Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Dallas–Fort Worth this week: we found 40 free outings, including Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets, Halloween Sensory Play and Kids’ Costume Contest at The Shops at Park Lane and BOO on The Boardwalk, plus 16 library programs. 11 free days and events are coming up, each with its date. And four places never charge admission, like J. Erik Jonsson Central Library and Dallas Public Library.
This week
Every free outing on this week’s Dallas–Fort Worth list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library · 2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215
Spooky stories with lights and sounds, plus Halloween sing-alongs. It runs during the branch’s Haunted Library night for kids who aren’t ready for the haunted house. Free.
Bookmarks in NorthPark Center · 8687 North Central Expressway, Suite 1514, Dallas, TX 75225
Rhymes, songs and simple books for babies up to 18 months and their grown-ups. Free.
Lakewood Branch Library · 6121 Worth Street, Dallas, TX 75214
Stories, songs and jumping around for 18 months to 3 years, all in one big session in the auditorium. Free.
East Library & Recreation Center · 1817 New York Ave., Arlington, TX 76010
Short stories, fingerplays and songs in Spanish and English. Free.
Southwest Branch Library · 3311 S.W. Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, TX 76017
A high-energy storytime with singing and dancing. Free.
Ron Wright Lake Arlington Branch Library · 4000 W. Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, TX 76016
Books, songs and movement for busy toddlers. Free.
Frisco Public Library · 8000 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034
An evening on the holiday's traditions, with crafts, games and treats from H-E-B.
Fort Worth Public Library, East Regional Library · 6301 Bridge St., Fort Worth, TX 76112
An all-ages Halloween party on the main library floor. Come in costume or come as you are.
Garland Public Library, South Garland Library · 4845 Broadway Blvd., Garland, TX 75043
Games, crafts and treats for kids of all ages. Family-friendly costumes are encouraged.
Garland Public Library, Central Library · 625 Austin St., Garland, TX 75040
A Spanish-language storytime for ages 0 to 5 celebrating Halloween and Día de los Muertos, with songs, books and a treat walk through the library afterward. Come in costume.
Grapevine Public Library, Children's Area · 1201 Municipal Way, Grapevine, TX 76051
Books, songs, music and parachute play for toddlers through school age.
Lewisville Public Library, Cynthia Bennett Children's Wing · 1197 W. Main St., Lewisville, TX 75067
A free indoor mini-carnival in the children's wing. Come and go as you like; costumes encouraged.
Lewisville Public Library · 1197 W. Main St., Lewisville, TX 75067
Stories, songs and movement for walkers 15 to 36 months with a grown-up. Siblings welcome. Pick up a free ticket at the Youth Desk starting 30 minutes before.
Little Elm Public Library at The Lawn · 125 Main St, Little Elm, TX 75068
A bilingual outdoor storytime for toddlers 6 to 24 months, with repetition, movement and hand-eye play.
Oak Lawn Branch Library · 4100 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, TX 75219
Stories, songs and rhymes in Spanish and English, Halloween party edition. Free.
Preston Royal Branch Library · 5626 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX 75229
Rhymes, songs and simple books for babies up to 18 months and their grown-ups. Free. A short playtime follows.
Lochwood Branch Library · 11221 Lochwood Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75218
Rhymes, songs and simple books for babies up to 18 months and their grown-ups. Free.
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library · 1515 Young Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Stories and songs for toddlers at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library downtown. Free.
North Branch Library · 3020 N. Locust St., Denton, TX 76209
Stories and songs for babies up to 18 months and their grown-ups. Free.
Irving Public Library, South Irving Library · 601 Schulze Dr., Irving, TX 75060
A morning of unstructured play in the meeting rooms for ages 1 to 3 and their grown-ups.
Garland Public Library, North Garland Library · 3845 N. Garland Ave., Garland, TX 75040
Not-so-scary stories, crafts and trick-or-treating in the library for ages 18 months to 5. Costumes welcome.
Main Street Garden · 1920 Main St., Dallas, TX 75201
Downtown Dallas turns into one big trick-or-treat route on Halloween afternoon, with Main Street Garden as home base. A Día de los Muertos parade follows.
The Shops at Park Lane · 8080 Park Ln., Dallas, TX 75231
A free Halloween morning of sensory play stations, run by MyFestiGoodies. Kids who come in costume are entered to win a $200 gift card.
The Boardwalk at Granite Park · 5800 State Hwy. 121, Plano, TX 75024
Halloween night by the water in Plano, with a DJ, photo spots, a kids’ Halloween hat bar, a claw machine with free prizes and a treat bar.
Grandscape · 5752 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony, TX 75056
Grandscape’s free Halloween night trick-or-treat in The Colony. Check the Grandscape homepage before you go for the night’s schedule.
Arlington Highlands · 4000 Arlington Highlands Blvd., Arlington, TX 76018
Midday trick-or-treating around the Arlington Highlands shops, so little ones can be home well before dark.
Lochwood Branch Library · 11221 Lochwood Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75218
Pick up an activity board at the desk, finish five Halloween activities in a row and trade the board for a treat. Free.
Park Forest Branch Library · 3421 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75234
Say “Trick or treat!” to the librarians for a treat, and take a photo at the backdrop. Free.
Preston Royal Branch Library · 5626 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX 75229
A short Halloween storytime and a themed craft. Monsters, princesses and superheroes all welcome. Free.
Bookmarks in NorthPark Center · 8687 North Central Expressway, Suite 1514, Dallas, TX 75225
A Halloween animal visit with reptiles, amphibians and insects at the children’s library inside NorthPark Center. Free.
Prairie Creek Branch Library · 9609 Lake June Road, Dallas, TX 75217
Papel picado, sugar skull decorating, marigold crafts and live music. Free.
South Branch Library · 3228 Teasley Lane, Denton, TX 76210
Stories, songs and puppets for ages 1 to 5 and their grown-ups. Free.
Plano Public Library, Schimelpfenig Library · 5024 Custer Road, Plano, TX 75023
A Halloween puppet show about a witch who needs her friends' help to pick a giant pumpkin. Tickets go out at the library half an hour before each show.
Garland Public Library, Central Library · 625 Austin St., Garland, TX 75040
A family Halloween morning with games, treats and a piñata with prizes. The piñata breaking is at 11am. Costumes encouraged.
Garland Public Library, North Garland Library · 3845 N. Garland Ave., Garland, TX 75040
Families design and decorate their own sugar skull piñata for Día de los Muertos. Supplies provided; costumes encouraged.
Plano Public Library, Davis Library · 7501-B Independence Parkway, Plano, TX 75025
Stories, songs and movement for the whole family around a weekly theme, an easy Halloween morning stop.
Kimbell Art Museum · 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107
A short gallery walk and a skeleton-themed art project for kids 12 and under with a grown-up. Sign-up starts at noon in the Kahn Building.
McKinney Public Library, John and Judy Gay Library · 6861 W. Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75070
A not-so-scary Halloween morning with a ghost scavenger hunt, crafts, a spooky maze and pumpkin games. Storyteller Elizabeth Ellis tells scary stories at 10:30 and noon. The west lot is closed, so park at Evans Middle School across Eldorado Parkway.
Frisco Public Library · 8000 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034
Folktales, fractured fairy tales and true adventures told live, pitched at elementary-age kids and up.
Grapevine Public Library, Children's Area · 1201 Municipal Way, Grapevine, TX 76051
Drop-in crafting with supplies from the library's Art Cart. It's out every Sunday.
Plano Public Library, Harrington Library · 1501 18th Street, Plano, TX 75074
Hands-on activities that teach kids about Día de los Muertos and what the holiday means.
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 Dallas–Fort Worth.
Bass Pro Shops Grapevine · 2501 Bass Pro Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051
Santa arrives Nov 7 at 5pm. Games and crafts along with the free Santa photo. Photo reservations open Sunday, Nov 1.
Frisco Square · 6101 Frisco Square Blvd., Frisco, TX 75034
6–10pm. A free choreographed lights-and-music show. Walk the square or tune your car radio to 107.3 FM.
Downtown Fort Worth · Downtown Fort Worth, TX 76102
6pm. Downtown streets start closing at 3pm. TEXRail runs every 30 minutes that evening.
Historic Downtown McKinney square · 111 N. Tennessee St., McKinney, TX 75069
Fri–Sat 10:30am–9pm; Sun noon–5pm; tree lighting Fri 6:15pm. Santa visits all weekend, with a Ferris wheel, carousel, Snow Hill, train rides and a petting zoo. A free shuttle runs Friday and Saturday from First McKinney Baptist Church, 1615 W. Louisiana St.
Downtown Garland Square · Downtown Garland Square, Garland, TX
See the event page. The tree lighting opens the night, then photos with Santa, reindeer, a snow hill, kids' crafts and a dance party.
Downtown Plano Arts District · 998 E. 15th St., Plano, TX 75074
4–9pm; tree lighting at 7pm. Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a snow slide, a children's entrepreneur market and a reading of The Polar Express at the Interurban Railway Museum corner.
Fields Recreation Center · 1701 Dairy Rd., Garland, TX 75041
6–8pm. Santa's favorite snacks, reindeer games, pictures with Santa and a photo booth, run by Garland Parks and Recreation.
McKinney Public Library – John & Judy Gay Library · 6861 W. Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75070
10am–noon. An all-ages, kid-friendly party with crafts, activities and a countdown to noon.
Cozby Library & Community Commons · 177 N. Heartz Road, Coppell, TX 75019
11:30am–noon. Activities and a countdown to noon, planned for families with young children. All ages are welcome.
Bedford Public Library · 2424 Forest Ridge Drive, Bedford, TX 76021
11:15am–12:30pm. A kids' party with crafts, music and dancing, ending with a balloon drop at noon. It's in the library's North and South meeting rooms and aimed at babies through age 12.
Harrington Library (Plano Public Library) · Plano
11:30am–12:15pm. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers can come in pajamas for hands-on activities and a countdown to 12:00 noon.
Any day
Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.
Every week
Free baby, toddler and bilingual storytimes at branches across the city.
Weekday and Saturday mornings
Baby Time, Toddler Time and family storytimes at seven branches.
Weekday mornings
Baby and toddler story times at Denton’s three branches.
Weekday and Saturday mornings
Every weekly storytime by day and branch: library storytimes in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Keep planning
November: things to do in Dallas–Fort WorthEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in Dallas–Fort WorthEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free museum days in Dallas–Fort WorthFree days, Museums on Us and EBT discounts, with who gets in
Indoor play in Dallas–Fort WorthIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with pricesLibrary storytimes in Dallas–Fort WorthBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Ice skating in Dallas–Fort WorthHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and prices
Thanksgiving weekend in Dallas–Fort WorthParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Noon Year’s Eve in Dallas–Fort WorthKid-friendly countdowns, home by nap
Christmas parades in Dallas–Fort WorthParades and tree lightings with dates and start timesThe Nutcracker in Dallas–Fort WorthBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in Dallas–Fort WorthChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas break in Dallas–Fort WorthWhat’s open on Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1Birthday party places in Dallas–Fort WorthStarting prices, ages and what’s includedThis week in Dallas–Fort WorthDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
This week we found 40 free outings for ages 0–6, including Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets, Halloween Sensory Play and Kids’ Costume Contest at The Shops at Park Lane, BOO on The Boardwalk and Trick or Treat Extravaganza at Grandscape. See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.
Santa's Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops Grapevine, Christmas in the Square, GM Financial Parade of Lights, Home for the Holidays in Downtown McKinney and A Garland Christmas on the Square and 6 more are free this season. Dates and times are on each card under free days and free events.
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, Dallas Public Library, Arlington Public Library and Dallas Arboretum (Museums for All) don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.
Yes: J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. See all of them on indoor play places in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Yes. Dallas Public Library, Arlington Public Library and Denton 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 29, 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 Dallas–Fort Worth that weekend, free ones flagged.
