5 Affordable Parent & Child Activities in Austin

If you don’t already know, getting out of the house with a young child is always an ordeal and anything but relaxing. However, with a bit of planning and an exciting destination, Austinites can find many places around town that make getting out of the house with your little one a fun experience, instead of a stressful one. Now, let Austin Fit do the heavy lifting for you; this guide features five fun, affordable activities and classes for Austin parents and their young children.

Storytime with BookPeople

Local author & educator Nicholas Solis shares an encore reading of his book My Town / Mi Pueblo at Pease Park on Oct. 22, 2022. // Courtesy of BookPeople

BookPeople is just that; they’re book people. The largest independent bookstore in Texas, BookPeople encourages Austinites to celebrate and support the rich, thriving literary community here. To help Austin parents set their children up for success through the power of reading, BookPeople offers free weekly storytime events as an accessible way for parents to get out of the house and enjoy reading with their children. Load your kids up and head downtown to the BookPeople amphitheater every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for a wide variety of storytime events you and your little ones will surely cherish for years to come.

Baby & Me Swim Classes at The Swim School Austin

Infants are familiar with a watery environment, so introducing them to swimming early is a great way to establish their water skills. The Swim School Austin offers swim classes for all ages, including their parent-child classes, which are especially for caregivers and their young babies ages 6 months to 36 months. The warm water class is a fun and safe way for caregivers and their children to experience the fun of swimming. It introduces babies to kicking, blowing bubbles and going underwater. To make it even more exciting, the Baby & Me class includes songs and games to keep the little ones engaged the whole time. Be sure to have your baby dressed in a swim diaper before class, and come enjoy a watery world with your little one.

Our Outdoors by Free Forest School

Spending time outdoors is beneficial to everyone, and young kids are no exception. Both parents and their children can benefit both mentally and physically from the mood-boosting power of outdoor activity. The Free Forest School offers its Our Outdoors program, helping parents and kids feel connected with themselves, each other and nature. The program is a virtual hub of learning and connection; it aims to cultivate an inclusive community of empowered people by using unstructured outdoor play to help kids gain confidence, curiosity and independence. Parents can use the virtual guides or attend one of the group outdoor events hosted by Free Forest School.

My Coding Place

Courtesy of My Coding Place

Getting outdoors and being active are important activities for young children, but it’s equally important for young kids to exercise their minds. My Coding Place offers many programs and events for kids to stretch those brain muscles. They offer an after-school coding program for children 7-12 years, and they also have tutoring and camps during school breaks. Though these programs require a small fee, My Coding Place also hosts free chess tournaments every month, and as a special treat to young Austinites, they offer a free scheduled 30-minute trial for kids interested in giving coding a try.

Music Together Classes at TuneBugz

Dedicated to providing the best research-based music, movement and language classes for young kids, TuneBugz offers various classes for kids from birth to 8 years old. Their Music Together Babies Only class is for infants 9 months and under and gets them ready for the TuneBugz Mixed Ages class. The 45-minute in-person class is specifically geared toward infants, inducting both baby and caregiver into the developmental benefits of the Music Together curriculum.

Austin is full of adventures for all ages and interests. It may seem like a daunting task to get out of the house with a young child, but it doesn’t have to be; it just takes a little planning.