# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Dallas–Fort Worth: the parent guide > 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. - Last checked: 2026-10-26 - 14 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Dallas Farmers Market (Farmers Market District, 920 S. Harwood St.) - A food hall and market building at the edge of downtown, with lots of choices under one roof. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 10am–7pm - Good for: Lunch when everyone wants something different. - Skip if: you want a sit-down meal with table service. - Website: https://dallasfarmersmarket.org/ ### Joe T. Garcia’s (Fort Worth Northside, 2201 N. Commerce St.) - A big Fort Worth Mexican restaurant, open for lunch and dinner every day. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–2:30pm & 5–10pm; Fri–Sat 11am–11pm; Sun 11am–10pm - Good for: A Fort Worth dinner after the museums. - Skip if: you want a late weekday lunch; it closes 2:30 to 5 Monday through Thursday. - Website: https://www.joetgarcias.com/ ### Klyde Warren Park food trucks (Downtown Dallas, over Woodall Rodgers Fwy.) - A deck park with food trucks every day, plus two sit-down restaurants on site. - Price level: $ - Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–2:30pm; Sat–Sun 11am–7:30pm - Good for: A picnic lunch next to the Perot Museum. - Skip if: it’s a weekday evening; the trucks leave at 2:30. - Website: https://www.klydewarrenpark.org/dining ## Indoor play and rainy days ### J. Erik Jonsson Central Library (Downtown Dallas, 1515 Young St.) - Dallas Public Library’s main branch, with free toddler storytimes. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free storytime downtown. - Skip if: you need it on a holiday. - Website: https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/ ### Kids Empire Dallas Hillcrest (North Dallas, 6859 Arapaho Rd.) - An all-day indoor playground with a padded toddler zone for ages 1 to 3. Two adults get in free with each child. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Mon–Thu 10am–8pm; Fri–Sun 10am–10pm - Good for: A hot or rainy afternoon with kids who need to run. - Skip if: you want somewhere quiet. - Website: https://www.kidsempire.com/store-locator/kids-empire-dallas-hillcrest ### bb piñata (Oak Cliff, 206 W. Jefferson Blvd.) - A sensory play space with play structures for ages 0 to 6. The day pass is good all day. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Sun–Fri 9am–6pm; Sat 9am–7pm - Good for: A morning with a baby or toddler. - Skip if: your kids are older than 6. - Website: https://bbpinata.com/open-play/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (White Rock Lake, 8525 Garland Rd.) - 66 acres of gardens on White Rock Lake, with big seasonal displays and the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $17.95 Mon–Thu; $21.95 Fri–Sun; adults $21.95 Mon–Thu; $25.95 Fri–Sun; Under 3 - Hours: Daily 9am–5pm - Good for: A fall or holiday morning in the gardens. - Skip if: you only have an hour; parking and the walk take time. - Price source: https://www.dallasarboretum.org/autumn-at-the-arboretum/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.dallasarboretum.org/autumn-at-the-arboretum/ ### Fort Worth Botanic Garden (Cultural District, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.) - A large garden near the Fort Worth museums. Enchanted Garden runs through Nov 30. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 8am–5pm - Good for: A stroller walk before the Science and History museum. - Skip if: you need a lot of shade in summer. - Website: https://fwbg.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-procession/ ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Perot Museum of Nature and Science (Victory Park, 2201 N. Field St.) - Five floors of hands-on science downtown. General admission includes the Moody Family Children’s Museum for the youngest visitors. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: kids 2–12 $17; adults 13+ $27; Members - Hours: Mon and Wed–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–5pm; closed Tue (last entry 4pm) - Good for: A rainy or hot morning with a preschooler. - Skip if: it’s a Tuesday; it’s closed Tuesdays through April 7, 2027. - Price source: https://www.perotmuseum.org/visit/hours/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.perotmuseum.org/visit/hours/ ### Dallas Zoo (Oak Cliff, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Fwy.) - Dallas’s big zoo just south of downtown, open 364 days a year. Kids 2 and under get in free. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids From $18 (varies by date); adults From $18 (varies by date); 2 and under - Good for: A morning walk with a stroller. - Skip if: you want to be in and out fast; it’s spread out. - Price source: https://www.dallaszoo.com/general-information/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.dallaszoo.com/general-information/ ### Fort Worth Zoo (Forest Park, 1989 Colonial Pkwy.) - A large zoo in Fort Worth’s Forest Park, open every day of the year. Wednesdays are half price. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $18; adults 13+ $22; 2 and under - Hours: Daily 10am–5pm; from Nov 2, daily 10am–4pm - Good for: A Wednesday morning with toddlers. - Skip if: you arrive late on a fall day; it closes at 4 from Nov 2. - Price source: https://www.fortworthzoo.org/plan-a-visit (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.fortworthzoo.org/plan-a-visit ### Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (Cultural District, 1600 Gendy St.) - Science and history exhibits in Fort Worth’s museum district, plus a planetarium and the Galaxy Park playground. The Children’s Gallery is being renovated. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Tue–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm; closed Mon - Good for: A rainy afternoon in Fort Worth. - Skip if: it’s a Monday; it’s closed Mondays. - Website: https://www.fwmuseum.org/visit/ ## Staycation spots ### Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine (Grapevine) - A 80,000-square-foot indoor water park kept at 84 degrees, included with your room. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: A water park weekend halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth. - Skip if: your kids get overwhelmed by loud, splashy rooms. - Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/grapevine ### Cedar Hill State Park (Cedar Hill, on Joe Pool Lake) - 350 campsites with water and electricity on 7,500-acre Joe Pool Lake, about 20 miles from downtown Dallas. - Price level: $ - Good for: A first camping trip close to the city. - Skip if: you’d rather sleep indoors. - Website: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/cedar-hill ## Free things to do - J. Erik Jonsson Central Library ## Best for under 3s - **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**: Under 3 free. - **Fort Worth Zoo**: 2 and under free. - **J. Erik Jonsson Central Library**: Free toddler storytimes. - **Kids Empire Dallas Hillcrest**: A padded zone for ages 1 to 3. - **bb piñata**: Built for ages 0 to 6. ## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Baby Time** (Arlington Public Library): Wednesdays at 10am · George W. Hawkes Downtown Library. Reading short books, singing, movement, sign language and rhymes for a baby and caregiver together. https://arlingtontx.libcal.com/event/17201998 - **Baby Basics Storytime** (Dallas Public Library): Fridays at 9:30am · Lochwood Branch. Simple rhymes, songs and books for babies and their caregivers. https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/event/baby-basics-storytime-543229 - **Baby Story Time** (Denton Public Library): Fridays at 9:30am · North Branch. Stories, songs and activities to build early literacy with your baby. https://denton.bibliocommons.com/events/6a7f51dc3f18f80030bb1ec9 - **Baby Story Time** (Denton Public Library): Thursdays at 9:30am · South Branch. Stories, songs and activities to build early literacy with your baby. https://denton.bibliocommons.com/events/6a889f3936204e08fbb6264c ### Babies get in free - **Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden**: Under 3. https://www.dallasarboretum.org/autumn-at-the-arboretum/ - **Dallas Zoo**: 2 and under. https://www.dallaszoo.com/general-information/ - **Fort Worth Zoo**: 2 and under. https://www.fortworthzoo.org/plan-a-visit ## Library storytimes - **Dallas Public Library**: Weekday and Saturday mornings. Free baby, toddler and bilingual storytimes at branches across the city. https://dallaslibrary.librarymarket.com/ - **Arlington Public Library**: Weekday mornings. Baby Time, Toddler Time and family storytimes at seven branches. https://arlingtontx.libcal.com/ - **Denton Public Library**: Weekday and Saturday mornings. Baby and toddler story times at Denton’s three branches. https://denton.bibliocommons.com/v2/events ## Happening this week - **Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets** (Sat 4–7pm) at Main Street Garden. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/#e-downtown_dallas_trick_or_treat - **BOO on The Boardwalk** (Sat 5:30–8:30pm) at The Boardwalk at Granite Park. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/#e-boo_on_the_boardwalk - **Autumn at the Arboretum: last week of the Pumpkin Village** (9am–5pm) at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Mon–Thu $21.95 adults, $17.95 kids 3–12; Fri–Sun $25.95 / $21.95; under 3 free; parking $15. https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/#e-autumn_at_the_arboretum - **Halloween Sensory Play and Kids’ Costume Contest at The Shops at Park Lane** (Sat 11am–1pm) at The Shops at Park Lane. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/#e-park_lane_halloween_sensory_play - **Tricks & Treats at Arlington Highlands** (Sat 11am–2pm) at Arlington Highlands. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/#e-arlington_highlands_tricks_treats Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Dallas–Fort Worth: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Dallas–Fort Worth for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/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 Perot Museum good for toddlers? Yes. General admission includes the Moody Family Children’s Museum. It’s closed Tuesdays through April 7, 2027. ### Where can toddlers play indoors in Dallas? 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. ### Is there a free storytime in downtown Dallas? Yes. The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library runs free toddler storytimes. ### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Dallas–Fort Worth? 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](https://littlesweekly.com/dallas-fort-worth/guide/#under3). ### How do you choose the places in the Dallas–Fort Worth guide? 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](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is the Dallas Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free? 2 and under; kids: From $18 (varies by date); adults: From $18 (varies by date). We checked this on [its official site](https://www.dallaszoo.com/general-information/) on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.