Free & Cheap Things To Do With Grandkids In Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa, continually surprises me. I had not taken a road trip to Fort Dodge with my grandkids, until now. On a recent visit, I discovered several free things to enjoy with my grandkids.
Each of these attractions is free or cheap, costing less than $40.00 in admission for a family of five.
Experience Iowa’s 1884 On The Bluff
Where Is Fort Dodge, Iowa?
Fort Dodge, Iowa, sits in North Central Iowa along US Highway 20. This community makes for a fantastic day trip for many across the state of Iowa.
Thank You To Visit Fort Dodge for hosting my family and I – As always, my opinions are mine and nobody else’s.
My husband and I recently spent 24 hours in Fort Dodge with our three grandkids. We had a little drive, as Fort Dodge is 87 miles from home. This was the perfect overnight stay with our five-, six-, and nine-year-old grandkids. We created our itinerary, and it was a busy 24 hours. Here are some of the free activities we discovered in Fort Dodge during our visit.
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Learn About Iowa’s Rivers
20 N 1st St
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
515-576-4258
https://www.webstercountyia.gov/departments/conservation/nature_center.php
The Matt Cosgrove River’s Edge Discovery Center is a small, free “children’s museum” offering hands on activities for kids. It may be small, but it is mighty! Our grandkids played for 90 minutes and we had to “pull” them out of the center.
Adults and kids immerse themselves in the story of Iowa’s waterways. With buttons to push and tables to rock, your family will be busy. As an adult, I found myself reading the facts about Iowa’s waterways that were scattered throughout the attraction. This attraction is open Monday-Friday from 9 am – 4 pm and Saturdays from 9 am – Noon.
Dolliver Memorial State Park
2757 Dolliver Park Ave
Lehigh, IA 50557
515-359-2539
https://www.iowadnr.gov/places-go/state-parks/all-parks/dolliver-memorial-state-park
More Things To Do In Fort Dodge
Iowa State Parks are free to visit. Our grandkids loved the trails in Dolliver Memorial State Park. As soon as we got out of the truck, they were all on the trails. When you give kids an opportunity to explore, they will. Our grandkids were quickly asking about this rock, that tree, you get it- as 5, 6, and 9-year-old kids are question boxes.
The bridges, rocks, tree roots, and trails were all part of the experience. We did not have to look far to find free things to do with our grandkids.
Enjoy The Best Iowa Burger At Rides Bar & Grill
View Iowa’s Tallest Mural
727 Hawkeye Ave
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Iowa’s tallest mural soars at 110-feet tall and our grandkids thought it was amazing.
They enjoyed looking at it and commenting about the people on the silos. Australian artist Guido van Helten created this beautiful masterpiece. With free parking and a large, open area, this space is enjoyed by all.
Oleson Park Splash Pad
12th Ave S & S 17th St
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
515-576-7237
The Oleson Park Splash Pad provided water fun on a hot afternoon. The large parking lot was just a short walk from this attraction, making it easy to access. As grandparents, we loved the size of this splash pad. It was neither too big nor too small.
We could keep our eyes on our grandkids at all times, and everyone had a wonderful time. Water attractions always make for fun summer memories. Free admission and free parking make for a top 10 experience.
Kennedy Park Playscape
1415 Nelson Ave
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Kennedy Park is home to the Kennedy Park Playscape, featuring a treehouse and the prairie. Nature, water, and education are combined at this free attraction. The hands-on activities at this outdoor play area, set it apart from some of the other parks we have visited with our grandkids. With so many free things to do with kids in Fort Dodge, you will be on the go.
Our granddaughter continued to “dig” for dinosaurs. She would have dug for hours if we would have let her.
The musical experiences were also favorites of our grandkids. And of course, they all enjoyed the Indian teepee in the area.
Kennedy Park Children’s Forest
1386 National Ave.
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Located in Kennedy Park
https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Webster/Park/Childrens-Forest
The Children’s Forest is truly a special place in Iowa. You will need to enter on the west side of the park to visit this area of Kennedy Park. Free parking and free admission make this a top stop.
This park is a living memorial, as hundreds of trees honor loved ones who have passed away. New stories are posted throughout the year, so you will want to visit at least twice a year.
You will also see six carved tree stumps, all representing a children’s story. We strolled the grounds with our grandkids, and they loved it all!
The Fort Museum & Frontier Village
1 Museum Road
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
515-573-4231
https://www.fortmuseumfv.com
The Fort Museum & Frontier Village features an 1850 military fort and frontier town. With 18 original and replica buildings, our grandkids loved exploring all of the areas within this village. Chalk writing, bell ringing, and an opportunity to step back in time was welcomed by our grandkids. Another highlight was the Block House where there was a narrow peephole to view the grounds.
As we strolled the grounds, we came to the replica of the Cardiff Giant, one of the biggest hoaxes of all time. Our grandkids were not sure what to think about the giant as they viewed it.
They stopped to take a look and went on their way. Plan to spend two hours at this attraction, and if your grandkids are extremely inquisitive, add on an hour. With a small fee to visit, it’s worth every penny.
Kennedy Park Campground
1417 Nelson Ave
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
https://www.webstercountyia.gov/atrractions_and_resources/kennedy_park/camping.php
The playground inside the Kennedy Park Campground is designed for children ages two- five.
Even though a couple of our grandkids are a little older than this, they loved the equipment and enjoyed every minute they had for playing. We stayed in the Rod & Reel Yurt, which was a short hop, skip, and a jump from the playground.
There is a fee to stay in the yurts, and a minimum nightly stay often applies.
Thank you to the Webster City Conservation department for hosting our stay in the yurt.
With 24 hours and the heat of summer, we covered a lot of ground in 24 hours. Fort Dodge offers updated playground equipment, and it’s evident the community takes pride in its parks.
There are several other parks that we did not have time to explore. They all appeared to be well-maintained and family-friendly. We will be back, as it’s only a 90-minute drive from home. Fort Dodge offers hours of endless, inexpensive things to do with our grandkids.
SaraB
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