- Updated
Recently updated places first
Things to Do now defaults to Last updated instead of Recommended, putting recently edited listings first.
Explore places
Latest updates
What's new at Mittenplay.
New guides, refreshed details, and other helpful changes—all in one quick list.
- Updated
A playful new welcome
A new original illustration of parents and kids playing together welcomes you home and brightens shared link previews.
See the new illustration - Updated
Easier paths back to local family activities
Place pages now show a linked city guide in their breadcrumbs when one is available, making it easier to continue exploring nearby outings.
See place navigation - Updated
Clearer place titles in search and browser tabs
Shorter titles for 22 listings keep the venue and location easier to scan while retaining full venue names on each page.
Find a family outing - Updated
Guides and event details without the wait
Family guides, event schedules, and site updates now include readable content before the app loads, with direct links to every guide and event.
Explore family guides - Updated
Under the Sea Playground is permanently closed
The Troy listing now shows a closure notice and links to alternatives; the venue is no longer recommended in Things to Do or the Troy indoor-play guide.
View closure and alternatives - Updated
Place details available before the app loads
Individual listings now include readable visit details and place-specific search previews without waiting for JavaScript.
Explore Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
- Updated
Section links land where you expect
Links to specific sections now wait for page content to load before scrolling, including links from What’s New.
Jump to meals and treats - Added
Kid-friendly food for your Cedar Point trip
Jump straight to shorter meal and dessert recommendations, with suggested orders, expandable parent tips, and direct restaurant links.
Plan meals and treats - Updated
Clearer Cedar Point guide navigation
Follow your place in the Cedar Point guide with highlighted section links: a desktop sidebar and a floating, expandable “On this page” menu on mobile.
Plan your two park days - Updated
A matching browser-tab icon
The Mittenplay favicon now matches the green-and-white M logo in the site header.
- Added
Six more city guides for family fun
Explore Ypsilanti, Dexter, Chelsea, Saline, Livonia, and Farmington Hills with local parks, libraries, play spaces, and practical planning details.
Explore the new city guides - Added
Five more Canton outings
Compare T&B Play, Skatin’ Station, Spins Bowl, Zap Zone, and Kopper Park on the Canton page and in Things to Do, with admission details, age restrictions, and practical visit notes.
Explore Canton with kids - Updated
Compare Cedar Point activities at a glance
Browse multiple activities together with height requirements and best ages up front, then expand individual cards for full ride details and parent tips.
Explore the Cedar Point guide - Added
Plan a walk at Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Find official trail maps, walking routes and distances, restroom locations, and route-specific stroller guidance before heading out.
Plan your garden walk - Updated
Real photos for 48 more places
Preview more playgrounds, museums, libraries, farms, and indoor outings with photos of the actual places, also shown in their family guides.
Explore places with new photos - Added
Explore eight more cities with kids
Find local family activities in Canton, Troy, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Dearborn, Northville, Novi, and Plymouth, with new park, library, and museum listings where coverage was limited.
Choose a city - Added
Explore Ann Arbor with kids
Find Ann Arbor museums, play spaces, parks, nature, and libraries together, with age recommendations and links to plan your visit.
Explore Ann Arbor - Updated
A closer look at two Ann Arbor-area outings
Rolling Hills Water Park and Matthaei Botanical Gardens now have real cover photos showing the spray playground and tropical conservatory.
Explore things to do - Updated
A readable selected calendar view
The selected List, Calendar, or Map button now keeps its contrasting text and background as you move between pages.
- Updated
Keep your place in the events calendar
Selecting dates, changing months, and adjusting event views or date filters no longer jump back to the top of the page.
- Updated
Less scrolling, clearer browsing
Smaller headings and tighter page introductions bring activities into view sooner. Guide search and topics now come before the featured story, and device location is requested only when you choose it.
- Updated
A fresh look for your next family day
Explore a redesigned Home, Things to Do, Events, and Guides with clearer type, a calmer Michigan-inspired palette, roomier layouts, and easier-to-use filters on small screens.
- Added
A two-day Cedar Point plan for little kids
Compare more than 30 rides and water attractions—with official attraction photos—by height, age-2 and age-4 fit, sibling eligibility, thrill level, life-jacket rules, and flexible family priorities.
Plan a Cedar Point trip - Updated
Cedar Point links now look like Cedar Point
Share the younger-kids guide and its link preview now shows the guide title, trip summary, and Cedar Point family photo instead of the general Mittenplay preview.
- Added
Cedar Point in Things to Do
Plan parking, height checks, stroller use, Family Care Center stops, quiet breaks, waterpark changing, life jackets, and a two-day visit from one destination page.
Explore Cedar Point - Added
Three new Grand Rapids family guides
Compare 15 indoor outings, 10 toddler-friendly destinations, and 12 standout playgrounds—plus detailed planning pages for 27 newly listed West Michigan places.
Explore the Grand Rapids guides - Added
See places and events on a map
Switch Things to Do between list and map views, or browse Events in list, calendar, and map views. Selected views, dates, place filters, and sorting now stay in the URL, so Back returns to the same results.
Explore the new map - Added
One search area across Mittenplay
Choose a city or use your current location once, set a distance, and keep the same nearby search across Things to Do, Events, and Guides.
Set your search area - Updated
Cleaner page clicks
Clicking page content no longer leaves an unexpected horizontal focus line below the navigation.
- Added
More events near Troy, Canton, and Grosse Pointe
Plan Canton library storytimes, STEAM and art activities, a teen college-planning session, family yoga, fall festivals, carnival days, and a kid-friendly Halloween stroll.
Find nearby family events - Updated
Free library events are easier to spot
Kid-focused Ann Arbor District Library events now show as free when no price is listed, making family plans easier to compare.
Browse free library events - Updated
Reliable upcoming-event cards
Upcoming events on place pages now keep their polished card layout, including when you open or refresh a place page directly.
- Added
Big fun for little kids near Canton
Compare ten toddler- and preschool-friendly playrooms, playgrounds, libraries, splash spots, farm visits, and museum outings—with six new Canton-area planning pages.
Explore the Canton little-kids guide - Updated
Event dates stay in sync with the calendar
Events now open to today in calendar view, quick filters highlight their dates, and Shift-clicking two calendar days selects a custom date range.
Browse the event calendar - Updated
More details for the Kelsey Museum
Plan a free family visit with current hours, parking guidance, accessibility details, gallery rules, scavenger hunts, sensory resources, and group-visit tips.
Explore the Kelsey Museum - Updated
Plan a Nichols Arboretum outing
The Arb now has a real landscape photo plus current trail, parking, accessibility, seasonal restroom, peony-bloom, and visitor-rule details.
Explore Nichols Arboretum
- Updated
A faster, more accessible Mittenplay
Pages now load leaner local fonts and optimized homepage images, with improved color contrast and clearer support for search engines.
- Added
Best fall family activities in Southeast Michigan
Plan cider-mill stops, pumpkin-patch days, fall-color walks, farm adventures, and kid-friendly Halloween nights with twelve parent-focused picks.
Explore the fall family guide - Added
Eleven more fall destinations in Things to Do
New planning pages cover cider mills, orchards, farm centers, nature trails, and Greenfield Village, including seasonal costs and practical family notes.
Browse fall destinations - Added
Four more September family events
Plan a zoo run or Lions celebration, Ford House Harvest Day, and a traditional crafts fair at Troy Historic Village.
Browse September events - Updated
Plan a visit to The Petting Farm
The Petting Farm at Domino’s Farms now has a real farm photo plus current hours, admission prices, animal-feed and hayride costs, and weather-closure guidance.
See The Petting Farm - Updated
More useful nearby place suggestions
Similar-place recommendations now show each destination only once instead of repeating the same place.
- Updated
Upcoming events where you need them
Place pages with scheduled events now show them in a compact card below the visit-planning details, with both staying in view when screen space allows.
- Added
A place page for every event venue
Every venue on the events calendar now connects to a Things to Do page with family-focused visit details, directions, and official information.
Browse family events - Updated
10 standout splash pads across Southeast Michigan
The summer guide now compares ten verified splash pads with real venue photos, practical family notes, and a dedicated Things to Do page for every pick.
Explore the splash pad guide - Updated
10 toddler-friendly Metro Detroit outings
The toddler guide now features ten detailed picks with age fit, quick recommendations, real venue photos, and direct links to full visit-planning pages.
Explore the toddler guide - Added
15 more kid-friendly places near Ann Arbor
Discover more museums, parks, nature trails, farm animals, library play, water fun, and seasonal outings in and around Ann Arbor.
Browse Ann Arbor-area places - Added
More September and October family events
The calendar now includes fall festivals, farm weekends, Halloween celebrations, arts events, animal experiences, and performances across Southeast Michigan.
Explore the expanded calendar - Added
More November and December family events
Plan ahead for light displays, Santa visits, winter crafts, cocoa, and holiday evenings at family destinations across Southeast Michigan.
Explore fall and winter events - Updated
Calendar-first event browsing
Events now open in calendar view, with every event for a date shown when you hover or focus on that day and no unnecessary upcoming/past switch.
Browse the event calendar - Updated
Clearer indoor and outdoor labels
Places and events that include both settings now say “Indoor and outdoor” instead of “Both.”
- Updated
More useful event locations
Event venues now open their matching Things to Do pages, and event addresses link directly to named Google Maps directions.
See an event location - Added
15 Best Free Things to Do With Kids in Metro Detroit
A new guide compares free aquariums, nature centers, libraries, inclusive playgrounds, splash pads, and trails—with parking and vehicle-pass caveats called out.
Explore the free family fun guide - Added
More free Metro Detroit picks in Things to Do
Twelve free destinations now have dedicated planning pages with hours, parking notes, amenities, and links to official visitor information.
Browse free things to do - Updated
Events for families across Michigan
The events page now welcomes families with location-neutral language as coverage grows beyond Ann Arbor.
Find family events - Added
Family events near Ann Arbor
Browse verified local events by date in a list or monthly calendar, with quick weekend shortcuts and filters for distance, ages, category, and price.
Find family events - Updated
Events connect to Things to Do
Event pages now link to an existing destination when there is a match, and place pages show upcoming events without duplicating venue details.
See events at a place - Updated
Simpler site navigation
The header now focuses on the main places to explore by removing the Contact button.
- Updated
More authentic photos in the Troy indoor play guide
Chuck E. Cheese Adventure Zone, RARA Indoor Playscape, and Pump It Up Auburn Hills now show photos sourced directly from their official venue pages.
Explore the updated Troy guide - Updated
Consistent links in family guides
Guide cards now link their city and activity type to matching Things to Do results, while each available place photo, title, and Plan your visit link opens the same dedicated place page.
Explore an updated guide - Added
Troy-area indoor play in Things to Do
All 15 places from the Troy indoor play guide can now be found in Things to Do, with dedicated planning pages and links back to the guide.
Browse Troy-area indoor play - Added
15 Best Indoor Play Areas Near Troy, Michigan
A new parent-focused guide compares toddler play spaces, sensory gyms, classic indoor playgrounds, slides, inflatables, and adventure parks near Troy.
Explore the Troy indoor play guide - Updated
Better-aligned guide navigation
The back-to-guides link now stays aligned with each guide’s heading on phones and larger screens.
- Updated
More Michigan cities in the Things to Do search
Families can now explore near Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, and Dearborn directly from the location filter.
Explore things to do - Updated
Clearer guide recommendations and place details
Guide entries now focus on why each place made the list, while full Things to Do pages handle deeper visit planning. Place pages also link back to every guide that features them.
Explore the indoor play guide - Added
Five favorite little-kid outings in Troy
Things to Do now includes Stage Nature Center, Troy Family Aquatic Center, Troy Historic Village, Troy Gym Open Gym, and Troy Public Library, with Troy available as an exploring location.
Explore Troy activities - Updated
Real photos for Things to Do
Destination cards now use verified photos from official venue websites, and three listings that could not be verified have been removed.
Browse verified places - Added
A new way to browse family guides
The new Guides page brings featured recommendations, search, and practical filters together so families can quickly narrow down the best fit.
Browse all guides - Updated
15 Best Indoor Play Places Near Ann Arbor
The guide now includes quick picks, age and price guidance, parent-specific notes, real venue photos, official links, and Google Maps addresses for all 15 recommendations.
See the refreshed guide - Updated
Roomier navigation on phones
The mobile header now gives the Mittenplay logo and navigation links their own rows, making every destination easier to read and tap.
- Updated
More reliable directions and clearer hours
Directions now open the named Google Maps place instead of relying on its street address alone, and weekly hours clearly identify days when a destination is closed.
- Updated
Consistent navigation on every page
The same navigation now appears throughout Mittenplay, so Things to Do, guides, and What’s New are always easy to reach.
- Added
Browse Things to Do across Michigan
A new place finder makes it easier to filter kid-friendly destinations by location, distance, age, category, setting, and price, then open practical parent-focused details.
Find things to do - Added
A simpler way to follow site updates
The new What’s New page collects recently added guides, refreshed details, and other useful site changes by date.
- Added
Splash Pads in Southeast Michigan
A new guide to free spraygrounds, neighborhood gems, and destination waterparks across Southeast Michigan.
Explore the splash pad guide - Added
Best Things to Do With Toddlers in Metro Detroit
Twenty flexible, low-stress ideas for little explorers, including museums, farms, nature centers, and aquariums.
Explore the toddler guide - Added
15 Best Indoor Play Places Near Ann Arbor
A new roundup of museums, play cafés, animal encounters, and active indoor adventures for any kind of weather.
Explore the indoor play guide
- Updated
Easier ways to find family fun
Clearer navigation and quick paths now make it simpler to discover Things to Do, upcoming events, and local guides.
Start exploring - Updated
A simpler site footer
The site footer is now cleaner, with standalone About, Contact, and Privacy links removed.