Visit Salt Lake .org         Travel Planner and Vacation Guide 2024

Kids Activities in Salt Lake City Welcome to Visit Salt Lake.org our official online edition! Whether you're in the planning stages of your Salt Lake Getaway or you're already here visiting, our free travel planners will help make your trip to Salt Lake be as flawless as possible. We will continue to provide the latest information, ideas, insider finds, plus travel tips to help you experience everything Salt Lake has to offer. Activities for Children are featured on this page of our 2024 Travel Planner. If you're traveling with children when you come to Salt Lake, there are lots of things to do to keep the kids entertained. Salt Lake City is known as a kid friendly place. One reason, the large population of members of the Church of Latter Day Saints have children. The LDS Church emphasizes the importance of kids and family, and many parts of the city are built with this emphasis in mind. Thus when you're visiting with children in Salt Lake City, you may not have time to enjoy all the family activities and centers available. One option when you're in Salt Lake with children is The Children's Museum of Utah. Now known as Discovery Gateway, the leading children's museum of Utah! Discovery Gateway provides hands-on creative activities that are both educational and entertaining for the whole family. Located in downtown Salt Lake City, Discovery Gateway motivates children and adults alike to discover, learn, and connect with their world. Discovery Gateway opens up a world of possibilities and inspires children and adults to consider endless career opportunities as they share the moment of discovery. Plan to take at least more than half a day for a visit to the museum, which has great interactive exhibits. A child can create stories, become a DJ or design their own webpage. Plan to spend at least half a day at this fabulous museum. Kids can't get enough of the interactive exhibits, such as areas where you can pretend to be a weather person and read the day's forecast from a teleprompter; use a crane to haul up soft building blocks to make a tower; and climb aboard a real rescue helicopter on the building's roof. There are 75 permanent exhibits to explore and many touring exhibits that will make each visit to the museum a fresh experience. The Living Planet Aquarium. Why Have an Aquarium in a Desert? Where else in the world is water so valued and respected? It's a precious resource that defines how we live in Utah. Because we're not surrounded by oceans and immense water habitats, we have fewer opportunities to experience, understand and appreciate the water environments that cover more than 70 percent of our planet. The Living Planet Aquarium brings animals to people who might not have the chance to see them or their water-based ecosystems in a natural setting. Travel from the river to the sea, as you experience a freshwater stream stocked with Utah's fish species. Run your hands through a touch pool and discover the playful touch of friendly stingrays. Come nose to nose (almost!) with several species of fascinating sharks. In the aquarium's Marine Hall, you can touch the stingrays in an open pool. Kids especially like the Giant Pacific Octopus, Moon Jellies and Lionfish. Storytime is held in the Sunken Ship. Another great place to see with children in Salt Lake City is Hogle Zoo, home to over 1000 animals. You'll find rare animals like the white rhino and the snow leopard, and other animals that come from over 250 regions across the world. Hogle Zoo Named for the couple who donated land for the Salt Lake City animal habitat in 1931, the Hogle Zoo features a brand-new Asian Highlands exhibit, with tigers, leopards and linx; an elephant encounter, which recreates an African plain; and daily live-animal shows at the Wildlife Theatre. Hop on the Zoofari Express, which winds its way through the zoo, allowing for an overview of the entire park. This outdoor attraction is open year round. If you haven't had your fill of animals after visiting Hogle Zoo, consider seeing some of the local animals at the Wheeler Historic Farm. It is open from dawn to dusk every day, so if you have early risers, this is the activity for them! This historic farm is "dedicated to the history of Utah farming and agriculture." Attractions include wagon rides, hands-on farm activities, tours, demonstrations, exhibits, etc. There are activities for every season. Additionally, if you're with children in Salt Lake City, the Tracy Aviary is a great place to see many endangered bird species, with over 150 species of birds to visit. It's hard to think of Utah, without thinking of the many fantastic dinosaur digs there. A great place to explore the world of dinosaurs with children in Salt Lake City is the The Natural History Museum of Utah. Again there are interactive activities for kids as well as many learning opportunities at the museum. Located at 301 Wakara Way, near Red Butte Garden, families can enjoy a journey through the evolving world of natural and cultural sciences at the Natural History Museum of Utah. Visitors can learn about, explore, and experience Native American artifacts, dinosaurs, bugs, the Great Salt Lake, biological diversity, gems, minerals, and space. The museum is loaded with hands-on activities for the whole family. A cafe and gift shop are located on the museum's second level. When kids have had their fill of the many museums in Salt Lake City, it's time to pursue some outdoor activities. It's Time to Take the Kids Outside - Article Credit: Jenny Miller of Nature Deficit Disorder Nature deficit disorder can be a pretty broad term, encompassing the physical, mental, and even emotional effects of not spending enough time outdoors - none of which, by the way, are any good. It's definitely alarming how it affects children these days in terms of growth and development. However, long-term damage can be avoided when parents step up and find cool and fun ways to get kids outside. Salt Lake Visitors Services offers the following recommendations for making a change. Backyard Fun There are plenty of ways to get outside in your own backyard, and with a little creativity, you can encourage more outdoor time for the whole family. 37 Ridiculously Awesome Things to Do in Your Backyard Build a Firepit to Keep the Fun Going After Dark 18 Free and Cool Features to Add to Your Backyard Playground 10 Best Backyard Trampolines: Reviews and Buying Guide Backyard Learning: 25+ Easy Play-Based Learning Ideas Garden Lesson Plans for Hands-On Learning The World Beyond The possibilities are endless when it comes to enjoying nature away from home, particularly in the Salt Lake City region. From Hiking to Biking to Horseback Riding, Salt Lake City Has Plenty to Do 50 Fun Things to Do Outside With Kids as a Family Tips for Taking Your Kids Mountain Biking 8 Ways to Make Hiking Fun for Little Kids Golden Learning Opportunities in Time for Spring What You Need to Know About Camping With Kids 25 Fun Beach Games and Activities for Kids From your own backyard to the world beyond, there's definitely no dearth of engaging activities in nature that children will love. Before long, you'll be facing the challenge of getting them back inside. Good thing, you can't have too much of the outdoors! Article Credit: Jenny Miller of Nature Deficit Disorder Jenny Also Submitted This Article on Ways To Stretch Your Travel Budget Ways to Stretch Your Travel Budget Thank You Jenny. You Can Reach Jenny Miller at: Nature Deficit Disorder Image Credit: Photo via Pexels.com Lagoon Park Drive 17 miles north of Salt Lake City and you'll find more than 40 theme-park rides as well as a water park at Lagoon. The attraction is actually one of the country's oldest amusement parks, dating back to 1896. There's just something about the Giant Rollercoaster that nothing can match when you're young Today's thrill rides include vertical fall towers, suspended roller coasters (where you're seated with your feet dangling). and the brand-new "Wicked" coaster, which reaches 100 feet. Tamer rides for younger children include a carousel and Ferris wheel. Open April to October. For evening entertainment with children in South Lake City, consider visiting many of the family friendly theaters that offer live productions in town. In particular, check schedules for the Desert Star Playhouse, which offers many family-oriented productions. The other theaters in town may also have musicals or family friendly productions of interest. In particular, take a look at upcoming events at either the Grand or Pioneer Theater. Or you might want to explore the night skies, at any time of day, at the Clark Planetarium. The Planetarium offers the best light/music and star shows around. There are shows for every taste, both adult and child. It offers shows about the forces of nature, different planets and also includes movies in the IMAX format. The shows are generally between 50 and 60 minutes long, and they suggest that you get there at last 20 minutes beforehand. There are many fun and interesting exhibits to enjoy while you wait. You'll find many gorgeous local parks to visit with children in Salt Lake City. As well, check schedules of different festivals held throughout the year. There are numerous yearly events that may coincide with your trip and will make it even more entertaining. For instance the Utah State Fair, held annually at the Utah State Fairpark definitely makes a visit with children in Salt Lake City a fun time for all. 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Up-to-date information for ideas and insider finds, plus travel tips that will help you experience everything Salt Lake has to offer. We believe you'll enjoy Salt Lake and we hope you come back often. Views Salt Lake Visitor Services, Publisher of the Visit Salt Lake.org Travel Planner Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 © Copyright 1998 - 2024. All Rights Reserved.