Parents who reside in Oklahoma City or have plans to visit Oklahoma's largest city and capital can find a variety of fun activities for kids within the city's metropolitan area. Families can visit area attractions that cater to children year-round or host special events just for kids during the year. Local organizations also offer free programs and activities for children in Oklahoma City throughout the year.
The Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden is on Northeast 50th Street near the intersection with North Eastern Avenue. The facility has accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, an honor reserved for only around 10 percent of U.S. institutions with living animal exhibits.
In the Children's Zoo area, kids can engage in water play, play in a special climbing area and see animals like spider and squirrel monkeys. Children can also enjoy numerous other attractions throughout the zoo, such as the Noble Aquatic Center. This aquarium boasts more than 1,500 marine animals, including sharks and sea lions.
The Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden is open daily with the exception of some major holidays. As of October 2010, general admission was $7. Children and seniors receive discounted admission rates. The zoo offers free on-site parking.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts the annual Chuck Wagon Gathering and Children's Cowboy Festival every Memorial Day weekend. The event begins on Saturday with activities for kids lasting throughout the day and continuing on into Sunday. The American Bus Association has named the festival one of the Top 100 Events in North America. The event began in 1990 and draws roughly 10,000 attendees each year.
Throughout the weekend, children can participate in special crafts and games intended just for them. Kids can also enjoy a stagecoach or a covered wagon ride and watch live entertainment like musical performances. Cowboy cooks are on-site all weekend, preparing dishes in the traditional chuck wagon-style for kids and adults to sample.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is on North 63rd Street near the intersection with Northeast Grand Boulevard. General, one-day admission for the 2010 Chuck Wagon Gathering and Children's Cowboy Festival was $18. Senior citizens, students with valid identification and children enjoy discounted admission rates. Admission to the museum is included with the cost to attend. The museum offers free on-site parking.
The Metropolitan Library System has six library facilities within the boundaries of Oklahoma City. The libraries in the area offer a variety of programs designed to provide fun and educational activities for kids.
Toddlers and preschoolers can attend weekly story-times at Metropolitan Library System facilities. At these events, children enjoy hearing a story read aloud, followed by activities related to the book like sing-a-longs or crafts. The libraries also host events and clubs for older kids. Some branches offer a chess club to teach children the basics of the game and compete with one another. For teenagers, the library hosts movie nights and other special activities, such as pumpkin carving parties around Halloween.
Hours of operation for branches of the Metropolitan Library System vary from location to location, as well as the schedules for kids programs. Most kids' activities at the library are free to attend.
