Great Lakes Brewing Company
$$Ohio City
A big brewpub across from the West Side Market, which makes a fun walk before or after.
Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm · Fri–Sat 11:30am–10pm · Sun hours varySite ↗ for Great Lakes Brewing Company
OCT 16 – 22 Cleveland · The Land
Cleveland weekend plans for little kids, found and checked for you.
Pooh turns 100 on Saturday, and the Mayfield Branch is throwing a party with a Hundred Acre Wood scavenger hunt. Boo at the Zoo lights up the paths with more than a dozen treat stations, and Sunday’s free ShakeFest at Thornton Park has a Ferris wheel and rides on the Euclid Beach Rocket Car.
This week: 20 outings at 20 places, each one linked to the page we checked it on. How we check
Top 5 picks
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Saturday, sorted
A Saturday that actually works.
Here’s how we’d do Saturday, Oct 17. Two things from this week’s list, plus one of our regulars from Around town. Tap a stop for the details.
MORNINGWinnie-the-Pooh’s 100th Anniversary Party (Mayfield Branch)10am–1pm · Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield Branch · Free- LUNCHAround townGreat Lakes Brewing CompanyOpen 11:30am–10pm · Ohio City · $$ (opens their site)
- NAPHome by 1:30 for nap. Car seat, stroller, whatever works.
AFTER NAPHaunted Hallway (Main Library)2–4:30pm · Cleveland Public Library, Main Library · Free
Times come from each event’s page or the place’s own site. Plans change, so check before you head out. Print this plan
Every outing this week
Find your thing
Around town19 spots · checked Oct 16
The Cleveland 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.
Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream
$Ohio City flagship and shops around town
Local ice cream made in its own kitchen. At the Ohio City shop you can watch it being made.
West Side Market
$Ohio City
A historic indoor market where kids can graze from stand to stand.
Slyman’s Restaurant
$St. Clair-Superior
An old-school deli with giant corned beef sandwiches and breakfast.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Cleveland 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.
$15Everyone
Children’s Museum of Cleveland
Midtown
Play spaces built for babies through age 8, in a restored mansion.
Tickets
- 11 months and under free
$14.95per child (2–12)
Great Lakes Science Center
North Coast Harbor
Hands-on science, a dome theater and a NASA space center.
Tickets
- Adults $19.95
$$
Greater Cleveland Aquarium
The Flats
A walk-through shark tunnel and touch pools, all in a small space.
$$
Cleveland Botanical Garden
University Circle
The Hershey Children’s Garden and two glasshouses full of tropical plants.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Cleveland 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.
West Side lakefrontFree
Western suburbsFree
Rocky River Reservation
Easy trails and a nature center with live animals.
South of the cityFree
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Waterfalls, towpath walks and a scenic railroad.
Kirtland$$
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Cleveland that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Explore
Museums, zoos and big outings
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
$$Old Brooklyn
A big zoo with an indoor rainforest building for cold days.
Cleveland Museum of Art
FreeUniversity Circle
Free general admission, plus a hands-on gallery for families.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
$$University Circle
Dinosaurs and live animals.
Tickets
- Kids 2–18 $18
- Adults 19–60 $25
- Under 2 free
Advance prices; $3 more at the door
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
$$$North Coast Harbor
Loud, colorful and a hit with kids who like music.
Tickets
- Kids 6–12 $30
- Adults $45
- 5 and under free
Hale Farm & Village
$$Bath
A living-history farm with animals and costumed interpreters.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Cleveland that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Stay
Staycations and overnight trips
A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.
≈1 hour · Sandusky$$$
Great Wolf Lodge Sandusky
An indoor water park lodge with a splash area for small kids.
≈1 hour · Sandusky$$$
Kalahari Resorts Sandusky
A huge indoor water park resort with toddler pools.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Cleveland 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.
On the horizon
Coming up
OCT 23 – 29Halloween weekendMore trick-or-treating, a few costume parades and some gentle spooky stuff. The list goes out next Friday.Get it in your inbox →
OCT 31Trick-or-treat night guideNeighborhood hours and the streets that are easy with a stroller. Early ones too, for kids who are asleep by 7.Get notified →
NOVEMBERFirst holiday lightsThe first holiday lights in town, and which ones you can see before bedtime.See it first →
Good questions
Outings for little ones in Cleveland: the FAQ
What can I do with a little one in Cleveland this weekend?
This week we found 20 outings that work for kids ages 0–6. Our top three: Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th Anniversary Party (Mayfield Branch), ShakeFest at Thornton Park, Boo at the Zoo. See the full list.
Are there free things to do with little ones in Cleveland this week?
Yes, 18 of this week’s 20 picks are free, including library storytimes and Sensory-Friendly Saturday at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Tap “Free” in Find your thing.
What are good indoor activities for kids in Cleveland when it rains?
15 picks this week are indoors, mostly library programs and shows. Tap “Rainy-day OK” in Find your thing.
Where can I find storytimes and toddler activities in Cleveland?
This week we list 16 library storytimes and baby or toddler programs. Each one links to the library or venue page with the time and place. See them in the list.
How do you pick what goes on the list?
We look at venue and library calendars and local family pages every week. Each listing links to the page we checked it on, and where the organizer or venue has its own page, we confirm the details there. We lean toward things that fit around naps and don’t need a long walk.
How do I get this list every week?
Sign up for the Friday email at the bottom of the page. It’s one short email, and you can unsubscribe any time.
For local businesses
Running something for little kids in Cleveland?
If it’s good for the under-6 crowd, we’d like to hear about it. Free events go on the list for free, always. If you want a guaranteed spot at the top or in the Friday email, there’s a sponsored option too, and it’s clearly labeled. We’re just getting started, so the first 10 local partners in each city get 50% off your first booking.
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