# Free things to do with kids in Hartford and New Haven this week

> Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Hartford and New Haven this week: we found nine free outings, including Halloween Story Time and Crafts at Ives Main Library, Trick or Treat at Miller Memorial Library and Storytime Costume Parade in West Haven, plus three library programs. Nine free days and events are coming up, each with its date. And four places never charge admission, like Hartford Public Library and New Haven Free Public Library.

- Last checked: 2026-10-28
- 9 free outings this week; 9 free days and events coming up; 4 always-free places
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/free/
- Indoor play (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/indoor-play/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/llms.txt

## Free days and free events coming up

- **Storytime Costume Parade** at West Haven Public Library, West Haven. When: Fri Oct 30. Price: Free. Official page: https://westhavenlibrary.libcal.com/event/17266243 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Story Time at the Peabody** at Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven. When: Sat Oct 31 and Sun Nov 1. Price: Free. Official page: https://peabody.yale.edu/events (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Trick or Treat at Miller Memorial Library** at Miller Memorial Library, Hamden. When: Sat Oct 31. Price: Free. Official page: https://hamdenlibrary.libcal.com/event/17617784 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Santa at Glow Hartford** at Connecticut Convention Center, Connecticut Convention Center. When: Fri Nov 20. Time: During Glow hours. Price: Free photo with Santa with a Glow ticket. Opens 11/20; runs through 12/23. Glow tickets are needed to get in. Official page: https://hartford.glowgardens.com/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Santa’s Workshop at Winterfest Hartford** at Winterfest Hartford rink, Bushnell Park, 60 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106. When: Dec 5, 2026. Time: 12–3pm. Price: Free; one 5×7 printed photo per family. Visit Santa, then skate for free at the rink. Official page: https://www.winterfesthartford.com/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at Newington Library** at Lucy Robbins Welles Library (Newington), Newington. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:15am–noon. Price: Free. For ages 3–6 with a caregiver: crafts, games and stories, plus a surprise at noon to welcome 2027. Official page: https://newingtonlibrary.libcal.com/event/17764544 (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Noon Year’s Eve Party at Derby Library** at Derby Public Library, Derby. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:30am–12:30pm. Price: Free. Crafts and activities for families, then a countdown and dance party. Official page: https://derbylibrary.libcal.com/event/17082698 (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Kid Noon Year's Eve Party at East Granby Public Library** at East Granby Public Library, Linda Veirs Large Conference Room, East Granby. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:30am–noon. Price: Free; registration required. Stories, crafts and a countdown for ages 2 to 10 with a caregiver. Official page: https://egpl.libcal.com/event/17435459 (checked 2026-10-30)
- **"Noon" Year's Eve at Derby Public Library** at Derby Public Library, Multi-Purpose Room, Derby. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11am–12:15pm. Price: Free; registration required. New Year's crafts, a dance party, snacks and apple juice for kids up to 12. Register each child separately, because there are only 32 spots. Official page: https://derbypubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/16141580 (checked 2026-10-30)

## Free this week

- **Family Sensory Storytime at Hartford Public Library** at Downtown Library, Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103. When: Fri Oct 30. Time: 11am–12pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–5. Stories, music and rhymes with sensory play for kids 5 and under. Free, no registration. Official page: https://hplct.libnet.info/event/14683710 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Stay and Play at the Stetson Branch** at Stetson Branch, New Haven Free Public Library, 197 Dixwell Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511. When: Sat Oct 31. Time: 10–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–4. Stories, songs and free play for kids up to 4 and their grown-ups. Official page: https://nhfpl.libcal.com/event/15637705 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Halloween Story Time and Crafts at Ives Main Library** at Ives Main Library, New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510. When: Sat Oct 31. Time: 11–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 3–8. A fall and Halloween story followed by a craft. Costumes are welcome. Official page: https://nhfpl.libcal.com/event/17732080 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Trick or Treat at Miller Memorial Library** at Miller Memorial Library, Children’s Department, 2901 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT 06518. When: Sat Oct 31. Time: 2:30–4pm. Price: Free. Ages: 3–10. Halloween crafts in the Children’s Department, then trick-or-treating around the library. Official page: https://hamdenlibrary.libcal.com/event/17617784 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Storytime Costume Parade in West Haven** at West Haven Public Library, Main Library, Connie Sacco Room, 300 Elm Street, West Haven, CT 06516. When: Fri Oct 30. Time: 10:30–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 0–4. Storytime, then a costume parade and mini pumpkin decorating. No registration; drop-ins welcome. Official page: https://westhavenlibrary.libcal.com/event/17266243 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Halloween Story Walk at Ora Mason Branch** at Ora Mason Branch, West Haven Public Library, 260 Benham Hill Road, West Haven, CT. When: Fri Oct 30. Time: 9:30am–5pm. Price: Free. Ages: 2–8. An outdoor story walk of the book “Halloween Scare in CT.” Friday is the last day. Official page: https://westhavenlibrary.libcal.com/event/17751440 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Let’s Get Crafty! in Woodbridge** at Woodbridge Town Library, Craft Room, 10 Newton Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525. When: Fri Oct 30. Time: 11–11:30am. Price: Free. Ages: 3–8. A weekly drop-in craft in the library’s Craft Room for ages 3 and up. Official page: https://woodbridgetownlibrary.libcal.com/event/13806041 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Trick-or-Treat at North Haven Memorial Library** at North Haven Memorial Library, 17 Elm Street, North Haven, CT 06473. When: Sat Oct 31. Time: During library hours, 10am–5pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–12. Stop by the children’s and adult circulation desks for a treat. No registration. Official page: https://northhaven.librarycalendar.com/event/trick-or-treat-library-38879 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Story Time at the Yale Peabody Museum** at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511. When: Sat Oct 31 and Sun Nov 1. Time: 1pm. Price: Free. Ages: 0–8. Stories and a craft on the second-floor overlook, for kids 8 and under. Museum admission is free. Official page: https://peabody.yale.edu/events (checked 2026-10-28)

## Always free

- **Hartford Public Library**, Downtown, 500 Main Street. Free storytimes, including a sensory storytime for kids 5 and under. Official page: https://hplct.libnet.info/events (checked 2026-10-28)
- **New Haven Free Public Library**, Ives Main Library, 133 Elm Street, and branches. Storytimes and stay-and-play mornings at Ives and the branches. Official page: https://nhfpl.org/locations-hours/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Yale Peabody Museum**, Downtown New Haven, 170 Whitney Avenue. Dinosaurs and natural history at Yale, with free admission and weekend story time. Official page: https://peabody.yale.edu/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Winterfest Hartford skating**, 60 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Free skating and free skate rentals in Bushnell Park from Nov 27. Official page: https://www.winterfesthartford.com/ (checked 2026-10-28)

## Free library storytimes

- **New Haven Free Public Library**: See the events calendar. Storytimes and Stay and Play for ages 0 to 4. Calendar: https://nhfpl.org/locations-hours/
- **Hartford Public Library**: See the events calendar. Free storytimes, including sensory storytime. Calendar: https://hplct.libnet.info/events
- **Yale Peabody Museum**: Saturdays and Sundays at 1pm. Free story time and a craft for kids 8 and under. Calendar: https://peabody.yale.edu/events

## 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

### What’s free to do with kids in Hartford and New Haven this weekend?
This week we found nine free outings for ages 0–6, including Halloween Story Time and Crafts at Ives Main Library, Trick or Treat at Miller Memorial Library, Storytime Costume Parade in West Haven and Halloween Story Walk at Ora Mason Branch. See [free this week](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/free/#this-week); the list is rebuilt every Thursday.

### Are there free museum or zoo days in Hartford and New Haven?
Storytime Costume Parade: Fri Oct 30. Story Time at the Peabody: Sat Oct 31 and Sun Nov 1. Trick or Treat at Miller Memorial Library: Sat Oct 31. Dates come from each venue’s own page; see [free days and free events](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/free/#free-days).

### What free holiday events are there for kids in Hartford and New Haven?
Santa’s Workshop at Winterfest Hartford, Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at Newington Library, Noon Year’s Eve Party at Derby Library, Kid Noon Year's Eve Party at East Granby Public Library and "Noon" Year's Eve at Derby Public Library are free this season. Dates and times are on each card under [free days and free events](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/free/#free-days).

### Where can we go for free any day in Hartford and New Haven?
Hartford Public Library, New Haven Free Public Library, Yale Peabody Museum and Winterfest Hartford skating don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.

### Is there free indoor play in Hartford and New Haven?
Yes: Yale Peabody Museum. See all of them on [indoor play places in Hartford](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/indoor-play/#places).

### Are library storytimes free in Hartford and New Haven?
Yes. New Haven Free Public Library, Hartford Public Library and Yale Peabody Museum run free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.

### How do you check these free listings?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 28, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).