*updated 1/3/2024
If you feel stuck coming up with new ideas on where to take your littles when you just cannot think of another “at home” indoor cold weather activity . . . let our team at Detroit Mom help fill up your calendar with a variety of indoor activities for kids of all ages to help get your family out of the house!
Indoor Cold Weather Ideas for Kids in + around Detroit, by type:
ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
Belle Isle Nature Center | Detroit
Check out the Belle Isle Nature Center where children can check out frogs, turtles, and a living bee habitat.
The Creature Conservancy | Ann Arbor
This nonprofit organization offers open hours Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00-5:00 p.m. and offers programs throughout the day to learn about the featured animal that day.
GP Zoology and Lou’s Pet Shop | Grosse Pointe
Need to fill some time during the day? Head into Lou’s Pet Shop and say “Hi” to their tortoise that roams the store. Their sister company, GP Zoology, also hosts animal events throughout the year.
The Reptarium | Utica
Let your kids get up close and personal to several reptiles during general open admission Thursdays through Saturdays from 4:00-9:00 p.m., and Sundays from 3:00-8:00 p.m.
Sea Life Aquarium | Auburn Hills
Take a break from shopping at Great Lakes Crossing and explore the sea animals. They have a touch tank and offer many close up viewing areas for kids. Detroit Zoo members also get 50% off tickets.
ART LESSONS
Abrakadoodle | Canton
Abrakadoodle offers a variety of classes and specialty workshops in a variety of mediums.
The Art Shack | St. Clair Shores
The Art Shack offers classes, camps, and events throughout the week.
The Bees Knees Pottery | Northville
The Bees Knees offers everything from canvas painting to jewelry making and every art medium in between. Please note that they are closed on Sundays!
Creative Arts Studio | Royal Oak
Walk-in projects include pottery, mosaics, and glass fusing. They also offer art camps and classes.
Mini Picassos | St. Clair Shores
With drop-in art days and class series, Mini Picassos has something for kids of all ages and abilities.
The Painted Pot | Rochester
A paint-it-yourself pottery studio with the coolest selection of items to create! You can also book your child’s birthday party to take place in their downstairs space.
INDOOR PLAY PLACES
Boogie Babies | Rochester Hills
Boogie Babies is for young children and offers different play stations such as a kitchen area, art center, climbing area, and much more.
Chelsea Tree House | Chelsea
The tree house-themed indoor play place offers many slides and play features as well as a gated area for little ones.
Dinoland | Dearborn Heights
A play place for the true dino lovers in your life!
Kidcadia | Dearborn
Possibly one of the cleanest play places I have ever visited! Kidcadia offers a safe and calming play environment.
Rochester Play | Rochester
The outdoor-themed play place offers a two-story climbing playscape as well as a smaller area for toddlers.
T & B Play | Clawson
This brand-new indoor playground offers one-time passes and memberships! Kids can play on slides or in a sand pit, and enjoy character visits from time to time.
Yoyo’s Fun Center | Clinton Township + Westland
Another new playplace in our area! Yoyo’s has general admission pricing at both locations and memberships in Westland. You’ll find a trampoline, slides, and a toddler area.
INDOOR WATERPARKS
Canton Aquatic Center | Canton
The Canton Aquatic Center offers Parent/Tot times on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. This is more for children under age five. Family open swim is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Farmington Hills Hawk Aquatics Center | Farmington Hills
With two different pools to choose from, you can see the schedules online for when you can swim at Hawk Pool and/or Costick Center Pool.
Livonia Recreation Center | Livonia
Full open swim is offered various days and times each week. They also offer a modified open swim throughout the week during the day.
Macomb Township Aquatics Center | Macomb
Open swim is offered Mondays through Thursdays from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Fridays from 4:00-8:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00–4:00 p.m.
Troy Aquatics Center | Troy
Kiddie swim for ages six and under is offered Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:15-10:45 a.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Open swim is available on Fridays from 4:00-7:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:45-4:00 p.m.
LIBRARIES
Clinton-Macomb Public Library | Clinton Township
This library offers many interactive features for kids such as a train, puppet show theater, and many toy bins.
Farmington Hills Community Library | Farmington Hills
This library is full of bright primary colors and is sure to brighten a gloomy winter day. The kids will love playing up on the stage that is set up as a little house and kitchen stage set.
Southfield Public Library | Southfield
Your children will be transported into a library fantasy land when they step into the Southfield Youth Library. With life-size trees, larger than life books, and a sleeping dragon in a nook . . . your kids will surely find a cozy spot to read a good book.
Warren Public Library | Warren
Such a fun community library for children with play kitchens, train sets, checkers, and many other interactive areas to explore!
West Bloomfield Township Public Library | West Bloomfield
The youth library is definitely for children. With magnetic walls to practice letters and vocabulary, to the reading house where children can create their own puppet shows, and the activity center and LearningScape filled with many educational toys . . . this library is sure to keep your little one busy on those long winter days.
MUSEUMS
Cranbrook Institute of Science | Bloomfield Hills
Planetariums, dinosaurs, and mastodons . . . OH MY! The museum also host many events and programs for families to enjoy.
Flint Children’s Museum | Flint
This museum is more for children under ten. The museum is filled with many stations for kids to learn and explore for hours.
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum | Farmington Hills
With over 5,000 sq ft, your children will be in awe looking at and interacting with all the mechanical features in this museum. From coin-operated pinball to neon signs, this museum has a little bit of everything.
Museum of Natural History | Ann Arbor
Be sure to check out this FREE museum this winter. Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., visitors can head to the investigate labs where children can use scientific equipment to explore the natural world.
Outdoor Adventure Center | Detroit
Bring the outdoors inside and explore all Michigan has to offer without having to brave the cold temps!
OPEN GYMNASTICS
Downriver Gymnastics | Monroe + Southgate
Toddler Time is offered on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m.
Extreme Gymnastics | Warren
Preschool open play is offered on Mondays from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesdays from 11:00-12:00 p.m., and Fridays from 10:30-11:30 a.m. for $10 per child. They also offer school-age open play for ages 6-17 on Fridays from 8:00-9:30 p.m. and Sundays from 4:00-5:30 p.m. for $15/child!
Hunt’s Gymnastics | Clinton Township
Hunt’s offers parent-tot and preschool classes!
Mills Gymnastics | Southgate
Preschool open gym is Fridays from 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. for $10 per child. School-age open gym is on Fridays from 7:15-9:15 p.m. for $14 per child. They also host a sensory/special needs open gym on Sundays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. for $10/child.
Troy Gym | Troy
With four locations, Troy Gym offers open play and gym seven days a week at a variety of times.
STEM LOCATIONS
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum | Ann Arbor
This museum offers four levels of fun and interactive exhibits. The bottom floor is for little ones preschool-age and under.
Fascination Factory | Birmingham
Fascination Factory is a play-based learning center that your kids will love! Open play time slots are available Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Legoland | Auburn Hills
Practice those engineering skills and start building at Legoland inside Great Lakes Crossing. Build and test your own race cars, test your building stability on the earthquake tables, and take a peek behind the scenes and see how Legos are made. Be sure to check their calendar for toddler times and homeschool day discounts throughout the week!
Michigan Science Center | Detroit
The science center has galleries for your little scientist to explore. It also has five theaters to further explore science concepts. Your family can also continue your learning at home by catching EchoLive online, where their educators present science experiments!
Stemville | Northville
Stemville offers open play Mondays through Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. to allow children to imagine, design, explore, and create.
The Robot Garage | Birmingham
The Robot Garage offers classes and workshops for children ages four and up. They also offer subscriptions to bring that learning into the home! Projects can also be mailed to your children to do alongside 24/7 video classes.
TRAMPOLINE PARKS + BOUNCE CENTERS
Airtime Trampoline | Various Locations
Burn off that winter built-up energy at Airtime with over 10,000 sq ft of trampolines, foam pits, Ninja courses, and so much more.
Bounce It Up | Livonia
For $15, your child gets open play for the whole day which includes bounce houses, arcade games, and a tri-level playground adventure. There is also a designated area for children under three. Memberships are also available!
Pump It Up | Various Locations
With three locations in Metro Detroit, Pump It Up offers a variety of open jump times as well as times set aside for toddler-only jumps.
Sky Zone | Canton, Commerce Township, + Shelby
SkyZone offers Little Leapers times for the smallest of jumpers, sensory hours, and glow nights for older kids. Check specific location websites to see what’s happening!
Urban Air Adventure Park | Various Locations
With four locations in Metro Detroit, Urban Air offers a variety of activities such as Jumparoo time for little ones, sensory-friendly play, Parents Night Out, Teen Night, and Family Night.
