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Things to Do with Kids in Helena, Montana

Updated: Mar 12

Child with ponytail painting on a white wall with yellow and red paint. Bright colors and playful mood. Green hair tie visible.

Helena packs a surprising punch when it comes to family fun. From gold rush history and stunning architecture to natural hot springs and outdoor adventures, this charming mountain town offers the perfect mix of education, recreation, and Montana hospitality. Here's your complete guide to exploring Helena with kids!


Museums & Educational Attractions


📍995 Carousel Way  

đź“ž(406) 457-1800


Voted Best Place for Kids' Fun since 2011 by the Helena Independent Record, this interactive science center is a must-visit for families.


What Kids Love:

  • Giant Water Table: The star attraction where kids can spend hours engineering water flow, building dams, and experimenting with pumps and channels

  • Farm to Table Exhibit: Interactive displays about where food comes from

  • Bee Observatory: Watch live honeybees at work in a safe viewing area

  • Wheelchair Race: Kids love testing the challenges faced by people with disabilities

  • LED Wall: Arrange colored rods to create patterns and watch them light up

  • Scarves in Tubes: A perennial favorite using air flow to launch colorful scarves

  • Building and LEGO Areas: Plenty of hands-on construction play

  • Early Explorers: Free program for ages 0-5 (included with admission)


Montana WILD Education Center

📍2668 Broadwater Ave 

(406) 444-9944


Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' conservation education center is completely FREE and offers engaging exhibits about Montana's wildlife and ecosystems.


Features:

  • Live Fish Aquarium: Large tanks featuring native Montana fish species including trout, bass, and more

  • Taxidermy Displays: Get up close with bears, elk, wolves, mountain lions, and other animals you might not see in the wild

  • Famous Scavenger Hunt: Interactive learning activity that gets kids exploring every corner

  • Hands-On Exhibits: Touch furs, antlers, bones, and learn about animal adaptations

  • Outdoor Picnic Area: Beautiful setting adjacent to Spring Meadow Lake

  • Ambassador Raptors: View rehabilitated birds of prey around 9-10am as volunteers walk them around the center


đź“Ť1301 E 6th Ave


Tour this stunning copper-domed building for free — self-guided anytime during open hours, featuring beautiful murals, historical artwork, and Montana's working government. Guided tours also available in summer and on weekdays year-round


Kid-Friendly Features:

  • Lewis and Clark's dog "Seaman" scavenger hunt

  • Impressive rotunda with dome paintings

  • Historical artwork depicting Montana's pioneers, miners, cowboys, and Native Americans


Attractions & Entertainment


📍989 Carousel Way 

📞(406) 457-5353 


Called one of the finest carousels in the nation by the National Carousel Association, this hand-carved masterpiece features 37 unique Montana animals.


What Makes It Special:

  • Ride a grizzly bear, buffalo, bighorn sheep, cutthroat trout, bobcat, mountain goat, otter, wolf, antelope, or traditional horse

  • 14 hand-carved scenic rounding boards depicting Helena landmarks

  • Beautiful stained glass artwork throughout

  • Climate-controlled building (great for any weather!)

  • Painted Pony Ice Cream Parlor with Wilcoxson's ice cream (36+ flavors)

  • Gift shop


📍225 N Roberts St (Montana Historical Museum) 

📞(406) 442-1023 


Tour Helena's colorful past aboard an open-air wheeled train that's been showing visitors around since 1954!


Tour Highlights:

  • Cathedral of St. Helena with 230-foot spires

  • Reeder's Alley restored miners' village

  • Historic mansion district (Helena once had more millionaires per capita than any U.S. city!)

  • Old Fire Tower (built 1876)

  • Montana State Capitol

  • Pioneer Cabin (1864)

  • Unique downtown architecture with gargoyles, giant lizards, and thumbprints

  • Last Chance Gulch where gold was discovered


đź“Ť3351 Tricia St

đź“ž(406) 458-5867


Montana's premier indoor adventure park is a year-round destination packed with 30+ activities that'll wear out even the most energetic kids.


What Kids Love:

  • Interactive Climbing Walls: Challenge yourself on walls designed for all skill levels

  • Suspended Ropes Course: Navigate 13 different obstacles 20 feet in the air - swinging ladders, jungle ropes, and cargo nets!

  • Trampolines: Main court with angle walls and tumble track

  • Wipeout: Helena's most popular attraction - jump or duck under a padded arm as it swings around. Last one standing wins!

  • Battle Beam: One-on-one combat with soft battle sticks elevated above a foam pit

  • Giant's Castle: 3-story soft play area with obstacles and slides (ages 6 and under)

  • 60-foot Zipline: Soar through the air with a foam pit landing

  • Reaction Walls: Two-person competition to see who can hit the most light-up targets

  • Extreme Dodgeball: Hit your opponent's light-up targets while defending your own

  • Fidget Ladder: Test your balance crossing the ladder without falling into the foam pit


Special Events:

  • Glow Nights: Friday and Saturday nights with blacklights, cosmic lights, and music

  • Toddler Time: Thursdays 9-11am for younger children

  • Sunday Family Night: 4-8pm - one price for endless fun, jumps, pizza and memories


Parks & Outdoor Recreation


📍2715 Country Club Ave 

(406) 466-1224


This 30-acre spring-fed lake in the heart of Helena is a local favorite for year-round outdoor fun.


Summer Activities:

  • Swimming: Crystal-clear water perfect for cooling off (no lifeguard)

  • Beach Area: Sandy spots for building and playing

  • Free Life Jackets: Available for use (infant to adult sizes)

  • Fishing: Stocked with trout, bass, and sunfish; ADA-accessible fishing pier

  • Non-Motorized Boating: Kayaking, paddle-boarding, canoeing

  • Nature Trail: Easy 0.8-mile loop around the lake

  • Picnic Areas: Shelters, tables, grills

  • Bird Watching: Excellent spot for waterfowl and songbirds


Winter Activities:

  • Ice skating 

  • Ice fishing

  • Winter hiking on trails


Mount Helena City Park

Multiple trail access points throughout Helena. Helena's iconic mountain offers hiking trails suitable for various skill levels right from town.


Popular Family Trails:

  • 1906 Trail: Gentlest route to the top, 4 miles round trip

  • Prospect Shafts Trail: Moderate difficulty with interesting mining history

  • Summit Views: Spectacular panoramas of Helena Valley and surrounding mountains

  • Picnic Areas: Various spots along trails and at trailheads


Difficulty: Various trails from easy to challenging


đź“Ť1200 N Last Chance Gulch (within Centennial Park)

Helena's community bike park features three pump tracks, jump lines, a skills course, and cyclocross stairs - all FREE to use!

Features:

  • Three Pump Tracks: Beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels

  • Jump Lines: Various difficulty levels for BMX and mountain bikes

  • Skills Course: Practice technical riding skills

  • Beginner-Friendly: Perfect for kids learning to bike or improving their skills

  • Location: Right in Centennial Park alongside the playground and splash pad


Difficulty: Varies from beginner to advanced


📍3131 Gates of the Mountains Rd 

đź“ž(406) 458-5241


Named by Lewis and Clark, this spectacular boat tour takes you through towering limestone cliffs along the Missouri River.


Experience:

  • 2-hour narrated boat tour on covered, open-air boats

  • Wildlife viewing: bighorn sheep, mountain goats, eagles, ospreys, deer

  • Geology and history education

  • Possible stop at Meriwether Picnic Area for hiking

  • Bathroom facilities onboard boats


📍4920 W US Highway 12 

📞(406) 443-5777 


Helena's only geothermal mineral hot springs, just 10 minutes from downtown, offers family fun year-round.


Features:

  • 7 outdoor pools ranging from 97-102°F

  • Cold plunge pool

  • Soaking year-round (yes, even in winter!)

  • Poolside food and beverage service from Springs Taproom & Grill

  • Live music on Thursdays

  • Family-friendly atmosphere

  • Beautiful Big Sky Country views


Special:

  • Family Night: Wednesdays 4-8pm, kids 13 & under soak FREE with paying adult


đź“Ť1200 N Last Chance Gulch


Downtown park with playground equipment, open space, and splash pad (seasonal). Walking distance to Last Chance Gulch shopping area.


Unique Helena Experiences


đź“Ť101 Reeder's Alley

đź“ž(406) 843-5247


Walk through one of Montana's oldest streets, a charming restored miners' village from gold rush days (1870s).


What to See:

  • 19 original buildings from Helena's mining boom

  • Brick pathways and historic architecture

  • Shops and offices in restored structures

  • Free to walk through

  • Educational plaques about Helena's early days


đź“Ť5360 Castles Rd

đź“ž(406) 227-8989


What's Included:

  • Buckets of concentrated gravel

  • Mining instructions and equipment

  • Help identifying stones

  • Option to have gems cut and polished 


đź“Ť325 N. Park Ave

đź“ž(406) 442-4270


Community theater offers family-friendly shows throughout the year, including children's productions and classics.


đź“Ť42 N Last Chance Gulch

đź“ž(406) 442-1470


Step back in time at this iconic Helena sweet shop that's been handcrafting chocolates and treats since 1922 - over 100 years of sugary nostalgia!


What Makes It Special:

  • Hand-Dipped Chocolates: Over 130 types made with original recipes from 1922, using 10 tons of chocolate annually

  • Famous Caramels: Chocolate-covered caramels, wafers, and their signature "Parrots" (turtle-like confections)

  • Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain: Still operating original soda fountain serving handcrafted sodas and thick milkshakes

  • Homemade Ice Cream: Classic flavors served at the counter

  • The Famous Chili: Original recipe that's been made the same way for 80+ years

  • Nostalgic Atmosphere: Antique booths, working jukebox playing classic tunes, vintage decor covering walls and shelves

  • Tradition: Reusable chocolate boxes - buy once, bring it back every year to refill!


Popular with Kids:

  • Watching chocolates being hand-dipped at the candy counter

  • Playing songs on the jukebox

  • Choosing from the massive candy selection

  • Thick milkshakes and ice cream sundaes

  • The time-travel feeling of an authentic 1920s confectionery

Have a favorite spot or one that we missed? We'd love to hear from you! Send us a note here or comment on Facebook or Instagram!

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