10 Winter Activities for Kids in Bozeman

1. Montana Science Center

With interactive and educational exhibits, kids of all ages love the Montana Science Center. Their exhibits include the Building Brainstorm which allows kids to plan a home or a dog house, build a skyscraper model, and play with a collection of wooden planks, wheels, pulleys, and rope. The Wild Alaska exhibit allows kids to explore diverse ecosystems, fish on Alaska’s streams and much more. The Physics exhibit features a wind tunnel, ball ramp, rocket launcher, bubble board, and balance board. They also have a STEAMlab where kids can learn how to use 3D printers and laser cutters, take apart computers, solder circuits, program a computer, and play Minecraft. They also have a bunch of fun family events like STEAM Saturdays and Science Night In. Admission is $11 for anyone over the age of two, and they also have an annual membership that includes free admission for the whole family for a year for just $125.

Photo credit: www.mtparent.com 

2. State of Play

State of Play is an indoor play and art space that is beautiful, fun and so engaging for the kids! The place space is designed to encourage open-ended play and learning and is meant for children ages 0-9 and their families. They have a geometric play fort, sensory bins, an art studio, and a glow cave along with classes, camps, after-school classes, and fun events like “Date Night” where kids can enjoy, dinner, playtime, and a movie while parents get a night out! To join, check out their calendar and book a spot. They do limit the number of children at each play session, so you’ll want to book in advance. The cost is $30 for a 1.5-hour play session and they do offer sibling discounts and a membership option for $100/month.

Photo credit: State of Play 

3. Skiing

Skiing is an obvious choice for winter activities when you are in Bozeman! Whether it’s cross-country or downhill, there are a few different options for getting the kids out skiing. If you want to get the kids downhill skiing, Bridger Bowl offers free day tickets for kids 6 and under if you book online. For the adults, you can purchase a beginner area pass for just $25. For kids older than 4, they offer ski lessons that start at $85 a lesson. Lessons don’t include gear so you will need to either rent or bring your own.

If you want to explore the world of cross-country skiing, Crosscut Mountain Sports Center is just down the road from Bridger and is such a fun place to explore! They have 45km of groomed trails ready for you to explore. A day pass is free for kids under 10, $20 for youth 10-18, and $30 for adults. They offer lessons for kids over 8 years old. If your kids are in the 5-7 range you can reach out to them to see if they will offer lessons for them as well, according to their website they will consider that age group on a case-by-case basis.

4. Museum of the Rockies

No matter what age your kids are, we guarantee you can find something they will love at the Museum of the Rockies! If you have young kids, they will love the “Explore Yellowstone” room on the second level of the Museum. This interactive exhibit encourages kids to fish, set up camp, set off geysers, or explore the Toddlers Camp play area. For older kids, the Museum of the Rockies has several exhibits that kids will love, a planetarium, plus Early Learning programs and Youth Programs! Kids under 4 get free admission and kids ages 5-17 are $12, plus $5 for the planetarium. If you plan on going frequently, they do have membership options that can be well worth it depending on how often you plan to visit.

Photo credit: https://www.nwtravelmag.com/

5. Bozeman Public Library

We love the Children’s Room at the Bozeman Public Library! This is such a fun, safe environment for kids to learn and explore. They have tons of books (of course) a computer lab, a play area with wooden blocks, an imaginative play area with changing themes like Post Office, Veterinary Clinic, Bakery and Farmers Market, and plenty of comfy couches for the parents! They also have tons of fun events for different age groups including story time, Lego club, STEAM play, and more! Check out their calendar for a full list of events. For older kids, the library has a great Teen Corner which offers kids a great place to read and hang out. They also have some great programs for teens like Teen Lab Thursdays where they can learn how to cook, learn about 3D printing and so much more. Best of all, it’s all free!

Photo credit: Intrinsik Architecture

6. Jump Time

If your kids need to burn off some energy, take them to Jump Time! This indoor trampoline park is such a fun place for kids of all ages. They have a toddler zone for the littles, a ninja warrior course, a battle beam, climbing wall, slack line, and a storm castle tower for the big kids. Prices start at $7 for 12-24-month-olds and go up from there on an hourly basis. What we love most about Jump Time are their hours, they are open 10 am-8 pm on the weekdays and 10 am-10 pm on the weekends!

Photo credit: Sunward Steel 

7. Swimming

While swimming is a great winter activity in Bozeman, we really wish there were better options for families to go enjoy a swim! The Bozeman Hot Springs has been a long-standing favorite, but they recently raised their prices for both day passes and monthly passes which makes it out of reach for many families. The Bozeman Swim Center has Family Swim on Fridays from 5:40 – 8:40 p.m., and while we love how affordable it is ($10/family) the water is pretty chilly! The Ridge Athletic Club has nice pools available to members with family-friendly swim times and swim classes available as well! You do not have to be a member to sign up for swim classes. Another option for swim lessons is at the Eagle Mount Aquatics Center with lessons through the YMCA. Group swim lessons start at $75 (members) - $105 (nonmembers) for a 6-week session. Another great option for swim classes is at Lone Mountain Gymnastics pool. They offer classes for a variety of different ages, but they do fill up quickly and can be hard to get into! The prices vary but average $95-$100/month for a class each week.

8. Arts on Fire

If you are looking for a creative experience for kids, check out Arts on Fire, a paint-your-own pottery studio! They have several items available to paint from small figurines to mugs to plates. The kids pick it out, paint it, and then they fire it and you pick up their beautiful piece of art a week later. This is a fun one to do with your kids…grab a paintbrush and join in! Pricing is the price of the piece you choose to paint plus a “fire fee” of $5 for kids under 17 and $6 for adults.

Photo credit: Arts on Fire Bozeman

9. Ice Skating

Bozeman has three major ice-skating rinks, Southside Park, Beall Park, and the Anderson Pavilion (formerly the Bogert Pavilion). They all aim to be open for ice skating around Christmas time but with our mild winters lately, opening dates are often pushed back. You can check the status of each rink here. The Bozeman Pond is also a popular place to go ice skating, but please check the conditions carefully and be cautious! If you don’t have skates for the family, they can be rented at Chalet Sports. Pro tip: If your kids are in one of the Bozeman elementary schools, they can often borrow them from the gym teacher. You can also always find them second-hand at Play it Again or Second Wind Sports.

10. Sledding

This is an all-time favorite for kids. What’s not to love? Flying down a hill with snow flying all around and landing softly (hopefully!) at the bottom. There are a few great options in Bozeman for sledding. The classic Bozeman place to sled has always been Peet’s Hill in Burke Park, but we suggest saving it for the older kids. Peet's Hill is steep and gets a lot of use which makes it icy, but it's fun for the thrill-seekers. The hill at the 100-acre Regional Park has become the go-to sledding hill in northwest Bozeman. It is also steep in spots, but there’s more room to spread around and find some smaller sections for the little kids.