EXPLORE FREEBIES - Locally

The Jacksonville Public Library offers free homeschool art classes to those with a library card. You do have to register in advance for most. All JPL classes can be found on the monthly calendar. The ones listed below are during SCHOOL HOURS. Additional classes after hours are located on the website.

STEAM & Stories

Get ready to make! STEAM & Stories (ages 5-12) is a live program inspired by a book! Each week we read an exciting book and then participate in a hands-on activity inspired by the book.

Homeschool Science (ages 5-12)

If your child is into science, technology, engineering and math (or would they like to be), this is the time for them to shine. Read or talk through a STEM book with us and then we’ll do a STEM-based activity together. 

This program features a book and science activities that encourage deep thinking, inquiry, and fun. Each week we will use a variety of materials to explore a scientific concept. 

Homeschool Street Art Lab (ages 10-14)

This program is part of a 9-week long series! Street Art Lab is a program designed for participants interested in urban and public art, or those who just want to try new things! Join us as we explore various styles of street art that you can incorporate into your own unique creations. Special inspiration will be taken from our own city streets here in Jacksonville as we dive deeper into the artistic process of collaborative mural design, which we’ll debut at the end of the series!

Forensics Lab (ages 10-14)

This program is part of a 9-week long series! Forensics Lab (ages 10-14) is a program designed for participants who are curious about the science used to investigate crimes, or those who just want to learn something new! Join us as we slip into a fictional crime scene to learn how to use forensics tools and techniques. By the end of the series, you’ll have collected, analyzed and interpreted all the evidence needed to solve the crime!

Drop-In Options:

• Drop-In: Read with Dug the Therapy Dog (ages 6-12). Dug is a certified therapy dog who loves children and books!
• Drop-In: Printmaking: Sun Printing (Tween to Adult). Join us each month as we use different techniques to create art prints!
• Drop-In: Board Games (ages 12-18). Test your strategic skills and meet other board game fans at our board game sessions. For Teens ages 12-18.
• Drop-In: Chess (Tween to Adult). Brush up on your chess skills or learn from scratch. This Drop-in welcomes any level of mastery. Come enjoy an age-old game with your fellow customers.
• Drop-In: Dungeons and Dragons (Teen). Join us in the Southeast Regional Teen Room to learn and play Dungeons & Dragons. Beginners and experts are welcome. Dice and character sheets provided! You are welcome to bring your own.

There are many, many more offerings. Please check the website to find free classes for you and your family.

Location/Time: Vary based on branch.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is the largest fine arts museum in Northeast Florida. The Cummer was established in 1958, when art collector, garden enthusiast, and civic leader Ninah Cummer bequeathed her art collection and riverfront home to create a museum. Today, the core collection of 60 pieces from Mrs. Cummer's estate has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art. The historic gardens, set against the backdrop of the St. Johns River, serve as a centerpiece of beauty for all to enjoy.

Location: 829 Riverside Avenue, 32204

Contact at (904) 356-6857

FREE ADMISSION

Free admission, except for ticketed events, second and third Tuesdays, 4 to 9 p.m. Sponsored by VyStar Credit Union.

Free admission, except for ticketed events, fourth Friday of the month, 4 to 9 p.m. Sponsored by PNC Bank.

Free admission, the first Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sponsored by Citi.

Free admission for Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders the first full weekend of each month, provided by Museums on Us.

Free admission for SNAP EBT and WIC cardholders everyday, provided through Museums For All.

Explore the art, artists, and ideas of our time in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville! As a cultural institute of the University of North Florida, MOCA Jacksonville is committed to serving this community and its visitors through exhibitions, collections, educational programs, and publications that bring contemporary art to life for visitors of all ages.

Location: 333 North Laura Street, 32202

Contact at (904) 366-6911 or email  hellomoca@unf.edu

FREE ADMISSION TO MOCA JACKSONVILLE ON THE LAST FRIDAY EACH MONTH WITH LIBRARY CARD

Jacksonville Public Library and MOCA Jacksonville Offering Duval Residents More Access to Art and Literature. MOCA Jacksonville is generously giving Jacksonville Public Library card holders free admission to the museum the last Friday of each month to increase literacy in Duval County by expanding access to art. 

This is one you don’t want to miss. Click the link below to see the printable. 

Additional self-guided historic tours can be found here: https://www.visitjacksonville.com/things-to-do/tours/self-guided-tours/#jlhistory-tours.  

Neighborhood art tours: https://www.visitjacksonville.com/blog/neighborhood-art-maps/. 

Outdoor Explore!

Outdoor Explore! is a free family nature club hosted by Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens at local city parks. Each month we meet in a different location to explore the green spaces around our city and interact with the natural world! Outdoor Explore! is intended for children in 2nd-5th grade and their siblings of all ages! All outings last from 10 am - 12 pm.

Giving your child the opportunity to play outside is a precious gift with many positive benefits. Nature play helps kids to build resilience; be observant and focus attention; boost academic performance; enhance creativity, critical thinking and problem solving; develop the use of senses, self-control, social skills and respect for all living things; discover and understand feelings; and practice risk taking and risk assessment.

Floating Sea Aquatics (FSA) offers free art classes on Saturday for ages 5 to adult. Information and registration can be found on their Facebook page. If you haven’t been to FSA yet, I highly recommend a visit. 

Program Information

Location: 8661 Old Kings Road South

Contact at (904) 423-0247

Free printed books - click HERE!!!

Power Pals @home

We’ve adapted our popular in-school JEA Power Pals program into a free, downloadable workbook full of fun, engaging activities. JEA Power Pals @home is a self-guided instructional workbook designed to teach kids from kindergarten through second grade how to be safe around electricity.

 Learn more about Power Pals @home 

Aqua Pals @home

We’ve also adapted our in-school JEA Aqua Pals program into a free, downloadable workbook full of fun, engaging activities. JEA Aqua Pals @home is a self-guided instructional workbook designed to teach kids from kindergarten through second grade about water safety and conservation best practices.

 Learn more about Aqua Pals @home 

Field Trips

• Visit a JEA Facility
  JEA offers free tours designed to educate our future customers about how our various plants and labs operate. 

Energy and Water Detective Programs

The Energy Detective Program is a 45-minute live presentation that helps 3rd through 7th graders learn what energy is and where it comes from. They discover ways to conserve energy at home and at school, and it allows students to experiment with multiple energy-saving products.

The Water Detective Program is a 45-minute presentation that helps students learn about the sources and uses of water. They discover ways to conserve water at home and at school, and it allows students to experiment with water sources and properties.

 Contact Tree Hill Nature Center to bring any of these free programs to your school. 

The University of North Florida's Ogier Gardens offers seasonal classes that are free and open to the public. Prior topics include canning, mushroom log inoculation, organic gardening for beginners, compost 101 and lazy gardening. 

Program Information

Location: University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Next to the Skate Park and Lot 18, Jacksonville, FL

Time: Vary, please see Facebook page for details

For more information email ogiergardens@unf.edu. 

Guided Exploration Hikes

On the first Saturday of every month from 9-11 a.m., visitors can learn about the cultural history of the Guana Peninsula as well as the natural biodiversity, during a guided hike. Find out about the peninsula’s 5,000 years of human history, including how native peoples used estuarine resources, European plantation, and current efforts to conserve natural and cultural resources. Meet at the GTM Research Reserve’s Trailhead Pavilion located west of the Guana Dam. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

Family Seining

The GTM Research Reserve will host a Family Seining on the second Saturday of each month from 9-11 a.m. Join GTM Research Reserve volunteers and/or staff for a guided family seining activity. Visitors will get the chance to pull a seine net through Guana Lake, collecting a variety of species (including fish, crabs, and shrimp), learning about the animals and their habitat interactions during the activity. All necessary gear, including waders and boots, will be provided.

Beach Exploration

On the third Saturday of every month from 9-11 a.m., join GTM Research Reserve volunteers for a beach walk. Learn about the animals that call the beach their home, seashells and other interesting facts. This is a “Beaches 101” experience that the entire family will enjoy. The hike will begin at the Visitor Center for a presentation, visitors will then walk across the street to the beach.

Beach Clean-Up

On every fourth Saturday of the month, GTM’s Stewardship Beach Clean-Up takes place from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Please report to the front desk at the Visitor Center located in Ponte Vedra Beach at 9:30 a.m. to pick up supplies. You can choose which beach location you wish to clean up and work as long as you want. There is no sign up required for this event, just show up.

Matanzas Inlet Walk

Join GTM Research Reserve, on this seasonal guided interpretive walk around the Matanzas Inlet. Your guide will explain the inlet dynamics and movement of the sand. Hikers will explore the incredibly rich and diverse communities of plants and animals throughout the ecosystem and witness how hurricanes have affected the inlet. Participants will meet at the Matanzas Inlet west parking lot at 9:15 a.m. The hike begins promptly at 9:30 (click here for map). The event is free, but online registration is required. Check gtmnerr.org/events or call 904-380-8600 for up-to-date scheduled hikes and registration details.

Marineland Beach Walk

Join us for the seasonal Marineland Beach Walk. Every beach has its own story to tell. Why is the sand fine or coarse and how did it get its color? Which shells landed on this beach? Are there any shark’s teeth? Get to know the beach in an entirely new way. An interpretive guide will tell you about everything from shore birds to coquina rocks and the flowers blooming along the dunes. Meet your guide at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve Marineland Office on the west side of A1A, located at 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd., the southern end of the Town of Marineland.

River to Sea Preserve Walk

Join us for this seasonal guided trail walk at the River-to-Sea Preserve. Step into the ancient Florida coastal woodlands along the preserve trail and learn how Native Americans once thrived there on natural resources. Your guide will point out indigenous plants along the trail that lead to the Matanzas River. Meet your trail guide at the GTM Marineland Office, at 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine, FL 32080. Look for a “Research Reserve” event sign for the correct place to turn. Designated parking is in the lot located in front of the office building.