By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association
West Michigan abounds with kid-friendly activities to stave off cabin fever and boredom — there are plenty of things to enjoy from resorts and parks worthy of a ‘staycation’ (or vacation) to area museums and arts centers.
Kids Activities in Central West Michigan
The Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park has seven courses that are broken into four different skill levels. Each course takes 30 to 45 minutes to complete, but you have three hours to do as much or as little as you please! They have activities for kids of all ages with a mini zipline course designed for kids ages 4 to 6, and a main deck which starts with kids that are 7 years old. You may have a hard time getting your kids to come back to the car when you visit this outdoor adventure park!
A visit to Catch Air in Grand Rapids is sure to have your kids jumping for joy! Their indoor adventure park has inflatable slides, jungle gym, bounce castle, and more. Catch Air is also the perfect place for a birthday party! Throw the most memorable and enjoyable party ever without lifting a finger. Whether you’re stopping by for an afternoon of fun, or celebrating a birthday, Catch Air is always a hopping place to be!
The Tri-Cities Historical Museum in Grand Haven is the perfect place for young learners who don’t want to be limited to just reading. Instead, step in, see, touch, and even smell all things history. Each exhibit is housed in a structure that is appropriate for the era. For example, the Woodland Era of Native American history is found inside an authentic birch bark wigwam. While The Tri-Cities Historical Museum is open to all ages, parents and guardians typically find 1st grade and above to be the most invested in the exhibits, though highly engaged parents will find something teachable in each exhibit!
The Critter Barn in Zeeland is a nonprofit educational farm spanning three acres. Their curriculum focuses on promoting an understanding of agriculture, food sources, animal care, animal science, volunteer initiatives, and the farmer’s role in feeding the world. They have an authentic learning environment with many friendly animals! Working on a farm, even visiting a farm, develops character and deepens an appreciation for the world around us.
Beat the winter blues with a family fun trip to the Holland Museum! Here, you can grab a special hands-on “Meet Me at the Museum” backpack, filled with activities designed to get kids moving through the galleries while completing kid-friendly challenges and activities. The backpack is free to check out with paid museum admission, and is appropriate for children ages 3 to 8 years old.
Families with children love Muskegon County for its wide variety of kid friendly attractions and events! Michigan’s Adventure is Michigan’s only major theme park! From the heart-pounding rush of Thunderhawk and Shivering Timbers roller coasters to the family fun of Lakeside Gliders and the Swan Boats, the amusement side of this 250 acre complex offers thrills of all sizes and fun for all ages. Wildwater Adventure features towering slides, refreshing wave pools and splash pads and your admission ticket covers both parks!
The Muskegon Winter Sports Complex offers exciting annual events and outdoor sports facilities for families. This beautiful venue inside Muskegon State Park has one of only four publicly accessible luge tracks in the country for kids eight and up! You can also cross-country ski, snowshoe, snowboard or sled on five miles of groomed track day or night!
Michigan’s Heritage Park at Hilt’s Landing is a perfect family activity, promising an outdoor adventure for all ages. Your tour will take you through 10,000 years of Michigan History in a natural woodland setting “Make and Take” vintage crafts such as candle dipping are part of the experience, or become a paleontologist and help unearth a mastodon at the dig site. Kids and adults alike will cherish their time in Muskegon!
Bring the kids to Ludington to learn all about the area’s maritime history. The newest jewel in Ludington’s museum-tourist attraction crown is the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. Visitors can experience piloting the car ferry Pere Marquette 22 into Ludington’s harbor via a virtual reality experience, learn the unique light signals of Lake Michigan’s many lighthouses, and experience many authentic artifacts used in the story of the Ludington’s celebrated harbor and by many of its famous Coast Guardsmen and car ferry sailors.
The Mt. Pleasant area is home to fun for kids of all ages. The indoor waterpark at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort is sure to be a hit with the whole family. The waterpark features a lazy river, indoor surfing pool, climbing wall, and more. There’s more to see in Mt. Pleasant, including museums and indoor play areas, where your kids will love to learn and burn off some energy!
More Kids Activities in Central West Michigan
- Check out “Butterflies are Blooming” at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids
- Take a selfie with the DeZwaan Windmill in Holland during the 89th Annual Tulip Time Festival
- Spend the night aboard the USS Silversides submarine or the Us Coast Guard Cutter McLane in Muskegon
- Shoot clay pigeons at the Blendon Pines Gun Club in Zeeland
- Saddle up for a fall trail ride at Double JJ Resort in Rothbury
- Listen to the 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ at Grand Rapids Public Museum
- Take a lap or two around the ice rink at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids
Kids Activities in Southern West Michigan
The Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings is part of the Hastings Public Library’s Creative Science Night on February 21st. Join the institute and other local organizations in hands-on science demonstrations and activities geared towards preschool through 5th grade students.
The Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven is a great place to bring the whole family! Kids will enjoy the hands-on exhibits, all while learning about maritime history. Step aboard on the museum’s tall ship, Friends Good Will, for a Pirate Chaser Sail, where your family is part of the crew as you chase down pirates on Lake Michigan and recapture treasure. Make history come alive for your family at the Michigan Maritime Museum!
Coldwater Country is home to an abundance of things to see and do. Ride the rails of an authentic 100-year-old steam engine train, or have a family fun day driving go karts, or playing paintball and laser tag.
Timber Ridge Ski Area in Gobles has activities and events all winter long, including an array of programs for kids to learn to ski or snowboard. They also have tubing open on the weekends for those looking for an easygoing ride down the hills. Stop by from February 23rd to 25th for their Winterfest Family Fun event, which includes activities for the whole family. If you’re looking for winter fun, look no further than Timber Ridge!
The February First Adventures with Nature events at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek are perfect for children ages 2 to 5 years old. First Adventures with Nature can help you engage in your child’s learning, while increasing their understanding of the natural world around them. The zoo’s experienced leaders are dedicated to connecting and inspiring the next generation of wildlife enthusiasts!
Looking for a fun and educational way to get outside with your family this winter? Visit the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Augusta to see and learn about a variety of bird species, including Trumpeter Swans, a native species that the Sanctuary helped to reintroduce to the Midwest. Walk one of the trails around beautiful Wintergreen Lake to see waterfowl, birds of prey, game birds, and songbirds. The sanctuary also offers educational programs for children and adults year-round, with a full calendar of events available on their website.
Hastings’ Playing at the Spray Plaza program offers free music, entertainment, and educational programs for children between preschool and 12 years old. The program is hosted every Thursday and lasts for nine weeks, from June 14th to August 9th. Don’t forget to bring the kids’ swimsuits, so that they can enjoy playing in the spray plaza before and after the show!
The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts offers free admission for kids through age 12, and admission for adults is only $5 (students are $2). Ten galleries filled with art include a “Please Touch” Kids Corner, recently updated with a black light alcove, music making stations, art books, and more. Their Art Detectives programs for kids 4 to 8 with an adult introduce the youngest among us to the art museum, with a story, gallery stroll, and art-making.
The Air Zoo in Kalamazoo is a highly charged, multi-sensory atmosphere that goes beyond anything you’ve ever seen. It’s like no place else on Earth! Voted the “Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners” and “Best Place to Spend a Day with Your Family” three years in a row, the Air Zoo features more than 50 rare and historic aircraft, amusement park-style rides, Full-Motion Flight Simulators, and RealD 3D/4D Missions Theater, as well as historical exhibits and educational activities.
The Marshall area is filled with fun for your kids. From hands-on museums and farms to the great outdoors and conservation, your whole family will learn something new when they visit. Plan your next trip using the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance’s trip planning resources.
