Wisconsin in the Winter?

I’ll admit it isn’t my first choice. Milwaukee in the Summer is my favorite – you can read my full ode to amazing Milwaukee Summer Fun in this post. 

BUT there are a lot of fun things to do in Milwaukee no matter how cold it is outside.

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Winter with Kids
in Milwaukee WI

People who live in the northern states of the US have a certain amount of pride about their hearty ability to withstand cold. Stories there often start with something like “the windchill was negative 20 and we had to walk 5 miles…” 

It has a different feel to it than the Scandinavian belief about there being “No Such Thing as Bad Weather” only bad clothes – but it’s along those lines. 

Winter with kids is hard though.

The loads clothes required. Their limited mobility once you finally get them bundled. That inevitable moment when you finally have everyone all geared up to head outside and someone poops or needs to go potty.

We lived in Minnesota and Wisconsin until our twins were 3 and surviving is definitely the word I would use for how I felt getting through winter. 

However, there are TONS of things – both inside and out – to do in Milwaukee WI with kids in the Winter. These are people that survive Winter after Winter with families, so whether you are visiting or living in Milwaukee, fear not – you can still get out of the house and have fun in the Winter.

10 Top Winter Activities to do with Kids in Milwaukee, WI

Below I’m sharing my favorites so you too can survive those long winter months!

1. Milwaukee Art Museum

If you know anything at all about Milwaukee WI, it’s probably the famous Burke Brise Soleil (or moveable white wings) that soar over the Milwaukee Art Museum. They have become a major landmark in Milwaukee.

If you have never seen the inside of Milwaukee Art Museum you are missing out. Not only is it a gorgeous piece of architecture, but the museum works hard to curate an interesting and diverse collection of art. I was incredibly fortunate to attend an arts elementary school that took us on trips to this art museum 4 times a year starting in Kindergarten. I have no doubt this led to my love of art museums and ability to appreciate different types of arts.

Now the Milwaukee Art Museums is one of my favorite places to visit with my twins when we are in Milwaukee. It is welcoming to families and easy to navigate with children.

Here are some good things to know:

• The Museum’s website offers tips for families 
• There are also various programs for kids and teachers.
• Do NOT miss the kids art space downstairs where there is always a fun art project waiting for them.
• Museum is closed on Mondays except in the summer.
• When attending an art museum with young children, make sure to talk about expectations beforehand. Some ideas about what to discuss include;
  • Talk about what they will see at the art museum. Are you going to see a specific exhibit? Show them some pictures they can look for. Are you going to do a scavenger hunt and look for colors or shapes? Practice this beforehand. Are they going to see a particular artist? Introduce them to the artist.
  • General expectations (using walking feet, quiet voices, looking at the art with our eyes, but no touching)
  • Bring a notebook so they can make sketches or you can write down questions or ideas to talk about later.

2. Ice Skating at Red Arrow

This is kind of a Winter staple. This little rink sits in downtown Milwaukee. Rockefeller it is not – but it is charming (especially with the lights at night) and is MUCH cheaper than NYC.

Helpful hints:

• I recommend coming early in the morning with little kids so you have cleaner, less crowded ice.
• You can rent skates in all sizes and they all loan little penguins to push around the ice if you want to go that route for learners. 
• There is metered street parking on the nearby streets that isn’t too crowded during the week. 
• Avoid the week of Christmas because lots of people are off and it’s more crowded. 
• There is a Starbucks on the premises for coffee and treats when you need to warm up. 

Also Read: 10+ Things to do on Milwaukee’s East Side with Kids

3. Betty Brinn Children’s Museum

My kids adore the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. Their favorite part is the pretend town area with a bus and huge store and construction area and post office and car shop and news room. It’s one of the best I’ve seen of it’s kind. 

If your kids are a little older (at least 5) you might also consider Discovery World Museum across the street. It has more of a science and technology focus but is definitely better for older kids. 

To help you judge; my twins at age 7 enjoy both but we will age out of the Children’s Museum pretty soon. 

4. Milwaukee Public Library – Downtown

The library is one of our go-to cold weather places regardless of what city we are in, but the Milwaukee Public Library has a truly special children’s area.

Go to the downtown main branch where you’ll find the Betty Brinn children’s book area. There is a light house for the little ones to climb up for a view of up high, train table, lego table, and puppet area, not to mention the shelves and shelves of books. Beautiful details and immense selection.

5. Pettit National Ice Center

Don’t want to skate outside in the cold? No worries. The Pettit Center has you covered. 

This is an Olympic sized skating rink – essentially a huge icy loop that surrounds two hockey rinks. The website has more about hours and prices. 

Helpful Hints:

• It is still cold so I’d plan to dress in sweater or lighter jacket and wear mittens. 
• It tends to be loud because it’s a huge open echo-y space. 
• Avoid weekend evenings. It gets crowded with older kids which can be tough with little kids. 
• The ice is high quality. I love that for teaching kids. 

6. Rock Climbing at Adventure Rock

I love rock climbing for getting some physical activity with my kids. It challenges them. It tires them out. And they think it’s great fun.

Read this post for tips & more about our Adventure Rock experience.

7. Trampoline Park

We spent over two hours at the Helium Trampoline Park on our last trip to Milwaukee in the Winter and my kids LOVED it. It is certainly a good way to get out all those cooped up inside wiggles out. 

There is a huge trampoline area but there are also other activities like a ropes course, rock climbing wall and so much more. 

I’d say the two downsides for me are that it is loud which is stressful for one of my kids and that it is kind of expensive. 

8. The Domes

The Mitchell Park Conservatory, aka The Domes, is a delightful place to visit with children. It is high on our list of Wisconsin places to visit in the winter, although it is open year round.

The Conservatory has two permanent exhibits. The desert dome has a range of desert collections. There are cacti, succulents, shrubs, and arid-land bulbs. To be entirely honest, our toddlers were most interested in the rocks and running around (but for me that was completely okay).

The second is the tropical dome. Here there are over 1,200 kinds of tropical plants and birds. Our children were fascinated by the colors, birds, and waterfall. This is our favorite of the two permanent domes and a great starting point for conversations about colors, animals, plants, etc. Older children might enjoy sitting for a while with a notebook and basic art materials.

The third dome rotates. We love to visit during the model train exhibit usually between January-March.

9. Bowling

Bowling is one of Milwaukee’s favorites. Considering how bad I am at bowling I would be embarrassed to tell you how much time I spent at bowling alleys as a youth – but it is a classic Milwaukee activity. 

With lighter balls and a small group (less waiting) and bumpers, I think bowling is completely doable with kids about 4 years old and up. 

We love Bowlero in Wauwatosa, but there are a lot of great bowling alleys all over Milwaukee. 

10. Milwaukee Public Museum

The Milwaukee Public Museum is one of those nostalgic places that anyone who went to elementary school in Milwaukee remembers fondly.

The last time we visited it was with 3 preschoolers and a baby. This is definitely a place that all ages can enjoy.

Helpful Hints:

• Don’t miss The Streets of Old Wisconsin. This has always been my absolute favorite part of the Museum. If you only visit one part of the Museum with your little one, go here. 

• There is a fairly realistic T-Rex in the dinosaur area that my kids found terrifying when they were toddlers. 
• We love the Butterfly exhibit on the lower level. 
• I recommend visiting on a weekday morning. It is uncrowded. We had most of the museum to ourselves.
• It is a LOT of walking. Make sure your child(ren) are well rested and recently fed.
• Don’t feel bad about not seeing everything. Pick a few things you believe will be most interesting and follow their lead.
• There is an IMAX theater also at the museum.

Now obviously there are standard Winter activities like Sledding that I didn’t include below. (If you need a sledding hill recommendation in Milwaukee let me know!) 

There are also some activities, like going to see a play at First Stage, which I absolutely recommend – but didn’t include. This list is more about activities and places for getting out those wiggles. Places your kids can move or engage with something – not just sit and watch activities. 

When my twins are jumping off furniture and I can’t send them to the backyard – this list is the kind of activities that I am looking for in the Winter. I hope they help you too!

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