Top 10 things to do with metro Detroit kids this January

This January, metro Detroit is packed with exciting family-friendly events! Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with special activities, glide across ice skating rinks or race down sledding hills.

Ready to plan your month? Scroll down to explore our top picks for January family events in Detroit and around metro Detroit that will keep your calendar full of winter fun!

Read more: Find our full list of January events in Metro Parent’s Events Calendar 

Updated Dec. 29, 2025: This article was reviewed and updated by the Metro Parent editorial team. The update includes newly-added events to MetroParent.com’s calendar, highlighting the top family-friendly activities in metro Detroit this month.

Best January events for metro Detroit families

Bowers Farm Winter Park

Jan. 9-March 1, 2026

• Address: 1219 E. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Township
• Area: Oakland County
• Cost: Free/admission, $17/glow tubing ticket

Enjoy glow tubing, animal experiences, a winter playscape, bonfires and more. Concessions will be available to purchase and The Farm Store will also have items for sale. 

Glow Stick Nights at the Dodge Park Ice Rink

Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2026

• Address: 40620 Utica Road, Sterling Heights
• Area: Macomb County
• Cost: Free/residents with valid ID, $5/non-residents, $4/skate rental, $5/skate sharpening

Families can come to Dodge Park Ice Rink to receive a free glow stick (while supplies last). Jan. 3 is 70s night, Jan. 10 is 80s night, Jan. 17 is 90s night, Jan. 24 is 00s night and Jan. 31 is tropical night.

Fire and Ice Festival at Robert C. Valade Park

Jan. 10-11, 2026

• Address: 2670 Atwater St., Detroit
• Area: Wayne County
• Cost: Free

All weekend long, enjoy oversized fires, axe throwing, performances, photo opportunities, turkey legs and an ice carving competition. On Saturday evening at 6 p.m., see the Fire and Ice Tower (a seven-foot ice structure) lit to become a giant bonfire.

Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place

Jan. 14-25, 2026 

• Address: 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit
• Area: Wayne County
• Cost: $25/adult, $15/senior, $10/child

See more than 20 attractions, shows and events which are all about vehicles and the ever-growing technology behind them. 

Frost Festival in Downtown Rochester

Jan. 16-17, 2026

• Address: Downtown Rochester
• Area: Oakland County
• Cost: Free

See downtown Rochester transformed into a frosty wonderland. There will be Frozen in Time themed ice sculptures, a shopping and dining BINGO game, marshmallow roasting, competitions and more. 

Blake’s Bavarian Winterfest at Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill

Jan. 17-18, 2026

• Address: 17985 Armada Center Road, Armada
• Area: Macomb County
• Cost: $5/general admission online, $10 general admission at gate 

Blake’s is bringing the heart of Germany to Michigan with a lively celebration featuring everything you love about Bavarian culture—delicious food, refreshing drinks, music, contests, games and more.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

Jan. 17-19, 2026

• Address: 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn
• Area: Wayne County

Swing by the museum to learn about the contributions Dr. King made to the civil rights movement and other civil rights artifacts, including the Rosa Parks bus. It offers musical performances, an original play, live performances and more.

Dexter Ice Fest

Jan. 17, 2026

• Address: Monument Park, Dexter
• Area: Washtenaw County
• Cost: Free

See more than 80 ice sculptures, live ice demonstrations, a cocoa crawl, specials from local restaurants and merchants and more. 

BRRmingham Blast in Downtown Birmingham

Jan. 24, 2026 

• Address: South Old Woodward Avenue from Maple Road to Brown Street, Birmingham
• Area: Oakland County
• Cost: Free

This fun winter event features zip lining, entertainment, marshmallow roasting, food trucks and more. 

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