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Albuquerque on a budget: Things to do with kids over Thanksgiving break
1200 tickets were sold for this year’s Noon Year's Eve celebration at Explora Science Center and Children’s museum in Albuquerque. In all, 2023 balloons were dropped as the clock struck noon for kids and their families to celebrate.
Indoors
So your kids are off for a whole week this Thanksgiving and you want to get out of the house and do something without breaking the bank, but don't know where to start?
Here is a list of eight low-cost or free events ideas to get your family out of the house before the turkey sets in.
Tellabration!
This world-wide celebration of storytelling takes place every November. This year's New Mexico Storytellers are Joe Hayes, Dianne Rossbach, Elaine Muray, Michelle Adam and Bob Kanegis. There will also be music with Armando Ortega and Emcee—Liz Mangual
There will also be food trucks and a campfire with S'mores.
LOCATION: Agri-Nature Center of Los Ranchos 4920 Rio Grande NW, 505-526-1343
TIME: 4-7 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $5 or free for 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com.
Albuquerque Museum
Walk through the exhibitions of art and history, as well as world-traveling exhibits and community curated exhibits.
LOCATION: 2000 Mountain NW, 505-243-7255
HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday
COST: Free every first Wednesday of the month and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sunday
Other days:
Adults out-of-state: $6
Adults in-state: $5
seniors 65+: $4
children ages 4-12: $3
children 3 and under: free
Cut rates for toddler gains
At Sandia Acrobatic Gymnastics Academy, parents can bring children from walking to age 5 for open gym time from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for Preschool Open Gym.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
Skidmore's Holiday Bowl
Explora
LOCATION: 3400 Candelaria NE, 505-884-6949
HOURS: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
COST: $5, or free for currently enrolled students under 6.
This is a low-cost activity for the whole family.
LOCATION: 1801 Mountain NW, 505-841-2800
HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. every day but Tuesday, closed on Thanksgiving
COST: $8 for adults, $7 for youth aged 13-17, $5 for children aged 3-12, and toddlers 2 and under are free.
The bowling alley offering two Thanksgiving deals, which includes one hour of bowling/shoe rental and $30 arcade play for just $30, or the Family Fun & Food Pass, including one hour of bowling/shoe rental, $50 arcade play, a 16” pizza, and five soft drinks The deals will run all week, except Thanksgiving Day.
LOCATION: 7515 Lomas NE, 505-268-3308
HOURS: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. Wednesday; closed Thursday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday
COST:
Family Fun Pass - $30 for up to five people
Family Fun and Food Pass - $60 for up to five people
This museum offers hands-on interactive sensory activities that the whole family can enjoy. The space has more than 250 exhibits an activities in science, technology, engineering, art and math.
LOCATION: 1701 Mountain Road NW, 505-600-6072
HOURS: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; Monday Toddler Time 9-11 a.m.
COST:
Adults: $11 (12-64)
Children: $7 (1-11)
Infants: Free
Explora Members: Free
Outdoors
Parks and hikes
When in doubt, don't overthink it. Albuquerque and the surrounding area have plenty of parks and hikes available for free to families looking to get outside.
Rio Rancho's A Park Above
boasts that it's "the first fully-inclusive and accessible playground in New Mexico," with all sorts of seriously accessible features (like a hill with an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp, outdoor musical instruments, adaptive swings and wheelchair swings, to name a few).
LOCATION: 2441 A Park Above Court off of Westside Boulevard.
Tingley Beach
offers lakes, which are open year-round and have free catch-and-release fishing areas in multiple ponds. There is a children's pond available to kids 12 and under. Those over the age of 12 wishing to fish are required to have a New Mexico fishing license.
LOCATION: 1800 Tingley SW.
Petroglyph National Monument
is an open-air museum featuring more than 20,000 ancient images of people, animals and other designs, carved into the black rock of the Rio Grande Valley. Check the National Park Service website for details on parking fees at various parking lots.
LOCATION: Western Trail NW
Cut Down your own Christmas tree
Whether you are looking for a new family tradition, or have been cutting down the holiday tree for years, now is the time to get your permit. If you have a forth grader in your family, they are eligible for a free permit through the Every Kid Outdoors initiative, which aims to connect kids with nature.
LOCATION: Magdalena, Mountainair and Mt. Taylor Ranger Districts
DATES: Nov. 23 through Dec. 31.
COST:$10 for a 10-foot tree, $12 for a 12-foot tree and $15 for a 15-foot tree,
