Free Thinking: Utah County551

Families in Utah County have a lot of options for keeping their kids amused, fed, and entertained without spending a fortune. We've been searching for free things to do around this region and the following list should help keep your family happy while allowing you to keep some of your cash in your wallet.

Let's start with the restaurants that offer free food or special discounts for kids and families. Kids ages three and under can always eat free at Chuck-a-rama restaurants in Provo and Orem, and kids in that same age range also can eat free from the salad bar at Sizzler with an adult meal purchase. Fazoli's hosts Kids' Night every Monday from 5pm to 8pm. The evening features crafts, games, and 99-cent kids' meals. The Orem location of the California Pizza Kitchen allows kids to eat free in the evenings from Monday through Thursday; kids ages 10 and under receive a free kids meal with any adult purchase of $10 or more. Tuesday and Thursday nights are Family Nights at Fuddruckers; get a kids' meal for half price with the purchase of an adult meal. Denny's lets kids eat free on Tuesday and Saturday nights after 4pm; up to two children can eat for free off the kids' menu with each adult meal purchase. And, finally, Carl's Jr. offers a Kids Eat Free program; on Wednesdays from 4pm to close, get a free kids' meal with the purchase of a regular combo meal.

Provo City Library is a great source of free entertainment. Not only can families borrow books and movies for free, but the library also frequently hosts free events such as puppet shows, magic shows, concerts, live animal visits, book clubs, and storytimes. Weekly storytimes also take place at Barnes & Noble and Borders. We list these venues' upcoming storytimes and events on our calendar; check the "events" section of their venue pages for direct links to the calendar items.

For crafty kids, or kids who just like to "tool" around, Home Depot offers free Kids' Workshops on the first Saturday of each month from 9am to 11am. The Lowe's stores in Lehi and Orem both host free Build and Grow Kids' Clinics a couple times a month.

Looking for a little culture? Springville has one of the best art museums around, and admission is always free! The Springville Museum of Art houses a wonderful permanent collection and hosts 15 exhibitions each year. The museum takes the stuffiness out of art and makes it fun and interesting for kids by hosting Family Nights, Children's Art Festivals, Evenings for Educators, and a Sunday Concert Series. Watch our calendar for dates and details.

Prefer science and natural history museums? Then check out the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum where admission is always free. Also, although the John Hutchings Museum of Natural History does charge an admission fee, free admission days are occasionally offered throughout the year. Can't wait for a free admission day? Don't fret. Regular admission prices to the Hutchings Museum won't break the bank. Adults pay just $3.50 each, kids pay $2.50, and a family of up to six people can attend for $9.

For days when you want to get the family out into the great outdoors, consider a visit to a city park such as Pioneer Park or North Park. While at North Park, you might want to plan enough time for a visit to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum or the Sons of Utah Pioneers Village - both historical museums are free; donations are appreciated.

Benjamin Farms near Payson offers free farm tours by appointment. Families can see bees, sheep, goats, llamas, a heifer, turkeys, ducks, and geese at this small family farm. A variety of farm goods are available for purchase.

Another great outdoor offering is a free treasure hunting game called Geocaching. Geocaches are hidden containers that can be found using coordinates and a GPS unit. If you choose to remove a "treasure" (stickers, toy cars, postcards, pencils, crayons, bubbles, etc.) from the cache, be sure to leave an item to replace it - all of those kids' meal toys laying around the house make great treasures for the cache. Thousands of caches are hidden throughout the Salt Lake area, and some are right here in Utah County.

Do you know of more free stuff, events, and activities for kids and families around Provo, Orem, Springville, Lehi, or Spanish Fork? Add a comment below and we'll get right on it!

Note: Our editors make every attempt to keep this list as current as possible, but changes to these programs do happen. We recommend that you visit the venue websites for exceptions, other qualifying details, and any updates before visiting the venues themselves.