Free and Cheap Kids Activities for Collin County Moms

Kids are some of the most active human beings on this planet and most of the young ones like to stimulated in a variety of ways.  If your kiddos are anything like my son and his buddies, then they are super active, like to be outdoors, like to be on-the-go, and can go all day long!!! 

I love to keep my little one busy, going on new adventures but that can get pretty expensive each and every week.  I did some thinking and asking around to some of my closest mama friends and put together an awesome list of things to do with our kiddos that are either FREE or CHEAP and within budget!!! 

CHECK IT OUT!!! 

Activities at Home

  • Water balloon and water gun wars paired with sidewalk chalk masterpieces are going super fun in this hot North Texas weather

  • Go around your house and neighborhood on a “ROCK HUNT” and then bring them home for the littles to paint 
  • Have a baking party and let the kiddos help you bake cookies, brownies, cake, etc. – mine loves to use his own whisk or spoon to mix whatever is in the bowl
  • Get a sprinkler setup in your backyard and let the kiddos run through the sprinklers, play tag, and chase each other – this is an easy under $20 deal that will last you all Summer long 

Local Activities in Collin County 

  • McKinney Public Libraries (Judy Gay Library and Roy & Helen Hall Library) have a wide variety of FREE activities for kids ages 16 months to 10 years old, including Toddler Time, Adventure Tots, Little Explorers, and their Beehive Program.  You can check out the calendar here
  • Frisco Sci-Tech Discovery Center is only $8 per person (children under 3 are free) and is a great place for kids to explore science, math, and technology! 
Photo Courtesy of Sci-Tech Discovery Center (https://mindstretchingfun.org)
  • Urban Air Indoor Trampoline Park & Pump It Up, both in Frisco, are great places to get those wiggles out.  They have great specials from time to time to be sure to check their websites for coupons and special offers. 
  • Arbor Nature Preserve in Plano is a nice place to enjoy a nature walk with the kiddos.  Be sure to bring lots of water and snacks! 
  • Collin County Farm Museum in McKinney is open most Wednesdays and Saturdays with very little admission costs.  This is another fun outing to take the kids to, to see tractors, barns, collections and artifacts from Collin County’s rural heritage of the early 1960s.
Photo Courtesy of Tim Heitman Photography

DIY Activities throughout Collin County 

  • Breakfast with the ducks at Watters Creek in Allen – I am a big fan of Frogg Coffee Bar & Creperie for their food, coffee drinks and misted patio overlooking the ducks and treehouse. 

  • Concerts by the Creek in Watters Creek, Allen has been going on since April and goes on every Friday and Saturday night throughout the Summer! 
  • Color Me Mine offers Mini Mondays, $1 Studio Fees for Preschoolers, and $6 Studio Sessions for Kids everyday!! Let them paint a piece and have a keepsake to take home!

  • Music in the Square in Downtown Frisco starts June 2nd! Grab a pizza or pack a picnic dinner and bring the kids for a fun family / friend evening out!! Best part is, it’s totally FREE! 
Photo Courtesy of Frisco Square (http://friscosquare.com)
  • Cinemark in Downtown Frisco also does $1 movies for Kids during the Summer! Check local listings for showings. 
  • Downtown McKinney is another great place to walk around, grab a bite to eat and maybe splurge and let the kids fill their own bag of popcorn and candy (for a very special treat of course) at Mom & Pop Popcorn Shop.  
  • Pay a visit to your local Firehouse!! Firefighters love to get visitors and enjoy giving kids a tour of the house!! Make some cookies and bring them a special “Thank You For Your Service” homemade treat! 

  • Collin County is filled with parks and splash pads that make for such a fun day out, enjoying sunshine and water!! Pack a picnic and towels and go have a free outing that will keep the kids busy for hours! Don’t forget the sunscreen! 

Activities in Dallas 

  • Klyde Warren Park is a super fun day filled with the splash pad, food trucks, and the best popsicles in Dallas, “Steel City Pops”

  • Take the kids on a train ride to Downtown Dallas and enjoy lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse! 
  • Bring the kids on a fun Trolley Ride throughout Downtown Dallas and stop-and-go wherever you choose! The trolley is free to ride!! Get more information here.
Photo Courtesy of McKinney Avenue Trolley, Dallas (http://mata.org)
  • Visit the Reunion Tower and scope out the entire city of Dallas!! Pack some snacks and enjoy the view! My little guy LOVED it and enjoyed spotting the cars and trucks driving around from so up high! 


While there are SO MANY activities in and around Collin and Dallas Counties, these are just a handful that stood out to me!!! If you have other great ideas to share, please do so in the comments!! If I haven’t tried it yet, I’ll be sure to!!!

If you try any of these fun adventures, feel free to share on Facebook and TAG @CollinCountyMomsBlog and @HappyandHealthyMama on your posts!!! 

Heather Jones
Heather is a born and raised Southern California girl gone Texas, who has a strong love for her family, friends, coffee, wine, food, amazing smelling candles, and sunshine. Although she always thought she would live in California forever, close to everyone and everything she knew, Heather took a leap of faith when her husband since 2010, Sean, informed her that his company was relocating to Allen, Texas. Heather and Sean moved to McKinney in January 2016 with their curly-haired, spirited, Lightning McQueen-obsessed, toddler son, Luc (joined the world in October 2014) and their obnoxious, Puggle, Teemu. She is enjoying every moment of her experience in North Texas and building friendships that she believes will last forever. A former advertising professional, Heather is now a stay-at-home, work-from-home (part time) mom, wife, friend, and follower of Christ, growing her faith each and everyday. She recently started studying to get her real estate license and is very ambitious to begin a new career that allows her the freedom to build her own business, while enjoying all of the little things that everyday motherhood and life have to offer. She loves to eat and has a passion for cooking, but believes that there is always a little “something” to add to any recipe she finds to make it her own. She loves fitness and living an all-around healthy lifestyle. When everyone in the house goes to bed, you will find her with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee (decaf of course, that late at night) in her hand, editing her daily iPhone photographs for her family in California, Instagram, and Facebook, while “pinning” the night away. You can find Heather at Happy & Healthy Mama and follow her on Instagram @happyandhealthymama.