How many days until the kids go back to school? Not that we’re counting. The bottom line is summer has just begun. If you’re already crawling to the finish line like I am, here are a few ideas to keep the kids busy without impacting the budget. Three words: Local library passes. In my 5 years as a stay-at-home mom, I’ve explored the libraries of the Triad area extensively. If it’s free, it’s for me, and I’d like to also share it with you!

Forsyth County Public Library

The Forsyth County Public Library system has a total of 28 Kaleideum passes available for checkout. The number of guests it covers is incredibly generous. The last time we went, the limit was 4 adults and 6 children. The passes are first come, first served, so you can’t reserve a pass in advance. You can see which branches have passes available, as well as due dates here.

Our library of choice is the Walkertown branch. No matter which branch you prefer within the library system you’ll also find passes to the Reynolda House available. You can view those available passes and due dates here. This is a gorgeous option for older kids, or those of you braver than me. The one time I took my 5-year-old I was terrified she would escape and smash an antique, or try to jump in the pool, or just generally tear the place down.

Davidson County Public Library

The Thomasville Public Library is one of our favorites. They have an amazing children’s section, which is in its own room and absolutely stuffed with toys and activities. Honestly, you could easily pass an afternoon in the children’s section alone. Davidson County Public Library branches offer Winston-Salem Dash baseball tickets, through the end of the 2025 baseball season.

But the reason I’m including it in this list is because of the zoo passes Davidson County Public Library offers to library members. You can reserve two passes at a time, and you can do this every 6 months. The one tricky thing is that when you reserve the passes, you do have to commit to what date you want to go to the zoo. This can be a little nerve-wracking but I will say that we’ve used these passes more than once and have never had to cancel due to weather. To get zoo and/or baseball passes, call or stop by your local branch.

High Point Public Library

High Point Library’s Borrow an Experience program is the most comprehensive in the area. They offer so many passes to area attractions that they actually break it down by season. Year-round options include High Point City Lake Park, the Nido & Mariana Qubein Children’s Museum, Kaleideum, and the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum. They also offer a zoo pass but, like Thomasville, you do have to commit to what day you want to go. New timeslots open on Monday mornings, so if you want to Borrow a particular Experience I would check the website then. Signups can be found here. This year the library also offered the Read Out of the Park program, wherein kids can earn Hi-Toms and Rockers tickets for minutes spent reading. The program has wrapped up for the 2025 season, but we will definitely be keeping an eye out for it next year!

Alamance County Public Libraries

A program my family is eager to try this summer is Alamance County Public Library’s Zoom Passes! These passes grant access to several local attractions, including the NC Zoo, Kidzu Children’s Museum, the Animal Park at the Conservators Center, and the Children’s Museum of Alamance, to name a few. Per the library’s website, it looks like one pass is typically good for two tickets/admissions. These passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up here.

Guilford County Public Library

While Guilford County doesn’t currently offer attraction passes, they do have some really unique programs worth checking out with your library card. The 3D printer at the Glenn McNairy branch lets kids (and adults!) turn creative designs into real-life objects. You can learn more and even schedule time on the printer here.

Another fun option is the Greensboro Seed Library at the Kathleen Clay Edwards branch. Families can “check out” seeds to plant at home and then collect seeds from their harvest to bring back—an awesome way to teach kids about gardening and sustainability. Learn more about how the seed library works here.

NC State Park Pass

The final cost-free offering I want to share with you is the NC State Park pass. This incredible program includes benefits for state parks throughout North Carolina, but what caught our attention was the Hanging Rock access, including both swimming and boating! These passes are available at Walnut Cove, King, or Danbury Library, with three passes available for check-out at each of the three branches of the Stokes County Public Library system. You can check the status of a pass here.

The best part is that all of this is free with your library card. I hope this list helps you find some new adventures!

And if you happen to have a 4th grader, check out the free National Park passes!

by Emily Eagle

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