50 Things to Do This Summer in Des Moines Under $5

Find 2020 Summer Events and Activities in Des Moines here.

Now that we’re a few weeks into summer break you may be looking for a few inexpensive ways to keep everyone entertained and out of trouble. We’ve got you covered with this list of 50 exciting summer ideas all under $5. Most of these events and activities are actually totally FREE! Des Moines offers plenty of frugal fun, so be sure to take advantage of these incredible inexpensive programs and activities.

1. 1. June 23 – July 28: Get your arts and crafts on at Michael’s Camp Creativity.  Classes are $5 to attend and are offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
   2. FREE – Attend a Des Moines area summer festival.
   3. FREE – Splash and play at a Des Moines area wading pool, fountain or sprayground.
   4. June 23: Teens can enjoy a night of swimming just for them at Des Moines Pools and Aquatic Centers.  Admission is $5 per teen.
   5. Take the tots swimming during a time set aside just for them at Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center in Indianola. $2 per child on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
   6. FREE – Outdoor summer movies are offered totally FREE in many local parks.  Many of them even provide popcorn, which make them a fun and cheap summer outing!
   7. June 24: FREE – Attend a Pollinator Party at Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge or Reiman Gardens.  Both events are FREE to attend.
   8. FREE – Get your groove on and attend a FREE outdoor summer concert.
   9. FREE – Find the ingredients for your next meal at a local farmers’ market.  They are FREE to attend and many offer up other activities like live music and kid activities.
   10. June 24 – July 23: FREE – Attend Family Summer Camp and learn a few new outdoor skills at Bass Pro Shops in Altoona.
   11. Attend a summer kid’s series at a local movie theatre.  They show kid-friendly screenings of fun movies at discounted prices.
   12. FREE – Enjoy story time (and maybe even a craft or other fun activity) on Thursday mornings at Beaverdale Books.
   13. June 28: Play Candy Bar Bingo at the Giovenetti Community Shelter in Urbandale.  $2 reserves your spot.
   14. FREE – Visit the State Historical Museum of Iowa and attend one of their Iowa 101 educational and story time sessions for kids.
   15. FREE – Go on a storytime swim at the Altoona Aquatic Center.  Every Wednesday now through August 9, 2017.
   16. June 30: FREE – Kids can dance the morning away with Debbie DooWop and Dynamite Dan at the Clive Public Library.
   17. Lace up your skates and go roller skating.  Local rinks offer discounted admission on Wednesday nights.
   18. Play a couple of rounds of mini golf.  Several local courses offer admission for $5.00, especially for kids under 12.
   19. July 1: FREE – Celebrate Home Depot’s 20th Anniversary of Kids Workshops by building a bug house.
   20. FREE – Work on your backspin. Sign up for Kids Bowl Free and you won’t even have to pay for lane time. Shoe rental fees apply, but this is still incredibly cheap summer entertainment.
   21. FREE – Take a tour of the World Food Prize.  FREE public tours are offered on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.
   22. July 1-31: FREE – Find Waldo this summer in Ankeny.
   23. FREE – Beat the summer slide and participate in a summer reading program at a local library or business.
   24. FREE – Go for a bike ride on the High Trestle Trail.
   25. FREE – Celebrate America’s birthday at a local 4^th of July event in Des Moines.
   26. FREE – Celebrate the 4^th of July by watching a spectacular fireworks show in Des Moines.
   27. Enjoy a cold treat at a local ice cream shop in Des Moines.
   28. July 5: FREE – Teen Movie Making 101…Teens can learn about different movie making methods at Franklin Avenue Library. (This is a four week program.)
   29. Splash the evening away at local aquatic centers at a discount.  Clive Aquatic Center hosts Family Night on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Admission is just $15 per family.)
   30. July 6: FREE – Des Moines’ Central Library will be hosting Pre-School Story Time in the Sculpture Park on Thursdays.
   31. FREE – Visit the old swimming hole.  Many area lakes offer up loads of summer fun and are FREE to jump in.
   32. July 8: FREE – Go on a Creek Walk with Polk County Conservation.
   33. FREE – Look through telescopes and participate in a local stargazing event.
   34. July 8: FREE – Attend Super Summer Saturday Show in Johnston.  Be the first to see new PBS Kids movies on the big screen – before they’re shown on TV.
   35. FREE – Try out a new playground or go on a tour of Des Moines parks.
   36. July 14: FREE – Meet Poppy the Troll during a special storytime at Plot Twist Bookstore in Ankeny.
   37. Pick berries at a local u-pick farm (set your budget at $5 per family member), find local u-pick farms in dsm4kids’ Berry Picking Guide.
   38. July 15: FREE – Explore the fascinating world of insects on an Insect Hunt with Polk County Conservation at Yellow Banks Park in Pleasant Hill.
   39. FREE – Enjoy story time at a local park.
   40. July 16: FREE – Watch Camel, Zebra, & Ostrich Races at Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino.
   41. FREE – When it heats up outside cool down inside. Play places are available at local malls and provide indoor entertainment at no cost.
   42. July 17: FREE – Try your hand at songwriting with the High Crest Family Band at the East Side Library.
   43. FREE – Take the kids fishing at a local pond in the Des Moines area.
   44. Cheer on the boys of summer at an I-Cubs game.  Look for promotions or discounted tickets to get in under $5.
   45. July 26: Meet Dan Wardell on his IPTV Road Trip Stop at the Kirkendall Public Library in Ankeny.
   46. Hit up Sonic’s Happy Hour or any of the other special meal discounts on our Kids Eat FREE page for some seriously cheap summer refreshment.
   47. FREE – Marvel at the masterpieces at the Des Moines Art Center, where admission is always FREE.
   48. August 3-6 : See Shakespeare in the Park.  CAP Theatre in Altoona will present Twelfth Night, or What You Will in Haines Park.  Admission is just $5.
   49. FREE – Watch a free flick at a local library. West Des Moines Public Library, Grimes Public Library, Indianola Public Library and more are all showing kid-friendly films throughout the summer.
   50. And remember to search for Events on dsm4kids’ Calendar, where there are FREE (and cheap) things to enjoy every day.

Help us out!  Give us your suggestions for things to do with your kids that are either FREE or under $5 – this summer in Des Moines!