Every third week of October, parents around the state have to scramble to find activities for their kids during Minnesota Education’s MEA conference. Most seasonal attractions, museums and kid-friendly destinations offer special activities and extended hours, so there are lots of ways to keep kids, tweens and teens busy. Here are our top picks for getting out of the house and into some fun.
Top 10 things to do with the kids on MEA weekend
There is no shortage of kid-friendly fun during the annual teachers’ conference. We help you pick the best of the bunch.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 15, 2024 at 6:30PM
Take it outside
Pinehaven Farm: The Fall Celebration Festival includes meet-and-greets with new mascot Pinehaven Pete, live music, bonfires and a pumpkin patch. If that’s not enough, the farm has more than 30 attractions, including a corn maze, Haystack Hustle adventure course, Candy Cannon, corn pit, SuperSlides and more. (10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thu.-Sun. $12-$22. 28186 Kettle River Blvd., Wyoming. pinehavenfarm.com)
Sever’s Fall Festival: The annual event is filled with outdoor fun for families, including an obstacle course, zoo area, ziplines, magic shows, pumpkin blasters, pig races and more. This year’s corn maze theme is “The Magical Forest.” (10 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 17-20. $14-$23. 3121 150th St. W., Shakopee. seversfestivals.com)
Keep it cultured
Science Museum of Minnesota: Permanent exhibits include Dinosaurs & Fossils, Experiment, Giant Astronaut, Human Body galleries and more. (10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thu.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. $24.95-$34.95. 120 Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. smm.org)
Stages Theatre: Now showing “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,” an adaptation of the Kate DiCamillo book. (10 a.m. & 12:30 Oct. 17; 10 a.m. & 7 p.m. Oct. 18; 1 p.m. Oct. 19; 1 & 4 p.m. Oct. 20. $16-$18. 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. stagestheatre.org)
Wear the Kids Out
Grand Slam: Keep the kids active and amused with laser tag, mini golf, an arcade, batting cages and play zone. (Noon-8 p.m. Thu.; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun. 12425 River Ridge Blvd., Burnsville. grandslammn.com; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thu.; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun. 2941 Coon Rapids Blvd. NW., Coon Rapids. grandslamcoonrapids.com)
Shoreview Playgrounds: Kids 10 and under can tackle the five-level spiral slide and crawl through caves in the indoor playground. The outdoor playground, Destination Playground, offers ziplines, hillside slides, an obstacle course and more. Pack a lunch and make it a day. The park has picnic tables, walking paths and restrooms. (Indoor playground: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Thu.-Fri.; noon-7 p.m. Sat.; noon-6 p.m. Sun. $6.75. Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria St. N., Shoreview. Destination Playground: Located next to the community center. Free. shoreviewmn.gov)
Cool enough for tweens/teens
Lilli Put Miniature Golf & Family Entertainment Center: This tween/teen hangout offers mini-golf, bumper boats, jump pad, gemstone mining and a snack shack. (Noon-9 p.m. Thu.; noon-11 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. Unlimited play packages, $23.99-$30.95, a la cart fees, $7-$12.95. 1349 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids. lilliputt.net)
Palace MEA Open Gym: Active youths 17 and under can practice sporting skills. (1-6 p.m. Thu.-Fri. Free. Palace Community Center, 781 Palace Av., St. Paul. stpaul.gov)
Get Halloween started
Nickelodeon Booniverse: Meet your favorite characters, make slime and ride theme park rides. There’s a nightly Fright Lights spooktacular at park close. (10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun. $52.49 for unlimited ride wristband. Mall of America, Bloomington. nickelodeonuniverse.com)
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular: Set off on an outdoor trail illuminated with thousands of carved pumpkins. Each artistically carved pumpkin depicts the joys of travel and wonders of the world. (6-10 p.m. daily. $14-$24. 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley. mnzoo.org)
Rachael & Vilray offer original jazz with a 1930s and ‘40s vibe.
