10 free or cheap things to do with kids

Miami-Dade

• Tower Theater, 1580 SW Eighth St., Miami. The Tower is the best deal in Miami-Dade. It shows first-run movies and art films, as well as film festival offerings, for $6, all the time. The third Thursday of the month, the Tower shows an Italian film free.
• California Club 6, 850 Ives Dairy Rd., North Miami. Tickets for all showings are $2, with all showings $1 on Tuesdays.
• Paragon 13, Coconut Grove. All films are $5 before 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays.
• AMC Mall of the Americas: All shows are $5 Mondays through Thursdays as part of AMC's Weekday Escape deal.
• AMC Aventura and AMC Sunset Place: Tickets for any show before noon are $6, as part of the A.M. Cinema program.
• Intracoastal in North Miami Beach: All tickets are $6 on Tuesdays ($5 with loyalty card).

Broward

• AMC Coral Ridge 10 in Fort Lauderdale: All shows are $5 Mondays through Thursdays as part of AMC's Weekday Escape deal.
• Plantation Crossroads: $6.50 for evening shows ($6 on Tuesdays) and $4.50 for matinees.
• Sunrise 11, Gateway in Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas Riverfront, Deerfield Mall, Mizner Park in Boca Raton: All tickets are $6 on Tuesdays ($5 with loyalty card).
• Cinemark Paradise 24 in Davie: The first matinee of the day is $6.25.
• Tamarac Cinema 5, 10036 W McNab Rd.: Movies are $3 for adults and 99 cents on Tuesday, cash only.

-- Teresa Mears

• Go to the beach. This is Florida, it’s required. The county oversees some beaches. Others are at state parks.  Some municipalities operate beaches.
• Live jazz at MOCA. At 8 p.m. on the last Friday of every month, music lovers gather on the plaza outside the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami. Concerts are free and the museum is open by donation.
• Farmers markets. Even when you don’t need locally grown organic vegetables, these markets are great places to people-watch or pick up non-food items, such as jewelry and accessories. Some offer music, exercise classes and more.
• Viernes Culturales and Big Night in Little Haiti.  These monthly street festivals showcase some of what gives this area its fascinating multicultural identity. Big Night in Little Haiti happens on third Fridays. The following week, head across town to Little Havana for Viernes Culturales or Cultural Fridays. Both offer live music, vendors, arts and crafts, food, children’s activities and more.
• Free museum visits. The Miami-Dade Public Library offers free passes to local museums. The passes, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis, allow up to a family of four to check out the Miami Children’s Museum, Zoo Miami and others. Click here for details.
• Free movies at Soundscape. . They’re shown outdoors on the Soundscape screen at the corner of 17th Street and Washington Avenue in Miami Beach. Click here for the schedule.