Batman and Spider-Man are working the room at Exile Brewing’s Super Hero Brunch on Sunday, and the free kids’ run at the Des Moines Marathon starts at noon the same day. Saturday is for indoor trick-or-treating at the RecPlex’s Family Fright Night, then Night Eyes at Blank Park Zoo, with lighted displays and a treat safari.
This week: 24 outings at 12 places, each one linked to the page we checked it on. How we check
One short email with the Des Moines picks, already found and checked. Free, and you can unsubscribe any time.
Here’s how we’d do Saturday, Oct 17. Two things from this week’s list, plus one of our regulars from Around town. Tap a stop for the details.
MORNINGGem, Jewelry, Mineral & Fossil Show9am–6pm · Iowa State Fairgrounds – Elwell Family Food Center · $6 per day; kids 12 and under free
AFTER NAPFamily Fright Night at the RecPlex4–7pm · MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex · $5Times come from each event’s page or the place’s own site. Plans change, so check before you head out. Print this plan
Not this week’s events, just the reliable stuff. 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 family Italian place known for baked cavatelli and onion rings. The kids’ menu covers pizza, tortellini and tenders.
A counter-order Asian kitchen across from Merle Hay Mall, with pho, bulgogi and orange chicken. The kid’s meal comes with nuggets and fries or fried rice.
An all-day brunch spot at 418 E Grand Ave, open early every day.
A long-running Italian restaurant with a short kids’ menu of pasta, small pizzas and grilled cheese. Dinner only.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.
A small play museum on the mall’s lower level, with low prices for little kids.
Hands-on science exhibits downtown, open Wednesday through Sunday.
The downtown library, with free children’s story times on the weekly calendar.
Trampoline courts for burning off energy on a cold day.
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
Indoor and outdoor gardens along the Des Moines River.
A big riverside park west of downtown with trails and open space.
A big county park with a nature center, a natural playscape, fishing ponds and trails.
Free guided tours run Monday through Saturday under the gold dome.
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
A manageable zoo with a carousel, a train and a kids’ petting area.
An open-air museum of historic farms and a town, with a tractor cart out to the farms. General admission runs through Oct 31.
2026 season Apr 30–Oct 31; programs by reservation Nov–Apr
A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.
A historic hotel downtown, close to the river.
Sandstone ledges 100 feet above the Des Moines River, a stone CCC bridge over Peas Creek, and campsites.
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.
This week we found 24 outings that work for kids ages 0–6. Our top three: Night Eyes at Blank Park Zoo, Gem, Jewelry, Mineral & Fossil Show, Free Kids Run at the Des Moines Marathon. See the full list.
Yes, 19 of this week’s 24 picks are free, including library storytimes and Junie B. Jones Sneak Preview (Franklin Avenue). Tap “Free” in Find your thing.
17 picks this week are indoors, mostly library programs and shows. Tap “Rainy-day OK” in Find your thing.
This week we list 17 library storytimes and baby or toddler programs. Each one links to the library or venue page with the time and place. See them in the list.
We look at venue and library calendars and local family pages every week. Each listing links to the page we checked it on, and where the organizer or venue has its own page, we confirm the details there. We lean toward things that fit around naps and don’t need a long walk.
Sign up for the Friday email at the bottom of the page. It’s one short email, and you can unsubscribe any time.
If it’s good for the under-6 crowd, we’d like to hear about it. Free events go on the list for free, always. If you want a guaranteed spot at the top or in the Friday email, there’s a sponsored option too, and it’s clearly labeled. We’re just getting started, so the first 10 local partners in each city get 50% off your first booking.
We do the digging, you get one short email every Friday morning: the five things worth leaving the house for in Des Moines, plus what to skip.
