# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Denver: the parent guide > Denver is easy with little kids: a big zoo in City Park, a children’s museum built for ages 1 to 8, and free art for anyone 18 and under. - Last checked: 2026-10-26 - 19 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/denver/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/denver/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Denver Central Market (RiNo, 2669 Larimer St.) - A food hall in an old RiNo building with pizza, salads and ice cream, so everyone picks their own thing. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Food vendors Sun–Thu 8am–9pm; Fri–Sat 8am–11pm - Good for: Lunch with picky eaters. - Skip if: you need quiet; it’s busy at peak times. - Website: https://www.denvercentralmarket.com/ ### Avanti Food & Beverage (LoHi, 3200 Pecos St.) - A food hall with several small kitchens under one roof, so everyone can pick their own lunch. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Sun–Thu 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm - Good for: Lunch in the Highlands after tumble HAUS. - Skip if: you’re coming on a weekend night with a tired toddler; lunch is calmer. - Website: https://avantifandb.com/location/avanti-denver/ ### Casa Bonita (Lakewood, 6715 W. Colfax Ave.) - The famous Lakewood Mexican restaurant. The ticket covers the meal and the show. - Price level: $$$ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $19.99 (12 and under, weekday lunch), entrées $29.99 (adults, weekday lunch) - Hours: Tue–Wed 4–10:30pm; Thu–Sat 11am–10:30pm; Sun 11am–4:30pm; closed Mon - Good for: A big birthday treat with kids old enough to watch the show. - Skip if: you haven’t booked; it’s reservations only, no walk-ins. - Price source: https://casabonitadenver.com/faq (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://casabonitadenver.com/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Central Library (Civic Center, 10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Pkwy.) - Denver Public Library’s main branch, with a big children’s library and free storytimes. - Price level: Free - Hours: Mon–Thu 10am–6pm; Fri 10am–5pm; Sat–Sun 11am–5pm - Good for: Free storytime downtown, then the Art Museum next door. - Skip if: it’s a Sunday morning; it opens at 11. - Website: https://www.denverlibrary.org/locations ### Green Valley Ranch Branch Library (Green Valley Ranch, 4856 N. Andes Ct.) - A Far Northeast branch with weekday baby, family and sensory storytimes. - Price level: Free - Hours: Mon–Wed 9am–6pm; Thu 9am–8pm; Fri–Sun 10am–5pm - Good for: A free baby storytime near the airport side of town. - Skip if: you need it after 6 most nights. - Website: https://www.denverlibrary.org/locations ### Kids Town (Lakewood, 10815 W. Jewell Ave.) - An indoor soft-play city for ages 1 to 8, with ride-on cars, a pretend bakery and a ball pit. Grown-ups play free. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 1–8 $21 for 1.5 hours; adults Grown-ups free (2 per family) - Hours: Sun–Thu 9am–5pm; Fri–Sat 9am–8pm - Good for: A snowy day with kids who love pretend play. - Skip if: you forgot socks; they’re required for everyone. - Price source: https://kidstownco.com/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://kidstownco.com/ ### Go Bonkers (Aurora, 14200 E. Alameda Ave.) - An indoor playground for kids 10 and under inside Town Center at Aurora, with a café. No reservation needed. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids $18 per hour; $25 all day; adults One adult free per child; extra adults $5 - Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–8pm; Fri–Sat 10am–8pm; Sun 12pm–6pm - Good for: A rainy afternoon in Aurora. - Skip if: it’s a weekend afternoon and you want short lines. - Price source: https://gobonkersallday.com/indoor-playground-aurora/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://gobonkersallday.com/indoor-playground-aurora/ ### tumble HAUS (Highlands, 1330 W. 38th Ave.) - Drop-in 90-minute open play with foam climbers, tumble mats and sensory toys, plus coffee for grown-ups. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids $25 per child; $5 per sibling - Hours: Mon–Thu 9am–2pm; Fri 9am–12pm - Good for: A weekday morning with a crawler or new walker. - Skip if: it’s the weekend; hours vary, so check first. - Price source: https://tumblehaus.com/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://tumblehaus.com/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Hudson Gardens (Littleton, 6115 S. Santa Fe Dr.) - Free public gardens in Littleton, open sunrise to sunset every day. - Price level: Free - Tickets: Free garden admission - Hours: Gardens daily sunrise–sunset - Good for: A free stroller loop in the south suburbs. - Skip if: it’s icy; the paths are outdoors. - Price source: https://hudsongardens.org/event/pancakes-with-santa-9-am-session/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://hudsongardens.org/event/pancakes-with-santa-9-am-session/ ### Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street) (Cheesman Park area, 1007 York St.) - The city’s botanic garden. The first floor of the Freyer–Newman Center is always free, and the gardens hold several free days a year. - Price level: $$ - Good for: A free day or a winter lights visit. - Skip if: you want to drop in during Blossoms of Light without a ticket. - Website: https://www.botanicgardens.org/events/free-days ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Denver Zoo (City Park, 2300 Steele St.) - A big zoo in City Park with timed-entry tickets. Kids 2 and under get in free. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: kids 3–15 $19; adults 16–64 $27; 2 and under free - Hours: Daily 9am–4pm (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas) - Good for: A full morning with toddlers, then a nap in the car. - Skip if: you haven’t booked; online timed tickets are required. - Price source: https://denverzoo.org/hours-admission/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://denverzoo.org/hours-admission/ ### Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus (Jefferson Park, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr.) - A museum built for young kids, with water play, a climbing forest, a teaching kitchen and seasonal Snow Days. Parking is free. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 2–59 $19.75; adults $19.75; Under 1 free; age 1 $17.75 - Hours: Daily 9am–4pm - Good for: A morning of hands-on play for ages 1 to 8. - Skip if: you’re hoping to buy tickets online; they’re sold at the door. - Price source: https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/visit (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/visit ### Butterfly Pavilion (Westminster, 6252 W. 104th Ave.) - An invertebrate zoo with a warm indoor rainforest of free-flying butterflies, plus a water exhibit with sea creatures. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 2–12 $14.45; adults 13–64 $19.45; Under 2 free - Hours: Daily 9am–5pm (last entry 4:15pm) - Good for: A warm, short outing with a toddler. - Skip if: it’s a school morning and you want quiet; field trips run 9am–1pm. - Price source: https://butterflies.org/hours-and-admission/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://butterflies.org/hours-and-admission/ ### Denver Art Museum (Golden Triangle, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy.) - General admission is free every day for anyone 18 and under, so a short visit with a preschooler costs only the adult ticket. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: 18 and under free every day - Hours: Thu–Mon 10am–5pm; Tue 10am–8pm; closed Wed - Good for: A short art stop downtown with kids in tow. - Skip if: it’s Wednesday; the museum is closed. - Price source: https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/free-kids (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/plan-your-visit ### Downtown Aquarium (Downtown) - An aquarium with a restaurant inside, open late every day. - Price level: $$$ - Hours: Daily 10am–8pm - Good for: An evening outing when the zoo is closed. - Skip if: you want a quiet visit on a weekend afternoon. - Website: https://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumdenver/ ### Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (Lowry, 7711 E. Academy Blvd.) - A big hangar of airplanes and spacecraft in the Lowry neighborhood. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 10am–5pm - Good for: A plane-obsessed preschooler on a cold day. - Skip if: you only want to stay 20 minutes. - Website: https://wingsmuseum.org/visit/locations/ ## Staycation spots ### Great Wolf Lodge Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs, 9494 Federal Dr.) - A 50,000-square-foot indoor water park kept at 84 degrees, included with your room. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: A snowy weekend spent in swimsuits. - Skip if: you want to stay close to Denver; it’s down in Colorado Springs. - Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/colorado-springs ### Cherry Creek State Park (Aurora) - An 880-acre reservoir on rolling prairie with a swim beach and a campground, inside the metro area. - Price level: $ - Good for: A first night of camping close to home. - Skip if: you’re hoping for mountain scenery; this is open prairie. - Website: https://cpw.state.co.us/state-parks/cherry-creek-state-park ### Chatfield State Park (Littleton) - A reservoir park on the South Platte where it leaves the mountains at Waterton Canyon, with a swim beach and campsites. - Price level: $ - Good for: Camping on the south side, near Hudson Gardens. - Skip if: you need the campground office early in the week; it’s closed Mon–Tue. - Website: https://cpw.state.co.us/state-parks/chatfield-state-park ## Free things to do - Central Library - Green Valley Ranch Branch Library - Hudson Gardens - Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street) ## Best for under 3s - **Denver Zoo**: 2 and under free. - **Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus**: Under 1 free. - **Butterfly Pavilion**: Under 2 free. - **Central Library**: Baby Storytime. - **Green Valley Ranch Branch Library**: Baby and sensory storytimes. - **Kids Town**: Built for ages 1 to 8. - **tumble HAUS**: Made for crawlers and new walkers. ## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Fridays at 10:30am · Bear Valley. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grownups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/16053314 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Mondays at 10:30am, Saturdays at 11:30am · Central Library. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15851391 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Decker. 0–18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0–18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15574974 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Green Valley Ranch. 0–18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0–18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15903380 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Thursdays at 10:15am · Park Hill. 0–18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0–18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15687852 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Ross-Cherry Creek. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15669484 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Wednesdays at 10:15am, Fridays at 10:15am · Sam Gary. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15739038 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Smiley. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15726335 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Wednesdays at 10:30am · Virginia Village. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15624119 - **Baby Storytime** (Denver Public Library): Fridays at 10:30am · Woodbury. 0-18 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their grown ups. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/event/15601779 - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Mondays at 9:15am, Tuesdays at 10:15am, Fridays at 9:15am · Arvada Balsam Temporary Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f3e7fd66c3387a9d087778 - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:15am, Thursdays at 9:15am, Saturdays at 9:15am · Belmar Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f3ea66f29b90618e00025d - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Mondays at 9:15am, Tuesdays at 10:15am and 11:15am, Fridays at 10:15am, Saturdays at 11:15am · Columbine Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f3ef60f29b90618e00037f - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Wednesdays at 10:15am · Edgewater Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f40828f29b90618e0005a0 - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Tuesdays at 9:15am · Evergreen Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f408fe5c04bc0fc0640d6d - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Tuesdays at 9:15am, Thursdays at 9:15am · Golden Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f40a0766c3387a9d087a7a - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Fridays at 9:15am · Lakewood Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f40bb124bd39b0b5e9131f - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:15am, Wednesdays at 9:15am, Saturdays at 9:15am · Standley Lake Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f40e595c04bc0fc0640e9a - **Baby Time** (Jefferson County Public Library): Thursdays at 11:15am · Wheat Ridge Library. Babies (age not listed). Help the littlest minds develop and grow. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69f40f43213814b1b525a4b7 ### Babies get in free - **Denver Zoo**: 2 and under free. https://denverzoo.org/hours-admission/ - **Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus**: Under 1 free; age 1 $17.75. https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/visit - **Butterfly Pavilion**: Under 2 free. https://butterflies.org/hours-and-admission/ - **Denver Art Museum**: 18 and under free every day. https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/free-kids ## Library storytimes - **Denver Public Library**: Weekday mornings. Free baby, toddler and family storytimes at branches across the city. https://denverlibrary.libcal.com/calendar - **Arapahoe Libraries**: Weekday and Saturday mornings, plus some afternoons. Baby and family storytimes at branches like Smoky Hill and Southglenn. https://arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Jefferson County Public Library**: Weekly, mostly mornings. Baby play times and storytimes west of Denver, like Baby Play Time at the Golden Library on Wednesday mornings. https://jeffcolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events ## Happening this week - **Boo at the Zoo** (Fri 4:30–9pm (timed tickets)) at Denver Zoo. Check site. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-boo_at_the_zoo_denver - **Mall-O-Ween at Town Center at Aurora** (Sat Noon–4pm) at Town Center at Aurora. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-mall_o_ween - **Boo and Brew on Colfax** (Sat 1–4pm) at Bluebird District, East Colfax Ave.. Free for kids. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-boo_and_brew - **Trick or Treat Street at Central Library** (Thu 2:30–5:30pm) at Central Library (Denver Public Library). Free. https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-dpl_trick_or_treat_street - **Día de Muertos at the Children’s Museum** (Sun 9am–4pm (mariachi parade at 3pm)) at Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus. Included with admission ($19.75 ages 2–59, $17.75 age 1, under 1 free). https://littlesweekly.com/denver/#e-cmd_dia_de_muertos Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/denver/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Denver: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Denver for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/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 Denver Zoo good for toddlers? Yes. Kids 2 and under get in free, and online timed tickets keep entry moving. ### Where can toddlers play indoors in Denver? Kids Town in Lakewood is built for ages 1 to 8, and Go Bonkers in Aurora takes kids 10 and under. Crawlers do best at tumble HAUS on a weekday morning. ### Is the Denver Art Museum free for kids? Yes. Kids 18 and under get in free. It’s closed Wednesdays. ### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Denver? Denver Zoo: 2 and under free. Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus: Under 1 free. Butterfly Pavilion, Central Library and Green Valley Ranch Branch Library are also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Butterfly Pavilion (Under 2 free) and Denver Art Museum (18 and under free every day). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Denver? Denver Public Library: Weekday mornings. Arapahoe Libraries: Weekday and Saturday mornings, plus some afternoons. Jefferson County Public Library: Weekly, 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/denver/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Denver weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/denver/). ### How do you choose the places in the Denver 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 9 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 Denver Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free? 2 and under free; kids 3–15: $19; adults 16–64: $27. We checked this on [its official site](https://denverzoo.org/hours-admission/) on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go. ### How much is Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus for a toddler, and who gets in free? Under 1 free; age 1 $17.75; kids 2–59: $19.75; adults: $19.75. We checked this on [its official site](https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/visit) on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.