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🛝 What’s cool for kids in the 608

Kid-friendly activities in Madison
street view of Madison Children's museum.
The Madison Children’s Museum has won the Governor’s Tourism Award for Service Excellence. | Photo by 608today
We’re not kiddin’ around. From major attractions like the Madison Children’s Museum to hidden gems like Soccer Shots Madison, there’s something in Madison for children of all ages. You’ll have no trouble entertaining the under-18 crowd with this list of 25 kid-friendly activities.

Limber littles

The Little Gym | Empowering your little one’s physical, social, and emotional growth, this gymnastics program has open gyms, camps for thrill seekers, and places to party. Kids will remember their first go at the balance beam.

Urban Air Adventure Park | Zip lines, trampolines, and climbing walls beckon youngsters. Plus, sensory-friendly playtime is available. Kids will remember the Adventure Hub.

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For kids interested in the arts, there are opportunities aplenty in Madison. | Photo by 608today

Crafty kids

Madison Children’s Museum | A classic choice, the museum boasts a variety of hands-on educational exhibits. Kids will remember the Rooftop Ramble.

Monroe Street Arts Center | MSAC offers a mix of programming for creative kids interested in exploring sculpting, painting, or mixed media art. Kids will remember the day off camps that fall on Madison Metropolitan School District’s off-days.

Techy tykes

Maydm | Empowering girls and youth of color to pursue careers in STEM, programs include 3D printing and eco-friendly design. Kids will remember developing their own video games.

Stellar Tech Girls | Girls will have the opportunity to do hands-on experiments, facilitated by women role models. Kids will remember training like astronauts.

Splash around

Rutabaga Paddlesports | Youth programs include counselor-led canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard camps. Kids will remember learning about water safety.

Splash parks | Head over to one of the city’s three splash parks this summer which typically open around Memorial Day. Kids will remember staying cool while having fun.

A sandhill crane walks behind a tree.jpg

The UW-Madison Arboretum is 12,000 acres with assorted flora and fauna. | Photo by 608today

Great outdoors

Aldo Leopold Nature Center | After-school programs, field trips, birthday parties, and more can be had in Monona. Kids will remember getting a closer look at their local ecosystem.

UW-Madison Arboretum | Offering family walks, activities, and summer camps, children will learn about the seasonal changes in Madison. Kids will remember seeing beautiful birds.
    15 more ideas this way
    Asked

    Kid-friendly bars and breweries are:
    A. A life-saver for me and my family
    B. A fun place to gather with a group of friends
    C. Places I actively avoid
    D. Somewhere in between
    Hops, skips, and jumps
    Events
    Friday, March 29
    • Working Draft Beer Company Anniversary | Friday, March 29-Saturday, March 30 | Hours vary | Working Draft Beer Co., 1129 E. Wilson, Madison | Cost of purchase | Celebrate Working Draft’s 6th anniversary with new beer releases, food trucks, games, and more.
    • Tani Diakite and the AfroFunkstars | Friday, March 29 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Cafe CODA, 1224 Williamson St, Madison | $15 | Listen to some deeply felt blues from a man playing the Kamale n’goni, a West African ancestor to the banjo.
    Saturday, March 30
    • Visit with Icelandic Horses | Saturday, March 30 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Bruce Company Garden Center, 2830 Parmenter St., Middleton | Free | If you’ve ever wanted to have your photo taken with Icelandic horses you can now cross it off your bucket list.
    • Easter Egg Hunt | Saturday, March 30 | 12-2 p.m. | Texas Roadhouse West Madison, 7104 Watts Rd., Madison | Cost of purchase | In between eating ribs and steaks, kids can take photos with the Easter Bunny and hunt for eggs at 12:15 p.m.
    • Local Author Day | Saturday, March 30 | 1 p.m. | West Madison Barnes & Noble, 7433 Mineral Point Rd., Madison | Free | Show your support for local literature by meeting a diverse group of local authors.
    Sunday, March 31
    • Public Meditation | Sunday, March 31 | 8 p.m. | Diamond Way Buddhist Center of Madison, 104 King St., Madison | Free | All are welcome to this talk and guided meditation.
    • David Nihill | Sunday, March 31 | Comedy on State, 202 State St., Madison | $25-$35 | Come chuckle with the winner of the prestigious San Francisco Comedy Competition and runner up to The Moth’s national grandSLAM storytelling competition.
    Monday, April 1
    • Eyes on the Skies | Monday, April 1 | 6 p.m. | Middleton Public Library, 7425 Hubbard Ave., Middleton | Free | Learn about stars, constellations, planets, and other interesting objects in the sky and how you can view them yourself at home.
    • Rigby-oke | Monday, April 1 | 10 p.m.-12 a.m. | The Rigby, 119 E. Main St., Madison | Cost of purchase | Take the stage, if you so choose, for your chance at becoming the singer of the week.
    Events calendar here
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    News Notes
    Development
    • Regent Street is on the rise due to a recent surge in housing construction. The Clover Commons apartment recently opened, and Atmosphere Madison is due to open by September. Madison’s Planning Division is approving over 4,000 housing units a year throughout the city. (WMTV)
    Sports
    • The Badgers men’s hockey team battles defending national champion Quinnipiac in the NCAA regional semifinals today. The puck drops at 4:30 p.m. CST in Providence, Rhode Island. The game airs on ESPNEWS.
    Outdoors
    • What is your vision for Madison’s parks and open spaces? The city is holding a series of drop-in sessions for you to share your thoughts. The first session is at Vel Phillips High School on Thursday, April 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
    Trending
    • Jenn Tran, the first Asian American lead on “The Bachelorette,” is a UW-Madison alum. Tran earned her bachelor’s of science in molecular biology. She’ll be the lead on season 21, airing this summer. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
    Edu
    • Parents can now track the Madison Metropolitan School District’s buses that their children ride. The district’s new FirstView Transportation app provides location data through GPS tracking and sends notification alerts when the student’s bus is close.
    Civic
    • Middleton is launching a community housing survey to its community members to improve the resident experience. The survey examines various aspects of housing, including costs, population size, traffic, and more. (Channel 3000)
    Cause
    • The Latino Chamber of Commerce received $5 million from the federal government to renovate and enhance its facility on Verona Road in Fitchburg. The funding will support a space called The Gateway, designed to provide resources for local entrepreneurs. (In Business)
    Finance
    Health
    • Did you know there’s a field of science that studies how our genes interact with prescription drugs? It’s called pharmacogenomics. We’re breaking down the research that goes into this science + why it’s important with help from the top principal investigator for All Of Us Research Program Wisconsin — learn more.*
     
    Food

    🍕 The big cheese

    Vote in 608today’s pizza bracket
    A graphic with a piece of pizza on the right hand side and the words Pizza Bracket Winner on the right.png
    Ian’s Pizza, with three locations in Madison, has been voted the best pizza in Mad City. | Graphic by 608today
    And the bracket winner is… Ian’s Pizza, voted the best pizza in Madison by our readers and social media followers in our 608today pizza shop bracket.

    Quintessentially Madison, Ian’s Pizza has been around for years. It prides itself on supplying locals with affordable NY-style pizza in a wide variety of old-school and original pizza combinations (did you try the Friday Fish Fry pizza?).

    We want to extend a major “thank you” to all of you for participating in our bracket challenge over the past few weeks. We’ve had a blast seeing how the votes shook out, and we hope you did too.

    Looking for more pizza shops around town? Check out our guide.
    The Buy

    The Buy 3.29.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
    The handy dandy jar opener you never knew you needed. Mount it under a kitchen cabinet and easily twist open jars and bottles with one hand. Bonus: The jar opener was designed to be easy to use for older adults and those with carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis.
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    The Wrap
     
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    Today’s edition by:
    Jonathan
    From the editor
    I’ve always liked going to the zoo, as a kid and with my own kids.

    I’ve always thought that if I was to be able to have any animal as a pet (properly giving it all its wants and needs, of course) it would be a polar bear.

    The Henry Vilas Zoo has Berit and, honestly, I’m a little jealous.
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