# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Cleveland: the parent guide > Cleveland has a children’s museum in a mansion, a science center on the lake, a shark-tunnel aquarium and free admission at its art museum, plus Metroparks trails all around town. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - 19 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Great Lakes Brewing Company (Ohio City) - A big brewpub across from the West Side Market, which makes a fun walk before or after. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am–10pm; Sun hours vary - Good for: A brewpub lunch paired with a West Side Market walk. - Skip if: you need Sunday hours you can count on; they vary. - Website: https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/ ### Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream (Ohio City flagship and shops around town) - Local ice cream made in its own kitchen. At the Ohio City shop you can watch it being made. - Price level: $ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $4.25 junior scoop - Good for: A $4.25 junior scoop, and watching ice cream get made in Ohio City. - Skip if: it’s right before nap, or you’re hoping to watch the kitchen at a shop other than Ohio City. - Price source: https://www.mitchellshomemade.com/s/ShopMenu_071426_2.pdf (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.mitchellshomemade.com/ ### West Side Market (Ohio City) - A historic indoor market where kids can graze from stand to stand. - Price level: $ - Good for: Grazing stand to stand with a curious toddler. - Skip if: you need to sit down for a full meal. - Website: https://westsidemarket.org/ ### Slyman’s Restaurant (St. Clair-Superior) - An old-school deli with giant corned beef sandwiches and breakfast. - Price level: $ - Good for: A giant corned beef breakfast for you. - Skip if: you’re after a kids’ menu more than a giant corned beef sandwich to split. - Website: https://www.slymans.com/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Children’s Museum of Cleveland (Midtown) - Play spaces built for babies through age 8, in a restored mansion. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: Everyone $15; 11 months and under free - Good for: Under-5s, in rooms built for babies through age 8; 11 months and under are free. - Skip if: your kids are 9 or older. - Price source: https://cmcleveland.org/hours-admission/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://cmcleveland.org/ ### Great Lakes Science Center (North Coast Harbor) - Hands-on science, a dome theater and a NASA space center. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 2–12 $14.95; adults $19.95 - Good for: A few hands-on exhibits next to the Rock Hall; kids 2–12 are $14.95. - Skip if: you try to do the whole building with a toddler. - Price source: https://greatscience.com/tickets (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://greatscience.com/ ### Greater Cleveland Aquarium (The Flats) - A walk-through shark tunnel and touch pools, all in a small space. - Price level: $$ - Good for: An hour-long after-nap stop with a shark tunnel. - Skip if: you want a big all-day aquarium; it’s small. - Website: https://www.greaterclevelandaquarium.com/ ### Cleveland Botanical Garden (University Circle) - The Hershey Children’s Garden and two glasshouses full of tropical plants. - Price level: $$ - Good for: The Hershey Children’s Garden, with warm glasshouses on cold days. - Skip if: your toddler isn’t into plants; the Hershey Children’s Garden is the main kid draw. - Website: https://www.holdenfg.org/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Edgewater Park (West Side lakefront) - A beach, a playground and skyline views on Lake Erie. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free sand, a playground and skyline views. - Skip if: it’s cold and windy off the lake. - Website: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/ ### Rocky River Reservation (Western suburbs) - Easy trails and a nature center with live animals. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free trails and a nature center with live animals. - Skip if: you want a full playground day. - Website: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/ ### Cuyahoga Valley National Park (South of the city) - Waterfalls, towpath walks and a scenic railroad. - Price level: Free - Good for: A flat, free stretch of towpath with a stroller. - Skip if: you arrive at midday on a warm weekend, when lots fill up. - Website: https://www.nps.gov/cuva/index.htm ### Lake Farmpark (Kirtland) - A working farm park with animals and hands-on activities. - Price level: $$ - Good for: Farm animals and hands-on activities. - Skip if: you don’t want to drive out to Kirtland. - Website: https://www.lakemetroparks.com/ ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Old Brooklyn) - A big zoo with an indoor rainforest building for cold days. - Price level: $$ - Good for: A full morning, with an indoor rainforest building as backup. - Skip if: you’re squeezing it into an hour between other stops. - Website: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/ ### Cleveland Museum of Art (University Circle) - Free general admission, plus a hands-on gallery for families. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free, short visit to the hands-on family gallery. - Skip if: your toddler isn’t ready for quiet galleries. - Website: https://www.clevelandart.org/home ### Cleveland Museum of Natural History (University Circle) - Dinosaurs and live animals. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 2–18 $18; adults 19–60 $25; Under 2 free. Advance prices; $3 more at the door - Good for: Dinosaurs and live animals; under 2 is free and advance tickets save $3. - Skip if: you’re paying at the door for a quick visit. - Price source: https://www.cmnh.org/visit/buy-tickets (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.cmnh.org/ ### Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (North Coast Harbor) - Loud, colorful and a hit with kids who like music. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: kids 6–12 $30; adults $45; 5 and under free - Good for: Music-loving kids; 5 and under are free. - Skip if: you’re paying $45 an adult for a toddler who wants out in 20 minutes. - Price source: https://rockhall.com/visit/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://rockhall.com/ ### Hale Farm & Village (Bath) - A living-history farm with animals and costumed interpreters. - Price level: $$ - Good for: Animals and costumed interpreters. - Skip if: you need posted prices and open days; check first. - Website: https://www.wrhs.org/ ## Staycations and overnight trips ### Great Wolf Lodge Sandusky (Sandusky (about 1 hour)) - An indoor water park lodge with a splash area for small kids. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: A splash area for small kids about an hour away. - Skip if: you’d rather not drive an hour each way for one night. - Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/sandusky ### Kalahari Resorts Sandusky (Sandusky (about 1 hour)) - A huge indoor water park resort with toddler pools. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: A huge indoor water park with toddler pools. - Skip if: your little one is too small for most of it and you’d pay resort prices for the toddler pool. - Website: https://www.kalahariresorts.com/ohio/ ## Free things to do - Edgewater Park - Rocky River Reservation - Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Cleveland Museum of Art ## Best for under 3s - **Children’s Museum of Cleveland**: Designed for babies through age 8. - **Greater Cleveland Aquarium**: Small enough to see everything before a meltdown. - **Cleveland Botanical Garden**: The Hershey Children’s Garden is made for small explorers. ## With a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Baby & Me Storytime** (Cuyahoga County Public Library): Wednesdays at 10am · Bay Village Branch. https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/events - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Cuyahoga County Public Library): Wednesdays at 10am; Thursdays at 11am · Beachwood Branch. https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/events - **Baby and Me Story Time** (Lorain Public Library System): Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am · Avon Branch. Birth to 18 months. Bounce, wiggle and play at this interactive story time. https://lorainpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar?cid=21416 - **Baby and Me Story Time** (Lorain Public Library System): Mondays and Thursdays at 10am · North Ridgeville Branch. Birth to 18 months. Bounce, wiggle and play at this interactive story time. https://lorainpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar?cid=21416 - **Baby Storytime** (Medina County District Library): Mondays and Tuesdays at 1pm; Thursdays at 10:30am · Brunswick branch. Join MCDL staff for books, rhymes, songs and fingerplays! https://medinacounty.librarycalendar.com/events/month - **Baby Storytime** (Medina County District Library): Wednesdays at 10:30am · Lodi branch. https://medinacounty.librarycalendar.com/events/month - **Lapsit Storytime** (Westlake Porter Public Library): Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30am · Westlake Porter Public Library. Birth to 24 months https://westlakelibrary.org/events ### Babies get in free - **Children’s Museum of Cleveland**: 11 months and under free. https://cmcleveland.org/hours-admission/ - **Cleveland Museum of Natural History**: Under 2 free. https://www.cmnh.org/visit/buy-tickets ### Changing tables and nursing rooms - **Cleveland Botanical Garden**: There’s a Mamava lactation pod in the Japanese Overlook hallway, near the restrooms and library. ## Library storytimes - **Cleveland Public Library**: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at the Main Library downtown and neighborhood branches. https://cpl.org/ - **Cuyahoga County Public Library**: Weekly at 24 locations; Monday–Saturday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Storytimes and early-literacy play at branches across the suburbs. https://cuyahogalibrary.org/ - **Lorain Public Library System**: Weekly at 5 locations; Monday–Thursday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby and Me Story Time (Mondays 10am, North Ridgeville Branch) and Books, Beats and Bubbles Story Time (Mondays 5:45pm, Avon Branch), with more at Columbia Branch, Domonkas Branch and South Lorain Branch. https://lorainpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar?cid=21416 - **Medina County District Library**: Weekly at 6 locations; Monday–Thursday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby Storytime (Mondays 1pm, Brunswick) and Family Storytime (Mondays 10:30am, Brunswick), with more at Buckeye, Highland, Lodi and Medina and other branches. https://medinacounty.librarycalendar.com/events/month - **Westlake Porter Public Library**: Weekly at the Westlake Porter Public Library; Tuesday–Thursday. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Lapsit Storytime (Tuesdays 9:30am) and Toddler Storytime (Tuesdays 10:15am). https://westlakelibrary.org/events ## Happening this week - **Boo at the Zoo at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo** (5pm–9pm) at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. $22 advance online, $24 day of (non-members); under 2 free. https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/#e-boo_at_the_zoo - **Trick or Treat in the Village at Hale Farm** (Sat 10am–3pm) at Hale Farm & Village. Adults $15, children 3–12 $8. https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/#e-trick_or_treat_in_the_village_at_hale_fa - **Curiosities at the Castle at Squire’s Castle** (Sat 5pm–8pm) at Squire’s Castle, North Chagrin Reservation. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/#e-curiosities_at_the_castle - **Owls & Howls Family Day at the Natural History Museum** (Sun 10am–4pm) at Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Costumed kids 12 and under free (buy in person); adults $25 advance, $28 at the door. https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/#e-owls_and_howls_cmnh - **Halloween Dance Party (Union)** (Fri 11am–12pm) at Cleveland Public Library, Union. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/#e-halloween_dance_party_union Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Cleveland: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Cleveland for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/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 the Children’s Museum of Cleveland good for toddlers? Yes. It’s built for babies through age 8, and babies 11 months and under get in free. ### What’s free to do with little kids in Cleveland? The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edgewater Park, the Metroparks and Cuyahoga Valley National Park are all free. ### What can we do in Cleveland with a toddler on a rainy day? The Children’s Museum, the Aquarium, the Science Center and the Botanical Garden glasshouses are all indoors. ### What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Cleveland? Children’s Museum of Cleveland: Designed for babies through age 8. Greater Cleveland Aquarium: Small enough to see everything before a meltdown. Cleveland Botanical Garden is also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Under 2 free) and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (5 and under free). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Cleveland? Cleveland Public Library: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Cuyahoga County Public Library: Weekly at 24 locations; Monday–Saturday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Lorain Public Library System: Weekly at 5 locations; Monday–Thursday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Cleveland weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/). ### How do you choose the places in the Cleveland guide? Every one of the 19 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 5 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is Children’s Museum of Cleveland for a toddler, and who gets in free? 11 months and under free; everyone: $15. We checked this on [its official site](https://cmcleveland.org/hours-admission/) on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.