Children's Activities in Missoula, MT

Along the Clark Fork River

• A Carousel for Missoula (carouselformissoula.com), situated on the bank of the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula, was hand-carved by volunteers. This is a fun and fast ride for kids of all ages. Those riding on the outside horses can try to grab rings as they whirl by; the person who grabs the brass ring wins a prize. Right next door to the carousel, you'll find Dragon̵7;s Hollow Playground (no website; Riverfront Trail, Missoula; no phone), an outdoor area with wooden dragons and castles. Both the carousel and Dragon̵7;s Hollow are within walking distance of Missoula̵7;s farmers markets (missoulafarmersmarket.com; missoulasaturdaymarket.org), which overflow with regional produce, meat and dairy. Food trucks in the area provide quick and lunches that the kids will likely enjoy.

Visit a Museum

• The Families First Children̵7;s Museum (familiesfirstmontana.org) offers kids the chance to dig up dinosaur bones, blow bubbles, build cities and put on puppet shows. An enclosed area designed especially for kids under age 2 offers a safe exploration zone for the smallest visitors. SpectrUM (spectrum.umt.edu) is an interactive science center on the University of Montana campus. Little science buffs will marvel at the opportunities for fun here. Exhibits cover many branches of science in ways that kids can understand and enjoy. Aspiring doctors can even swab a giant nose and diagnose what's making it run.

Go to a Game

• The University of Montana Grizzlies (gogriz.com) have several men's and women's sports teams, including football, basketball and baseball teams, so there's always a game to watch. You can take the kids to a Grizzly football game at the Washington-Grizzly Stadium at John Hoyt Field (no website; 32 Campus Drive; 406-243-4749), or go to a basketball game at Dahlberg Arena (no website; 32 Campus Drive; 406-243-5355. Grizzly fans are loud and fun-loving, so be prepared to get caught up in the celebratory atmosphere, which is contagious. Hockey fans can watch the local junior hockey team, the Missoula Maulers (missoulamaulers.com) at Glacier Ice Rink (glaciericerink.com), an indoor rink that offers figure skating and curling as well. There's also a rugby team, the Missoula Maggots (maggots.org), which puts on a rowdy show on weekends during the spring and fall at the Ft. Missoula Rugby Pitch (fortmissoulapark.org).

Get Outside

• The nearby Lolo National Forest (fs.usda.gov/lolo) encompasses 2 million acres where hiking and biking trails, campsites and other recreational opportunities abound for the kids to enjoy. The Missoula Ranger District (no website; Fort Missoula Bldg. 24; (406) 329-3814), has maps of all the hiking and biking trails, as well as information on the area's lakes and hot springs. At Lolo Hot Springs (lolohotsprings.com), the entire family can enjoy the same warm, soothing waters that weary travelers enjoyed in the early 1800s. Located 35 miles southwest of Missoula, the natural hot springs amenities include a restaurant, campground and guided horseback riding.