Dallas–Fort Worth is big, so pick one side of the metro per day. Dallas has the Perot Museum, the zoo and the Arboretum, and Fort Worth has its own zoo and a museum district a few minutes apart.
The places we go back to all year. 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.
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
A food hall and market building at the edge of downtown, with lots of choices under one roof.
A big Fort Worth Mexican restaurant, open for lunch and dinner every day.
A deck park with food trucks every day, plus two sit-down restaurants on site.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour. For toddler classes and every indoor playground we’ve checked, with prices and sock rules, see indoor play in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Dallas Public Library’s main branch, with free toddler storytimes.
An all-day indoor playground with a padded toddler zone for ages 1 to 3. Two adults get in free with each child.
A sensory play space with play structures for ages 0 to 6. The day pass is good all day.
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
66 acres of gardens on White Rock Lake, with big seasonal displays and the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden.
A large garden near the Fort Worth museums. Enchanted Garden runs through Nov 30.
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
Five floors of hands-on science downtown. General admission includes the Moody Family Children’s Museum for the youngest visitors.
Dallas’s big zoo just south of downtown, open 364 days a year. Kids 2 and under get in free.
A large zoo in Fort Worth’s Forest Park, open every day of the year. Wednesdays are half price.
Science and history exhibits in Fort Worth’s museum district, plus a planetarium and the Galaxy Park playground. The Children’s Gallery is being renovated.
A night away without a long drive.
A 80,000-square-foot indoor water park kept at 84 degrees, included with your room.
350 campsites with water and electricity on 7,500-acre Joe Pool Lake, about 20 miles from downtown Dallas.
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.
Where a family can go in Dallas–Fort Worth without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in Dallas–Fort Worth. For regular free days, Museums on Us and EBT discounts in 2027, see free museum days in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
Victory Park, 2201 N. Field St.Perot Museum of Nature and ScienceThe Moody Family Children’s Museum is included.Kids $17Adults $27MembersIndoor
Oak Cliff, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Fwy.Dallas Zoo2 and under free.From $18 (varies by date) each2 and under
White Rock Lake, 8525 Garland Rd.Dallas Arboretum and Botanical GardenUnder 3 free.Kids $17.95 Mon–Thu; $21.95 Fri–SunAdults $21.95 Mon–Thu; $25.95 Fri–SunUnder 3Forest Park, 1989 Colonial Pkwy.Fort Worth Zoo2 and under free.Kids $18Adults $222 and under
Downtown Dallas, 1515 Young St.J. Erik Jonsson Central LibraryFree toddler storytimes.FreeIndoor
North Dallas, 6859 Arapaho Rd.Kids Empire Dallas HillcrestA padded zone for ages 1 to 3.IndoorOak Cliff, 206 W. Jefferson Blvd.bb piñataBuilt for ages 0 to 6.IndoorRecurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar. For every weekly storytime by day and branch, see library storytimes in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Weekday and Saturday morningsFree baby, toddler and bilingual storytimes at branches across the city.
Schedule ↗Weekday morningsBaby Time, Toddler Time and family storytimes at seven branches.
Schedule ↗Weekday and Saturday morningsBaby and toddler story times at Denton’s three branches.
Schedule ↗Baby storytimes, places where babies get in free, and where to change and feed. For rainy days, see indoor play places; for zero-cost ideas, see free things to do.
Wednesdays at 10am · George W. Hawkes Downtown LibraryReading short books, singing, movement, sign language and rhymes for a baby and caregiver together.
Storytime calendar ↗Fridays at 9:30am · Lochwood BranchSimple rhymes, songs and books for babies and their caregivers.
Storytime calendar ↗Fridays at 9:30am · North BranchStories, songs and activities to build early literacy with your baby.
Storytime calendar ↗Thursdays at 9:30am · South BranchStories, songs and activities to build early literacy with your baby.
Storytime calendar ↗
Under 3
Admission page ↗2 and under
Admission page ↗2 and under
Admission page ↗Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices. For holiday and indoor rinks with season dates, prices and skate aids, see ice skating with kids in Dallas–Fort Worth.
The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in Dallas–Fort Worth right now.
Yes. General admission includes the Moody Family Children’s Museum. It’s closed Tuesdays through April 7, 2027.
bb piñata in Oak Cliff is built for ages 0 to 6, and Kids Empire Hillcrest has a padded zone for ages 1 to 3.
Yes. The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library runs free toddler storytimes.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science: The Moody Family Children’s Museum is included. Dallas Zoo: 2 and under free. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Fort Worth Zoo and J. Erik Jonsson Central Library are also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (Under 3) and Fort Worth Zoo (2 and under). See best for under 3s.
Every one of the 14 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 26, 2026. How we choose and check.
2 and under; kids: From $18 (varies by date); adults: From $18 (varies by date). We checked this on its official site on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
One short email every Thursday evening with the five things we’d leave the house for in Dallas–Fort Worth.
