Cheap Things to Do With Kids Near Portland, Maine

Summer Concerts

• Enjoy a family outing to one of the free ̶0;Summer in the Parks̶1; concerts at Western Prom Park, Deering Oaks Park or Fort Sumner Park. Select a favorite musician or entertainer from the yearly schedule, and tote a picnic blanket and lawn chairs to the nearby bandstand. Make summer memories as a family while you expose your child to a variety of music genres from big band to acoustic folk to African rhythms.

Ice Skating

• Get some winter exercise at a Portland ice skating rink. While there are a number of rinks to choose from in the area, several offer free admission to kids with a paid adult ticket. The NHL-size Sherwood Ice Arena on Borchers Drive in Sherwood offers free skating to kids 4 and under. If you have older children in your family, take advantage of their Sunday $30 family pass deal for 4 people. Winterhawk Skating Center in Beaverton also offers free skating to children 5 and under. At Portland Ice Arena, any youth 17 or younger can skate for only $3 or purchase a booklet of 12 sessions for $30. (All prices as of 2013)

Children's Museum and Theater

• Although regular admission to the Children̵7;s Museum of Maine is $9, up to six visitors can receive a half-off discount if one person has an ACM Reciprocal Admission card from another museum. For another discounted option, plan your trip on the first Friday night of the month to pay only $2 per person. Families can learn about whales or the science of balls in motion before visiting the Toddler Park, Car Repair Shop or Lobster Boat exhibits. You and your children could easily spend a day wandering through the halls of learning -- from Discovery Woods to Ranger Station to the Space Shuttle.

Portland Library Events

• Take advantage of a host of free family educational entertainment at the Portland Library in Monument Square -- from the permanent 75 feet of wall space at the Lewis Gallery to the Cultural Center in the lower level. Explore the calendar of special events for choices like movie showings, concerts and children̵7;s author speakers. Or enjoy the weekly regular offerings like the Tales for Twos, Preschool Story Time or Finger Fun for Babies.