Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park in Ashland, Nebraska, will open for the season this Friday, March 27, with the daily hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Be sure to Join Us for P.L.A.Y. at Home activities each weekday on our Facebook page, and find a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt and Chalk Your Walk Wednesdays!

 
Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, the Wildlife Safari Park will be limited to a drive-through experience only until April 30, 2020. Several areas will not be accessible by guests on foot including the hiking trails, Visitor Center, the Hands-On Corral, Eagle Aviary, and the Bison Overlook and Nature Play Area.

“All of us at the Zoo and Wildlife Safari Park are thrilled to provide an opportunity for people to ‘escape’ into nature, while still abiding by the recommendations of health and government officials in Nebraska to limit gatherings to less than 10 people,” said Gary Pettit, superintendent of the Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park. “We are grateful for the support of our members and the communities in which we all work and live, and hope they will take this opportunity to visit the animals.”

As a thank you to all Zoo members for their continued support through the coronavirus crisis, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium memberships will be honored for admittance to the Wildlife Safari Park through April 30.

To thank the community for their support as well, and to adjust for limiting Wildlife Safari Park access to only driving through, prices are being lowered for non-members through April 30.

The price for adults, ages 12 to 62, during this time is $6. The price per child, ages 3 to 11, will be $4, and a senior’s price, ages 62 and older, will be $5. Military personnel receive $1 off in all categories.

Together we can help one another!

See below for links to each day’s posts. We will add them as they are published.

We are Sharing FUN Ideas with You Every Weekday at 10 a.m.

Events are being canceled, activities are postponed, and schools are closing. We know it will be a challenge for kids to be away from school, for working parents trying to juggle child care, and for parents home with little ones all day.

Beginning this week, we will be sharing ideas to help you over the upcoming weeks:

• Fun Science Experiments
• Outdoor Activities
• Educational Websites
• Art & Craft Ideas
• Ways to Support Local Businesses
• & more

Each weekday morning at 10 a.m. on our Family Fun in Omaha Facebook page, we will be sharing videos, links to educational FB lives, helpful resources, and more – all full of activities and ideas for things to do with your kids during the unique time.

People helping people, this is what is going to help us all through this. So many individuals and businesses stepping up to help one another, and we want to help make it easier for you by sharing it all in one place.

Our mission at Family Fun in Omaha is to build our community by sharing fun things to do with families, and we will continue to be that helpful resource for you.

How to Follow Along

>> Each weekday morning at 10 a.m. on our Family Fun in Omaha Facebook page, we will be sharing videos, links to educational FB lives, helpful resources, and more – all full of activities and ideas for things to do with your kids during the unique time.

See below for links to each day’s posts. We will add them as they are published.

Stay tuned for all this and more in the coming weeks. We’ll also be sharing videos and tips on Instagram and Facebook and we would love to have you follow along there.

Follow Family Fun in Omaha on Facebook

Follow Family Fun in Omaha on Instagram

Subscribe to our weekly Email Newsletter for links to activities

How to Get Involved

Feel free to SHARE the FUN with friends and family who are looking for ideas for things to do with their families in the coming weeks.

LOCAL BUSINESSES: Do you have a business that would like to get involved? We would love to hear from you! (It is FREE to participate, as we are all in this together!)

Please email us for more details.

Thank you to all of our community partners and YOU for supporting one another!

Links to Each Day’s Posts

Be sure to also check out these fun activities:

• Fun at Home Activities
• 2020 Omaha Easter Egg Hunt
• Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt
• Chalk Your Walk Wednesdays!

Past P.L.A.Y. at Home Activities: 

March 16 – FREE Educational Resource from Scholastic Learning

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day Activities

March 18 – Preschool Virtual Class with Household Items with Metro Stars Gymnastics

March 19 – Fun Recipes to Make at Home with Kids

March 20 – Draw or color a picture of flowers to celebrate the Second Day of Spring

March 20 – Introduced Chalk Your Walk Wednesdays

March 23 – Meet Oliver the Kinkajou with Wildlife Encounters

March 24 – Fun Science Experiment with Double Arrows

March 25 – Chalk Your Walk Wednesdays

March 26 – Local Organizations offering Free Online Resources

March 27 – Build a Fort Challenge

March 30 – Virtual Class for ages 6 & up with Metro Stars Gymnastics

March 31 – Stained Glass Chalk Drawing

April 1 – Meet Tater Tot the Three-Banded Armadillo with Wildlife Encounters

Members of the Omaha Public Library will be able to check out a FREE Pass to the Omaha Children’s Museum (while supplies last).

>> The next round of passes to the Omaha Children’s Museum will be available for check out beginning on Wednesday, March 4, 2020! <<

We love visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum and enjoying many of the resources the Omaha Public Libraries offer, and are very excited about this partnership!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

How to Check Out Omaha Children’s Museum Passes at the Omaha Public Library

Other Participating Libraries

The Bellevue Library will have passes to the Omaha Children’s Museum on Wednesday, March 4. Starting at 9 a.m., the Omaha Children’s Museum family one-day admission passes will be available to valid Bellevue Library cardholders. Passes will be limited to one per family (no phone reserves possible; requests must be made in person) and will be valid through May 21, 2020.

The Council Bluffs Public Library – Next release date TBD. One-time use passes are available to adult library card holders residing in Council Bluffs, Crescent, Minden, McClelland, Treynor, Underwood, or unincorporated and rural areas of Pottawattamie County. A finite number of passes are distributed throughout the year during 3 sessions. Passes are available on a first come, first serve basis and admit up to 4 individuals. Holds cannot be placed on passes and an individual can only receive one pass per session. Other restrictions may apply.

 

The Ball Room is one of our favorite places to play!

More Library Partnerships

• Lauritzen Gardens
• Fontenelle Forest
• Omaha Zoo & Aquarium

Find More Omaha Fun:

• FREE Things to Do in Omaha
• Top 10 Things to Do in Omaha with Kids
• Indoor Playgrounds and Activities
• Tips for Visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum

Love going to the movies with your family?

Special thanks to Marcus Theatres for partnering with us to help share all of the FUN events they have coming up!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

We LOVE watching movies with our kids, and especially enjoy going to Marcus Theatres!

I love the ease of using the app to purchase our tickets and select our seats. My kids love the comfortable reclining seats, and the movable armrest so we can snuggle like on our couch at home!

Our favorites are the $5 Tuesdays with a FREE complimentary-size popcorn for Magical Movie Rewards Members, and other specials they have throughout the year!

Enchanted Tales at Omaha Marcus Theatres

$6 Disney Classics Return to Marcus Theatres January 24-February 17

Looking for fun and affordable ways to cure winter boredom? Our friends at the Marcus Majestic of Omaha, Marcus Twin Creek (Bellevue) and Marcus Village Pointe (Omaha) Cinemas can help.

That’s because they’re bringing back the Enchanted Tales Film Series January 24-February 17!

This season’s line-up features a collection of classic Disney films including “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Pocahontas” on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays!

Enchanted Tales is the perfect way to introduce your family to the magic of beloved Disney films the way they were originally meant to be seen — on the big screen!

Better yet, admission to any film in the series is just $6 per person — get your tickets online or in theatre!

(Pro tip: Click here to download a coloring sheet, have your kids color in their favorite character, then bring it to Marcus Theatres during your Enchanted Tales show to receive a FREE complimentary-size popcorn!)

$6 Movie Line-up

All movies play at 10 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. each day.

• January 24-26: “Aladdin”
• January 31-February 2: “The Lion King”
• February 7-9: “Sleeping Beauty”
• February 14-17: “Pocahontas”

(Pro tip: The series features one “bonus” day on Monday, February 17 — President’s Day! There’s no better way to spend a day away from school than the movies.)

Why These Classic Disney Movies are Even Better on the Big Screen

1.Seeing where it all began with the original animated movies that inspired last year’s hit live-action remakes.

2. Sharing the experience watching beloved favorites from “Disney’s renaissance” in the theatre — just like you did — with your kids. And have you EVER seen 1959’s “Sleeping Beauty” on the big screen?!

3. THAT MUSIC. These films feature three award-winning songs, from “A Whole New World” to “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to “Colors of the Wind” — and they all sound even better in a movie theatre.

What are you waiting for? Get your tickets, download your coloring sheets and we’ll see you at Marcus Majestic of Omaha, Marcus Twin Creek and Marcus Village Pointe Cinemas soon!

Mark Your Calendars: Kids Dream Returns February 21 with $3 Family Films

And stay tuned for more information about the return of recent family favorites like “Abominable” and “The Secret Life of Pets 2” during the Kids Dream Family Series!

The fun kicks off February 21 and runs through April 5 at participating Marcus Theatres.

All films will be just $3 per person (and they’ll also be plenty of ways to score free tickets courtesy of American Family Insurance)!

Find More Fun:

• Omaha Winter Fun Guide
• Indoor Activities and Playgrounds
• FREE Things to Do Indoors

Join in this fun project with your kids this Valentine’s Day!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

Make Valentine’s for the Open Door Mission!

Brighten up another’s day by creating homemade cards and hearts to be posted on campus and handed out to individuals!

Craft homemade hearts to be hung around campus, and homemade cards to be passed out. You can use stickers, inspiring words, scripture verses, and then tape candy to the back of your cards.

Drop off cards and hearts to Open Door Mission’s Administration Building – 2828 N. 23rd St. E Omaha, NE 68110.

Please drop off cards and hearts before Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14.

Other Helpful Resources:

• Valentine’s Fun for Families
• FREE February Events in Omaha
• Winter Family Fun Guide

Members of the Omaha Public Library, Bellevue Public Library, or Council Bluffs Public Library can check out FREE passes to Lauritzen Gardens!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

Omaha Public Library and Lauritzen Gardens

The Omaha Public Library (OPL) and Lauritzen Gardens will partner to offer free garden admission to library patrons. All OPL branches will be checking memberships out to library cardholders.

Each of OPL’s 12 locations will have day passes available (one per location) for checkout year-round to adults (ages 18+) who are Douglas County residents or have a non-resident paid membership to OPL.

Passes are good for one-time admission and each pass admits two adults and children from their household. Only one pass may be issued per library card and customer. Passes must be returned to any OPL location within five days of checkout. Unreturned or late passes will be subject to a $5 replacement fee.

To see which OPL locations have passes available, visit here! Or you can also visit omahalibrary.org and search for “Lauritzen Gardens” in the online catalog. You may also call any OPL branch to check availability.

Anyone interested in obtaining an OPL card may find more information about how to get a card at omahalibrary.org/get-a-library-card or by visiting any OPL location. Library cards are free for residents of Douglas County.

Lauritzen Gardens joins Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Fontenelle Forest, and Omaha Children’s Museum as the fourth community organization to offer free admission through Omaha Public Library!

Council Bluffs Public Library and Lauritzen Gardens

Lauritzen Gardens has also partnered with the Council Bluffs Public Library to offer family passes available for checkout to anyone with a Council Bluffs library card.

The family pass will be available year-round and will admit 2 adults and children under 18 from the same household.

Passes are available on a first come, first serve basis. Holds cannot be placed on passes and must be checked out with an Adult library card. Passes not returned to the library within five days of check out are subject to a $5 replacement fee.

For more information, please contact the Circulation Desk at 712-323-7553, ext. 110.

Bellevue Public Library and Lauritzen Gardens

The Bellevue Public Library now has two passes to the Lauritzen Gardens for check out year-round. The passes admit two adults and children under the age of 18 from their household. Only one pass per family per week can be issued.

To see if the Bellevue Public Library has a family pass available on the day you want to visit the Forest, check the availability here by going to the library’s online catalog and then typing “Lauritzen Gardens” in the title search. Or, call (402-293-3157) or visit the library.

More Library Partnerships

• Fontenelle Forest
• Omaha Zoo & Aquarium
• Omaha Children’s Museum

Find More Omaha Fun:

• Top 10 Things to Do with Kids in Omaha
• Indoor Fun Guide
• Outdoor Fun Guide

As a holiday gift to the children of our community, children under 12 years old receive FREE Zoo admission with a paid adult December 26th through 31st, 2019!

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is offering free admission to children under 12 years old with a paid adult. Offer valid Thursday, December 26 through Tuesday, December 31, 2019 only. Up to 6 children under the age of 12 can be admitted free to the Zoo with each paid adult.

Click here for details.

Omaha’s Zoo and Aquarium is currently open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exhibit buildings close at 5 p.m.

Find more fun over Winter Break here!

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

The Zoo has seven acres of indoor exhibits, all of which are perfect to enjoy during the winter
months including the Lied Jungle, the Desert Dome, the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium, and more.

Find More Fun:

• 10+ Free Things to Do Over Winter Break
• Indoor Playgrounds

Special thanks to Marcus Theatres for sponsoring this guide!

It’s the most wonderful moviegoing time of the year!

Whether catching a new release, cozying up to a classic or finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list, Marcus Theatres is your holiday headquarters with three Omaha-area theatres including the Marcus Majestic of Omaha, Marcus Twin Creek Cinema and Marcus Village Pointe Cinema.

Join our growing community and keep updated on Omaha family-friendly events and activities and Sign up for our Free Email Newsletter!

Must-see Family Films

This year’s holiday movie slate offers something for everyone. Not sure what to see? This guide is for you! Click the links to check out the trailers for each film.

Animated Films:

• “Frozen 2” (PG) — Out now (Tip: your kiddos can score free popcorn with these “Frozen 2” coloring sheets!)

• “Playmobil: The Movie” (PG)— Out December 5 (Tip: every showing of this film — every day — is just $5 for all guests!)

• “Spies in Disguise” (PG) — Out December 25

Action Films:

• “Jumanji: The Next Level” (PG-13) — Out December 12 (Tip: the Majestic of Omaha will be hosting a Jumanji Adventure Night on December 12. Enjoy a photo station, giveaway and chance to win a movie-themed raffle prize!)

• “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (PG-13) — Out December 19

Drama/Musical Films:

• “Cats” (PG) — Out December 19

• “Little Women” (PG) — Out December 25

Planning to take multiple trips to the movies? Make sure to take advantage of $5 Movie Tuesday featuring $5 movies, plus free popcorn for all Magical Movie Rewards members! (Tip: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve both fall on a $5 Movie Tuesday this year!)

And don’t forget about $6 Student Thursday featuring $6 movies and free popcorn for students and school faculty.

Cozy Up to a Holiday Classic

Sure, watching movies at home is nice, but there’s something even more magical about seeing Clark Griswold try (and fail) to light up the house on the big screen! That’s why each year Marcus Theatres brings back a collection of favorites during its Holiday Classics Retro Series. This year’s line-up features:

• December 6-12: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “White Christmas” and “Elf”

• December 13-19: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “The Polar Express”

All films are just $6 per person. Fun fact: Marcus Theatres recently polled 11,000 of its Magical Movie Rewards members and “Christmas Vacation” was voted Nebraska’s favorite holiday classic!

Gifts that Entertain

Looking for a gift that’s perfect for friends, family, teachers, babysitters and more? Try a Marcus Theatres gift card! They’re perfect for family outings and date nights alike.

Now through January 5, receive $5 in FREE Snack Cash with every $25 gift card purchase in theatre or online. Visit the Marcus Gift Store for more details and the latest deals. (Tip: pair a gift card with an Ultimate Popcorn Tub for the gift that keeps on giving!)

Gifts that Give Back

While you’re busy checking everyone off your list, Marcus Theatres is also giving you the opportunity to gift a Magical Movie Experience to a Make-A-Wish Nebraska child battling critical illness. Visit www.MarcusTheatres.com/Wishes to learn more and spread some joy to a local family this holiday season.

Find More Holiday Fun:

• 100+ Holiday Events in Omaha
• Holiday Fun Guide
• Amazing Christmas Lights in Omaha + Map