17 Fun Family-Friendly Things to Do with Kids in Michigan
Visit Michigan, often known as the Great Lakes State, and have a ball exploring the state’s natural attractions with your loved ones, including its many beautiful lakes, rivers, mountains, and shores.
Explore the parks and museums in Michigan’s capital city, Lansing, and the rest of the state to find family-friendly activities for all ages.
- Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum
Allow your child to participate in the excellent hands-on playtime programs that the Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum offers.
It is not a typical playground.
All of their games and toys aim to foster your children’s imagination and encourage them to think outside the box while they play.
Your young children will enjoy simulated play such as producing fruits and vegetables in Aunt Sugar’s Farm, assembling vehicle parts in Car Works, and learning about energy while jumping and moving in Solar Spot.
All ages of children are welcome in this play area.
- The Henry Ford Museum
Through this museum’s displays, films, and interactive events, you may assist your child in developing their creative abilities by exposing them to past innovations.
This weekend, for activities in Michigan close to Greenfield Village, take a guided tour of the Ford Rouge Factory Tour and see a film on automobiles.
Then, visit the Museum of American Innovation, which highlights incredible mechanical marvels, and The Giant Screen Experience, which displays films relating to significant landmarks in American history.
There are no age limitations so that you can bring your whole family.
- Interlochen State Park
The whole family can go to Interlochen State Park for a stroll through the big trees, along the lake, or on the shore.
Green Lake in the park is ideal for fishing, while Duck Lake is ideal for duck-watching.
Young people can hone their skills in vocals, songwriting, guitar, theater, dance, and more at the National Music Camp, which is situated between these two locations.
The park is accessible to all ages. On the other side, the National Music Camp provides programs for children between the ages of 3 and 12.
- Palms Book State Park
The largest spring in Michigan is located at Palms Book State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The Big Spring, also known as Kitchi-ti-ipi, is 200 feet wide and 40 feet deep!
Explore the park on foot from end to end.
Similarly, climb aboard an Observation Raft to look closely at Palms Book’s primary highlights from vantage points.
This state park does not impose an age limit.
Parents, please ensure that your young children are always by your side.
- Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park & Wild Water Adventure
Time to visit the state’s largest water park.
There are a thrill, children’s, and family rides at Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park and Wild Water Adventure.
Take a seat on the Gondola Ferris wheel and the Timbertown Railway miniature train for family-friendly attractions.
The Flying Trapeze, Logger Run, and the gigantic Grand Rapids are the scarier rides for your preteens and older children.
Each of this water park’s attractions has a minimum height requirement; consequently, it is advisable to confirm this before joining the lengthy lineups.
- Headlands International Dark Sky Park
Headlands International Dark Sky Park is a one-of-a-kind park in that its 600 acres are devoted to allowing guests to gaze up at the sky without interruption from city lights.
The purpose of having protected Dark Sky viewing spots is to let families spend quality time together outside without worrying about their safety.
View live, projected photos that park scientists will be flashing on enormous screens.
The area is closed to camping to promote stargazing.
However, bringing along bedding is.
However, you should bring enough clothing, as the evenings and mornings may be pretty chilly.
Everyone is welcome at this Dark Sky Park.
- Clinch Park
One of the most well-liked parks in the region is Clinch Park, which boasts a shoreline of more than 1500 feet and a vast beach. From its shore, you may enjoy stunning sunrises and sunsets.
Even more so, it’s a favorite spot for sunbathing and swimming.
After making your way onto and through its grounds, you and the family can enjoy the beach. Alternatively, plan an afternoon at the park’s picnic area.
There is also a snack bar.
Take to the bike paths on two wheels and enjoy the trip.
Anyone over the age of zero is welcome to enjoy the park.
- Fort Mackinac and the Mackinac National Park
Mackinac National Park was the second U.S. national park to be established.
It is now an exhibition of nature’s awe-inspiring rock formations, woods, and panoramas.
And for children’s activities in Michigan, arrange a brief tour of the state’s history. Historic Downtown is among the spots to visit.
Located between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, ride the carriages and snap photos of the park’s picturesque sights.
In addition, you can rent a buggy, a horse, or a horse-drawn taxi, which is a frequent, eco-friendly mode of transportation in the region.
This national park is appropriate for children of all ages.
- Kids’ N’ Stuff Children’s Museum
The Children and Other Matters You should be aware that not every Children’s Museum display is intended to spark creativity in your child.
However, it is also a play area for interactive learning and recreation.
Younglings can experience their versions of becoming physicians and nurses, being on police patrol, cooking and baking (with pretend-toy components), being a firefighter, and grocery shopping for nutritious foods, among other occupations.
Under the supervision of their parents, children ages 12 months to 10 years are welcome.
- The Chelsea Treehouse
The Chelsea Treehouse is a large indoor playhouse that has attracted the attention of family-friendly communities.
A recipient of the Parent’s Choice Award for the most incredible venue for children (and children’s birthday parties), it is a fun and fantastic location for toddler playtime in Michigan.
This 900-square-foot area has child-safe climbing platforms, basketball hoops, a massive treehouse, and slides.
There is even a side-by-side slide for you and your child!
In addition, there are hand sanitizers at every turn to ensure that children’s hands are spotless.
Visit The Chelsea Treehouse with your children younger than 15 years of age.
There are seating spots for parents so they may supervise their children without stress.
- Detroit Zoo
At the Detroit Zoo, you can enjoy family-friendly activities in Michigan by getting up and personal with various animals.
The zoo is a habitat for more than 2,000 creatures. You’ll find the major ones, such as the National Amphibian Conservation Center, The Arctic Ring of Life, and the most prominent artificial niche for penguins in the world, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center.
You can also enjoy the zoo’s 4D cinema, simulator ride, carousel, and Tauber Family Railroad.
There will be no age calculation here.
Infants and young children must be accompanied by their parents or guardians.
- Upland Hills Farm
You and your children may get up and personal with farm animals such as cows, goats, pigs, and geese at the Upland Hills Farm.
You will see how these creatures are cared for with the assistance of the farm’s hospitable staff.
And you will be able to try it yourself!
The entire family will have the opportunity to experience feeding farm animals and milking a cow.
In addition, you can tour the farm via a hayride or a guided pony ride.
All age groups, from infants to adults, are welcome.
- The Michigan Science Museum
Children can learn about science at the Michigan Science Museum through hands-on activities and games.
From planetary displays to scientific experiment demonstrations to live performances, the clan will have something to do together.
Explore the moving asphalt exhibit in the U.S. Steel Fun Factory’s gallery, witness jaw-dropping simulated lightning storms in the Sparks Theater, and view a planetarium show in the 50-foot-wide Dassault Systemes Planetarium.
There is no age restriction at this museum.
In addition, children under the age of five can play kid-sized bowling, bounce on bouncy balls, and play in a kid-friendly ball pit.
- Sleeping Bear Dunes
The Sleeping Bear Dunes contain magnificent dunes!
In addition, there are hills, valleys, and lakes.
This is one of the state’s most popular destinations for outdoor excursions with children.
Families can climb the dunes themselves or take a short hike along the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive with the assistance of tour guides.
Moreover, have a good time swimming or kayaking in any of the protected wilderness’s little streams.
In addition, if you visit the dunes in the winter, it is an excellent place for cross-country skiing.
Bring your infants, toddlers, preteens, and adolescents, since the Sleeping Bear Dunes are for the entire tribe.
- The Detroit Institute of Arts
Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts to spark the imagination of your young artists.
The walls of their galleries are adorned with works of art from all across the globe and throughout history.
Even if you don’t feel like visiting one of the museums that hold some of the most important art collections in the United States, you can always make your art, watch a movie at the Detroit Film Theater, become a chess master at the Detroit City Chess Club, or just listen to some of the local musicians perform at Friday Night Live.
You can bring the kids to any of the museum’s “things to do today, Detroit,” except you sign up for Thursdays at The Museum, an adults-only art tour.
- Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark
Visiting Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark in Michigan is a must on any trip to the state.
Regardless of age or the weather, everybody is welcome to enjoy the waterpark’s thrills and slides.
The state’s steepest waterslide, The Big Couloir, can be found at this waterpark, but you can also wade about in the water and rest in the Lazy River, or you may stand under the indoor waterfall known as Splashorn.
Also, the water park has an interior arcade where you may burn off some energy.
Children of all ages are welcome. However, those younger than ten must have a legal guardian.
- Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is just one of the numerous kid-friendly attractions in Michigan that will inspire your child by exposing them to exhibits and hands-on learning in art, music, math, and science.
Over two hundred and fifty interactive exhibits at the Ann Arbor museum are designed to teach through play. These include everything from constructing simple machines to observing scientists at work, from creating puzzles out of tubes, knots, and bolts to participating in a light-based floor game.
Babies can have a good time in the infant area of this Ann Arbor facility, where they can play with soft foam blocks and explore a miniature version of the facility’s popular tubes and slides.
This beautiful Ann Arbor museum welcomes guests of all ages.
