Join us for the 16th Annual BFK Children's Parade presented by ThedaCare!!

Kids and their families are invited to stroll down College Avenue in themed costumes and non-motorized floats in a parade all about them!

Then after the parade, we'll host a dance party in City Park with food trucks from the Fox Valley Food Truck Association. 

Parade line-up begins 10 minutes before your scheduled wave. 

You will receive an email PDF of your team number on Tuesday, July 22nd. Please print this before the parade. If you do not have access to a printer, please call (920.734.3226 ext 110) or email (admin@buildingforkids.org) to arrange a pickup time at Welcome Desk. 

By registering, you give the BFK permission to use pictures of your group for marketing purposes. 

Registration is free but required. Please register by Tuesday, July 22nd to be eligible for judging. 

For large groups, please click 2025 Children's Parade Group Registration to sign up!

BFK Party

• Exclusive access to 1 Classroom for a 90-minute rental, with an additional 15 minutes before the party for set-up
• Museum admission for up to 25 guests. Admission is for the full day, so guest can play before and after the party
• Personalized birthday shout-out on our external sign
• Birthday Photo Station with backdrop and props

Members: $175    Non-Members: $225

BFK Party Plus

• Everything included in the BFK Party Package
• 5 one-topping pizzas
• Personalized 1/2 sheet birthday cake
• Juice boxes
• Plates, cups, and utensils

Members: $300    Non-Members: $350

To inquire about additional guests, time, food, or any special requests, please call us at 920-734-3226.

Parties must be booked at least 2 weeks in advance.

Members must sign in to receive their discount.

Celebrate with an exclusive, after-hours party at the Building for Kids!

Whether it’s for a birthday party, family reunion, anniversary, or any other occasion, bring your family and friends together at one of Wisconsin’s largest children’s museums. With our standard package, you get the whole museum (and our 30,000 square feet of interactive exhibits) to yourself for 2 hours with admission for up to 100 guests. Plus, you’ll have access to our 3 classrooms, where you can set up food, activities, or a gathering space. Food and drink are allowed in the museum.

An after-hours party at the museum is $650 for members and $725 for non-members.

Members, please sign in to get your discount. 

Museum Learners Plus

Book a field trip to the Building for Kids! Enjoy access to hands-on, interactive experiences, while encouraging self-directed discovery, exploration, and creativity.

Through exploration of the museum's exhibits and engagement with facilitated activities, students will practice skills of inquiry and collaboration as they work together to learn the chosen topic.

Museum Learners Plus experiences are available Tuesday - Friday. Topic exploration can take up to 90 minutes. A minimum of 15 students IS REQUIRED to schedule a Museum Learners Plus field trip.

For groups of 100 or more students, please give us a call (920-734-3226) to schedule your trip.

Our system is currently experiencing an issue related to signing up large groups of people. Please either give us a call to register or fill out the information under "Registrant 1" and then click the register later button for all following registrants.

Want an easier check-in process when you arrive? Purchase your tickets to the Building for Kids in advance. 

These tickets provide access to our two floors of exhibits as well as our daily drop-in programs. Admission tickets are $11 per person. Infants under 1 year old are free. Your tickets will be emailed to you. 

No refunds are available, but please contact us at 920-734-3226 ext. 110 if you would like to reschedule.

Interested in receiving free admission all year round? Learn more about being a member here!

Walk-up tickets are also available on the day of your visit.

Museum Learners

Book a field trip to the Building for Kids! Enjoy access to hands-on, interactive experiences, while encouraging self-directed discovery, exploration, and creativity. 

Museum Learners Field Trips are available Tuesday - Friday. For groups of 100 or more students, please give us a call (920-734-3226) to schedule your field trip.

Our system is currently experiencing an issue related to signing up large groups of people. Please either give us a call to register or fill out the information under "Registrant 1" and then click the register later button for all following registrants.

Museum Learners Lunch

Are you planning to be at the BFK over lunch? Lunch room rentals (25 minutes) are available and free with a field trip reservation. Space is limited.

Please check that your lunch date above matches your field trip date!

Lunches are available at the following times:

• 10:45 AM - 11:10 AM
• 11:15 AM - 11:40 AM
• 11:45 AM - 12:10 PM
• 12:15 PM - 12:40 PM

When registering, please be sure to select the box that says "Use this information for all registrants". Where it says "Registrant 1: Chaperone," please enter your contact information.

Call 920-734-3226 for assistance with registration. 

BFK's Jr. Explorers is a drop-off program designed for kids ages 3- and 4-year-old children who are toilet independent. Jr. Explorers engage in activities that build skills around communication, collaboration, and problem solving, while diving into concepts related to STEM, art, and reading. Jr. Explorers enhances the learning children might be receiving in other pre-school programming or build important skills for school readiness and socialization, by learning and exploring in the museum alongside their peers. Jr. Explorers aims to achieve the following goals:

• Build confidence through child-directed, play-based learning
• Build communication and collaboration skills through the Plan. Play. Share. method
• Build emotional awareness through sharing their experiences

A Jr. Explorer Day:

• 8:30-8:45am: Drop-off and guided play in the museum.
• 8:45-9:00am: Transition Time - Use Restrooms and Wash Hands.
• 9:00-9:40am: Plan & Play - Jr. Explorers will make a plan for their time at the museum. They will participate in a selection of themed activities, facilitated by a Museum Educator. Next, they will choose from a selection of exhibits to go explore.
• 9:40-9:50am: Share - Jr. Explorers will share with the group what they did and how they feel.
• 9:50-10:00am: Jr. Explorers will move to the first floor of the museum to prepare for pick-up by 10:00am.

BFK is excited to launch Early Explorers! This is a program offering weekly activities for young children 18-36 months and their grown-ups. Activities will be facilitated by a Museum Educator, aimed to achieve the following goals:

• Strengthen the relationship between children and their grown-ups
• Developmentally conscious activities that focus on fine and gross motor skills
• Create social connection for both children and their grown-ups

This program is open to members and non-members who would like to enjoy Early Explorer activities with the purchase of daily admission.