Twin Cities Things To Do In February (Sorted By Age)

In February Family Fun Twin Cities has gathered up all the sweet stuff going on –

In February, skip to activities:

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Things To Do With Toddlers & Preschoolers in the Twin Cities – February

Caregivers with kids between the ages of 1 and 5, these events and activities are designed with your family in mind. You know your child best, so we encourage you to consult our full Family Fun Calendar to browse the all-ages events listed, but we publish here a quick list of toddler activities and pre-school family fun ideas.

Twin Cities Toddler and Preschool Events This Week

You and your little valentines

The whole family can feel the love with these activities designed to be shared with children. Make sure to check our complete listing of Valentine’s Day family events in the Twin Cities. The listings include crafty ideas for preschoolers to craft Valentines and other ways they can spread warm fuzzies to family and friends.

TODDLER OUTING: Toddler Tuesday: Be My Valentine Playdate

Mall of America Rotunda, 60 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425
February’s theme is love and friendship with games and activities geared toward tots and preschoolers. February 13, 2024, 10am-12pm. FREE.

PRESCHOOL OUTING: Kids at the Castle – Love Monsters

American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407
ASI’s monthly family program will be a Valentine’s Day Celebration with a love theme. Best for pre-K through early grade school. February 16 & 17, 2024, 9-10am. $15/family, must register in advance as spots will fill.

CRAFT HOMEMADE: Valentines for the Earth

North Mississippi Regional Park, 4900 Mississippi Court, Minneapolis, MN 55430
Kids (of any age, not limited to preschoolers) can create natural valentines to give using plant-able paper, nature-stamped cards, and heartfelt messages. February 17, 2024, 1:30-2:30pm. FREE. Limited openings. Register here.

Take advantage of indoor playgrounds for tots when it’s cold out

When we can handle stir-crazy, tusseling toddlers around the house no more, there are plentiful play spaces in the Twin Cities to absorb their need to run, climb and jump. These havens are organized in our TWIN CITIES INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS GUIDE by areas of the metro and also includes a link to find TOT TIMES, OPEN GYM & SWIM SPOTS. Most of the indoor play spaces contained in this guide offer dedicated spaces for the youngest visitors, providing an extra measure of safety to the experience.

ArtStart Children’s Concert

Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
A blend of family entertainment and crafty art project, the concert is performed by members of the St Paul Civic Symphony and is designed to be relaxed with young kids in attendance. They’ll be encouraged to get up and dance! February 4, 2024, 2pm dance & art activities, 3pm concert. FREE.

Things To Do With School-Aged Kids in the Twin Cities – February

Twin Cities Kids Events This Week

Last chance for the ice skating rinks

Mid-February is when we typically see our outdoor ice skating rinks turn slushy. (Though obviously, winter this year has been a bit of a late bloomer.) Delayed or not, get out for a spin while you can! And use our handy ICE RINK FINDER if you’re looking for something either local or new. Here are a few of the fancier offerings in the Twin Cities this year:

CENTENNIAL LAKES PARK, EDINA: Skate a lovely network of canals and ponds with a deluxe warming house. Skating is free, rent a pair of skates for $10.
CENTRAL PARK ICE SKATING LOOP, MAPLE GROVE: Skate a leisurely serpentine ice loop illuminated in the evening and in close proximity to fireplaces indoors and out. Skating is free, bring your own or rent a pair for $7.50.

School break in February – long weekend for President’s Day

If you’ve got the long President’s Day weekend to while away with your school-aged kids, you might be looking for a way to get out and make the most of it. Our President’s Day Weekend Guide is filled with both active, outdoor play ideas and cozy, indoor suggestions.

A free STEM event in February for kids

This place is a “blast” for kids! My school-aged ones (and even the preschooler and teens) never pan trip to MILL CITY MUSEUM. And in February, the site gets bonus points for incorporating a STEM program (one day only) into its mix of hands-on exhibits and historical backdrop. STEM Family Day at Mill City Museum includes activities throughout the museum that tie in the history of flour mills on the riverfront to STEM concepts. Again this year, the event is FREE! February 24, 11am-3pm.

More hands-on Twin Cities museums your school-aged kids will enjoy:

BAKKEN MUSEUM, Minneapolis: Interactive exhibits about electricity.
BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, St Paul: A planetarium, wildlife dioramas and a touch-and-feel room.
MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER, St Paul: Educational exhibits that still manage to be very interactive and lots of fun (we promise!)

Water play at Mill City Museum

Jump start planning summer camp for your kids in February (and save money!)

We believe the our 2024 TWIN CITIES SUMMER CAMP GUIDE is the best curated summer camp list in the Twin Cities and we’ll keep adding to it throughout the spring. Bookmark it and check back as you plan your summer! It’s packed with camps: classic outdoor adventure camps, tech-y enrichment camps, performing arts opportunities, cultural explorations and lots more. Many camps offer early bird pricing so it’s worth planning ahead!

Things To Do With Teens & Tweens in the Twin Cities – February

Things to do with your biggest kids – the ones that are typically hardest to please in terms of a “family outing”. It isn’t even a sure bet they have time to fit us in between their pressing commitments – but it’s oh so worthwhile when they do.

Twin Cities Teen & Tween Events This Week

St Paul Winter Carnival family events in February

THROUGH FEBRUARY 4, 2024: St Paul Winter Carnival

Snow Park at the State Fairgrounds: Chill out at the Fair viewing the results of the Minnesota State Snow Sculpting Competitions. Sculptures will be on display at the Fair through the run of Winter Carnival.
Winter Carnival ice sculpture carving and displays in Rice Park.
Winter Carnival Family Fun Day – The second Saturday of the St Paul Winter Carnival will offer indoor family fun at Landmark Center: cultural entertainment, education, arts and crafts, stories and more. February 3, 2024, 11am-5pm, FREE.

MINNEAPOLIS: One of our favorite winter festivals in the metro area is the quirky ART SHANTY PROJECTS on Lake Harriet. The creative little spaces are essentially little art galleries on ice – and are strongly encouraged to be interactive. Great for families with kids of any age (we’ve done them for a day-date too). Weekends only starting January 27-February 18, 2024. 10am-4pm. FREE admission but donations very much appreciated.

Three tips to keep in mind you should consider bringing younger kids out:

Bring a sled to pull the little ones on! The collection of themed ice shanties are about 500 feet from shore and can be located a significant distance from parking.
Visit the Art Shanty Projects website ahead of time to get an idea of which shanties would best suit the kids.
As always in our great state, dress for the weather. You may be out for hours.

More February winter festival picks in the Twin Cities

The hardy Minnesota spirit is still going strong during the month of February. Here are several winter festivals we think are worth braving the chill and have activities on their lineups that may interest your big kids. One for each corner of the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area. Make sure to check our big list of Twin Cities Winter Festivals in February to get ALL the details.

Twin Cities Northwest Metro: Maple Grove Wonders of Winter

Maple Grove Central Park, 2000 Central Park Way, Maple Grove, MN 55369
I haven’t personally brought kids to this festival, but I have glided on the smooth, serpentine ice rink (refrigerated against a warm winter). There should also be kite-flying, smores and a scavenger hunt. February 3, 2024.

Twin Cities Northeast Metro: Stillwater Winterfest

You can’t help but be charmed by Stillwater, especially in the wintertime when snow sculptures rise in Lowell Park and downtown twinkles with a holiday light show. I have personally brought my tweens and teens to admire the lights and it made for a fun mom-and-daughters date. The festival proper has one particularly family-friendly day: pick it for kids activities and fireworks at night. February 17, 2024.

Twin Cities Southeast Metro: Dodge Nature Center Winter Fun Festival

1701 Charlton Street, West St. Paul, MN 55118
Last year I brought my three teenagers to this winter festival and I kid you not – they all had a great time playing boot hockey and snow golf. The weather will dictate other activities this year but expect things like bonfires, horse-drawn sleigh rides and crafts. Food & beer available. February 17, 2024, 2-5pm, FREE.

Twin Cities Southwest Metro: Minnetonka Kids Fest

Hopkins Pavilion, 11000 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins
Free stuff to do: dog sled rides, horse-drawn trolley rides, face painting, ice sculptures, crafts and more. February 4, 2024, 11am-2:30pm.

Plan for loads of fun with your big kids in our 2024 TWIN CITIES WINTER FESTIVAL CALENDAR. (Organized by region of the Metro to make it easy to find one near you.)