Every week, Milwaukee With Kids answers a simple question for families across the area: What are we going to do this weekend? From indoor activities to outdoor adventures, we’ve got you covered. For the full weekend list, make sure to visit the Milwaukee With Kids website.

Top pick

Broadway Skates MKE 
Red Arrow Park
Jan. 30 | 5-8 p.m.

’Tis the season for Slice of Ice and celebrating all that Milwaukee theater has to offer. Join this night of face painting, giveaways and festive fun, including free skate rentals courtesy of WaterStone Bank, a Broadway performance by Ice Theater MKE and much more. Plus, don’t miss your chance to win complimentary tickets to Kimberly Akimbo, playing at Uihlein Hall from Feb. 17–22.

Trucks and trains

Monster Jam: Freestyle Mania
Fiserv Forum
Jan. 31-Feb. 1

For the first time ever in Milwaukee, Monster Jam trucks will team up with Freestyle Motocross bikes to deliver gravity-defying skills and thrills. Cheer for your favorite team at Fiserv Forum as they pull off stunts you’ve never seen before while delivering energy, action and next-level entertainment that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Train Show: Modern Wonders in the Dome 
Mitchell Park Domes
Jan. 31-Feb. 1

Perfect for families, explorers and dreamers of all ages, “Modern Wonders in the Dome” is your ticket to a global garden adventure filled with imagination, discovery and botanical beauty — no passport required. For the all-scale exhibit, the Train Show expands into the lobby and Greenhouse 7, with fun, food and a whole bunch of model trains of all gauges.

Connect with nature

Light the Hart
Hart Park | Wauwatosa
Jan. 31

Heat Haven has set up this free community event featuring a winter walk through Hart Park, complete with an illuminated path designed to get you out of the house, into the fresh air and connecting with your neighbors. The path will be set up by 3 p.m. and ready to enjoy all evening long. You can also stop by Heat Haven Sauna Park from noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday to decorate your own paper luminaria bag. On top of that, there will be FREE s’mores courtesy of Discovery Wauwatosa available from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. (while supplies last).

Candlelight Hike and Ski 
Lapham Peak | Delafield
Jan. 31 | 5-9 p.m.

Mark your calendar as the Friends of Lapham Peak host their annual Candlelight Hike and Ski through Kettle Moraine State Forest. When you’re done enjoying the trail, you can warm yourself by the bonfire, enjoy treats at Trecker Lodge (donations appreciated), or even bring your own food to grill outside. A valid Wisconsin State Park annual vehicle admission sticker or a $10 special event vehicle admission fee is required, and you must register in advance.

Kids Ice Fishing Clinics
Select Milwaukee County Parks
Jan. 31 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Milwaukee County Parks and local fishing clubs for these free youth ice fishing clinics at Greenfield Park in West Allis, Scout Lake in Greendale, Dineen Park in Milwaukee and McCarty Park in West Allis. Kids ages 15 and under will receive hands-on instruction on ice-fishing basics, safety and how-to tips that will build confidence on the ice. Fishing equipment is available to use during the clinic, but participants are encouraged to bring their equipment if able.

Great Lakes Tropical Fish Swap 
Crowne Plaza Milwaukee South
Jan. 31-Feb. 1

This inaugural two-day event has something for every aquarium hobbyist — freshwater and saltwater — and those fascinated by our fin-ny friends. Local, regional and national vendors will show off their colorful swimmers, and be sure to check out the kids area with live animal presentations by J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue, crafts, coloring books by Fishroom Punks, scavenger hunt, temporary tattoos and more!

Feeling festive?

Lake Geneva Winterfest 
Riviera Plaza & Flat Iron Park | Lake Geneva
Jan. 28-Feb. 1

The 31st annual free festival is home to America’s Snow Sculpting Invitational, featuring 15 of the most talented artists from around the U.S. and abroad who participate in an epic competition of skill and artistry. You can watch them work and enjoy more wintery fun throughout Lake Geneva, including bonfires on the beach, live entertainment, concessions and more!

Winter Carnival
Lynden Sculpture Garden
Jan. 31 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Lynden celebrates winter with a day of outdoor artmaking, scavenger hunts, tree-walks, workshops and whatever other winter activities (ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing) the weather permits. Orchestrated by artist Lillian Supanich around the theme of “holding,” this highly participatory, artist-driven carnival offers something for all ages.

MILWAUKEE – At MacDowell Montessori School in Milwaukee, the genuine excitement from these young students was palpable.

A winter surprise

What we know:

That’s because the Milwaukee Brewers and their Famous Racing Sausages stopped by as part of the team’s “Frozen Sausage Tour.”

“Recognizing and acknowledging the importance of education, together with celebrating our Brewers fans across the entire state just gets us out in the winter and allows us to say thank you and to remind kids that we know it’s the depths of winter, but baseball is coming and to bring them a little touch of the Milwaukee Brewers,” said Marti Wronski, Brewers Chief Operating Officer. 

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And who better to represent the Brewers than infielder Caleb Durbin and pitcher Chad Patrick.

The duo spent time talking to the student beforehand. They had one main message in mind and that was the importance of education.

“They just see us on the field and there’s a lot more to us than just being an athlete,” said Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin. “We went through the whole school system, some of us up through college and that was a big part of our life that I don’t think a lot of, definitely a lot of kids don’t really realize that we’re in their same position at one point.”

“It’s cool just to you know, give back and let these kids know you know, that your teachers are important,” said Brewers pitcher Chad Patrick. “School is important and just be respectful to them.”

Learning never stops

What they’re saying:

The pair reminded the students that they are no different from them. After all, even as professional baseball players, they’re still learning everyday from Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

“When you have one of the best teachers in the world kind of helping you with your craft, it gives you confidence,” said Durbin. “We feel like Murph prepares us better than anyone else that can do the job. There’s a lot of confidence going into the offseason that he’s got our back.”

“We’re just students of the game,” said Patrick. “You know, we’re learning everyday and whether you’re stepping in his office and he’s giving you a lot of advice, or whether it’s you know, the other coaches around us, giving us advice too, we’re always winning.”

Honoring educators

Big picture view:

To further emphasize the importance of rewarding educators, the Brewers honored teacher Heidi Henriques, who received the Grand Slam Teacher Award.

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MacDowell Montessori School also received a $1,000 check from the team. 

To add to the excitement, the Brewers’ Famous Racing Sausages finished the day with a race around the gym. 

“The Brewers take every one of these moments to heart and we hope that we get to share a little something special that might stick with some of the kids,” said Wronski.

The Brewers also made stops in Green Bay and Madison.

Novels offer a great escape, but sometimes we want our fiction to hit closer to home. These recent books are set in Milwaukee, but do they paint a recognizable portrait of our beloved city?

MYSTERY | PENGUIN BOOKS, 2022 | $18 

Sneha, a queer South Asian college grad moves to Milwaukee in 2013 for a job. She explores identity, romance and friendship, along with our city’s socialist history and alcohol culture.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?”  

Most definitely. The people whom Sneha meets ring true to our region, including “tony Brookfield,” Bay View and beyond.

 Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

Certainly. Sprinkled throughout are local history lessons and discussions of our prodigious alcohol consumption, not to mention a little day-drinking on Brady Street.  

Name-drops:

Bay View Massacre, North Division and Rufus King high schools.

COMING OF AGE | POLIS BOOKS, 2021 | $19 

Ukraine-born Masha must return from a new life in Israel to her childhood home in Milwaukee, where her sister has mysteriously gone missing. 

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Mostly. Masha’s father lives in the “semi-dangerous neighborhood of Riverwest.” Despite frequent allusions to Masha’s youth in Ukraine, Milwaukee’s cafes and clubs provide the main setting for Masha’s adventures. 

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

Indeed. Slor has clearly done her Riverwest research: Masha spends plenty of time sipping at Fuel Cafe (RIP) and checking out music at Bremen Cafe.  

Name-drops:

Foundation, Uptowner

POSTMODERN | PENGUIN PRESS, 2025 | $30 

In speakeasy Depression-era Milwaukee, a softening former cop deals with organized and not-so-organized crime as he follows the trail of a wayward cheese heiress.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Yes, early on. It’s left behind as a concrete setting for the second half of the book, but Cream City remains the spiritual home for our main character.

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The details are rich and almost always amusing. Characters gab around bubblers, drink old fashioneds, play sheepshead and talk more cheese than you can believe.

Name-drops:

Paramount Records (a defunct blues label in Grafton), Holton Street Bridge, Oriental Drugs

SUSPENSE | THREE TOWERS PRESS, 2019 | $27 

Mitch is a firefighter looking to escape a tragedy in rural Wisconsin. He relocates to Milwaukee to join a busy firehouse, leading to many adventures.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

As a former pro, Renz knows his firefighting, and he knows Milwaukee well enough to strike a clear contrast between the quiet, manure-air of Mitch’s farm home and the frenetic energy of the North Side. 

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The neighborhoods are richly drawn, and Renz includes the violence, conflict and racial tensions all too familiar in our unequal city.  

Name-drops:

Teutonia Avenue, a character called the “Jawbreaker of South Milwaukee”

THRILLER | BALLANTINE BOOKS, 2021 | $19 

Following a traumatic episode in Chile, Emily tries to recover with a new job in Milwaukee. A friend from the past arrives, and their violent history comes slowly to the surface.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Not really. Local author Bartz places the main characters here, but the setting isn’t the biggest factor in their character development.

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The plot mostly shines on the internal life of Emily, but there’s local insight: She’s “over Milwaukee – her hometown – with its smallish size and polarized communities.” 

Name-drops:

Brady Street and the “slightly creepy Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit at the public museum”