Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Albuquerque: the parent guide.
Albuquerque is easy with little kids: Explora’s Toddler Time, a zoo with New Mexico resident pricing, River of Lights in December and free storytimes at 19 library branches.
Around town15 spots · checked Oct 18
The ABQ places we go back to, again and again.
Not this week’s events, just the reliable stuff. Where to eat with a toddler, where to burn off energy when it rains, where to splash, what’s worth the admission, and where to spend a night without going far.
Eat
Kid-friendly restaurants
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
3 spotsMost $$
Flying Star Café (Nob Hill)
$$
Nob Hill, 3416 Central SE
A busy local café open from breakfast to dinner, with a long kids’ menu (pancakes, egg breakfasts, grilled cheese) that comes with a juice box.
Menu prices
Kids’ meals $8–$12.50 (juice box included)
Breakfast and lunch plates ~$12–$18
Good for: An early breakfast or an easy dinner, any day of the week.
Skip if: you need table service; you order at the counter.
An Albuquerque tradition since 1971: order at the counter, grab a seat in one of five dining rooms and watch for your number. Breakfast burritos, homemade tortillas and the famous sweet roll.
Menu prices
Breakfast burritos and plates $6.45–$10.60; 3-piece chicken strips with fries $6.15
Good for: A cheap breakfast at any hour, from 5am.
Skip if: you want table service; it’s counter ordering.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in ABQ that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Play
Indoor play and rainy days
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.
All indoors3 spots2 free
Free
Main Library
Downtown, 501 Copper NW
The downtown library, with baby, toddler and preschool storytimes.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in ABQ that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Splash & ride
Parks and outdoor play
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
3 spots2 free
Near the BioPark, 1800 Tingley Dr. SWFree
Tingley Beach
Free fishing ponds beside the Rio Grande bosque, next to the ABQ BioPark.
Tickets
Free; anglers 12 and up need a NM fishing license
Good for: A free sunny morning near the zoo.
Skip if: it’s after sunset; it’s open sunrise to sunset.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in ABQ that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Explore
Museums, zoos and big outings
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
6 spots
Explora
$
1701 Mountain Road NW
A hands-on science center and children’s museum, with Toddler Time on Monday mornings.
Tickets
Kids 1–11 $7
Adults $11
Under 1 free
Good for: Toddler Time, Mondays 9–11am.
Skip if: it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas Day; it’s closed.
One ticket covers the aquarium, with its journey down the Rio Grande to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Botanic Garden next to it. The BUGarium and Children’s Fantasy Garden are closed for renovations right now.
Tickets
Kids 3–12 $7 NM residents, $13 non-residents
Adults $12 NM residents, $21.50 non-residents
2 and under free
Good for: A morning of fish and gardens; add the zoo with a combo ticket.
Skip if: it’s a winter Monday; it closes Mondays from Veterans Day to Presidents Day.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in ABQ that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
These don’t change week to week. Last checked . Hours and prices change, so check the place’s own site before you go. Know a spot we missed? Tell us at hello@littlesweekly.com.
No ticket needed
Free things to do
Where a family can go in ABQ without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in ABQ.
Baby storytimes, places where babies get in free, and where to change and feed. For rainy days, see indoor play places; for zero-cost ideas, see free things to do.
Baby and lap-sit storytimes
Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:15am · Cherry Hills Library
Baby & Toddler Storytime · Public Library Albuquerque and Bernalillo County
Enjoy an interactive storytime with your child that includes early literacy fun with books, songs, fingerplays and body movement.
Things to do with toddlers in Albuquerque: the FAQ
Is Explora good for babies?
Yes. Under 1 is free, and Toddler Time on Monday mornings is reserved for the youngest visitors.
Are there free things to do with little kids in Albuquerque?
Yes. Main Library, Cherry Hills Library, Tingley Beach and Petroglyph National Monument are free or have a free entry. See the free list.
What can we do in Albuquerque on a rainy or cold day with a toddler?
Go indoors: Main Library, Cherry Hills Library and Kids Empire Cottonwood Mall. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.
Where are the free storytimes in Albuquerque?
Public Library Albuquerque and Bernalillo County: Most weekday mornings, plus Saturdays at some branches. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See library storytimes, and this week’s dated sessions are on the ABQ weekly list.
How do you choose the places in the Albuquerque guide?
Every one of the 15 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 12 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. How we choose and check.
How much is the ABQ BioPark Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free?
2 and under free; kids 3–12: $5 NM residents / $11 non-residents; adults: $10 NM residents / $19.50 non-residents. We checked this on its official site on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
