10 Best Free and Cheap Things to do with Kids in Las Vegas

10 Best Free and Cheap Things to do with kids

Kangamoo Indoor Playground– At over 9,500 sqft, this indoor playground will tire your kids out in no time. Its intended for kids age 1-10 and features spiral slides, trampolines, mazes and tube tunnels three levels high. It’s a great place for the ultimate play date, and has separate areas for younger children to play and explore. There’s plenty for parents to do while the kids are having fun. They offer free Wi-Fi, charging stations for laptops, a small café with coffee and healthy snacks and my favorite, the massage chairs. Parents and children alike will thoroughly enjoy this playground. While children are $10 for three hours of play, parents and children over 11 are free with the child. The best deal is buying a 10 punch card pass for $75, which saves quite a bit. Hours are Monday-Friday 9am-7pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm. Kangamoo is just 10-15 minutes from the strip, on Sunset road across from McCarran Airport. (1525 East Sunset Road, Suite #7, Las Vegas, NV 89119)
Town Square Children’s Park – Located near Interstate 15 and the Interstate 215 Beltway (just south of Mandalay Bay on Las Vegas Blvd), Town Square is a convenient drive for everyone. It features plenty of shopping and eats for adults, but is also a treat for kids too. The Childrens’ Park is 13,000 sq ft of fun for kids, and features a maze, a tree house, and a large splash pad for those summer months. Hours are Monday-Thursday 10am- 8:30pm, Friday and Saturday 10am-9:30pm, and Sunday 10am-7:30pm. Free summer Movies Nights are offered at sundown- stay tuned for dates and movie information.
The Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo– What kid doesn’t love animals? 15 acres of trees, ponds, and waterfalls house over 300 birds as well as turtles, swans, ducks, koi, goldfish, and yes, Chilean flamingos. This peaceful and quiet attraction may have you forgetting you’re even in Las Vegas. The habitat is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is always free. You can find it inside the Flamingo hotel and casino, next to the pool area.
M&M’s World & Hershey’s World– M&M’s World is four floors of fun and candy. Kids love roaming through the store, where you can personalize M&M’s, check out the Nascar replica, and watch their 3D M&M’s movie starring Red and Yellow. While you will certainly end up spending a little bit of money on those candies, the 3D movie is free. Open daily 9 AM – MIDNIGHT. 3D Movie is open until 8pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, and until 6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. It is located in the Showcase Mall next to the MGM Hotel and Casino. (3785 South Las Vegas Blvd). Just across the street, at the New York New York Hotel and Casino, is another candy giant, Hershey’s Chocolate World. It features over 800 Hershey’s Chocolates and Candies, including a sculpture of the Statue of Liberty made out of almost 800 lbs. of HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate. Store hours are 9am-11pm Sunday –Thursday, and 9am-midnight Friday and Saturday. (3790 South Las Vegas Blvd). You’ll be sure the kids will fulfill their candy fix visiting these two attractions.
The Bellagio Fountains– We’ve all seen them in the movies. But, if you’ve never witnessed them in person, put it on your list. With more than 1000 fountains lit up and dancing to music, it’s a spectacle that no one should miss. And it’s free. The music performances range from Broadway show tunes to Billie Jean and UpTown Funk. My personal favorite is Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye) featuring Andrea Bocelli, because well, it’s Bocelli. The combination of lighting and music and the power of these fountains make for a very memorable experience. Just be sure to arrive early to get the best view as it becomes crowded quickly. Fountains run daily on weekdays starting at 3pm, Saturdays starting at noon, Sundays beginning at 11am and end at midnight. The full schedule can be found here.
Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens– While checking out the fountains, head inside Bellagio just past the front desk to the 14,000 square foot Conservatory. This is where the talented horticulture staff transforms the space seasonally using thousands of flowers and trees. This masterpiece is open day and night and is always free to view. The Summer Garden exhibit runs June 10- September 9. They also offer a live web cam of the current display on their website, as well as past shows posted for viewing.
Circus Circus Carnival Midway– Located inside the Circus Circus, the world’s largest permanent circus, the Carnival Midway brings world class circus acts to the stage for all. The Midway features loads of games and prizes, as well as an arcade, but the circus acts are free. They feature jugglers, clowns, hand balancers, as well as trapeze artists. Performances start at 11am daily, and the Midway hours are Sunday thru Friday 10:00 AM to 12:30 AM, and Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:30 AM.
Las Vegas Natural History Museum– From Nevada to Africa, from prehistoric times to the present, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum will take kids and adults on an adventure around the world. It features many exhibits, including Rainforest Adventure, Treasures of Egypt, and the Marine Life Gallery. In this exhibit, they hold live shark feedings on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 2:30PM, and Saturdays at 2:00PM. Admission is $10 – Adults, $8 – Senior Citizens, Military, Students (Ages 12 and older), $5 – Children (Ages 3 to 11), Free – Children (Ages 2 and younger), Las Vegas Natural History Museum members. If you are a Bank of America member, each cardholder will receive free admission on the first full weekend of each month, so plan ahead. (900 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101)
Tree House & Play Zone at Container Park– Just a few blocks from the Fremont Street Experience, this free, open air shopping park has something for everyone. Kids will love the 33 ft slide coming out of this 40’ high shipping container tree house, with lots of room to run. Shop, grab a bite to eat and let the kiddos play. Retail and dining open at 11, and the container park is 21+ after 9pm.
photo courtesy TripAdvisor
Strike Zone Bowling– Located inside Sunset Station Hotel and Casino, this bowling center features 72 state of the art lanes and is open 24 hours a day. There’s an arcade, snack bar, Cosmic bowling, and leagues for all ages. They feature $1.50 games Sunday thru Friday 10:00 AM to 12:30 AM and Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:30 AM and early bird specials $1 games 8am-noon Monday-Friday and until 3pm on Thursdays. They also offer free bowling with a Station Casinos movie ticket stub ans discounts for military, fire, police and teachers. Open daily 8am-2am. For more discount information, visit http://stationcasinoslanes.com/sunset-station-bowling/promotions.php