Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Atlanta this week: we found 24 free outings, including Trick-or-Read (Ponce de Leon Library), Spooktacular Halloween with the Science Guys (Northeast/Spruill Oaks Library, Johns Creek) and Harvest Costume Night (Cascade Library), plus eight library programs. 13 free days and events are coming up, each with its date. And four places never charge admission, like Central Library and Fulton County Library System.
This week
Every free outing on this week’s Atlanta list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.
Northeast/Spruill Oaks Branch · 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022
The Science Guys come back for an hour of spooky science experiments. Free.
Cascade Branch · 3665 Cascade Road SW, Atlanta, GA 30331
Kids 12 and under come in costume and take home a book. Registration is required. Free.
Palmetto Branch · 9111 Cascade Palmetto Hwy, Palmetto, GA 30268
Kids make their own monster masks. Free.
Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon · 980 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Songs, rhymes and movement for babies up to 1. Free.
Norcross Branch · 5735 Buford Hwy., Norcross, GA 30071
Stories, dancing and songs for toddlers. Free.
Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville Hooper-Renwick Branch · 56 Neal Blvd., Lawrenceville, GA 30046
An afternoon of Lego building, aimed at ages 0 to 5.
Fulton County Library, East Point Branch · 2757 Main Street, East Point, GA 30344
Build and share with Legos and magnetic tiles. The bins include pieces sized for toddlers.
Fulton County Library, Peachtree Branch · 1315 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
Build with blocks and Legos alongside a parent or caregiver. Open to kids of all ages.
Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon · 980 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Friendly Halloween stories for little kids. Free.
Fairburn Branch · 60 Valley View Drive, Fairburn, GA 30213
A showing of Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost for all ages, with coloring sheets, puzzles and snacks. Free.
DeKalb County Public Library, Doraville Library · 2421 Van Fleet Cir, Suite 180, Doraville, GA 30360
An energetic, interactive storytime with stories, songs and activities for preschoolers. Free, no registration listed.
Gwinnett County Public Library, Centerville Branch · 3025 Bethany Church Rd., Snellville, GA 30039
A Halloween edition of the library's ballet-and-stories program for little ones. Costumes encouraged.
Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon · 980 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Kids make a ghost-themed family portrait, with a ghost for each person who matters to them.
Racket Social Club · 2001 Lake Windward Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30005
Decorated cars with trick-or-treating for kids 18 and under, plus costume contests and prizes. Free.
Gwinnett County Public Library, Duluth Branch · 3180 Main St., Duluth, GA 30096
A short library program of stories, songs and movement for toddlers and their grown-ups.
Fulton County Library, Alpharetta Branch · 10 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, GA 30009
A bat-themed read-aloud followed by a hands-on craft based on the book.
Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon · 980 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Stop by any time from 10am to 6pm to trick-or-treat at the library. Every child goes home with a free book. Free.
Northwest Branch · 2489 Perry Boulevard NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Kids make glowing balloon ghosts before trick-or-treating. A grown-up needs to stay. Free.
East Atlanta Branch · 400 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
A costume storytime and parade with the friends of Whisker Woods. Free.
Duluth Branch · 3180 Main St., Duluth, GA 30096
Come in costume for a silly Halloween storytime with Ms. Sarah. Free.
DeKalb County Public Library, Gresham Library · 2418 Gresham Rd. SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
A free family movie on Halloween afternoon.
DeKalb County Public Library, Embry Hills Library · 3733 Chamblee-Tucker Rd., Chamblee, GA 30341
Stop in on Halloween for a free book and candy. Costumes are optional.
DeKalb County Public Library, Scott Candler Library · 1917 Candler Rd., Decatur, GA 30032
Unstructured sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers with a grown-up.
DeKalb County Public Library, Scott Candler Library · 1917 Candler Rd., Decatur, GA 30032
A Halloween scavenger hunt around the library. Parents welcome.
Ponce City Market · 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Shops and restaurants around the market hand out candy to kids in costume. Free, and separate from the ticketed party up on The Roof.
DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur Library · 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA 30030
Stories and songs, then trick-or-treating around the library on Halloween morning. Registration is required and seats were still open on Monday.
Fulton County Library, Alpharetta Branch · 10 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, GA 30009
Kids team up to solve spooky puzzles and find clues in a Halloween escape room at the Alpharetta library.
Nothing free on this day yet. Try an always-free place.
Mark the calendar
Museum and zoo free days, free festivals and other one-off free events, soonest first. Some free days are only for residents or cardholders, so each one says who gets in free. For regular free days, Museums on Us and EBT discounts all year, see free museum days in Atlanta.
Downtown Alpharetta, in front of City Hall · 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, GA 30009
5–8pm. A 50-foot tree lighting with live holiday music, snow flurries, strolling characters and a visit from Santa. Bring portable chairs.
Autrey Mill Nature Preserve & Heritage Center · 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022
10am–2pm. Docents open the preserve's old farmhouse, store and church for the day. Kids can make a holiday craft and have their picture taken with Santa. Concessions are sold on site.
Avalon · 400 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta, GA 30009
2–7:30pm; tree lighting 7pm. Avalon on Ice opens for the season, with face painting, crafts and a photo booth along the boulevard, then Santa helps count down the 40-foot tree.
Mimms Museum of Technology and Art · 5000 Commerce Parkway, Roswell, GA 30076
Nov 27 4-7pm; Nov 28 11am-4pm. A holiday vendor expo with food trucks, a kids' zone and Santa.
Glover Park, Marietta Square · 50 N. Park Square, Marietta, GA 30060
4–8pm; Santa's parade around 5pm. Santa leads an ugly sweater parade to the Square, then the city lights the tree in Glover Park.
Heart of Roswell Park · 925 Canton St, Roswell, GA 30075
6–8pm. Choirs, hot chocolate, fire pits and s'mores, a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Santa, and the lighting of a 40-foot tree.
Downtown Duluth · 3167 Main St., Duluth, GA 30096
2–7pm. Visits with Santa, holiday characters, kids' crafts, story time, live music, a holiday market and a snow slide and playground.
Alpharetta Welcome Center · 178 South Main St., Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30009
10am–noon. Each family gets a free photo printed on site and emailed right away. The photographer uses a green screen, so skip green clothing. No pets.
Downtown Norcross · Downtown Norcross, Norcross, GA
6:30-8:30pm. Santa wanders around downtown on these two Tuesday evenings, visiting with people out shopping and eating.
Oakhurst Recreation Center · Oakhurst Recreation Center, Decatur, GA
6:30-9pm. An open house at the city rec center where kids can hand Santa their wish lists. Register for photos through Decatur Parks and Recreation on CommunityPass.
Gwinnett County Public Library – Five Forks Branch · Lawrenceville (Gwinnett County)
11am–noon. An early-learning party for ages 0–5: bring the family for a “noon” year’s countdown.
Gwinnett County Public Library – Grayson Branch · Grayson (Gwinnett County)
11:30am–12:30pm. For ages 0–5: music, stories and a countdown to noon.
Gwinnett County Public Library – Hamilton Mill Branch · Dacula (Gwinnett County)
11am–noon. A New Year’s celebration just for little ones, ages 0–5.
Any day
Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.
Every week
Free baby and toddler storytimes at branches from Roswell to East Point.
Weekday mornings
Baby & Me lap-sits and toddler times at branches in Duluth, Lilburn and around the county.
Weekday mornings
Baby and toddler storytimes east of the city, like Books and Babies at the Decatur Library on Wednesday mornings.
Weekly, mostly mornings
Every weekly storytime by day and branch: library storytimes in Atlanta.
Keep planning
November: things to do in AtlantaEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in AtlantaEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free museum days in AtlantaFree days, Museums on Us and EBT discounts, with who gets in
Indoor play in AtlantaIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with pricesLibrary storytimes in AtlantaBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Ice skating in AtlantaHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and prices
Thanksgiving weekend in AtlantaParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Noon Year’s Eve in AtlantaKid-friendly countdowns, home by nap
Christmas parades in AtlantaParades and tree lightings with dates and start timesChristmas trains in AtlantaPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in AtlantaBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in AtlantaChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas break in AtlantaWhat’s open on Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1This week in AtlantaDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
This week we found 24 free outings for ages 0–6, including Trick-or-Read (Ponce de Leon Library), Spooktacular Halloween with the Science Guys (Northeast/Spruill Oaks Library, Johns Creek), Harvest Costume Night (Cascade Library) and Monster Masks (Palmetto Library). See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.
Season of Celebration Tree Lighting, Historic Homes – Holiday Edition at Autrey Mill, The Lighting of Avalon, Santa at the Roswell Holiday Expo and Marietta Square Christmas Tree Lighting & Santa and 8 more are free this season. Dates and times are on each card under free days and free events.
Central Library, Fulton County Library System, Gwinnett County Public Library and Piedmont Park playgrounds don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.
Yes: Central Library. See all of them on indoor play places in Atlanta.
Yes. Fulton County Library System, Gwinnett County Public Library and DeKalb County Public Library run free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening with the best things to do with little ones in Atlanta that weekend, free ones flagged.
