They say, growing up in Montana makes you hardy as we get our fair share of extreme weather (both highs and lows). This makes moms, like me, pretty thankful we have indoor recreation options for the whole family no matter the weather. I’ve written about a few of my family’s favorites below.
Wise Wonders is one of our favorite places in Billings because they encourage kids to touch and play with a wide variety of exhibits. Wise Wonders uses STEM to make fun, interactive exhibits, programs, and special events to help develop critical thinking, communications skills, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. They offer play areas for children aged 1-13.
We’re lucky to have a top-notch library here in town. The community of Billings voted in a new library in 2011 and in 2014 it opened its doors. It’s a beautiful LEED Gold-certified building downtown. The children’s section houses a play area, a reading tower with wonderful story times, and they offer so many extra programs, most available for free or for a minimal cost. There’s also programming specifically for teenagers including a TECH Lab and more.
The Reef is the largest indoor water park in the state! Ride the waves of the 55,000-gallon wave pool. For bigger kids and us parents, plunge down the three-story Barracuda Blaster or Tropical Twister. But our favorite part of The Reef is the giant interactive playhouse with slides, mini-tubes, squirt guns, tunnels, and a 250-gallon dump bucket.
Steepworld houses over 2,500 square feet of climbing gym plus a fitness mezzanine with cardio and fitness equipment. They’re always happy to help you find the equipment/toys you need, teach you to climb, or host your party. A colorful, safe, and welcoming place where everything is clean and the staff is always friendly.
Trampolines, Kiddie Court, Dodgeball, Ninja Activities, Fidget Ladder, Slamball, Slackline, and Foam Pits… with your first step into Get Air it’s quick to see why everyone loves this place! Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-noon, they offer Toddler time which is a great activity for those with littles.
For those of you who aren’t afraid of a little weather… Montana’s only zoo is open and fun all year round, but depending on the weather their hours can change. It offers a zoological park, a botanical garden, a playground, nice walking paths, and a gift shop. ZooMontana hosts a variety of fun events and programming throughout the year including concerts, movie nights, festivals, ZooTots, and so much more. They’re just about finished with a new waterfowl exhibit which we’re very excited about seeing. My son regularly talks about how we’re big fans of Ozzy the Grizzly Bear and Winston the Sloth in our house!
