Discovering how to live a glorious life on less
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Are you ready to kick off the new year with fun and free family activities? We’ve scoured community calendars and Facebook event pages to find a solid list of activities that we hope your family will love and enjoy as much as ours.
January 8th, 4-5:30 pm, it’s Open Make time at CMU! Open to 3rd – 7th grade students, Open Make is part of the CMU Center for Excellence in STEM Education and provides a great opportunity for students to try their hand at a variety of STEM related projects at no cost. RSVP and learn more here.
January 8th, 3:30-4:30 pm, stop by the Shepherd Community Library for Create, Make & Take Crafts! Open to children of all ages, the library provides all the supplies you need to create something wonderful. Learn more on the Chippewa River District Library calendar.
January 10th, 5-6:30 pm or 7-9 pm, Take the kids on a full moon stroll this month at the Sylvan Nature Preserve or at Chippewa Nature Center. Strolls at the Chippewa Nature Center are led by Interpretive Naturalists Jeanne Henderson and Michelle Fournier and begin at 5pm. Hikes at Sylvan Nature Preserve will begin at 7 pm Learn more about the stroll at the Chippewa Nature Center on Facebookor check out the Sylvan Nature Preserve on the MeetMtP.com website.
January 11th, 10 am – 4 pm, The Midland Mall is hosting its annual Kids Day event. Businesses and organizations will be on site to share kid-friendly resources and products with those who attend. Learn more on Facebook.
January 18th, 2-3 pm, Stop by the Chippewa River District Library in Mt. Pleasant to learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. through the eyes of Coretta Scott King. Rosie Chapman will be honoring the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. through a dramatic and interactive performance. Appropriate for all ages. For further details visit the Chippewa River District Library’s website.
January 19th, 2-2:30 pm, For those of you with younger ones, the Baby & Me Storytime at Barnes and Noble in Midland may be the perfect break in your day. Recommended ages are between 0-2. Learn more on Facebook.
January 25th, 1-4 pm, Stop by the City Forest in Midland to cheer on those participating in this year’s Midland Midwinter Chill Cardboard Sled Races! Participants build sleds out of card board and can win prizes. Learn more on Facebook.
January 30th, 7:30 pm, Expose your family to the arts by attending one of CMU’s Faculty Artist concerts. This one is titled ‘Rebels & Rulebreakers’ and is free to attend on campus at the Staples Family Concert Hall. For a full list of performances, visit CMU’s Event website.
Summer may be almost over, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty left to do in the Mid-Michigan area! Check out this month’s family-friendly free and fun events we’ve discovered.
August 1-3rd – Midland’s RiverDays features music, food, hot air balloons and more all for free! Get the details and plan your family’s adventure.
August 3rd – Catch the first Movies by Moonlight in downtown Mt. Pleasant! The first show is A Dog’s Purpose, rated PG. Movies start at 8:30 pm.
August 3rd – Alma Church of the Nazarene is hosting a community picnic and everyone is invited! Stop by between 3-6 pm for food, fun and back to school giveaways.
August 5th – Celebrate the addition of an amphitheater at Island Park in Mt. Pleasant with a free concert and ribbon cutting! Concert to begin at 7pm.
August 8th – Stop by downtown Mt. Pleasant for another installment of Thrilling Thursdays and celebrate space! Build and launch your own water bottle rocket and enjoy Tang and moon pies. Event kicks off at 6pm at City Hall.
August 9th – Play it Safe at this free community event brought to you by ICCU. Stop by Island Park in Mt. Pleasant between 12noon and 4pm for games, prizes, crafts and more! Plus, the first 200 kids will receive a free bike helmet! Get more details here.
August 9th – NCG Cinemas kicks off their Free Family Film Festival. Free films include Hotel Transylvania 3, the Goonies, Wonder Park, and How to Train Your Dragon 3. The festival runs from August 9th – August 31st.
August 10th – Stop by the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum for another Kids & Culture event! This month kids will get to take a peak into Mexican culture and explore through crafts and games. The event is from 10am – 12noon.
August 11th – 17th – Visit the Midland County Fair this week for some animal fun!
August 24th – Victory church is hosting a free community carnival that will feature food, games and carnival rides. Stop by between 2-5pm.
August 28th – Have you ever wanted to read to an animal before? Your family can at Leaman’s Green Applebarn today at 10am.
Looking for some ways to welcome Spring? We’ve got you covered all March long with our list of FREE family fun events happening throughout Mid-Michigan.
Calling all LEGO fans! Stop by your local Barnes & Noble for a special LEGO architecture build event on Saturday March 9th at 6pm! For those of you in mid-Michigan, Barnes & Noble is located in the Midland Mall.
It’s time for another Kids & Culture event, this time at Off-Broadway Performing Arts Studio! Stop by Saturday March 9th between 10 am – 12 noon for a fun and free family-friendly event.
Another great opportunity this month is a comedy magician show taking place at Plachta auditorium on Central Michigan University’s campus on Tuesday, March 12th at 7 pm. Trent James, the award-winning comedy magician, is sure to wow you, making this an evening of fun for everyone. Free to attend and open to the public.
Not sure if this show is right for you? The video below will give you a sneak peek into a Trent James show.
We’re told that March 12th is FREE pancake day at IHOP! Stop by and enjoy your free shortstack and, if you’re able, consider donating to help children battling critical illness while you’re there.
And if you love free food, you might want to mark down March 20th on your calendar. We’re told that Dairy Queen will be serving up free ice cream cones that day, but haven’t been able to officially confirm it. Check with your local Dairy Queen to see if they will be participating.
Stop by the Chippewa River District Library, Shepherd branch for Create, Make and Take Craft time on March 13th at 3:30pm. All materials will be provided – you just need to bring your creativity!
Grab your favorite board game and head on over to the Salvation Army in Alma on March 15th at 6pm for a free family game night! Movies will also be playing in the chapel.
Looking for an opportunity to introduce your family to the orchestra? Creative 360 in Midland will be hosting the Midland Community Orchestra Small Ensemble and invites everyone to come and listen March 15th at 7pm. More details can be found on the Great Lakes Bay Parents website.
Did you know that Michigan is one of the top maple syrup producers across the nation? In 2017 it was ranked as the 7th top producer of this sugary confection. On March 16th, your family can discover how maple syrup is made during Maple Syrup Day at the Chippewa Nature Center! The event is free for kids and members, but $5 for adults who aren’t members at this time.
Stop by the Chippewa River District Library, Veterans Memorial campus for a rescheduled family date night featuring Kim Darst from Husky Haven Sled Dogs and her incredible story of racing in the Iditarod! Attendees will get the opportunity to see her sled gear and interact with one of her dogs! Be sure to arrive early to this event taking place March 17th at 2pm.
Take a break from technology and stop by the “Pop” in carnival taking place at Finch Fieldhouse on Central Michigan University’s campus March 22nd from 6 – 8 pm. CMU’s Recreation, Parks and Leisure services RPL 430 class is partnering with Angel Wings to host a family-fun night where kids and adults can play classic carnival games like ring toss and mini bowling. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged to help support the local charity.
Are there free family-fun events we missed? Share them in the comments or on our Facebook page.
