KidPaths

Best Outdoor Activities for Kids in Phoenix

6 outdoor adventures for families in Phoenix. Parks, trails, playgrounds, and fresh-air fun for every age group.

Highest rated: Rappel Arizona, Desert Breeze Park, The Phoenix Zoo. 1 listing is free. Every listing includes age ratings, stroller access, and parent tips.

How to use this outdoor activities list

Check shade, bathrooms, and weather before you commit, especially with younger kids. KidPaths is currently tracking 6 indexable picks for this page in Phoenix, AZ, with details for cost, age fit, stroller access, weather backup, and parent logistics.

Quick fit

2 for infants, 5 for toddlers, 5 for little kids, 6 for big kids.

Weather and access

6 outdoor or partly outdoor picks. 5 stroller-friendly stops.

Cost scan

1 free pick. 3 paid picks. Open the cards for family-of-4 cost notes and savings tips when we have them.

Japanese Friendship Garden of PhoenixDesert Breeze ParkMargaret T. Hance ParkFree ActivitiesRainy Day ActivitiesIndoor ActivitiesToddlerInfantLittle Kids

Top Picks

Rappel Arizona
#1

Rappel Arizona

5 stars

Backing off the edge of a 100 foot cliff is the kind of thing kids assume adults will never actually let them do, right up until a guide clips them in

Roughly 7 through 17, with tweens and teens getting the most out of it. Rappel Arizona does not publish a minimum age on its site, but the company does describe hosting families with members ranging in age from 7 to 45, which is the closest thing to a published floor. The half day rappelling package works on a 100 foot cliff, and top rope climbing sessions cover slab, aretes, corners and a 70 foot chimney, so what a kid needs is not strength so much as the ability to listen carefully, trust a rope and manage nerves at height. Some seven year olds are naturals at that and some thirteen year olds are not, which is why the honest answer is to call (866) 222-4703, describe your kid, and let the guides tell you whether the package fits. Little kids, toddlers and babies are not a fit for any of this.OutdoorRappel Arizona does not publish package pricing on its site, so this is a call for a quote outing rather than one you can budget from a webpage
Desert Breeze Park
#2

Desert Breeze Park

4.7 stars

It is four different kid attractions in one place, and none of them require a ticket to walk up to. A 4-year-old can go from a spray pad to a slide to

2 to 8 is the core audience, and the train and carousel operator describes the ride experience as aimed at roughly ages 2 to 10. Babies do fine here because the paths are flat, the ramadas give you shade, and the edge of the spray pad is gentle enough for a sitting infant. Tweens will use the lake, the tennis courts, and the bigger playground structures but will be done with the train. Teens are a stretch unless they are along as older siblings.OutdoorThe park itself, both playgrounds, the splash pad, the ramadas, and parking are all free, which is the reason this place gets used so heavily
The Phoenix Zoo
#3

The Phoenix Zoo

4.6 stars

Phoenix Zoo has over 3,000 animals across 125 acres in Papago Park, including a Safari Train that kids treat as a major attraction, giraffe feeding, a

Best for ages 2 and upOutdoor$90-150 (adults ~$30-35, kids 3-12 ~$20-25, kids under 3 free, parking ~$10, food adds $25-40)
Margaret T. Hance Park
#4

Margaret T. Hance Park

4.4 stars

This is a big open green space dropped in the middle of downtown, and the scale of it is the fun part. Kids get long stretches of lawn to sprint acros

2-12 years for the park itself, with teens engaged on festival and event daysOutdoorThe park itself is free
Arizona Falls
#5

Arizona Falls

4.4 stars

Water drops 20 feet about an arm's length from where your kid is standing, and it is loud enough that they have to raise their voice to be heard over

3 to 10 is the sweet spot. Little kids come for the roar and the mist, and grade schoolers are old enough to follow the actual story here, which is that this drop in the canal made the first electricity in Phoenix. Toddlers enjoy it but need a hand held the entire time, because the canal runs fast and open right alongside the walkway. Teens will give you about ten minutes unless you make it part of a longer bike ride on the canal path.FreeOutdoorZero for the visit itself
Rappel Arizona

Rappel Arizona

5.0(119)

Ages: Roughly 7 through 17, with tweens and teens getting the most out of it. Rappel Arizona does not publish a minimum age on its site, but the company does describe hosting families with members ranging in age from 7 to 45, which is the closest thing to a published floor. The half day rappelling package works on a 100 foot cliff, and top rope climbing sessions cover slab, aretes, corners and a 70 foot chimney, so what a kid needs is not strength so much as the ability to listen carefully, trust a rope and manage nerves at height. Some seven year olds are naturals at that and some thirteen year olds are not, which is why the honest answer is to call (866) 222-4703, describe your kid, and let the guides tell you whether the package fits. Little kids, toddlers and babies are not a fit for any of this.

Outdoor
Desert Breeze ParkPartially Free

Desert Breeze Park

4.7(3,526)

Ages: 2 to 8 is the core audience, and the train and carousel operator describes the ride experience as aimed at roughly ages 2 to 10. Babies do fine here because the paths are flat, the ramadas give you shade, and the edge of the spray pad is gentle enough for a sitting infant. Tweens will use the lake, the tennis courts, and the bigger playground structures but will be done with the train. Teens are a stretch unless they are along as older siblings.

OutdoorStroller-Friendly
The Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo

4.6(60)

Ages: Best for ages 2 and up

OutdoorStroller-Friendly
Margaret T. Hance ParkPartially Free

Margaret T. Hance Park

4.4(3,059)

Ages: 2-12 years for the park itself, with teens engaged on festival and event days

OutdoorStroller-Friendly
Arizona FallsFree

Arizona Falls

4.4(2,081)

Ages: 3 to 10 is the sweet spot. Little kids come for the roar and the mist, and grade schoolers are old enough to follow the actual story here, which is that this drop in the canal made the first electricity in Phoenix. Toddlers enjoy it but need a hand held the entire time, because the canal runs fast and open right alongside the walkway. Teens will give you about ten minutes unless you make it part of a longer bike ride on the canal path.

OutdoorStroller-Friendly
Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix

Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix

4.4(5,809)

Ages: Best for ages 3 and up

OutdoorStroller-Friendly

Common Questions

What are the best outdoor activities for kids in Phoenix?
6 outdoor family activities in Phoenix. Highest rated: Rappel Arizona, Desert Breeze Park, The Phoenix Zoo, Margaret T. Hance Park, Arizona Falls. Parks, trails, playgrounds, and more.
Are there free outdoor things to do with kids in Phoenix?
1 outdoor activity in Phoenix is free, including Arizona Falls.
How many outdoor activities in Phoenix are stroller-friendly?
5 of the 6 outdoor activities in Phoenix are fully stroller-friendly.

More Ways to Browse

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