ARCADES
- Altoona: Uncle Buck's Fishbowl at Bass Pro Shops - bowling, arcade, restaurant
- Ames: Perfect Games - bowling, arcade, indoor playground, outdoor mini golf
- Ankeny: B&B Theatres - arcade, bowling, movie theater with Screen Play
- Ankeny: Clawz Entertainment - claw machines
- Ankeny: The Operating Room - kids welcome until 8 pm
- Ankeny: Pizza Ranch - arcade
- Des Moines: Gameday - restaurant, arcade, bowling
- Des Moines: Monsterama Arcade - pizza, admission fee
- Grimes: Old School Pinball & Arcade - admission fee
- Johnston: Backpocket Pin & Pixel - arcade, duckpin bowling, restaurant
- Pleasant Hill: Great Escape - bowling, laser tag, arcade, restaurant
- West Des Moines: Operating Room - kids welcome until 8 pm
- West Des Moines: Dave and Buster's - restaurant, arcade
- West Des Moines: Smash Park - pickleball, arcade, foosball, ping pong, restaurant
- West Des Moines: Spare Time - bowling, arcade, restaurant
BOWLING
- Altoona: Uncle Buck's Fishbowl - bowling, arcade, restaurant
- Ames: Perfect Games - bowling, arcade, indoor playground, outdoor mini golf
- Ankeny: B&B Theatres - arcade, bowling, movie theater with Screen Play
- Des Moines: Air Lanes - bowling
- Des Moines: Gameday Lanes - bowling inside Merle Hay Mall
- Pleasant Hill: Great Escape - bowling, laser tag, arcade, restaurant
- Waukee: Warrior Lanes - bowling, glow bowling on Fri/Sat nights
- West Des Moines: Spare Time - bowling, arcade, restaurant
CLIMB
- Granger: Jester Park - small bouldering wall
- Grimes: Climb Iowa - bouldering walls
DUCKPIN BOWLING
- Ames: Inside Golf & Games - duckpin bowling, golf simulator, axe throwing
- Johnston: Backpocket Pin & Pixel - arcade, duckpin bowling, restaurant
- West Des Moines: Putts & Pins - restaurant, mini golf, duckpin bowling, pinball
MINI GOLF
- Des Moines: The Fat Putter - discounted on Mondays
- Grimes: Monster Mini Golf - not yet open
- West Des Moines: Birdies Mini Golf
- West Des Moines: Putts & Pins - restaurant, mini golf, duckpin bowling, pinball
MOVIES
- Ankeny: B&B Theatres - arcade, bowling, Screen Play
- Des Moines: Flix Brewhouse - Merle Hay Mall, discount Wednesdays
- Waukee: Palms Theaters & IMAX - arcade, bargain Tuesdays
MISC
- Des Moines: Downtown Skywalks
- Grimes: Pole Position Raceway - go karts, minimum of 48 inches tall and at least 6 years old
MUSEUMS
- Des Moines: Des Moines Art Center - free admission, open Tuesday to Sunday
- Des Moines: Iowa State Capitol - free admission, open Monday to Saturday
- Des Moines: Science Center of Iowa - open Thursday to Sunday
- Des Moines: State Historical Museum of Iowa - free admission, open Tuesday to Friday
- Johnston: Iowa Gold Star Military Museum - free admission, open Tuesday to Saturday
NATURE CENTERS
- Granger: Jester Park (Granger) - open daily (except on Sundays from December to February)
- Prairie City: Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge - closed indefinitely due to storm damage
PLAY
- Ankeny: Ninja U - better for kids 7 and up
- Ankeny: Playground for Kids - inflatables, playground
- Ankeny: Urban Air - ropes course, climbing walls, trampolines
- Clive: Slick City - slides, play area for 5 and under
- Des Moines: Kids Empire Merle Hay - all day admission pass
- Grimes: Rainbow of the Heartland - open play on weekdays, $10 per child
- Grimes: Sky Zone - trampolines
- Urbandale: Get Air - trampolines
- Urbandale: Pump It Up - inflatables
- West Des Moines: Des Moines Children's Museum
- West Des Moines: Kids Empire Jordan Creek - all day admission pass
SKATING
- Ames: ISU Ice Arena - ice skating
- Des Moines: Skateland - roller skating
- Des Moines: Skate South - roller skating
- West Des Moines: RecPlex - ice skating
SWIMMING
- Ames: Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center - daily fee ranges from $6 to $8
- Ankeny: AmericInn - $7 per person
- Grimes: Natavi - family swim offered nearly every day, no lifeguard