Going out and sightseeing is a great way to kill boredom, learn something new and just have a good time. It can also add up really quickly and be very expensive! Well here is a huge list of free activities for kids in Tampa that anyone can take part in. Most of these activities provide fun for the whole family too.
So whether you live in the Tampa Bay area or you’re visiting for a short while anyone can take advantage of these awesome free things to do in Tampa and give your wallet a break. Pay close attention to dates as some places only offer free days at certain times!
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Free Things to Do in Tampa for Kids
Here are several free activities for kids in Tampa for a variety of ages. Take advantage of the free resources provided to have a good time without spending money.
The Tampa Riverwalk
One of the most iconic and classic things to do in Tampa is walk along the Tampa riverwalk. It is a giant sidewalk that runs alongside the Hillsborough River through downtown Tampa. All along the Riverwalk are several parks, splash pads, restaurants, shops and museums that you can stop in at, if you feel like.
Otherwise you can walk, bike or scooter along the world’s longest continuous sidewalk and take in the sights as you go along. There is even a spot you can stop and kayak in the river! Along the river in Curtis Hixon Park free special events are often held here by the City of Tampa and others that everyone can enjoy.
This is a great way to spend Saturday mornings, getting active to start the day before heading over to Armature Works for brunch.
Read More: Things to Do Along the Tampa Riverwalk
Children’s Board Family Resource Center
The Hillsborough Family Resource Centers offer free arts and crafts classes for different ages, science experiments, family game night and more for members of the community. There are several different locations and the event times and details vary at each one. Make sure you check out their website to find the events that are right for your family. Some events require that you reserve a spot.
Libraries
Libraries are such a good community resource and they have several options if you are looking for things to do. The libraries run story times as well as occasional events for kids and families to attend. Check online on your closest libraries website for exact dates and times.
On top of reading times Tampa county libraries have museum passes to local museums that can be checked out with your library card. This is a great opportunity to visit several different museums for free using nothing but your library card. To see which museums your county’s library gives you access to see their website below.
Hillsborough County Library Discovery Pass
Pinellas County Library Museum Pass
Pasco County Library Discovery Pass
Florida Firearms Academy
You never know what kind of situations your kids may find themselves in when you aren’t around. Whether they are at home or at a friend’s house, gun safety around a gun is nothing to take lightly. That is why Florida Firearms Academy offers a FREE youth gun safety course for kids ages 5-11. The kids will get to shoot a gun but the main purpose of the course is to teach gun safety in a variety of situations. Including ones that may involve friends and social pressure which I think is so important.
You have to register online ahead of time for the youth gun safety course.
Splash Pads
There are so many splash pads all over the Tampa area that you can visit. All you need is your swimsuit, a towel and be ready to have a good time the splash pad. So pack up and visit one of the 22 free splash pads in Tampa.
Jenny’s Petting Zoo
This small petting zoo has fun animals like camels, zebras, kangaroos, monkeys and more. You can feed the animals and pet them before enjoying the concession stands they provide (or bring lunch). The petting zoo is clean and well maintained with well cared for animals. It is open every weekend from 11-4 and free to visit! They do take donations if you are able to give anything to help support the animals.
Join their Facebook page to stay updated on any time changes or closures due to weather. Make sure you wear shoes you can walk in and that you are ok getting a little dusty. It gets hot in Florida so water and sun protection are good ideas too.
Port Tampa Bay
Every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 am Port Tampa Bay offers a free educational harbor tour. Simply reserve your spot online and join in on a tour to learn more about Florida’s largest and most diversified seaport. The only requirement is that every person must be able to walk across the gang plank onto the boat (you can help young kids across!). Then settle in for the 75 minute tour around the bay.
Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center
Tampa Electric (TECO) inadvertently attracted manatees to the warm waters from the power stations discharge canals. The manatees seek refuge in warm water in springs and near power plants when the water in the Bay drops below 68 Farhenheit.
You can enjoy watching these gentle mammals in this manatee sanctuary and learn so much more about them at the manatee viewing center.
Shops at Wiregrass
Join the Shops at Wiregrass kids club and receive invitations to events, activities and even store offers. It is free to join, simply follow the instructions on their website.
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Largo Central Park
Come to Largo Central Park and ride the Largo Central Railroad train for free on the first full weekend of every month! This is a fun, unique experience where you can ride a real miniature train around the park. Simply register online and bring the whole family!
Other Nature Parks to Visit
There are so many other great public parks you can visit for free to hang out, walk nature trails and see local wildlife. When the weather starts to cool off after summer around November one of my favorite things is to god for walks as a family. There are also picnic areas where you can have a picnic together to change things up. You can visit great parks like
- Hillsborough River State Park
- Fort De Soto Park
- Ballast Point Park (Bayshore Boulevard)
Ikea Tampa
You may already know that Ikea offers free daycare in Smaland while you shop. They have a play area and a ball pit that no kid will want to leave when it is time to go. This is a really great way to spend a hot summer day in the air conditioning as it is. What you might not know though is that around the holidays they offer free crafts as well! **
** Smaland is currently closed due to COVID and Ikea is offering take home crafts insead around the holidays. You can register to pick up your craft online.
Morean Art Center
Spend your next Saturday at the Morean where they offer family crafts you can do together. They run activities every Saturday so just pick a date that works for you. Then register online for a spot and then bring the whole family between 10:30-2:30. They are small group sizes so it won’t be a crowded event and it is always free.
Playgrounds
Visit one of Tampa’s many, MANY parks for a fun day in the sun. There are several urban parks along the Riverwalk in Tampa, all over downtown and beyond. If there is bad weather but your kids need to burn off some energy, head to Citrus Park Town Center for an indoor playground and some window shopping.
Sweet Blossom Alpaca Farm
For a unique animal experience, call to schedule a tour at Sweet Blossom Alpaca Farm. They are always free but only run tours by reservation. So grab some friends and bring the whole crew along. You’ll get to experience seeing the alpacas in their natural environment grazing in the pasture, learn why people raise them, how to care for alpacas in Florida, and feel their super soft nose when feeding them.
Pack a lunch and you can eat at a table with alpacas grazing nearby. Learn more or contact them online!
Tampa’s Downtown Walking Tour
Tampa’s Downtown offers a free walking tour on the first and third Friday of each month. The tours start at noon at Poe Plaza and are each one hour long. I definitely recommend bringing a stroller for the kids and wearing comfortable walking shoes. See a little of Downtown Tampa and get outside to enjoy some beautiful weather. Learn more and see updates on their website.
The Beach
Tampa is surrounded by beautiful stretches of beach to choose from. Pack up the family and visit white sand beaches of your choosing. You will have to pay a small parking fee at many locations but not all! Some of our favorites include Indian Rocks Beach, Clearwater Beach and Honeymoon Island.
Read More: Ultimate Guide to Beaches in and Around Tampa, Beach Vacation Packing List for Peace of Mind
Home Depot
Each month Home Depot comes out with a Kids Workshop project of the month that kids can put together. The projects follow the STEAM method and are fun for kids to do. On the first Saturday of every month between 9am – 12pm at your local store you can pick up your free project kit with pre-cut supplies. It goes while supplies last, but this can be a great activity to save for a rainy day each month!
You can also order the kits online but they are not free that way although they are very inexpensive.
Free Museums in Tampa
Here are several museums in Tampa that are free. Some are free all the time and some offer free days throughout the year when anyone can visit free of charge! There are several museums for kids in Tampa where kids can learn and have fun at the same time, it is the perfect way to escape the summer heat.
Glazer Children’s Museum
The Glazer Children’s Museum is right in the heart of downtown Tampa. On the first Tuesday of every month the Glazer Children’s Museum offers free admission to everyone. Come enjoy all the fun interactive exhibits from 10 am to 5 pm. It can get a little crowded on free Tuesdays but it is fun either way!
Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum
You can see real, restored train cars here at the Robert W. Willaford Railroad museum. The museum is always free and is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to four. Home to the museum the Plant City Union Depot was built in 1909. Across from the museum is a train viewing platform where the kids can watch real trains go by.
Sulfur Springs Museum
A fun free museum in Tampa, the Sulfer Springs Museum is home to a variety of permanent and rotating exhibits. The exhibits cover different aspects of local history as well as broader Florida history. There is also a fun playroom just for kids with ocean themed displays and activities to enjoy.
The museum is open Wednesday – Saturday from 11am – 4pm each day. You can learn more before your next visit on their website.
Fun Day Trips from Tampa
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- Day Trip to Discovery Cove in Orlando
Tampa Museum of Art
The Tampa Museum of Art offers Art Spot activities for kids. These art projects are based on a current exhibit at the museum and it allows kids to create and use their imaginations. The activities are free and all supplies are included but you must register for a spot ahead of time. Each activity includes a small group of kids for a great experience and personal attention. All ages are welcome!
Every Thursday from 4-8 pm the museum offers pay-as-you-will admission. So you choose what you can pay and you get to see the wonderful art exhibits. The Tampa Museum of Art website offers all the details.
Lastly, the museum also offers occasional Family Days. On Family Days, there are art projects for everyone, tours you can go on as well as pay-as-you-will admission all day long. Keep an eye on their calendar so that you can plan your visit for the next Family Day.
Heritage Village
Learn about the history of Pinellas County through a collection of historic buildings and artifacts in Heritage Village. This free museum offers several buildings to walk through from homes to grocery stores to a sponge warehouse. You will learn a lot as you walk between buildings and the different exhibits.
Tampa Firefighters Museum
Take your kids along for a fun afternoon in Tampa at the Tampa Firefighters Museum. The old brick building was once the fire department headquarters and home to horse drawn fire trucks. Now you can walk the halls and see equipment used by those firefighters. There is a whole kids section where kids can learn fire safety, try on kid sized fireman gear and play in a kid sized fire truck! The museum is open by appointment only, simply call (813) 964-6862 or email Tampafiremuseum@gmail.com to schedule your visit.
Spongeorama Sponge Factory
Head North and visit Tarpon Springs, a small Greek town that economically relied on sponge diving for many years. Spongeorama Sponge Factory is a sponge souvenir shop but they also offer a free museum and a short movie about the docks. Stop by and learn more about the history of the area and see the boats bring in their sponge hauls on the docks.
Florida Botanical Garden
Florida Botanical Gardens is a large area covering 150-acres full of formal gardens, scenic landscapes and native habitats. There are walking paths throughout to enjoy a relaxing family walk in the evening. Or bring a picnic to enjoy together surrounded by Florida’s unique and beautiful flora.
Tampa Police Museum
Visit the Tampa Police Department headquarters to see the Tampa Police Museum. This is a small, free, museum on the ground floor of the police department headquarters. It is open Monday – Saturday from 10am to 3pm. The museum honors officers killed in the line of duty as well as displaying important artifacts and records.
Plant Museum
Come see what a life of opulence in Tampa looked like in 1891. The Plant Museum is a great free activity for kids in Tampa near the riverwalk. The building is now owned by the University of Tampa but it used to be the Tampa Bay Hotel. Wealthy tourists used to come visit from all over to see what Florida had to offer. The Plant Museum offers free entry on the 4th Friday from 5-7pm January through October. Bring the family to see restored rooms and artifacts from that time.
The Ringling Museum
The John and Mable Ringling Museum is a little further away in Sarasota, FL. This museum is worth the drive though. The Ringling is free to visit every Monday!
The main museum is an art museum with a pink exterior and beautiful gardens that kids are free to run around in.
There is a second section of the museum that covers the history of Circuses in America and the role of John Ringling, one of the Ringling Brothers. There is an interactive section where kids can walk a tightrope, hear recordings from real circuses and so much more!
Read More: Super Fun One Day Sarasota, FL Itinerary
Free Things to Do in Florida for Kids
National Parks
I wanted to mention the National Parks fee free days that happen 5 times a year when you can get into any national park for free. Unfortunately there are no national parks near Tampa BUT if you wanted to you could make a day trip to the nearest one or a weekend trip to the other national parks (and seashores) in Florida.
Canaveral National Seashore is the closest location to Tampa at 2.5 hours away. It would be fun to take a day trip to this beautiful beach park.
The other Florida national parks that participate in the fee free days are Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Everglades National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore and Dry Tortugas National Park.
CityPass Tampa
This is for those looking for an affordable way to see multiple must-see spots in Tampa. You can see five spots in Tampa for one price that saves you more than half using CityPass! See top sights like Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium and a dolphin cruise in the bay in an affordable way.
Free Things to Do For Kids in Tampa
I know you can find something fun and exciting that appeals to your family from this list! There are so many free activities for kids in Tampa thanks to the amazing people that live here. Whether you are visiting or just looking for something inexpensive to do close to home in Tampa there are so many options.
