We're all cutting back these days and looking for free and cheap things to do.

So in no order at all ... here's a list of great free things to do with your kids in the Triangle. Add your own in the comments.

1. N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St., downtown Raleigh. The popular museum drew more than 760,000 visitors in 2008, so there's a good chance you've been to this museum, which is always free. To make your return visits new and interesting, check out the daily program calendar. I particularly like the storytimes and the high definition, 17-minute movie "Wilderness North Carolina." Or pick up one of the museum's series of scavenger hunts available by clicking here. Some, but not all, are also available at the museum's front desk.

2. N.C. Museum of History, 5 E. Edenton St., downtown Raleigh across from the natural sciences museum. The state museum, which is always free, offers regular free programs for preschoolers and school-age kids. Be sure to pre-register. The museum's exhibits also have plenty to offer. The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame has lots of interesting artifacts. The lobby display of vehicles is fun too. Be sure to look for Fred's Finds at the door to the museum's larger galleries. They'll take you on a scavenger hunt through the gallery. The museum just opened its pirate exhibit. It's free for kids ages 18 and under. It's $5 for ages 19 and up.

3. N.C. Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. The state art museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and always free. The 164-acre museum park is a great place to wander and includes some interesting art and sculptures along trails. Inside, find a large collection of art. The museum has regular free workshops for kids on Saturdays and preschoolers on Wednesdays. Click here for details. During a visit to the museum, be sure to pick up a backpack full of activities for the park or a tote bag full of activities inside the museum. Both are free at the front desk. The bags are best for preschoolers to elementary school age kids.

4. Kidzu Children's Museum, 105 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill. The museum costs $4 on Tuesdays through Saturdays but, thanks to a grant from Durham Regional Hospital, it's free on Sundays at least through late summer 2009.

5. North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, 433 Murray Ave., Durham. It's free from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays ... if you are a Durham County resident. A $2 per person contribution is requested.

6. Your library, locations across the Triangle. Besides all the free books, libraries offer a host of free activities including storytimes, performances, movies and book clubs for kids. And many of them happen in the evenings or on weekends. Click here for a link to all the library systems in the Triangle to find one near you.

7. Check out a new park or playground. The Triangle has a great selection of parks and playgrounds, so take a drive and find one you've never been to before. Some of my favorites: Observation Park at RDU, Kids Together Playground in Cary, KidsTowne in Apex, and all the nature that's found at Umstead State Park in Raleigh/Cary; Hemlock Bluffs in Cary; Eno River State Park in Durham; and Durant Nature Park in North Raleigh. For a full list of parks and playgrounds across the Triangle, click here. It also includes link to parks and recreation departments across the Triangle. They also provide regular free events and festivals to the public.

8. The State Farmers Market is open year-round in Raleigh and has regular free events. The regional markets will be expanding their hours in April. They include the Durham Farmers Market, which often has special activities for families and music; Carrboro Farmers Market, which has a nice, covered playground for kids next door; Wake Forest Farmers Market, which has regular special events; and the North Hills Farmers Market in Raleigh. A new market at Falls River Town Center in North Raleigh will open this spring and organizers say they are planning family-friendly events during market time.

9. Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education, Centennial Campus, N.C. State University, Raleigh. Unfortunately this free spot is only open during the week, but it will be a great place to check out during spring break and summer vacation. The center uses technology to tell the story of the piedmont area of North Carolina. It offers free programs for kids starting at age three. And has a nice gift shop too.

10. The N.C. Symphony's July 4 concert at Koka Booth Amphitheatre is free and probably offers the best seat for Cary's fireworks display.

11. Family days at the Nasher Museum of Art, 2001 Campus Dr., Durham. The museum holds free family days with crafts and scavenger hunts about every other month plus no admission to the museum. The next free family day is from noon to 4 p.m., May 17.

12. Storytime and music at area stores. Quail Ridge Books and Music in Raleigh offers storytimes at 10 a.m., Mondays. Falls River Books in North Raleigh offers storytime at 11 a.m. Wednesdays. McIntyre's Fine Books in Fearrington Village offers storytimes at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Barnes & Noble and Borders Books also have regular storytimes. Tookie's Toys features performances by Cotton the Clown each week at both its Raleigh locations. I know there are more out there. So please add your favorite store storytimes and events in the comments.

13. Mall play areas. The Streets at Southpoint in Durham, Cary Town Center, Triangle Town Center in Raleigh and Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh (though I wish they'd get rid of those coin-operated toys next to the play area at Crabtree) all have play areas for kids. Extra points if you can get out of there without spending money.

14. Home Depot, Lowes and Michael's all offer regular free workshops for kids. Home Depot offers the workshops from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at most stores. Lowe's Build and Grow Workshops are held on some Saturdays. You can register online. Michael's offers free workshops about once a month on Saturdays.

15. Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 426 Anderson St., Durham. It's a great place to wander, but the popular garden also has free storytimes on some Saturdays in the spring. And the nature ranger cart is a free activity site with activities for kids. It's available on Friday mornings in early spring and early fall starting in April as long as its not raining. Click here for more information about the garden's children's programs.

16. The N.C. State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. The flea market is always a fun way to pass a Saturday morning. But the fairgrounds offers lots of other activities, which often are free, throughout the year. Click here for the 2009 events calendar.

17. Raleigh City Museum, 220 Fayetteville St., Raleigh. The free museum offers something you don't see everywhere ... perhaps anywhere. It's a history of Raleigh. The museum offers occasional programs for kids too.

18. Grab a picnic and head to the J.C. Raulston Arboretum or Rose Garden (301 Pogue St.) in Raleigh or the N.C. Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, which offers some children's programs for a fee.

19. Prairie Ridge Ecostation for Wildlife and Learning, 4301 Reedy Creek Rd., Raleigh. The ecostation, part of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, is open to the public seven days a week except on state holidays. Two walking trails are open to the public (pets not allowed), but there are no public restrooms yet. Interpretive signs are scattered throughout.

20. Volunteer. Kids Connect is a great Triangle resource that connects kids of any age and families with volunteer opportunities.

21. Get historic. There is a host of historic sites across the Triangle where you can learn everything from why Raleigh is where it is to what life was like on a tobacco farm. Click here for a list of local historic sites to get you started. Many are free or close to free and offer special events for families.

22. And of course there's always the very popular Mom2Mom free eats page listing restaurants where your kids can eat for free or really cheap.