10 Fun Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale with Kids This Summer
Look, summer in Fort Lauderdale is no joke. It’s hot. It’s humid. School’s out. And suddenly you’re staring down three whole months of keeping tiny humans entertained without losing your mind — or your savings account.
The good news? We actually live in one of the best places in Florida to do this. Between the amazing free library programs, the splash pads, the pirates (yes, actual pirates), and the surprisingly excellent museum scene, Fort Lauderdale with kids in summer is genuinely great, once you know where to go and what to skip.
I’ve been testing all of this out with my two toddlers in tow, which means I have strong opinions about what’s actually worth the effort and what is going to end in a meltdown mid adventure. Here are my top 10 things to do in Fort Lauderdale with kids this summer, from free to a little splurge-y, indoors and out.
1. Library Story Time at the Broward Main Library (Free!)
I will put library story time at number one on every single list I ever write, and I will not apologise for it. It is free, it is air-conditioned, someone else is doing the entertaining, and you get to sit down. In summer. With your children. FOR FREE. If that isn’t the definition of a win, I don’t know what is.
The Broward Main Library in downtown Fort Lauderdale runs story times on Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 AM — and these are not your average sit-quietly-while-someone-reads sessions. We’re talking bubbles, music, toys, arts and crafts, and the legendary “library grandma” who my toddler is absolutely obsessed with. It genuinely feels like a proper event, and it costs absolutely nothing.
But here’s the thing — this isn’t just a Broward thing. Every single Miami-Dade and Broward County library runs its own story time program, and they’re all free. Some have special themes, some have visiting characters, some (like Oakland Park Library) have firemen and police officers come in with actual fire trucks and police cars outside. The variety is brilliant and there is genuinely something happening somewhere in the county almost every day of the week.
Check the Broward County Library events page or the Miami-Dade Public Library website to find a story time near you and see what’s on this week.
Pro Tip: Most libraries also have indoor toddler play areas that are open during regular library hours — no story time required. It’s a free indoor activity you can drop into any time you need to escape the heat.
2. Splash Pads (Free!)
Let me tell you my feelings about taking toddlers to the beach — it’s essentially a military operation that ends with sand in places sand has no business being and a full-scale meltdown before you’ve even put your bag down.
Splash pads are the answer. They’re free, they’re fenced, and the water is controlled. No waves. No rip currents. No one running headfirst into the Atlantic. Fort Lauderdale and Broward County has some brilliant ones dotted around the area — I did a whole guide on the best free splash pads in Broward County if you want the full rundown.
Pro Tip: Water shoes are a must and get there early before it gets crowded. Bonus: you can sit down while they play. SITTING DOWN.
3. Museum of Discovery & Science (MODS)
This is a full morning, not a quick visit. The Museum of Discovery & Science in downtown Fort Lauderdale is everything you want in a summer indoor activity — air-conditioned, interactive, and genuinely captivating for kids of all ages. Almost everything is designed to be poked, prodded, and climbed, and they rotate new special exhibits every few months so it never feels like the same visit twice.
Here’s just a taste of what’s in there: a Magna Tiles room filled with thousands of magnetic blocks that still blows my mind every single time, a little aquarium section with tropical fish, sea turtles, baby alligators, sharks and reptiles, an otter you can watch playing in his tank, a new interactive Everglades theatre, giant outdoor blocks to build with, Lego and Duplo stations, a real airplane cockpit where kids can sit and flip every single button and switch, and an IMAX theater showing genuinely engaging educational films. And then, the real draw for the toddler crowd, a dedicated toddler play area with a water splash zone and a two-story climbing frame. My toddler would move in permanently if I let her.
It is a lot. In the absolute best possible way.
The sneaky trick: Bank of America card holders get in FREE on the first full weekend of every month. Mark it in your calendar right now.
📍 401 SW 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Pro Tip: Go early and plan to stay till lunch. There is genuinely enough there to fill a full morning without anyone losing interest.
4. BlueFoot Pirate Adventures
If your kids are under 10, stop what you’re doing and book this immediately. BlueFoot Pirate Adventures is a 90-minute interactive cruise where your kids become actual pirates, battle an enemy ship with water cannons, and come home with a bag of treasure. The crew stays completely in character the entire time — it is SO good.
My older one talked about nothing else for a week after. It’s one of those rare activities where everyone — kids and adults — has an actually great time. It sells out fast in summer so book ahead.
📍 Dania Beach Marina, 151 N Beach Rd, Dania Beach, FL 33004 — Dock G28
Pro Tip: Kids will get wet from the water battle. Bring a change of clothes and embrace it — that’s the whole point.
5. The Free LauderGO! Water Trolley
This is one of those Fort Lauderdale secrets that not enough locals know about, and I feel like it’s my duty to spread the word. The LauderGO! Water Trolley is a completely free little water trolley that runs along the New River through downtown Fort Lauderdale and drops you off on Las Olas.
My toddler is absolutely obsessed with it. I make a full morning of it by starting at Virginia Young Park in Rio Vista — a gorgeous little park that’s right on the river — then walking north to catch the trolley at Stranahan Landing, cruising along the river, and stopping off on Las Olas for ice cream.
It takes about 20-30 minutes for the full ride and it’s one of those activities that feels like a proper little adventure without costing you anything.
📍 Stranahan Landing, 335 SW 2nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 (just opposite the Stranahan House Museum)
Pro Tip: Bring a couple of dollars to tip the captain, because they are lovely. And plan for an ice cream stop on Las Olas — it makes the whole thing feel like a proper outing.
6. Sugar Sand Park — A Free Wonderland!
Technically this is a park (and a free one at that), but calling Sugar Sand Park in Boca Raton “just a park” is a massive undersell. It is a toddler wonderland. The playground itself is enormous and genuinely unlike anything else in South Florida — think climbing structures that will keep kids busy for hours.
Right next door is a free indoor Science and Discovery Museum that’s perfect for cooling off when the heat becomes too much. My toddler could spend a solid hour in there, which — if you have a toddler — you know is basically an eternity.
It is a little outside Fort Lauderdale but absolutely worth the drive.
📍 300 S Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33486
Pro Tip: Arrive when it opens at 8 AM in summer. It’s shaded and beautiful at that hour. By 10:30 AM it starts to feel like the surface of the sun.
7. CB Smith Park & Paradise Cove Water Park
When you need a proper water park day but you’re not willing to drive to Orlando and spend your entire life savings, CB Smith Park in Pembroke Pines is the answer.
Paradise Cove has four five-story water slides (genuinely terrifying in the best way), Sharky’s Lagoon for littles, and a 410-foot lazy river called Crazy Creek where you can float while they play. It’s a Broward County park so the prices are way more reasonable than a theme park — and it is absolutely perfect for burning off energy on a hot summer day.
📍 900 N Flamingo Rd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028
Pro Tip: Go on a weekday if you can — summer weekends get very busy. And bring your own snacks because the food is overpriced (speaking from experience).
8. Sky Zone — For When They Have Energy You Simply Cannot Match
Some days your kids wake up with a level of energy that no park, no beach, and no amount of snacks is going to manage. Those days are for Xtreme Action Park.
This 200,000 square foot indoor entertainment complex has go-karts, bowling, trampolines, roller skating, laser tag, arcade games, a ropes course, and more. It’s all under one air-conditioned roof, which in a Fort Lauderdale summer is basically heaven. It’s not free, but for a really-need-to-get-through-this kind of summer day, it is absolutely worth it.
📍 5300 Powerline Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Pro Tip: Check their website for combo deals and book go-kart times in advance on weekends, it fills up fast!
9. Friedt Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
s it built on an ancient Indian burial ground? Is it voodoo? Clever intentional design? Or just pure dumb luck? Whatever it is, whenever I bring my kids here THEY LEAVE ME ALONE. Weirdly, my phone battery is also usually dead or like 5 minutes of mindless scrolling away from dying. I’m definitely leaning towards ancient Indian burial ground territory here.
Completely fenced in, lots of shade thanks to shade nets and big trees, misting palm trees, and lots of toddler-appropriate play structures — this newly renovated playground also has sand for toddlers to dig in, which is a completely different experience from the beach sand chaos because here, you are in charge. You are sitting down. You are present but not required.
Personally, I love the big round picnic table on the sand. It is probably the closest I get to truly relaxing — just plonking down, taking my shoes off, and digging my toes in the sand with no phone and no toddlers bothering me. It also sits a couple of degrees cooler than most parks thanks to the ocean breeze and the misters, which in a Fort Lauderdale summer is genuinely priceless.
And if everyone is in a good mood and you’re feeling brave, it’s a 2-minute walk down to the promenade for ice cream and a peek at the puppies at the puppy store. Which will either be the best idea you’ve ever had, or the beginning of a very long conversation about why we cannot bring a puppy home.
📍 4501 Bougainvilla Dr, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, FL 33308
Pro Tip: Bring a bag of sand toys — this park has gorgeous soft sand under the shaded trees and kids absolutely love digging in it. Fair warning: when you pack up to leave, you will make several other toddlers cry. I speak from experience. Pack up discreetly.
10. Kids Hideout — The Rainy Afternoon Saviour (And Honestly Just a Tuesday Saviour Too)
Every single summer there will be at least one week — probably more — where it rains every afternoon without fail. This is Fort Lauderdale. The afternoon thunderstorm is as reliable as the heat itself, and if you don’t have a plan for it, you will find yourself trapped indoors with fully-charged toddlers and absolutely nowhere to put all that energy.
Kids Hideout is my answer. And I want to be really specific about why I love this one over the louder, flashier indoor play options in Fort Lauderdale: it is small, calm, and quiet. No arcade machines. No electronic noise. No sensory overload. It’s a beautifully designed little pretend-play mini city — a kid-sized town where little ones just play, use their imaginations, and entertain themselves completely independently.
Which means you can sit in the parent lounge, which has full visibility of the play area, and actually do something. Answer emails. Doom scroll. Figure out what to make for dinner. Stare blankly into the middle distance and decompress. I have done all of these things at Kids Hideout in complete peace.
📍 1495 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Pro Tip: Check their open play schedule on Instagram (@kids.hideout) or their website before heading out, as they sometimes have private events or classes and can’t always take walk-ins. Call ahead to save yourself the heartbreak of an excited toddler at a locked door.
Feeding the Tarpon - Bonus outing Thats more for you than them
Okay technically this is a restaurant outing, not a kids activity. But I am including it anyway because it is one of my absolute favourite things to do in Fort Lauderdale with my two toddlers and I genuinely look forward to it more than they do — which is saying something, because they are obsessed.
Here’s the deal: 15th Street Fisheries sits right on the Intracoastal Waterway at Lauderdale Marina, and beneath the docks live some of the most enormous tarpon you have ever seen in your life. These fish are massive. Prehistoric looking. And they absolutely love frozen shrimp. You can buy bags of frozen shrimp for around $6 from the store at the fuel dock right there on site, and then you take your toddlers down to the dock and watch them absolutely lose their minds feeding giant fish that launch themselves out of the water to eat.
My two toddlers are completely and utterly captivated by it every single time. The tarpon come right up to the surface, mouths wide open, and the kids are both terrified and delighted simultaneously which is honestly peak toddler content.
And here’s the part that’s for ME: after a couple of bags of shrimp, the kids are happy, stimulated, and ready to sit down. Which means I get to sit outside on the dockside terrace, watch the mega yachts and boats drift by on the Intracoastal, and order a glass of wine and a bowl of mussels while the kids eat chicken nuggets and french fries and ice cream.
Just sitting outside. By the water. With a glass of wine. While my children are fed and content and not climbing on me.
Is it parenting? Barely. Is it worth every single penny? Absolutely.
📍 1900 SE 15th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Pro Tip: Head straight to the fuel dock store first to buy your shrimp before you sit down. Let the kids feed the tarpon till they are over it and then bribe them with french fries and ice cream to head to a table outside. Definitely go on weekdays to avoid the crows and a wait for a table!
Fort Lauderdale Summer Survival Tips
The golden formula for surviving a South Florida summer with kids: outdoor activity before 10 AM, indoor activity for the afternoon. Do not deviate from this. The heat will win every time.
And if all else fails, most Broward and Miami/Dade libraries have dedicated toddler play areas that are completely free, air-conditioned, and contained! You’re welcome.
Share this:
Discover more from The Lonely Mothers Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
