⚠️ Always confirm before you go. Kids-eat-free deals are set location-by-location — the day, hours, age limit and whether a specific spot takes part all vary, and they change without notice. Listings marked ✓ verified are backed by the restaurant's own site or a dated announcement; reported ones are recently listed but worth a call; national offers differ by franchise. Spot something off? Hit ⚑ Flag / Add a Deal above.
A free kids meal is a good start. Here's what to do with the rest of the day without undoing the savings — the free-and-near-free programs that run all year, plus the console-gaming math and the summer movie series while it lasts.
Kids Bowl Free
Registered kids get two free games a day all season at 1,500+ centers plus US military bases — up to six kids on one account. The adult Family Pass starts around $34.95 (covers 2–4 adults for the summer), but don't pay sticker: it runs discount codes regularly and has hit $29.95, so check for one first. Shoe rental and age/date limits are set by each center; coupons load on the program's start date, not when you register.
Kids Skate Free
Two free skating passes per child, per week, all year — they refresh every Monday. Read the terms, because the name oversells it: it's $5.99/year per child (not a one-time family fee), rentals aren't included (~$3–$6), and it runs through the MyHownd app only. Coverage is thin — around 91 rinks — so check for one near you first. (The program site's $5.99/yr beats the $4.99/week some rink pages still show; trust kidsskatefree.com.)
Free museum days
Most cities have at least one museum with a standing free family day — usually a specific Saturday or Sunday each month. Check your local art museum and children's museum directly; these are rarely advertised outside their own sites.
Free fishing days & report-card freebies
Every state waives its fishing license at least one day a year (dates vary) — but in most states, kids fish free every day already, so check your age exemption first. And a number of chains hand out free food or activities for good grades — worth collecting at the end of each term. The 2026 free fishing dates + gear guide →
Kids ski free by state
Colorado, Utah, and Idaho each run a grade-based ski passport that gets kids on the mountain for free or close to it — and you usually don't have to live in the state. Idaho is the cheapest in the country at a $29 fee; Colorado's two programs stack to 96 days. Registration windows open now through October. Compare every state program →
EA Play — six sports games for the price of one
EA Play is $39.99 for a full year — unlimited access to Madden NFL 26, College Football 26, NHL 26, F1 25, and (on PlayStation) EA Sports FC 26 and PGA Tour, each of which launched at $60 or more. It costs less for twelve months than one family movie night with concessions. Two things to check first: it's already included free with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, and the standard tier carries last year's editions, not the newest release. Read the full EA Play math →
⏳ Heads up: every one of these weekday-morning kids programs wraps between August 6 and August 13, 2026. We refresh this block for the fall lineup in mid-August — and publish the full summer series each March, when registration opens and the dates are worth acting on.
| Chain | Price | Days | Runs through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regal Summer Movie Express | $1 | Tue & Wed, usually 11am | August 13 |
| Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse | $1.75 | Mostly Wed, usually 9:30am | August 6 |
| AMC Summer Movie Camp | From $3 +tax | Mon & Wed | August 12 |
| Studio Movie Grill Children's Series | $6 | Mon–Thu, 10am (incl. small popcorn + drink) | August 13 |
| Marcus Theatres Kids Dream | Varies | Varies | Check locally |
Bonus perks: Regal attendees get $3 off a Snack Pack; Cinemark offers $1 off kids snack packs during Clubhouse showtimes.
Every listing above plus jump-to-a-day navigation, local one-offs and honest freshness labels.
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Verified family meal deals, big-portion platters and kids-eat-free nights — the full family playbook.
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