By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published May 31, 2021 at 10:06 AM

As with everything these days, we urge you to call ahead to check opening hours, which may be limited during the coronavirus outbreak.

Looking for fun stuff to do in and around Milwaukee for kids of all ages? From smelling the roses at Boerner Botanical Gardens to visiting Old World Wisconsin, this list is chock full of suggestions, both popular and little-known, to keep your little ones entertained all year long.

Read on and have a blast. If you have more suggestions, share them with us and your fellow readers by using the Talkback feature at the bottom.

  1. Visit the Domes
  2. Make friends with the animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo
  3. See a big movie or the stars at the Daniel M. Soref National Geographic Dome Theater & Planetarium
  4. Make the second rattlesnake rattle at Milwaukee Public Museum (snake button!)
  5. Discover art at the Milwaukee Art Museum
  6. Smell the roses at the Boerner Botanical GardensPHOTO: VISIT Milwaukee
  7. Pedal a swan paddleboat on the Veterans Park lagoon
  8. Take a splash at one of Milwaukee County Parks pools or splash pads
  9. Explore the Betty Brinn Children's Museum
  10. Say the password to access lunch at the Safe House
  11. Enjoy a play at First Stage Milwaukee
  12. Find something unusual at American Science and Surplus
  13. Get the perfect yo-yo at Art Smart's Dart Mart & Juggling Emporium
  14. Watch the roasters at Colectivo Coffee on Humboldt
  15. Go fly a kite at the lakefrontPHOTO: VISIT Milwaukee
  16. Play laser tag at Kids In Motion
  17. Strap on skates and take to the ice at the Pettit National Ice Center
  18. Crawl through the play tubes at American Family Insurance Field
  19. Slide into the water park at Inglenook Hotel
  20. Drive your parents crazy by taking them to Chuck E. Cheese's
  21. Feed fish and other aquarium life at the Urban Ecology Center 
  22. Eat a slice of apple pie or pick a pumpkin in autumn at the Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago
  23. Get airborne at the Wauwatosa Skate ParkPHOTO: VISIT Milwaukee
  24. Enjoy story time at one of the Milwaukee Public Libraries
  25. Roller skate at Skateland
  26. Take a walk on the Milwaukee River Trails
  27. Ride the East Troy Electric Railroad
  28. Step back in time at Trimborn Farm & Curtin House
  29. Write a fan letter to your favorite Brewers, Bucks or Packers player
  30. Watch the planes take off at Timmerman Field
  31. Cruise Lake Michigan on the Denis Sullivan, the world's only recreation of a 19th century sailing vessel
  32. Skip rocks on Pewaukee Lake
  33. See how the other half lived at The Pabst Mansion
  34. Visit Villa Terrace and pretend you're in Italy
  35. Commune with nature at the Riveredge Nature Center
  36. Get your parents to take you to a Brew City Bruisers bout
  37. Get a taste of farm life at Green Meadows Farm in East Troy
  38. Ride the bumper cars at StoneFire Pizza Co.
  39. Jump around at Bounce Milwaukee
  40. Check out how Wisconsin residents lived in the 1800s at Pioneer Village
  41. See how root beer is made at Sprecher Brewery
  42. Tour the lakefront at warp speed on a Segway
  43. Volunteer at the Wisconsin Humane Society or simply visit to check out the cute, fluffy, four-legged creatures
  44. Feed the geese at the Veterans Park lagoon (but no bread, please)
  45. Hike on the wooded paths at Lake Park
  46. Learn about nature at the Schlitz Audubon Nature CenterPHOTO: Visit Milwaukee
  47. See what frontier life was like at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle 
  48. Ride the The Hop
  49. Bike the Hank Aaron State Trail
  50. Hit golf balls at a driving range
  51. Bowl a few games at Bay View Bowl or Koz's Mini Bowl
  52. Jump in the lake and play on the cool equipment at Atwater Beach
  53. Grab a bucket and go fishing with dad
  54. Go sledding on St. Mary's hill
  55. Play pinball in the Landmark Lanes arcade
  56. Enjoy Pete's Pops on a hot day
  57. Stroll along the Riverwalk and see the big neon fish
  58. Try out Adventure Rock's climbing wallPHOTO: Adventure Rock MKE
  59. Savor the flavor of the day at Kopp's
  60. Go miniature golfing
  61. Take a geocache tour
  62. Picnic among the art at Lynden Sculpture Garden
  63. Plant a garden
  64. Visit the cool Old World sausage shop at Usinger's
  65. Share Milwaukee history at the Forest Home Cemetery
  66. Play ping-pong at Evolution
  67. Chase butterflies at the Wehr Nature Center
  68. Connect with a curveball at batting cages
  69. Drive up to Leon's for a burger and fries, '50s style!
  70. Get your (board) game on at Hangout MKE
  71. Cheer for the Bucks at the Fiserv Forum
  72. Sample step dancing at the Irish Cultural & Heritage Center
  73. Cuddle with the kitties at Sip 'n' Purr cat cafe
  74. Find a treasure at the Mars Cheese Castle
  75. Experience the down-home fun of Lakeshore Chinooks baseball
  76. Learn something new at Discovery WorldPHOTO: VISIT Milwaukee
  77. Take part in a nature program at Havenwoods Environmental Awareness Center
  78. Watch Packers training camp at the Don Hutson Center in Green Bay
  79. Brush up on Milwaukee's story at the Milwaukee County Historical Society
  80. Take a class at Danceworks
  81. Explore an island at Lakeshore State Park
  82. Eat a pizza while you see at movie at Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse
  83. Request your favorite song at Organ Piper Pizza
  84. See a movie at the Hi-Way 18 drive-in theater
  85. Take a scuba lesson at Port Deco Diversin Port Washington
  86. Join the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra
  87. Marvel at the falls in Menomonee Falls
  88. Go horseback riding in Ozaukee County
  89. Have lunch at Red Robin
  90. Convince mom and dad to drive you down to Great America
  91. Learn about maritime history at the Port Exploreum in Port Washington
  92. "Ride" a Harley at the Harley-Davidson Museum PHOTO: VISIT Milwaukee
  93. Try one of the new foods at Summerfest
  94. Take a tour of the post office
  95. Eat Kettle Korn
  96. Take music lessons at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
  97. Climb to the top of the steeple at Holy Hill
  98. Eat something on a stick at the Wisconsin State Fair
  99. Go back in time at Old Falls Village Museum
  100. Learn how to solve a Rubik's Cube
  101. Enjoy open gym time at Swiss Turners
Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.