THINGS TO DO IN THE TWIN CITIES WITH KIDS OF ALL AGES
In April we’re all wriggling with anticipation to get out and about in the spring weather. Need a few ideas to start planning outings with your kids this month? We’ve compiled the best in things to do in the Twin Cities, sorted by age, for the month of April. Babies, toddlers, preschoolers, grade schoolers, tweens and teens – we’ve had them all! We understand how important it is to be able to find activities to do that can in get everyone in the family involved.
Table of Contents
Things to do with your baby in the Twin Cities –April 2024
Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) drop-in classes for babies
Enrolling in ECFE classes through my St Paul school district was the best new-parenting decision I ever made, no question. For over a decade, the program made up most of my “village”, arming me with support and research-backed education that has influenced my family long past the baby days. Each class typically includes music, play, reading activities and a discussion topic led by a licensed parent educator. ECFE classes are operated through independent Minnesota school districts so you may need to dig a little to find a class near you. Note that many courses are semester long but there are some drop-in options in the Twin Cities:
MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS offers FREE weekly drop-in Play & Learn sessions with no registration necessary at two sites this spring:
- BANYAN COMMUNITY: Kids up to age five can drop in to play on Thursdays, 9:30-11:30am. No classes April 1-6, 2024, during spring break. 2529 13th Ave S, 55404.
- KROENING NATURE CENTER: We especially recommend this “Nature & Curiosity” Play & Learn as there is a lot to do and see indoors and out. Held Fridays, 1-3pm. Again, no classes held during spring break. North Mississippi Regional Park, 4900 Mississippi Ct.
Take a yoga class with your baby
Blooma’s Bring Your Own Baby Yoga
5315 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
This gentle yoga class invites non-crawling babies to take part alongside their caregiver. You’ll want to check the link for their upcoming class schedule, and note that Blooma also offers barre classes that are babywearing-friendly. Adult drop-in classes were $24 last year. Please contact the studio for 2024 prices.
Baby meet-ups at the library
I loved opportunities to share stories and songs (and parenting tales) with my infants during lapsits at the library. Especially during the waning days of winter when cabin fever sets in. Here are a few more libraries that offer free organized meets for babies:
- CARVER COUNTY LIBRARIES: April 2024 Baby Lapsit Storytimes. Chanhassen, Victoria & Waconia branches.
- DAKOTA COUNTY LIBRARIES: April 2024 Storytimes for Babies. Apple Valley (Galaxie), Eagan (Wescott), Farmington, Inver Grove Heights (Inver Glen), Lakeville (Heritage), Hastings (Pleasant Hill), Rosemount (Robert Trail), South St Paul (Kaposia) & West St Paul (Wentworth) branches.
- HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY: April 2024 Baby Storytime. Each branch offers a few storytimes per month specifically for infants & caregivers: Brookdale, Bloomington Penn Lake, Champlin, Eden Prairie, Golden Valley, Linden Hills, Maple Grove, Minneapolis East Lake & Northeast, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Ridgedale, Anthony, Southdale, St Anthony, St Louis Park, Walker & Washburn.
- ST PAUL MERRIAM PARK LIBRARY: April 2024 Baby/Toddler Playdates. Tuesdays, April 2 -30, 2024. 10:30am.
- RAMSEY COUNTY LIBRARY: April 2024 Baby & Me Storytimes. Maplewood, Mounds View, New Brighton, Shoreview & White Bear Lake branches.
- SCOTT COUNTY PRIOR LAKE LIBRARY: Baby Lapsit Early Literacy Class. April 18 & 25, 2024, 10am.
- ST PAUL GEORGE LATIMER CENTRAL LIBRARY: Baby & Toddler Storytime. Thursdays, April 4, 11 & 25, 2024. 10:30am.
- WASHINGTON COUNTY: April 2024 Baby Storytime. Cottage Grove (Park Grove), Forest Lake (Hardwood Creek) & Woodbury (RH Stafford) branches.
Things to do with toddlers & preschoolers in the Twin Cities – April 2024
Welcome the fuzzy farm babies!
Our parent hearts are just as fuzzy watching our own babies cuddle new life on the farm. Yours will love meeting baby lambs, curious chicks, piglets, tiny goats and all the rest right here in the suburban Twin Cities. Here are some April farm baby events we promote; plan ahead for more adorable in May with our guide to WHERE TO FIND THE MINNESOTA FARM BABIES IN 2024.
Dodge Nature Center Farm Babies
Dodge Nature Center Farm entrance – 1701 Charlton Street, West St. Paul, MN 55118
Did you know? DODGE NATURE CENTER is the setting of a working farm in the city. There is no charge to wander the trails and maybe get a glimpse of the animals if you’d like to visit on your own, or register for their spring farm tour for closer exploration. Tickets go fast! April 13, 2024. $8/pp.
Saturday Morning on the Farm at Gale Woods
Gale Woods Farm, 7210 County Rd 110 W, Minnetrista, MN 55364
Rise, shine and get down to Gale Woods Farm this month for fun with the farm babies. This wonderful working farm is a great place for kids to get close and in barns (that’s my delighted daughter pictured). Read about a spring visit to the farm here. Ongoing Saturdays in April 2024, drop in between 9:30am-12pm. $6/pp.
Minnesota Zoo’s Farm Babies
Wells Fargo Family Farm, Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd, Apple Valley, MN 55124
The zoo expects goat kids, lambs, piglets, and calves to be born in April and May. Tickets are included with Zoo admission. Opens April 26, 2024. $14-$20/pp plus parking.
Twin Cities Festival Spring Babies
8001 109th Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
A wristband will include access to the fuzzy farm babies, the play area and a hayride. Weekends, April 13-May 5, 2024. $13/online.
Ride the rails with your preschooler
Have you a little trainiac in the family? Minneapolis-St Paul has a rich history criss-crossed with tracks and rails. Today’s tots can experience a peek at the past with real rides on a caboose in April and a streetcar at the beginning of May:
- TOTS & TRAINS AT JACKSON STREET ROUNDHOUSE: Explore real, stationary train cars and tinker with railroad exhibits during this special event geared towards preschoolers. If you choose to visit on a weekend, caboose rides are included with admission. All aboard! Tots & Trains runs April 3 & 17, 2024. $9-$15/pp or $45/family. 193 Pennsylvania Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55130.
- COMO-HARRIET STREETCAR LINE: Welcomes passengers starting the weekend of May 4, 2024, shuttling riders on a scenic route between Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. $3/ride. 2330 W 42nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410.
KIDS LOVE TRAINS! And plenty of adults do, too, present company included. There are more shrines dedicated to the rails in the Twin Cities than you might imagine. Read all about where to find the scale layouts, historic depots and pizza train rides in our roundup MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL, A TRAIN LOVERS DESTINATION.
Get gardening in April with your littles
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden & Bird Sanctuary
1 Theodore Wirth Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Spring means the arrival of new growth, birdsong and family rambles in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. The garden opens to visitors on April 15 in 2024 and Storytime in the Garden begins May 2. Outdoor nature-themed stories and activities are hosted ongoing Thursdays through June 15 – free to drop in and enjoy. Families are invited to explore the garden at their own pace; download a map, pack binoculars and see how many bird species you can find flittering in the trees.
More fun outings with your preschooler
Tot Times, Open Play, Gym & Swim Spots for Tots in the Twin Cities
We keep an updated list of activities and fun things to do with toddlers & preschooler to encourage active play and creativity while working on large and fine motor skills. We know April weather can be reluctant to commit, so most indoor open gym times for tots are still up and running this month.
Things to do with school-aged kids in the Twin Cities – April 2024
The circus is in town!
April is Circus month in Minnesota. Not only does the model railroad museum bring out its Circus Train exhibit each April, but this year, we’ll again receive a visit from the Royal Canadian International Circus.
Back by popular demand, Royal Canadian International Circus returns to Minnesota, this time at Maplewood Mall, for acrobatics, daredevils, and other feats of skill in the ring under the Big Top. Use the link in the image below and the promo code FFTC at check out for a 2 for 1 ticket deal and have an exciting outing with your kids! Also be on the lookout for our Royal Canadian International Circus ticket giveaway coming soon. April 12-20, 2024. $35-$60.
Twin City Model Railroad Museum Circus Train
668 Transfer Road, Suite 8, St. Paul MN 55114
TCMRM’s annual Circus Train exhibit is back during all open hours in April. The O-Scale train display is inspired by the “Circus World Museum” in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and includes an operating Circus Train, several displays and a circus parade. Admission: $10 per person, Children 4 and under are admitted free of charge. Save with family rates.
Independent Bookstore Day (or week!) in the Twin Cities
We adore ourselves some family owned and operated little book havens. Please go out and support them if you can on April 27, 2024 (Independent Bookstore Day) in the Twin Cities. Want to discover a new spot? We’ve listed some of our favorite neighborhood shops below. You should be able to pick up your “passport” to get stamped at participating shops to unlock special deals:
- RED BALLOON BOOKSHOP, St Paul – Get your passport stamped (or pick-up a passport) during business hours, Tuesday – Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 12pm-5pm. Theater on the patio, live music and games. April 30, 2022, 10am.
- WILD RUMPUS BOOKS, Minneapolis – No special events scheduled, but come check out all the resident critters!
- MOON PALACE BOOKS, Minneapolis
- EXCELSIOR BAY BOOKS
- VALLEY BOOKSELLER, Stillwater
Check back often; most booksellers have not published their special events as of this date.
Twin Cities Spring Break in April?
It can be a family adventure being a tourist right in your own metro area! Craft a fun staycation for the kids with our 2024 SPRING BREAK IN THE TWIN CITIES collection of ideas.
Things to do with tweens & teens in the Twin Cities – April 2024
A lot of the tweens and teens I know are conscientious about their impact on the planet and interested in learning about ways to reduce their sneaker-prints. Several Twin Cities-area nature centers are hosting events the weekend before EARTH DAY (April 22, 2024) to inspire action and appreciation for our lovely local natural resources:
- Harriet Alexander Nature Center: Earth Day Celebration – traditionally includes live music, storytelling, earth-friendly activities, crafts and tours. April 20, 2024, 10am-2pm. FREE. 2520 Dale Street N, Roseville MN 55113.
- Kroening Nature Center: Earth Day Celebration – Go on a naturalist-guided hike. Help pick up trash along the Mississippi, make recycled art and plant a seed to take home. FREE. Saturday, April 20, 2024; 11am-3pm.
Wargo Nature Center: Family Earth Day Celebration – Make an earthy art project, explore the trails and visit the booths of the Eco-Fair. Plus a bounce house for the little ones and refreshments for all. Vehicle fee: $7. Saturday, April 20, 2024; 12-4pm.
Got toddlers? if you feel like your littles aren’t quite ready to be out in the field, there are ways to observe Earth Day at home – we’ve got 22 meaningful ways to do that HERE.
Got preschoolers? All of the above nature centers have hands-on exhibits for younger ones to play (while learning) with, and several have NATURE PLAY AREAS that encourage unstructured exploration (so maybe dress accordingly). Here’s a sneak peek at a couple to get you excited for BETTER WEATHER AHEAD!:
Flowers, film & more at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Every spring, the renowned art museum fills its galleries with flower arrangements designed by works from MIA’s own collections. This is the family-friendliest portion of the annual Art in Bloom event. Stay tuned as there is typically one day set aside for kids activities, though my tweens and teens love coming just to wander the galleries. April 25-28, 2024. FREE! 2400 Third Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55404.
Younger artists: MIA’s monthly Family Day delights with hands-on art activities: in April, dream of dragons in the galleries, live performances and art-making aimed right at families with kids. April 14, 2024, 10am-5pm. FREE.
More flower power fun for all ages: The Galleria World of Wonder Floral Experience
This year’s World of Wonder Floral Experience is an under-the-sea swim for the senses. Created by Bachman’s gardeners, guests of all ages can engage their senses of discovery. Through April 7, 2024 during open hours. Galleria Edina, 3510 Galleria, Edina, MN.
7 Things to Find At the Floral Experience:
- A fantastical octopus with arms up to 10 feet long
- Floating jellyfish ranging from 8 to 13 feet tall
- A larger-than-lif
e oyster shell with an illuminated pearl - Two spectacularly tall seahorses
- A “totally claw-some” garden
Get your kids registered for summer camp in the Twin Cities!
Heading into April, you’ll want to make haste if you’d like a spot – many fill quickly! We publish a TWIN CITIES SUMMER CAMP GUIDE each year to help area parents explore the possibilities.
Hi!
Let your readers know about the free Into the Deep floral experience at the Galleria, March 24 through April 7. This is the fifth year Galleria has collaborated with Bachman’s to fill the luxury Edina mall’s common areas with an explosion of fresh florals, lush greenery and living color.
Thank you, Sarah. We shared this event last year, and it was popular with our readers. I’m sure they’ll want to know about it again this year.