Kids Activities
Big Fun for the Little Ones
Traveling with kids can be fun. Keeping them engaged and entertained is simple with a little extra research and preparation. Here in Missoula there are endless possibilities to keep them busy and wanting to do more, more, MORE! Honored in 2009 with a "Playful City USA" Award, Missoula has an activity or play area for the young and the young at heart.
A Carousel for Missoula
101 Carousel Drive
Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: 406.549.8382
Hours
Sept. through May: 11am to 5:30pm
June through August: At least 11am to 7pm
carrousel.com
Started with a local cabinet-makers dream and made a reality by thousands of volunteers and countless hours, A Carousel for Missoula is the largest, fully hand-carved carousel built within the last 60 years, and the antique frame was last in operation on Ponderosa Ranch where "Bonanza" was filmed. Kids and adults alike will be thrilled when they mount up and speed round and round on these beautiful stallions!
Dragon's Hollow
101 Carousel Drive
Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: 406.549.8382
carrousel.com/dragon-hollow
Right next door to the Carousel is an outdoor, wooden play area. Imaginations will run wild as kids climb into a fantasy-land of castles, dragons and knights!
Families First Children's Museum
225 West Front Street
Missoula, MT 59802-4301
Phone: 406.541.7529
FamiliesFirstMontana.org
Learning is fun at the Families First Children's Museum. Located on Front Street near the Carousel and Dragon's Hollow, your children will be amazed at what they find inside. Dig up dinosaur bones, play with bubbles, water tables, and face paint. Design your own city with blocks and trucks, put on a puppet show and let your imagination take over!
SpectrUM
Skaggs Building, Room 166
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812-1049
Email: spectrum@mso.umt.edu
Phone: 406.243.4828
Hours
Th: 3:30pm - 7pm
Sat: 11am - 4:30pm
spectrum.umt.edu
Know a little science buff? SpectrUM is an interactive science center on the University Campus dedicated to getting children involved in the field. Draw pictures in the air with light, swab a giant nose and find out why it's running, check out dissected animal parts, and play through many other educational exhibits.
MoBash Skate Park
500 Cregg Lane
McCormick Park
Phone: 406.530.9758
montanaskatepark.org
Praised as one of the top 5 parks in the country, MoBash has over 15,000 square feet of skate area. Complete with various bowls, bank walls, terraced inclines and plenty of rails to ride, skate enthusiasts of all ages will love this outdoor facility!
Historical Museum at Fort Missoula
Bldg. 322, Fort Missoula
Missoula, MT 59804
Phone: 406.728-3476
Hours
Labor Day Weekend - Memorial Day Weekend
Tue-Sun: 12pm - 5pm
Closed Monday
Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend
M-Sat: 10am - 5pm
Sun: 12pm - 5pm
fortmissoulamuseum.org
Climb an old fire lookout, play conductor on an historic locomotive and explore various other treasures of Missoula history. Established in 1877, Fort Missoula went through many phases of operation, from being an open-air fort to protect early settlers to an Alien Detention Camp during World War 2.
Silver's Lagoon
Cregg and Hickory
Missoula, MT 59801
McCormick Park
Conveniently located in McCormick Park, Silver's Lagoon is the perfect fishing hole for the young angler. The Missoulian Angler has rods and equipment available for children under the age of 14 for $1 per day rental. Or skip the equipment and just spend some time exploring the path around the water, hunting for bugs, minnows and other wonders.
Bowling
Everyone loves to bowl! Slip into a sweet pair of retro bowling shoes and pick out your favorite colored ball to hurl down the lane. If the kids are tired halfway through the second game, send them off to the video-games and pool tables and when everyone's hungry order a large plate of nachos!
Big Dipper Ice Cream
631 South Higgins Avenue
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: 406.543.5722
Hours
11am - 11pm Daily
bigdippericecream.com
With curious flavors such as Mango Habanero Sorbet, Animal Cookie, Pumpkin, Black Licorice and Cardamom, Big Dipper is well-known for their adventurous take on ice cream. Finish your afternoon adventure with a stop in to this downtown store.
Ball Games
montanagrizzlies.com
missoulamaulers.com
missoulaosprey.com
maggots.org
Whether you fancy football, basketball or baseball, we have it here in Missoula. The University of Montana Grizzlies fight for the title in various sports year round and the Missoula Osprey will have everyone singing, "Take me out to the ballgame." For a little harder hitting action, try the junior hockey team, the Missoula Maulers, or the lovable Missoula Maggots, who play a very rowdy game of rugby.
Paint Your Own Pottery
Zootown Arts Community Center
235 N. 1st St. W.
Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: 406.549.7555
Email: Info@ZootownArts.org
Hours
M-Sat: 12pm - 8pm
First Fridays: 12pm - 5pm
zootownarts.com
Drop in to the Zoo Town Arts Community Center and spend an afternoon crafting your very own keepsakes. Paint a number of items and have them glazed and fired in the kiln. Not planning on being in town for the typical week-long waiting period? You can make arrangements to have them shipped to your home.
Hike the M
A local favorite, the short scramble up Mount Sentinel takes you, courtesy of 11 switchbacks, 620 feet above the valley floor in less than half a mile, giving you a bird's-eye view of the entire Missoula valley and surrounding mountains. Originally constructed in 1908 out of whitewashed rocks and later concreted in place, the M is a landmark worth the trek.
Missoula City Parks
600 Cregg Ln.
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: 406.721.PARK
Missoula City Parks
With over 400 acres of land split into 45 parks, there is an abundance of playing space in Missoula. Grab a frisbee, ball and mit or just a pair of sneakers and get out and get going! Splash decks and plenty of trees and shade will keep everyone cool during the hottest weeks, and many of the parks are filled with swingsets, monkey bars and climbing equipment.
Bike Rentals at Currents
600 Cregg Ln.
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: 406.721.PARK
Lobby Hours
M-F: 6am - 8pm
Sat: 7:45am - 6pm
Sun: 11am - 6pm
Complete Hour Information
Currents Aquatic Center
Tour Missoula on a bright blue Trek cruiser bike - for free! Located at the Currents Aquatic Center in McCormick Park, Parks and Recreation will gladly loan you and your family bikes and helmets to get you out, pedaling around town. Take off down the Kim Williams Trail, the old railroad bed that borders the Clark Fork River. Cruise past the Milwaukee Depot, Higgins Street Bridge, University of Montana and various parks as you take in the sights and smells of the valley.
Shopping
Missoula Downtown
Southgate Mall
If yours are the kids who love to shop, you need to spend a day on Higgins Street. Both the "Hip Strip" and the Missoula Downtown are home to boutiques overflowing with toys, clothes, gifts and treats made locally, organically, by hand, and just about another other way you'd prefer. The Southgate Mall is packed with over 100 stores including retail shops; pet, book, and game stores; and your usual delicious bites. And for those who like the big box stores, drive up to North Reserve and check out all the latest fashions and gadgets, and some of the best local eateries tucked into the mix!
Water Parks
Playfair Park
3001 Bancroft
Missoula, Montana 59801
Phone: 406.542.WAVE
Hours
Open May 31 (weather permitting) - August 30
Hour Information
Splash Montana
Missoula was blessed with two new water parks in the last few years. Currents Aquatic Center, at McCormick Park, is an indoor facility complete with water slides, hot tub and spray features. Splash Montana, in the southeastern corner of town, is an open-air water adventureland open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Three slides, zero-depth entry pools, a log walk and many other fun features will keep the kids splashing all day!
Smokejumpers Center
5765 West Broadway Street
Missoula, MT 59808
Phone: 406.329.4934
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day 8:30am - 5pm
Smokejumper Center
Not much is cooler than getting a chance to pretend you're a smokejumper! Tour the depot, climb into a 1930's replica lookout tower, check out an opened parachute - all presented by a real smokejumper! Missoula is home to the largest operating base in the nation, and has been an integral part of the invention of jumping out of planes to fight forest fires. Located near the Missoula International Airport just a few miles west of town, the area is abuzz with aircraft flying in and out daily.
Farmer's Markets
Missoula Farmer's Market
Circle Square, North Higgins Avenue
Phone: 406.777.2636
8:30 am - 12:00 noon, Saturdays May 1st to October 23rd.
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Tuesday evenings July 6th - September 14th.
missoulafarmersmarket.com
Clark Fork River Market
Riverside Parking lot and under the Higgins Ave Bridge
Phone: 406.396.0593
Saurdays, 8am - 1pm from the first Saturday of May until the third Saturday in October.
clarkforkrivermarket.com
Missoula Saturday Market
1119 W Kent
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: 406.830.3216
Saturdays, 9am - 1pm from the first Saturday of May until the third Saturday in October.
missoulasaturdaymarket.org
Carousel Sunday Market & Festival
101 Carousel Drive
Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: 406.549.8382
Sundays, 1pm - 5pm, through the third Sunday in October
carrousel.com
Missoula boasts 3 farmer's markets during the growing season from May to October. All located within a few blocks of each other, you are sure to have fun browsing through foods and goods crafted and grown right here in Western Montana. The original Missoula Farmer's Market is located at the northernmost end of Higgins Avenue, near the red XXXXs and has produce. The Missoula Saturday Market, located two blocks south, offers local crafts, gifts, trinkets and various food stuffs. The Clark Fork River Market is four blocks further south, under the Higgins Avenue bridge, on the banks of the Clark Fork River. It is stocked with meat, produce, dairy, crafts, and flowers all raised in Western Montana.. The newest addition, the Carousel Sunday Market and Festival features produce, flowers, entertainment and arts and crafts.
Ice Skating Rinks
Western Montana Fairgrounds
1101 South Ave. West
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: 406.728.0316
Email: info@glaciericerink.com
glaciericerink.com
Located at the fairgrounds, Glacier Ice Rink has both an indoor and outdoor rink. With reasonable rates on rentals and public skating available daily from September through May, the whole family will have fun gliding around the large arena. Another option for ice skating is in the Rattlesnake Area, at Pineview Park. Since 1975, the Rattlesnake Hockey Association has been flooding a portion of the park for winter skating. Hours vary due to the weather, and you'll need to bring your own skates.
Parson's Pony Farm
20 minutes south of Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley
Phone: 406.273.3363
Email: suzi@parsonsponies.com
parsonsponies.com
Every little kid dreams of owning a pony, and at Parson's Pony Farm, twenty minutes south of Missoula in Florence, that dream will become a reality. If only for a brief hour and a half. Kids will learn the basics, then walk their pony for roughly thirty minutes before mounting for an hour-long ride. Ponies are also available for birthday parties and special events.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
5705 Grant Creek
Missoula, MT 59808
Phone: 800.CALL.ELK
Hours
January 1 - April 30
M-F: 8am - 5pm
Sat: 10am - 5pm
Sun: Closed
May 1 - December 31
M-F: 8am - 6pm
Sat: 9am - 6pm
Sun: 9am - 6pm
Elk Country Visitor Center
Have you ever heard an elk bugle? Do you know how big elk grow? What their favorite food is, or if they have favorite colors? Learn the answers and tons more at the Elk Country Visitor Center. Loaded with interactive displays that will test your knowledge of elk and other wildlife, the Visitor Center also has a collection of world record sized mounts, a Lewis and Clark display, a theater and a beautiful gift shop.
Out to Lunch
Caras Park in Downtown Missoula
Every Wednesday in June - August from 11am - 2pm
Out to Lunch Schedule
Every Wednesday in June, July and August Missoulians turns out for lunch in our downtown city park. From 11a.m. to 2p.m. enjoy live music, kids activities, food, espresso, ice cream, shaved ice and a dozen other goodies on the Clark Fork Riverbank. Venture to the deck overlooking the river to watch kayakers and body boarders playing in Brennan's Wave.
Public Library
301 East Main
Missoula MT 59802-4799
Phone: 406.721.2665
Hours
M - Th: 10am - 9pm
F, Sat: 10am - 6pm
Sun: 1pm - 5pm
Closed legal holiday
missoulapubliclibrary.org
If your kid loves to read, you must check out the Missoula Public Library. Offering a children's corner, young adult area, free wi-fi and public computers, books on tape and a plethora of storytimes, everyone will enjoy a nice quiet afternoon in.
Annual Festivals
From bicycles to pets, beer to peace and beyond, any reason that Missoulians can think of for a festival quickly becomes one. During the summer months Caras Park is a hot-spot of celebration and fun, churning out event after event every week. KidsFest, in August, is a unique event organized by kids, for kids. Join the hoopla and enjoy carnival games, art displays, dance performances, delicious food and much more.
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