100+ Things to Do with Your Kids this Summer in Des Moines

100+ Things to Do with Your Kids this Summer in Des Moines

Summer means…warm weather, the promise of longer days and plenty of opportunities to explore your hometown! To get your family’s summer started on the right foot, here is the official dsm4kids 2023 list of 100+ Things to Do This Summer In Des Moines.

If 100 ideas just ain’t enough for ya….be sure to visit our Events Calendar and Summer Fun Guide for even MORE things to do! And, to stay in the know of weekend activities and events, be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Editor’s Note: Always double-check event dates and times, and in the event of inclement weather, visit the organization’s website or check their social media outlets for updates.

Check out our gigantic list of summer family fun in Des Moines!

1. Experience family-friendly, multi-generational arts and cultural events for FREE at a Outdoor Performance hosted by Des Moines Performing Arts.

2. Splash and play at a Des Moines area splash pad or sprayground.

3. Stop and smell the roses at the Clare and Miles Mills Rose Garden.

4. Discover a masterpiece at the Des Moines Art Center.

5. Visit your favorite Des Moines-area farmers’ market.

6. Attend a Des Moines Menace soccer game.

7. Join the Des Moines Metro Opera for a morning of opera created just for kids during their Picnic & Puccini Family Opera Adventure.

8. Drum down the sun on the longest day of the year during Dallas County Conservation’s Summer Solstice event.

9. Road trip and go spelunking at Maquoketa Caves.

10. Eat some ice cream… at a local Ice Cream Shop.

11. Celebrate summer at a local festival.

12. Enjoy a little “winter in the summer” and go ice skating at the MidAmerican RecPlex Indoor Skating Rink.

13. Spend First Fridays at Mainframe Studios.

14. Set up a tour with friends at a local fire station.

15. Discover the beauty of nature at a local garden or arboretum in central Iowa.

16. Take the family out for a round of mini-golf.

17. Explore a new-to-you neighborhood: Valley Junction.

18. Go back in time with a visit to Living History Farms.

19. Cool off by jumping into a local swimming hole.

20. Cheer for the I-Cubs. Especially fun for kids: Fireworks on Friday nights, Pre-Game Catch on the Field on Saturdays and Kids Run the Bases Post-Game on Sundays.

21. Enjoy a day at the Blank Park Zoo.

22. Dust off your bowling shoes! Kids Bowl Free in Des Moines all summer long!

23. Play arcade games at a local gaming venue.

24. Celebrate Father’s Day on or around June 18th!

25. Plan a camping trip to one of these great campsites just a short drive from Des Moines.

26. Scan our list of Outdoor Movies in the Des Moines Area. Find the perfect one. Go.

27. Explore a new lake or river by the way of kayak or paddle board.

28. Catch a movie on the cheap at a local Des Moines area movie theatre.

29. Sign up for a summer reading program at a local library.

30. Explore a new to you neighborhood: East Village.

31. Do a little stargazing on a warm summer’s eve.

32. Take advantage of the Adventure Pass Program at local libraries and receive FREE admission to local attractions.

33. Go creek stomping at Sargent Park.

34. Spark your kids’ love for reading amidst the literary wonders waiting to be discovered at a local bookstore.

35. Take a road trip to one of these one-tank getaway spots.

36. Enjoy dinner alfresco at one of these family friendly outdoor dining spots in Des Moines.

37. Plan a day of swimming at your favorite local pool or aquatic center.

38. Take the family to an Iowa Barnstormers game.

39. Go fishing with the family.

40. Grab a chair or blanket, pack some snacks and take advantage of a free Summer Concert Series.

41. Channel your inner Tigger and bounce the day away at an indoor playground.

42. Spend some time giving back and volunteer as a family.

42. Dine out and take advantage of Kids Eat FREE Deals.

44. Take a tour of the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates.

45. Enjoy a day on the water at Big Creek Lake.

46. Shoot a bow and arrow at Raccoon River Park’s Archery Facility.

47. Go roller skating at a local roller rink.

48. Try something new at one of your favorite local kid-friendly restaurants.

49. Take a stroll through a local park in Des Moines.

50. Plan a train trip and ride the rails (or visit a local museum and learn the history of rail travel in the area).

51. Grab a sandwich and head to the park for a picnic.

52. Hit one of the many bike paths and trails in Central Iowa and go for a family bike ride.

53. Take story time outside at a local park or library lawn.

54. See a summer blockbuster at a local movie theater.

55. Take your tween or teen on a special outing.

56. Head north to visit butterflies at Reiman Gardens in Ames.

57. Start a kids’ book club to ensure your kids continue learning over summer.

58. Take the family golfing at a local public golf course.

59. Go on a family bike ride on the High Trestle Trail.

60. Pick berries at a pick-your-own farm in the Des Moines area.

61. Enroll your kids in swimming lessons at a local outdoor pool or aquatic center.

62. Take the kids out for pancakes.

63. Spend a rainy day inside at the Iowa State Capitol.

64. Enjoy the thrill of a roller coaster or bodysurfing in the wave pool at Adventureland and Adventure Bay.

65. Explore the great outdoors while enjoying comfortable accommodations glamping.

66. Register your kids for a summer camp or class that supports their interests.

67. Explore a new to you neighborhood: Beaverdale.

68. Master some sweet new tricks at the Lauridsen Skate Park.

69. Plant a family garden.

70. Go on a high-tech scavenger hunt and go geocaching.

71. Take a stroll around the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

72. Stretch, breathe, and find your inner peace at an outdoor yoga class.

73. Go mountain biking.  There’s a surprising number of scenic trails to discover in the Des Moines area.

74. Launch a rocket, learn about space, create electrical connections and more at The Science Center of Iowa.

75. Explore beyond DSM’s city limits with a family day trip to Boone.

76. Treat yourself to something sweet – edible cookie dough.

77. Lace up your sneakers and go for a kid-friendly fun run or walk.

78. Get an inside look at farm life at a local farm in central Iowa.

79. Gather up your friends of all abilities and spend a day of play at an inclusive and accessible playground.

80. Fly a kite.

81. Encourage your teen to get a summer job.

82. Refine your detective skills at a local escape room.

83. Feed your kids’ culinary interests by enrolling them in a cooking class.

84. Take your child’s gaming habits up a notch and have them participate in an eSports program.

85. Get creative at a local art studio.100+ Things To Do this Summer around Des Moines – dsm4kids.com

Only in June…

86. Celebrate Pride month at fun and inclusive events hosted by Capitol City Pride throughout the month of June.

87. Experience a little hometown fun at Johnston’s Green Days …June 16-19.

88. Celebrate Freedom Day at one of the many events being held in honor of the Juneteenth federal holiday...June 19.

89. Head downtown for the Des Moines Arts Festival …June 23-25.

90. Discover, or rediscover, the messy joy that comes with a good mud pile on International Mud Day…June 29.

Only in July…

91. Experience the enchanting melodies of summer at Des Moines Symphony Orchestra’s 29th Annual Yankee Doodle Pops , set against the captivating backdrop of the Iowa State Capitol…July 3rd.

92. Celebrate our nation’s birthday at local 4th of July celebrations….July 4.

93. Grab your blanket and picnic basket and head to the Salisbury House for Shakespeare on the Lawn July 13-17.

94. See a show within a show in “The Drowsy Chaperone” presented by Urbandale Community Theatre…July 21-30.

95. Gear up for RAGBRAI and join the effort to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest single-day “parade of bicycles” when the iconic ride makes it’s way through Des Moines….July 26.

Only in August…

96. Go up, up and away at the National Balloon Classic…July 28 – August 5.

97. Make the trek to hear some great music at Hinterland…August 4-6.

98. Enjoy S’mores at Sunset on National S’mores Day…August 10.

99. Don your best tank top and jorts and head to the Iowa State Fair…August 10-20.

100. Join your neighbors at Ingersoll Live, a street festival, for a little end-of-summer fun.…August 26.

 

 

 

Share the fun….let us know what fun things you’re family is up to this summer in Des Moines!