Free and cheap summer fun for kids in Wichita

Welcome to our kids’ guide to summer! School is out for most public schools in the Wichita area. Below are some ideas of inexpensive summer activities for kids and fun things to do with kids this summer in Wichita that will keep them busy and happy all summer long.

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Our guide has tons of ideas for summer family outings, summer events, and more things to do with your kids this summer in Wichita. Can you think of some other inexpensive and fun summer activities for kids in Wichita? If you see that we’ve missed something, please let us know in the comments!

First we’ll start with family-friendly summer events…

Summer Family Fun Events in Wichita

Here’s a list of family-friendly events coming up in the next 7 days. You’ll want to bookmark this page because it will show new events every day.

This list is so long! If you’d rather, you can skip the events and go directly to the kids summer activity ideas.

Be sure to click the links to get more information about each event!

Monday, June 17, 2019

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Friday, June 21, 2019

The AWESOME TOY SALE!!! is back for one more weekend...

8:00 am to 6:00 pm | Century II

Saturday, June 22, 2019

The AWESOME TOY SALE!!! is back for one more weekend...

8:00 am to 6:00 pm | Century II

Sunday, June 23, 2019

The AWESOME TOY SALE!!! is back for one more weekend...

8:00 am to 6:00 pm | Century II

FREE admission to Cowtown Museum

12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Old Cowtown Museum

Make sure you check the Wichita Free & Cheap Events Calendar too, because we’ll be adding events to it throughout the summer.

And subscribe to the free Wichita on the Cheap e-newsletter so you never miss a deal.

Summer Activities for Kids & Familes in Wichita

(These are ongoing activities available through most of the summer.)

Fly a kite

• Your summer will be looking up when you find a free, family-friendly kite-flying event in Wichita and nearby.

Troll the Keeper

• Every evening you can watch the ring of fire around the Keeper of the Plains light up our sky.
• Get to the Keeper area a little early so you can look for the Troll. He’s hidden under the sidewalk that goes along the river – you’ll know when you’ve found him!!

Make a splash

• Cool off with FREE Interactive Fountains and Splash Pads in the Wichita area.
• Go swimming for free! Visit all the city pools on Free Swimming Days.
• Or check out our complete guide to Where You Can Swim in Wichita.

Be friends with the Bison

• Enjoy a ton of free family activities all summer with Barry’s Recreation Station events!
• Kids under 12 should sign up for the free City Crew club! They host lots of free and fun activities throughout the year.

Explore walking trails

• Get a breath of fresh air and some exercise with our list of Walking trails in Wichita.

Enjoy nature

• Visit Great Plains Nature Center for some completely free fun with nature.

Park yourself

• Be entertained for hours without paying a dime at Riverside park, zoo, playground, and splash park.
• Play all afternoon at O.J. Watson Park, which has a miniature train to ride, pony rides, pedal boats, miniature golf, and three playgrounds. Activities are all very inexpensive, but you can also buy coupon books for even more savings. The park is at 3022 S. McLean Blvd. in Wichita.
• Stop by the ICT Popup Park downtown during lunchtime, and while you’re there be sure to walk to the next block to find Reflection Square Park.

Get your game on

• We have arcade games, board games, pinball and more here in Wichita

Learn something new

• Sign up for classes and activities through the Wichita recreation department HERE.
• Take up a new hobby with kids’ craft classes at Home Depot, Michael’s and other local maker-type stores
• Or, learn something old with these Free Summer Programs at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum

Become a Kansas tourist

• A vacation in your own state can be just as refreshing and fun as a long-distance trip, with the added bonus of getting there faster! Check out our series of Kansas road trips for some ideas! Here’s a good place to start: Kansas Road Trip Travel Essentials
• TravelKS, from the Kansas Department of Commerce and Tourism, is also a good place to start, as is their Facebook page, to get ideas and find ways to save.
• Explore Wichita like a visitor and get $2 off admission at some of our favorite local attractions.
• Check out Emily’s list of Wichita’s kid-friendly attractions.

Cultivate art

• Stroll through the “roofless museum” of the Wichita Art Museum’s new Art Garden. Admission is free year-round, and on the third Saturday morning of the month, they have docent-led tours, also free.
• The Wichita Art Museum is free every Saturday, and on the fourth Saturday of the month they have a free Family Artventure.
• Crawling isn’t just for babies. The Final Friday Art Crawl is a wonderful time to enjoy the art in Wichita.
• Find every Wichita mural.
• Visit some awesome outdoor sculptures around town.

Go to town

• Relive the old west days with free admission to Cowtown on Sunday afternoons.
• SayYES! to a whole summer of free activities and transportation around town for Wichita kids ages 5-18. (Stay tuned to see if they do this again in 2019!)

Treasure hunt

• Visit some citywide and/or neighborhood garage sales.
• Or you might enjoy these barn sales and outdoor markets.
• And take a stroll through our very own farmers markets.

Groove with the music

• Kick back and listen to jazz in the heart of Bradley Fair.
• Enjoy a summer concert on the lawn at the new CapFed Amphitheater.

Be a sports nut

• Visit the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame on a Saturday afternoon or the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame at the Boathouse on a weekday. Admission is free, although donations are accepted.

Go to school??

• School is fun when you don’t need a hall pass to walk around. Visit the McCormick School Museum on Sundays and Wednesdays. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Waltz at the Waterwalk

• Cool off by watching the waltzing waters at the Waterwalk Fountains.

Cast your cares and catch some family time

• Did you know that fishing is free for kids under 16? (They don’t need a license.) Find your favorite spot for fishing in the Wichita metro area.
• Also, the first weekend in June is free fishing for everyone in Kansas.

Putt-putter around town

• Kids love to play mini-golf! Watson Park, Exploration Place, and All Star Wichita are a few places that have mini-golf.

Golf fore free

• This year, kids ages 17 and younger can golf free at any Wichita Public Golf Course! It’s totally true (and totally free)!

Discover some artifacts

• Learn some history about our city via our city museums and attractions.
• Museum of World Treasures offers discounted admission each month on Family Night.

Debut a family movie night

• During the month of June you can bring in your kids’ report cards to Family Video and get a free movie rental for every A!
• Beat the heat by coming to watch some inexpensive movies with your kids at Derby Plaza Theatre.
• Do the Dome at Exploration Place
• Make Tuesday movie night with $5 tickets at AMC Northrock 14.
• And go again on Wednesday for $5 night movie night at the Old Town Warren.
• Pull an all-nighter at Starlite Drive-in.
• Or see the whole list of Summer Movies in Wichita!

Pick some summer fun

• Find a farm to pick some fresh berries, apples, peaches, or pumpkins at a you-pick farm near Wichita.

Go for 300

• Kids bowl free and grown-ups bowl cheap all summer long.

Be a literal cheapskate

• Chill out with $2 ice skating days at the Wichita Ice Center.
• Lace up your skates and let your kids can enjoy two free skating sessions this summer with the Kids Skate Free Program.

Become a bookworm

• Summer reading programs are back and there are prizes! Get back in the books and have the kids sign up.
• Kids can get a free book through Barnes and Noble summer reading program.

Find Nemo

• The WATER Center in Herman Hill Park is a great place to look at aquariums and learn about water.

Go wild

• Get FREE admission to the Sedgwick County Zoo on Tuesday evenings in July.
• Get $3 admission to the Sedgwick County Zoo for the Back to School Bash in August.
• Take in Tanganyika. If you bought the $20 season pass, you can go practically every day.

Treat yourself

• After all your fun, you can treat yourself and your kids with half price shakes after 8 at Sonic.
• Or, go out to eat at a restaurant with a kids eat free special!
• Take a culinary tour of cheap eats in Wichita by trying out every $5 lunch special

Still not enough ideas? Sign up for our free email newsletter because we send out updates with new events or activities when we find out about them.

Do you have littles in the toddler set? You’ll appreciate this big, big list of free and cheap kids activities!

Feeling hot? Enjoy some of these free and inexpensive Indoor Play Places and Activities for Kids and Teens.

See the full list of free or inexpensive summer movies in Wichita!