# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Dayton: the parent guide > Dayton punches above its size for little kids: a free Air Force museum full of giant planes, a science museum with a small zoo, a history park with a train ride, and MetroParks gardens with free parking. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - 13 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Marion’s Piazza (Nine locations around southwest Ohio) - A Dayton tradition since 1965, known for its thin-crust pizza and casual dining rooms. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Fri–Sat 11am–11pm; Sun–Thu 11am–10pm - Good for: A casual thin-crust pizza dinner, open late. - Skip if: your kids want thick crust; Marion’s is known for thin. - Website: https://www.marionspiazza.com/ ### Young’s Jersey Dairy (Yellow Springs (about 25 minutes)) - A working dairy farm with homemade ice cream, a restaurant with weekend breakfast, a carousel, mini golf and a kiddie corral. - Price level: $ - Hours: Dairy Store Sat 9am–10pm (breakfast 9am–noon); carousel Fri–Sun 10am–8pm - Good for: Ice cream, a carousel and a kiddie corral about 25 minutes away. - Skip if: you’re there midweek for the carousel; it runs Friday to Sunday. - Website: https://youngsdairy.com/ ### Culp’s Café at Carillon Park (Carillon Historical Park) - A daytime café inside Carillon Park. You don’t need park admission to eat here. - Price level: $ - Hours: Tue–Sun 10am–3pm - Good for: A daytime lunch without paying park admission. - Skip if: you want dinner; it closes at 3pm and is closed Mondays. - Website: https://www.daytonhistory.org/visit/ ### Carillon Brewing Co. (Carillon Historical Park) - A brewery restaurant set in the 1850s, inside Carillon Park. No park admission needed to dine. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Wed–Sat 11am–9pm; Sun 11am–7pm - Good for: A brewery meal in an 1850s setting, no park ticket needed. - Skip if: you’re eating early in the week; it’s closed Monday and Tuesday. - Website: https://www.daytonhistory.org/visit/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Boonshoft Museum of Discovery (North Dayton) - A science and nature museum with a small zoo, a planetarium and SunWatch Indian Village next door. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $13; adults 13–59 $16; Ages 2 and under free. $5 per person with SNAP EBT or WIC, up to 4 - Good for: The small zoo after nap; 2 and under are free and parking is free. - Skip if: you only want animals; it’s mostly a science museum. - Price source: https://boonshoft.org/plan-your-visit-2/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://boonshoft.org/ ### Dayton Metro Library, Main Library (Downtown, 215 E. Third St.) - Dayton Metro Library’s main branch on Third Street. Its free story times and kids’ programs are on the library calendar. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free story time downtown. - Skip if: you need outdoor play; Wegerzyn’s Discovery Garden is better. - Website: https://www.daytonmetrolibrary.org/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark (North Dayton, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave.) - Formal gardens, a Children’s Discovery Garden and a swamp forest boardwalk along the Stillwater River. Free parking. - Price level: Free - Hours: Daily 8am–10pm through Oct 31; Children’s Discovery Garden 10am–10pm - Good for: The free Children’s Discovery Garden and river boardwalk. - Skip if: you want a big playground. - Website: https://www.metroparks.org/places-to-go/wegerzyn-gardens/ ### Cox Arboretum MetroPark (Miami Township) - Climb the 81 steps of the Tree Tower, 65 feet above the conifers, then walk the gardens and trails. - Price level: Free - Good for: Older preschoolers who can climb the 81-step Tree Tower. - Skip if: you have a baby in a stroller and want the tower. - Website: https://www.metroparks.org/places-to-go/cox-arboretum/ ### Aullwood Audubon Center & Farm (Northwest of Dayton (about 25 minutes)) - A nature center with a working farm, trails and a sanctuary. - Price level: $ - Tickets: kids 4–12 $9; adults 13–64 $13; Ages 3 and under free - Hours: Wed–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–5pm; closed Mon–Tue - Good for: Farm animals; 3 and under are free. - Skip if: you’re going on a Monday or Tuesday, when it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.audubon.org/aullwood/visit (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.audubon.org/aullwood/visit ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (Wright-Patterson AFB) - Huge hangars of aircraft and spacecraft. Admission and parking are free. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free hangars full of planes to look up at. - Skip if: you try to do every hangar with a toddler. - Website: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/ ### Carillon Historical Park (South of downtown) - 65 acres of Dayton history, with the 1905 Wright Flyer III, a train ride and historic buildings to walk through. - Price level: $ - Tickets: kids 3–17 $10; adults 18–59 $14; Ages 2 and under free - Hours: Mon–Sat 9:30am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm - Good for: The train ride and the Wright Flyer; 2 and under are free. - Skip if: your kid isn’t into old buildings. - Price source: https://www.daytonhistory.org/visit/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.daytonhistory.org/ ## Staycations and overnight trips ### Hope Hotel & Richard C. Holbrooke Conference Center (Wright-Patterson AFB) - The only privately owned hotel on Air Force property, a short drive from the Air Force museum. - Price level: $$ - Good for: A night near the Air Force museum. - Skip if: you want to be downtown. - Website: https://www.hopehotel.com/ ### John Bryan State Park (Yellow Springs (about 25 minutes)) - A wooded campground by the Little Miami River gorge, a short drive from Young’s Jersey Dairy. - Price level: $ - Good for: Camping near the gorge and Young’s Jersey Dairy. - Skip if: you need a hotel bed; it’s a wooded campground by the gorge. - Website: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/john-bryan-state-park-campground ## Free things to do - Dayton Metro Library, Main Library - Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark - Cox Arboretum MetroPark - National Museum of the U.S. Air Force ## Best for under 3s - **Boonshoft Museum of Discovery**: Kids 2 and under are free. - **Dayton Metro Library, Main Library**: Free story times for babies and toddlers. ## With a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Baby & Toddler Storytime: Mother Goose on the Loose** (Dayton Metro Library): Tuesdays at 10am · Brookville Branch. Birth to 24 months. This award-winning early literacy-based program uses music, rhymes, stories, and more to stimulate the learning process for babies & toddlers. https://dayton.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Storytime** (Dayton Metro Library): Tuesdays at 11am · Huber Heights Branch. Birth to 24 months. It’s never too early to grow a child’s love of learning. https://dayton.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby & Toddler Play and Learn** (Dayton Metro Library): Wednesdays at 10:30am · Kettering-Moraine Branch. Babies and toddlers. Children and caregivers need time to socialize and make connections with others. https://dayton.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby & Toddler Storytime** (Dayton Metro Library): Tuesdays at 10am; Wednesdays at 11:30am · Miamisburg Branch. Birth to 36 months https://dayton.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Story Time** (Greene County Public Library): Mondays at 10:30am and 11am · Carol Graff Beavercreek Library. Join Miss Sophie for stories, wiggles & dances. https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Storytime** (Greene County Public Library): Wednesdays at 9:30am · Winters-Bellbrook Community Library. Caregivers can enjoy songs, rhymes, books and more with their little ones before the library opens! https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Song and Rhyme Time** (Greene County Public Library): Wednesdays at 10:30am · Yellow Springs Community Library. Gather for a fun and meaningful time of songs, rhymes, books and activities. https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events ### Babies get in free - **Boonshoft Museum of Discovery**: Ages 2 and under free. https://boonshoft.org/plan-your-visit-2/ - **Aullwood Audubon Center & Farm**: Ages 3 and under free. https://www.audubon.org/aullwood/visit - **Carillon Historical Park**: Ages 2 and under free. https://www.daytonhistory.org/visit/ ### Changing tables and nursing rooms - **Boonshoft Museum of Discovery**: There’s a universal changing station in the Hall of the Universe on the first floor. ### Stroller notes - **Boonshoft Museum of Discovery**: Strollers and wagons must be under 29 inches wide and 52 inches long. Staff may ask you to park them before programs. ## Library storytimes - **Dayton Metro Library**: Weekly at 12 locations; Monday–Thursday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Free story times for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at the Main Library and branches around Montgomery County. https://www.daytonmetrolibrary.org/ - **Greene County Public Library**: Weekly at 5 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby Story Time (Mondays 11am, Carol Graff Beavercreek Library) and Baby Storytime (Wednesdays 9:30am, Winters-Bellbrook Community Library), with more at Jamestown Community Library, Xenia Community Library and Yellow Springs Community Library. https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events ## Happening this week - **Spooktacular Pumpkin Party** (Fri 5:30–8:30pm (arrive anytime)) at Young’s Event Center. $40 one child + one adult; $30 extra child, $10 extra adult. https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/#e-spooktacular_pumpkin_party - **Halloween for Little Ones** (Sat 11am–1pm) at Kettering Recreation Complex. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/#e-halloween_for_little_ones - **Autumn Holiday Pumpkin Decorating** (Sun 11am–3pm) at 2nd Street Market (Pavilion). Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/#e-autumn_holiday_pumpkin_decorating - **Pick Your Own Pumpkins at Young’s Jersey Dairy** (Daily 11am–6pm) at Young’s Jersey Dairy. $11 per pumpkin with wagon ride (3 for $30). https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/#e-pick_your_own_pumpkins_at_youngs_jersey - **Deeds Carillon Concert** (Sun 3pm) at Carillon Historical Park (Deeds Carillon). Free. https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/#e-deeds_carillon_concert Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Dayton: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Dayton for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/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 Air Force museum good for toddlers? Yes, for a couple of hours. It’s free, and the planes are huge. Pick one or two hangars instead of trying to see everything. ### What’s free to do with little kids in Dayton? The Air Force museum, the MetroParks gardens and library story times are all free, and so is parking at all of them. ### What can we do in Dayton with a toddler on a rainy day? The Air Force museum, the Boonshoft Museum and the Main Library. ### What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Dayton? Boonshoft Museum of Discovery: Kids 2 and under are free. Dayton Metro Library, Main Library: Free story times for babies and toddlers. Free for the littlest: Carillon Historical Park (Ages 2 and under free). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Dayton? Dayton Metro Library: Weekly at 12 locations; Monday–Thursday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions. Greene County Public Library: Weekly at 5 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Dayton weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/dayton/). ### How do you choose the places in the Dayton guide? Every one of the 13 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 3 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/).