# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Baltimore: the parent guide > Baltimore packs a lot for small kids into a few blocks around the Inner Harbor. - Last checked: 2026-10-28 - 10 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Lexington Market (Downtown, 112 N. Eutaw St.) - Baltimore’s old public market in a new hall, with dozens of food stalls. Closed Sundays. - Price level: $ - Hours: Mon–Wed 6am–5pm, Thu–Fri 6am–6pm, Sat 7am–6pm - Good for: Lunch where everyone picks something different. - Skip if: it’s Sunday. - Website: https://www.lexingtonmarket.com/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Enoch Pratt Free Library (Citywide) - Free baby and toddler story times and Stories Together sessions at the Central Library and neighborhood branches. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free morning downtown. - Skip if: you need it on a holiday. - Website: https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/ ### Baltimore County Public Library (Baltimore County) - Story times, play mornings and family events from Towson to Catonsville. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free story time in the county. - Skip if: you need it on a holiday. - Website: https://events.bcpl.info/events ## Parks and outdoor play ### Irvine Nature Center (Owings Mills, 11201 Garrison Forest Road) - Trails, wetlands and a raptor aviary. Fridays are free, with a free story time for kids 5 and under most weeks. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free Friday outside. - Skip if: it’s been raining all week; the trails get muddy. - Website: https://www.explorenature.org/series/free-fridays/ ### Cylburn Arboretum (Northwest Baltimore, 4915 Greenspring Ave.) - A city arboretum with easy paths, a mansion and a nature education center. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free, quiet walk. - Skip if: you need a playground. - Website: https://www.baltimorecity.gov/bcrp/cylburn-arboretum ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Port Discovery Children’s Museum (Inner Harbor, 35 Market Place) - Three floors of hands-on play near the harbor, with a toddler area and daily programs. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the fall. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 1 and up $25.95; adults $25.95; under 1 - Hours: Fall: Mon and Thu 10am–3pm, Fri–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm - Good for: A rainy morning with kids 1 to 8. - Skip if: it’s a Tuesday or Wednesday this fall; it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.portdiscovery.org/visit/ (checked 2026-10-28) - Website: https://www.portdiscovery.org/visit/ ### The Maryland Zoo (Druid Hill Park, One Safari Place) - A big zoo in Druid Hill Park. Admission covers the train and the carousel, and parking is free. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 10am–4pm (March–December); last entry 3:30pm - Good for: A morning outside with a stroller. - Skip if: you show up after 3:30; that’s last entry. - Website: https://www.marylandzoo.org/visit/tickets-hours/ ### National Aquarium (Inner Harbor, 501 E. Pratt St.) - The big aquarium on the harbor. Kids 4 and under get in free, but strollers can’t go on the exhibit route. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: kids 4 and under Free; adults 21–69 $49.95. Youth 5–20 $39.95 - Hours: November: Mon–Thu 10am–5pm, Fri 10am–9pm, Sat–Sun 10am–6pm; closed Thanksgiving - Good for: A full morning with a preschooler. - Skip if: you’re planning to push a stroller through; you’ll check it at the door. - Price source: https://aqua.org/Visit/ (checked 2026-10-28) - Website: https://aqua.org/Visit/ ### B&O Railroad Museum (Southwest Baltimore, 901 W. Pratt St.) - A roundhouse full of real locomotives, with free on-site parking. Train rides cost extra. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 2–12 $12; adults $20; under 2 - Good for: Train-obsessed toddlers. - Skip if: you want the train ride and didn’t check the schedule. - Price source: https://nationalrailroad.org/visit-the-bo/plan-your-visit/admissions-hours/ (checked 2026-10-28) - Website: https://nationalrailroad.org/visit-the-bo/plan-your-visit/admissions-hours/ ### Maryland Science Center (Inner Harbor, 601 Light St.) - Three floors of exhibits plus the planetarium. The Kids Room is made for the youngest visitors. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $26.95; adults $34.95; under 3 - Good for: A cold day with kids 3 and up. - Skip if: your kids are under 3 and you’re paying full price for yourself only for them. - Price source: https://www.mdsci.org/plan-a-visit/tickets-hours/ (checked 2026-10-28) - Website: https://www.mdsci.org/plan-a-visit/tickets-hours/ ## Free things to do - Enoch Pratt Free Library - Baltimore County Public Library - Irvine Nature Center - Cylburn Arboretum ## Best for under 3s - **Port Discovery Children’s Museum**: Free under 1, with a toddler area. - **National Aquarium**: Free for 4 and under. - **The Maryland Zoo**: Rides included with admission. - **B&O Railroad Museum**: Free under 2. ## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Enoch Pratt Free Library): Thursdays at 10:30am · Waverly. Stories, songs and play for babies in arms and toddlers under 2, with playtime after. https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/baby_toddler_storytime_wvr - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Enoch Pratt Free Library): Thursdays at 11am · Hampden. For little ones under 2 and a favorite grown-up. https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/baby_toddler_storytime_6560 - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Enoch Pratt Free Library): Fridays at 10:30am · Orleans Street. For little ones under 2 and a favorite grown-up. https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/baby-toddler-storytime-orl2 - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Enoch Pratt Free Library): Fridays at 11am · Central Library. At the Central Library downtown. For little ones under 2. https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/baby_toddler_storytime_6129 - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Enoch Pratt Free Library): Wednesdays at 10:30am · Roland Park. For little ones under 2 and a favorite grown-up. https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/baby_toddler_storytime_1455 - **Infant Story Time: Babies and Books** (Baltimore County Public Library): Thursdays at 10:30am · Towson Branch. For babies from birth to 12 months and a grown-up. https://bcplinfo.libnet.info/event/17131511 - **Infant Story Time: Babies and Books** (Baltimore County Public Library): Mondays at 10:30am · Catonsville Branch. For babies from birth to 12 months and a grown-up. https://bcplinfo.libnet.info/event/17232276 - **Infant Story Time: Babies and Books** (Baltimore County Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Rosedale Branch. For babies from birth to 12 months and a grown-up. https://bcplinfo.libnet.info/event/17267255 ### Babies get in free - **Port Discovery Children’s Museum**: under 1. https://www.portdiscovery.org/visit/ - **B&O Railroad Museum**: under 2. https://nationalrailroad.org/visit-the-bo/plan-your-visit/admissions-hours/ - **Maryland Science Center**: under 3. https://www.mdsci.org/plan-a-visit/tickets-hours/ ## Library storytimes - **Enoch Pratt Free Library**: Weekday mornings and Saturdays. Free baby, toddler and family story times at Central and the branches. https://calendar.prattlibrary.org/ - **Baltimore County Public Library**: Weekday mornings. Free story times and play programs in Towson, Catonsville, Perry Hall and more. https://events.bcpl.info/events ## Happening this week - **ZooBOO! at the Maryland Zoo** (10am–4pm) at The Maryland Zoo. Included with Zoo admission. https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/#e-zooboo_at_the_maryland_zoo - **Cylburn ArBOOretum** (5–7:30pm) at Cylburn Arboretum. $5 in advance plus fees, $10 at the door; 2 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/#e-cylburn_arbooretum - **Fell’s Point Trick or Treat** (Sat 1–4pm) at Fell’s Point shops. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/#e-fells_point_trick_or_treat - **Trick or Treat at Baltimore Peninsula** (Sat 5–8pm) at Elijah’s Park, Baltimore Peninsula. Free; RSVP on the event page. https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/#e-trick_or_treat_at_baltimore_peninsula - **Pumpkin Drop (Towson)** (Sun 1:30–2:30pm) at Towson Branch. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/#e-pumpkin_drop_towson Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Baltimore: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Baltimore for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/christmas-lights/index.md) ## About this list - Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city. - How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com). - Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list. - How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote. ## FAQ ### Is Baltimore good for toddlers? Yes. Port Discovery is built for them, the aquarium is free for kids 4 and under, and the zoo includes train and carousel rides. ### What’s free for little kids in Baltimore? Library story times, Irvine Nature Center on Fridays, Cylburn Arboretum and free family programs at the BMA. ### What can we do in Baltimore on a rainy or cold day with a toddler? Go indoors: Enoch Pratt Free Library and Baltimore County Public Library. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time. ### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Baltimore? Port Discovery Children’s Museum: Free under 1, with a toddler area. National Aquarium: Free for 4 and under. The Maryland Zoo and B&O Railroad Museum are also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: B&O Railroad Museum (under 2) and Maryland Science Center (under 3). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Baltimore? Enoch Pratt Free Library: Weekday mornings and Saturdays. Baltimore County Public Library: Weekday mornings. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Baltimore weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/baltimore/). ### How do you choose the places in the Baltimore guide? Every one of the 10 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 4 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 28, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is the Port Discovery Children’s Museum for a toddler, and who gets in free? Under 1; kids 1 and up: $25.95; adults: $25.95. We checked this on [its official site](https://www.portdiscovery.org/visit/) on Oct 28, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.