Phoenix is home to lots of amazing and free activities for kids and adults alike year-round. From visiting the city’s amazing museums and attending its family events to enjoying the city’s many kid-friendly bike trails, there’s always something fun to do – and for free!
While free storytime and library events are mostly easy to find throughout the year in the many kid-friendly libraries in Phoenix, keep reading to find out what other amazing options this awesome city has to offer for families with children to enjoy and create brand new memories together.
Check out our list of some of our favorite free activities for kids in Phoenix that the whole family will love!
The Best Free Things to Do with Kids in Phoenix
1
1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
Desert Botanical Garden
Take a trip to the Desert Botanical Garden to see a stunning collection featuring thousands of unique desert plants. From cacti to desert flowers and everything in between, the Desert Botanical Garden will surely impress kids and adults alike. On the second Tuesday of every month, you can visit the Garden for free!2
Anywhere!
Go for a Bike Ride
Whether you’re biking around downtown or somewhere in the desert, the Valley offers lots of great options for family bike rides! A cool free activity to do with kids in Phoenix! For desert rides on paved paths, consider a trip to Papago Park or South Mountain. For rides that are more city-focused, you can’t beat a long ride on the Canal Trail or a fun cruise around the Tempe Town Lake.3
1625 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Phoenix Art Museum
The Phoenix Art Museum is a world-class facility that features revolving exhibits as well as a permanent collection of more than 19,000 works of art from around the world. This is a great place to teach your kids about the world of art! There are free museum days for children ages 5 and younger year-round, and Pay-What-You-Wish on Wednesdays from 3 PM – 8 PM.4
1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007, USA
Arizona Capitol Museum
Kids and adults alike will love to explore the history of Arizona at the historic Arizona Capitol Museum! This museum hosts rotating art and history exhibits, as well as a permanent collection of amazing artifacts and relics. Arizona Capitol Museum is always free5
Downtown Phoenix
First Friday Art Walks
On the first Friday of every month, Roosevelt Row Art District in Downtown Phoenix comes alive with one of the best events for families with art, celebration, and fun. Here you will find a multitude of art vendors, street performers, delicious food and drinks, and so much more. First Friday Art Walks take place from 6 PM to 10 PM.6
4925 E McDonald Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85018, USA
Camelback Mountain & Echo Canyon Recreation Area
For families with kids who are outdoorsy and experienced hikers, a hike to the top of Camelback Mountain is one of the ultimate free activities for kids in Phoenix! There are two hikes that will take you to the top, the Echo Canyon Trail and the Cholla Trail. Cholla is the easier option, but both are considered advanced hikes, so prepare accordingly! There are two hikes that will take you to the top, the Echo Canyon Trail and the Cholla Trail. Cholla is the easier option, but both are considered advanced hikes, so prepare accordingly!7
625 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
Papago Park
For a more leisurely desert hike, take a trip to Papago Park! Trails here are moderate and include paved paths if you want to take the bikes out. Papago Park also has awesome rock formations that you can hike up, including the famous “hole in the rock,” which is an easy hike to get to and offers a natural window into the city of Phoenix.8
All over!
Find a Festival
With the majority of our months being sunshine and nice temps, finding outdoor & free festivals in and around Phoenix is an easy task! Among the many free things to do with kids in Phoenix, festivals are a perfect plan! From holiday events to music festivals and so much more, make sure to keep an eye out for what is taking place near you!9
310 S Mill Ave #A201, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
Mill Ave-Tempe Town Lake
Mill Ave is the heart of Tempe and hosts a great selection of restaurants, stores, and entertainment. You can take a quick (but strenuous) hike up “A Mountain” at the end of Mill to get amazing views of Phoenix, or head down to the Tempe Town Lake, where you can enjoy a great walking/biking path around the water. Boat rentals are also available for added fun.10
815 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Roosevelt Row Art District
Roosevelt Row Art District is a bustling hub of art, food, and entertainment that has something for everyone to enjoy. Beyond being the site of the First Friday Art Walks, Roosevelt Row is always alive with fun and entertainment. Walking around this part of Phoenix will surely entertain you and your little ones with its events for families that are all about celebrating art!11
1 E Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201, USA
Mesa Arts Center
Mesa Arts Center hosts a variety of plays, concerts, and other special events throughout the year. Also on site is their MAC Museum that is always free admission! Here you will find fun art workshops, amazing collections of visual art, and so much more, including no-cost indoor activities for kids. Their hours vary and are open Tuesday-Sunday; see the website for details.12
10919 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85042, USA
South Mountain Park & Preserve
The largest municipal park in the country, South Mountain Park & Preserve, offers a wide variety of activities that include hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Here you will find more than 51 miles of trails to explore, as well as stunning views of Phoenix. You can drive your car all the way to the top of the mountain, making it a very popular destination for famous AZ sunsets, and enjoy one of the best free things to do with kids in Phoenix.13
215 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85034, USA
Children's Museum of Phoenix
The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is one of the best places in all of Arizona to bring kids aged 10 and younger. This huge museum offers over 300 interactive play areas with no-cost indoor activities for kids. There are exhibits and fun activities for babies up to kids aged 10 at the Children’s Museum.14
All over
Free Splash Pads
In the summertime, your child can cool off in a variety of free splash pads and playgrounds in Phoenix! Among the many free activities for kids in this city, this is one of the most popular! From local parks to malls and lots of places in between, look for local splash areas near you where kids can cool down and have fun to escape the desert heat!15
9200 N Bush Hwy, Mesa, AZ 85215, USA
Float the Salt River
When the summer heat starts to hit Phoenix, you can take a short drive out to the Salt River for a fun day of tubing! You can bring your own tubes and multiple vehicles to make this a totally free experience; otherwise, you can check out Salt River Tubing for tube rentals and round-trip transportation for a cheap cost. Tubing the salt will not only cool you down, but offer stunning views of the wild AZ desert, and if you’re lucky, you might even see some wild horses!Take a look at the many places to visit with kids in Phoenix! There’s always a new venue to discover in such a big and fun city like this, even if it’s a new kid-friendly restaurant in town.
Your little ones will love exploring all kinds of places and activities. There truly is something for everyone in Phoenix! If your child loves some active fun, there are plenty of exciting places you can visit and even join in, such as trampoline parks or laser tag.
And of course, educational places where you can take your little ones for different learning experiences and activities.
