MINNEAPOLIS — If your kids get let out for spring break in the next few days and you didn't plan a vacation, there are plenty of new things to do with the family around the Twin Cities that don't cost a dime.
Starting Sunday, March 27, the Mall of America will host eight days of family-friendly activities, games, and performances to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX -- 50 years of girls and women in sports.
The celebration includes performances from local groups such as the Twin Cities Trapeze Center, Twin Cities Skaters, and the Vikings Skol line.
Kids can put their basketball skills to the test by visiting the Bucket Challenge powered by Xcel Energy, located at the North Entrance of the Mall, and compete against opponents in a basketball version of Connect Four.
The events each day begin at 10:00 or 11:00 am, from March 27 to April 3. Learn more here.
With a big event like NCAA Women's Final Four in town, the Minneapolis Convention Center is pulling out all the stops to make sure there are plenty of things to do for both locals and people visiting town for the tournament. April 1-3, the Convention Center will transform into Tourney Town, the official fan festival. Starting at 9:00 a.m., each day will be filled with activities for families. It includes mascot meet-and-greets and an event called "Bounce," in which the first 2,000 kids to sign up get a free NCAA Women's Final Four basketball and t-shirt.
Throughout much of the pandemic, the Minnesota Children's Museum had paused their monthly "Free First Sundays," where families can enjoy the museum for free. In February, they announced a partnership with a new sponsor, Securian Financial, and started back up. Now, there's a new process in place to make sure guests can avoid lines and crowds.
Families need to register for their free ticket online ahead of time. The ticketed event for April is already fully booked, but visit the website to stay posted on updates for May.