30+ free or cheap things for Miami-Dade kids to do this summer

Summer vacation is here, and soon you and your kids may be whining “I’m bored.”

Here, we have some additional suggestions for Miami-Dade fun with kids on the cheap this summer.

Summer in South Florida brings free or cheap kids’ movies, the Summer Savings Pass discount for attractions and a chance for kids to bowl free. Plus, we have places like the beach, which are always free, and regular discount days at museums.

To keep up with latest news on deals, discounts and free events in South Florida, sign up for the daily Miami on the Cheap newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.

Do you need a printout of this information? We created a condensed version of”Miami on the Cheap Guide to Summer Fun With Kids.” Download this document! You can print it out. Please feel free to copy it and distribute it to anyone who would find it useful!

Here are 32 free or cheap things for Miami-Dade kids to do this summer:

Free or cheap outdoor activities in Miami

Explore one of the 16 beaches in the Miami area
Visit the Miami Seaquarium with a deal.
Visit four attractions unlimited times for one price with the Summer Savings Pass. The deal is good for Zoo Miami, the Miami Seaquarium, the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale and Lion Country Safari. It costs $58 plus tax for adults and $48 plus tax for kids ages 3 to 12. If you already hold an annual pass to one of these venues, you can get the Summer Savings Pass at a discount: $33 plus tax for adults and $23 plus tax for youngsters.
Visit five attractions for the price of one with the South Florida Adventure Pass. This deal is good for Flamingo Gardens, Sawgrass Recreation Park, XTreme Action Park, Bonnet House Museum and Young at Art Museum. The South Florida Adventure Pass is $45 plus tax for adults and $35 plus tax for children 3-12. If you have an annual pass to one of the attractions, you can update for $30 plus tax for adults and $20 plus tax for children. You can buy the pass at participating attractions. The pass is good through Sept. 30.
See a baseball game by the Miami Marlins at a discount. There are a number of discounts offered, but one of the best deals for families is the Aquafina Family Four Pack: four admissions, four hot dogs and four Pepsi soft drinks or Aquafina waters at designated Sunday afternoon games. Games start at $84. Sunday games feature kid-friendly pregame entertainment, live music, games, giveaways and more.
Explore Miami by bicycle on a free or cheap bike trail. Miami-Dade is filled with great trails that allow you to be active with your bicycles on a budget. Remember to always take sunscreen, a water bottle, bug repellent, snacks and a camera to take pictures of your adventure.
Get 2-for-1 entry to museums and attractions in Broward. The Summer Savings deals are valid through Sept. 30 are promoted on the Greater Fort Lauderdale tourism website. The vouchers are free to print and display on your phone. Or receive by mail with a request form online.
Cool off or learn to swim at a Miami-Dade park pool or at a City of Miami pool. Miami-Dade County offers swim lessons year-round for all ages. Lessons cost from $10 to $60 per two-week sessions, and scholarships are available for children 2 to 17. The city of Miami offers lessons year-round for $45 for eight lessons for city residents and $65 for non-residents.
Take your dog to one of the Miami-Dade Dog-Friendly Parks.
Play tourist with a discount on a Miami tour.
Stay cool in the Summer heat at these Water Parks.

Free and cheap things to do with kids indoors in Miami this summer

Build or create something in a free workshop presented by Home Depot, Michaels or the Lego store. Check your local store for the latest schedule.
Find discounts on indoor playgrounds and arcades.
Taste Cuban food at one of the many local restaurants
Earn prizes in the Miami-Dade libraries summer reading program. The Summer Reading Challenge is open to both children an adults, and you can register by picking up a reading log at any location. Read or listen to a book for 30 minutes, then complete and submit an entry ticket to enter the drawing. Prizes include an iPad Mini, Miami Marlins tickets, one-year family memberships to HistoryMiami Museum and the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, a family four-pack of tickets for a Broadway show at the Adrienne Arsht Center and more. The program also encourages reading to children.
Earn a free book with Barnes & Noble kids’ reading program. Children in grades 1-6 can get a free book, after they’ve read eight this summer. The program runs from through Sept. 3.
Visit four attractions unlimited times for one price with the Summer Savings Pass. The deal is good for Zoo Miami, the Miami Seaquarium, the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale and Lion Country Safari.
Visit five attractions for the price of one with the South Florida Adventure Pass. This deal is good for Flamingo Gardens, Sawgrass Recreation Park, XTreme Action Park, Bonnet House Museum and Young at Art Museum.
Get 2-for-1 entry to museums and attractions in Broward.
Bowl free every day. In Miami-Dade, the program is offered at Bird Bowl from June 11 through Aug. 19. To get the free bowling for kids and teens, parents might sign up online to receive free printable coupons via email.
Check out free passes for museums and attractions at the library. This is one of the best deals around. Parents can check our passes that provide free visits to museums and attractions for up to four family members. The passes are good at a number of attractions, including the Deering Estate, Fruit & Spice Park, HistoryMiami, the Miami Children’s Museum, the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science, Perez Art Museum Miami, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Each library has a limited number of passes, but you can check online to find out when they are available.
See shows for $5 or visit museums for $2.50 with Culture Shock Miami. This is another great deal for Miami-Dade residents. Culture Shock Miami provides students 13 to 22 with discount tickets to numerous cultural performances in Miami for only $5 each. Best of all, each student can buy another ticket, and anyone of any age can use the second ticket. That means two students can take two parents, and the whole family can see a show for just $20. Culture Shock also has standing discounts to various museums and attractions that are usually expensive to visit, allowing students to purchase two tickets for $2.50 each.
Visit museums on their monthly free days. Many Miami-Dade Museums have a special free day each month, and some of those free days include special activities for families. Among the museums with free family days each months are the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, the Perez Art Museum Miami, the Coral Gables Museum and HistoryMiami.
Visit HistoryMiami for free through Aug. 19. Kids and their families get in free all summer long thanks to the Summer Passport Program. Kids acquire a passport at the museum front desk, which allows them entry with up to four family members.
Sign up for a free Apple camp for kids 8 to 12 at Apple stores in Aventura, Brickell Citi Centre, Lincoln Road, The Falls or Dadeland.

Free or cheap entertainment for kids in Miami this summer

See kids’ movies for $1 at participating Regal Cinemas. Regal Cinema’s Summer Movie Express offers nine weeks of kid-friendly G and PG rated movies for $1 each at three Miami-Dade Regal cinemas. Screenings begin run through Aug. 15. The movies will be screened Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Participating theaters in Miami-Dade are Regal Kendall Village Stadium 16 IMAX & RPX, Regal Southland Mall Stadium 16 and UA Falls 12.
See kids’ movies free at Cobb Theatres. Cobb Theatres are showing free kids’ movies this summer at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and many of the theaters fill quickly with summer campers, so arrive early if you want a seat. The 2018 season runs through Aug. 2. Participating theaters are the Dolphin 19, Cobb Grand 18 and Miami Lakes 17.
See kids’ movies free at Flagship Cinemas. Screenings are at 10 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. Many of the theaters fill quickly with summer campers, so arrive early if you want a seat. The 2018 season runs through Aug. 9.
See free outdoor family movies. Cities, parks and shopping centers offer a variety of free families movies outdoors during the summer. Check out Miami on the Cheap for the latest schedule.
See shows for $5 or visit museums for $2.50 with Culture Shock Miami.