We always love it when we discover FREE activities for families in Connecticut! Here are some of our best finds for the summer season!
FREE Arts & Crafts
- Practice woodworking skills at a Home Depot Kids Workshop on the first Saturday of every month from 9am-12:00pm (while supplies last). {FREE}
- Encourage your pint-sized Picasso with some family-friendly plein air painting when you borrow a set of art supplies from the visitor’s center at Weir Farm in Wilton. {FREE}
- Be inspired by craftivism at the monthly Emerging Activist program at the Stowe Center in Hartford. {FREE}
FREE Visits With Animals
- Feed the goats at Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam every Thursday through Sunday, 10:00a.m.-1:00p.m. No reservation needed!. {FREE to visit/ $1 to buy goat food}
- Visit with friendly chickens, sample the veggies in the children’s garden and make pies in the mud kitchen at Open Farm Day at Common Ground in New Haven. Saturdays from 10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. {FREE}
- Find animal barns, walking trails, a pond, a playground, a nature center and more in the 473 acres of amazing Northwest Park in Windsor. {FREE}
- Check out the demonstration farm, wildflower meadows, perennial gardens, woodland trails, and ponds that are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk at Westmoor Park in West Hartford. {FREE}
FREE Water Activities
- Splash in the School Street Spray Park in Agawam, MA; opens 6/23 for the 2025 season. {FREE}
- Cool off at the new Splash Pad at Veterans Memorial Park in Middletown. {FREE}
- Wander through the Rose Garden and go for a dip at Spaulding Pond Beach at Mohegan Park in Norwich. {FREE}
FREE Museum Visits
- Marvel at dinosaur fossils and more at the Peabody Museum in New Haven. {FREE}
- Get FREE admission and family-friendly activities every second Saturday of the month to the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford. {FREE activities from noon-2:00p.m. & FREE admission all day}
- Explore the Connecticut Museum of History and Culture in Hartford. {Admission to the museum galleries is FREE on the first Saturday and Sunday of each month}
- Enjoy Stories and Art at the Yale Art Gallery in New Haven. {FREE}
FREE Beach Visits
- Spend a day at one of Connecticut’s beautiful state beaches (like this one, this one, or this one). You can find a full list of CT State Parks with swimming areas here. For even more fun, print out our FREE Beach Day Scavenger Hunt to take with you! {FREE for CT residents through the Passport to the Parks program}
- Hunt for ocean treasures at East Beach after visiting the Nature Center at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. {FREE for CT residents}
FREE Hiking
- Print our Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt and then take a (kid-friendly) hike through Devil’s Hopyard State Park in East Haddam or Earle Park in Glastonbury. {FREE}
- Explore the East Coast Greenway and stop for some playtime at Charter Oak Park Playground in Manchester. {FREE}
- Explore The Airline State Park Trail, 50 miles of converted railway that cuts through the eastern part of the state with scenic views to enjoy and unique ecosystems to explore. {FREE}
FREE Concerts & Shows
- Bring a picnic and savor the musical sounds at an outdoor evening concert at Elizabeth Park in Hartford. {FREE}
- Explore the aviary, gardens, playgrounds and open spaces, then settle in for Music in the Park or the Children’s Performance Series at Wickham Park in Manchester. Find their current event lineup here. Or check out their full 2025 event brochure HERE. {Concert and Children’s Performance Series are FREE with $7/car park admission}
- Pack a picnic or enjoy a delicious Food Truck feast while listening to upbeat bands at the Riverfront Music Series in Glastonbury. {Concert is FREE}
- Jam to the sounds of the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz in Bushnell Park July 18th-20th. Check out their 2025 lineup here. {Concert is FREE; food and vendor goods available for purchase}
- Enjoy Music at the Mansion at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown every Wednesday evening in July. {Concert is FREE; food available for purchase}
Looking for even MORE free fun?
You can also check out our Library Museum Pass page to find out how to get FREE or reduced price admission to dozens of CT destinations!
And of course, don’t forget about this favorite go-to FREE resource: PLAYGROUNDS!
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