at Hennepin County Library – Webber Park, 4440 Humboldt Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55412. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 10:30–11:15am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a9391662dac6e003722b3b7 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Early Learning Saturdays: Connect and Play (Champlin)** at Hennepin County Library – Champlin, 12154 Ensign Ave. N., Champlin, MN 55316. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 2–3pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Drop-in play for kids from birth to 5 and their caregivers. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a5ac128c7e02e3d0069ebd6 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **LEGO Lab (Northeast)** at Hennepin County Library – Northeast, 2200 Central Ave. N.E., Minneapolis, MN 55418. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 2–4pm. Price: Free. Ages: 4–12. Drop in and build with the library’s LEGO bricks. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a695f53cca66c2f00a6b8c7 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (North Regional)** at Hennepin County Library – North Regional, 1315 Lowry Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411. When: Sun Oct 25. Time: 2–2:45pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a9a41871c197d11325d3973 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Family Storytime (Hosmer)** at Hennepin County Library – Hosmer, 347 E. 36th St., Minneapolis, MN 55408. When: Sun Oct 25. Time: 3:30–4pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, songs and rhymes for young children and their grown-ups. Official page: https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/events/6a8355cfccedcb07ae1f6ebd (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Storytime in the Park (Saint Anthony Park)** at Saint Paul Public Library – Saint Anthony Park, 2245 Como Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108. When: Tue Oct 20. Time: 10:30–11:15am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. An outdoor storytime at College Park (2223 Carter Ave.) for babies through preschoolers. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a71f5620d65ac36004441c7 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Playdate (Highland Park)** at Saint Paul Public Library – Highland Park, 1974 Ford Parkway, Saint Paul, MN 55116. When: Wed Oct 21. Time: 10am–12pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. A drop-in morning playdate for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/694ebb1f1e64afd01e50d987 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **SHEEKO SHEEKO: Somali Family Storytime (Rondo)** at Saint Paul Public Library – Rondo, 270 N Kent St., Saint Paul, MN 55102. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 4–5pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–8. A family storytime in Somali and English. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ace4a0629c3d600332f96f2 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Pajama Storytime with Drake Callender (Sun Ray)** at Saint Paul Public Library – Sun Ray, 2105 Wilson Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55119. When: Thu Oct 22. Time: 6–6:30pm. Price: Free. Ages: 2–6. Come in pajamas for an evening storytime with special guest Drake Callender. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/69519be7c967cb41207ed2d3 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Saturday Vibe: Puppet Storytime (George Latimer Central)** at Saint Paul Public Library – George Latimer Central Library, 90 West 4th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 11am–12pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–8. A puppet storytime for the whole family. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a035c2b703c3363002712d5 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **STEAM Saturday: Pumpkin Decorating (Saint Anthony Park)** at Saint Paul Public Library – Saint Anthony Park, 2245 Como Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 2:30–4pm. Price: Free. Ages: 4–12. Decorate a pumpkin at the library. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ab45bc660748300382921f8 (checked 2026-10-19)
- **Author Visit: Cristina Oxtra, “What Lolo Wants” (Highland Park)** at Saint Paul Public Library – Highland Park, 1974 Ford Parkway, Saint Paul, MN 55116. When: Sat Oct 24. Time: 2–3pm. Price: Free. Ages: 3–8. The author reads her Minnesota Book Award–finalist picture book. Official page: https://sppl.bibliocommons.com/events/6aaeb2cc101eb7003f316b44 (checked 2026-10-19)

## Always free

- **Marjorie McNeely Conservatory**, Como Park. A warm glasshouse at Como Park for a cold Minnesota morning. Official page: https://comozooconservatory.org (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Como Park Zoo**, St. Paul. A free zoo in St. Paul, next door to the seasonal Como Town amusement park. Official page: https://comozooconservatory.org (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Lake Nokomis beaches**, South Minneapolis. Free city beaches on Lake Nokomis for summer swimming. Official page: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks-destinations/parks-lakes/lake_nokomis_park/ (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Gale Woods Farm**, Minnetrista (about 40 min). An educational farm in a regional park west of the cities. Official page: https://www.threeriversparks.org/location/gale-woods-farm (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Minneapolis Institute of Art**, Whittier. A free art museum. Check hours before you go. Official page: https://new.artsmia.org/visit (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis Central Library**, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Free, with books, a children’s area and no ticket to buy. Official page: https://www.hclib.org/ (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Eastman Nature Center**, 13351 Elm Creek Rd, Dayton, MN 55369. Free, with exhibits and short trails. Official page: https://www.threeriversparks.org/ (checked 2026-10-18)
- **Richardson Nature Center**, 8737 E Bush Lake Rd, Bloomington, MN 55438. Free, with exhibits and short trails. Official page: https://www.threeriversparks.org/ (checked 2026-10-18)

## Free library storytimes

- **Hennepin County Library and Saint Paul Public Library**: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Baby, toddler and family storytimes at branches across Hennepin County and St. Paul. Calendar: https://www.hclib.org/
- **Ramsey County Library**: Weekly at 5 locations; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, mostly mornings, plus an evening session. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby & Me Storytime (Thursdays 10:30am, Maplewood) and Family Storytime (Mondays 6:30pm, Roseville), with more at Mounds View, New Brighton and White Bear Lake. Calendar: https://rclreads.bibliocommons.com/v2/events
- **Dakota County Library**: Weekly at 8 locations; Tuesday–Friday, mostly mornings. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Storytime for Babies (Tuesdays 9:30am, Heritage Library) and Storytime for Babies and Toddlers (Wednesdays 10am, Wescott Library), with more at Farmington Library, Inver Glen Library, Kaposia Library and Pleasant Hill Library and other branches. Calendar: https://dakotacountylibrary.libcal.com/calendar
- **Washington County Library**: Weekly at 8 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby Storytime (Mondays 10:30am, R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury)) and Sing and Play: Baby Storytime (Mondays 11:15am, Wildwood Library (Mahtomedi)), with more at Bayport Public Library, Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake), Lake Elmo Library and Oakdale Library and other branches. Calendar: https://washcolib.libcal.com/calendar/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 Minneapolis–St. Paul this weekend?
This week we found 27 free outings for ages 0–6, including Free Thursday Nights at the Minnesota History Center, Little Explorer Thursday!, Baile latino para niños / Latin Dance for Kids (Sumner) and LEGO Lab (St. Anthony). See [free this week](https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/free/#this-week); the list is rebuilt every Thursday.

### Are there free museum or zoo days in Minneapolis–St. Paul?
Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. Securian Financial Free First Sunday at Minnesota Children’s Museum: First Sunday of every month. All Play tickets at Minnesota Children’s Museum: Any open day ($5 tickets for families who show EBT, WIC, a National School Lunch Program letter or a tribal ID). Dates come from each venue’s own page; see [free days and free events](https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/free/#free-days).

### What free holiday events are there for kids in Minneapolis–St. Paul?
Turkey Day 5K is free this season. Dates and times are on each card under [free days and free events](https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/free/#free-days).

### Where can we go for free any day in Minneapolis–St. Paul?
Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, Como Park Zoo, Lake Nokomis beaches, Gale Woods Farm and Minneapolis Institute of Art and 3 more don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.

### Is there free indoor play in Minneapolis–St. Paul?
Yes: Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park and Minneapolis Institute of Art. See all of them on [indoor play places in Twin Cities](https://littlesweekly.com/twin-cities/indoor-play/#places).

### Are library storytimes free in Minneapolis–St. Paul?
Yes. Hennepin County Library and Saint Paul Public Library, Ramsey County Library, Dakota County Library and Washington County 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/).