# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Hartford and New Haven: the parent guide

> Hartford and New Haven are about 40 miles apart on I-91, so most families pick one city per day. Winters are cold, so plan an indoor stop from December through March.

- Last checked: 2026-10-28
- 6 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/guide/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/index.md
- Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/visiting/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/llms.txt

## Kid-friendly restaurants

### Modern Apizza (East Rock, 874 State Street)

- A New Haven brick-oven pizza shop.
- Price level: $
- Hours: Tue–Sat 10:30am–10pm; Sun 3–10pm
- Good for: An early dinner after the Peabody.
- Skip if: it’s Monday; it’s closed.
- Website: https://modernapizza.com/

## Indoor play and rainy days

### Hartford Public Library (Downtown, 500 Main Street)

- Free storytimes, including a sensory storytime for kids 5 and under.
- Price level: Free
- Good for: A free morning downtown.
- Skip if: it’s a holiday.
- Website: https://hplct.libnet.info/events

### New Haven Free Public Library (Ives Main Library, 133 Elm Street, and branches)

- Storytimes and stay-and-play mornings at Ives and the branches.
- Price level: Free
- Hours: Ives: Mon–Thu 10am–8pm; Fri–Sat 10am–5pm
- Good for: A free morning near the Green.
- Skip if: it’s Sunday; Ives is closed.
- Website: https://nhfpl.org/locations-hours/

## Museums, zoos and big outings

### Yale Peabody Museum (Downtown New Haven, 170 Whitney Avenue)

- Dinosaurs and natural history at Yale, with free admission and weekend story time.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: everyone; no ticket needed
- Hours: Tue–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat–Sun 12–5pm
- Good for: A free rainy afternoon in New Haven.
- Skip if: it’s a Monday; it’s closed.
- Price source: https://peabody.yale.edu/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://peabody.yale.edu/visit

### Connecticut Children’s Museum (Downtown New Haven, 22 Wall Street)

- A hands-on children’s museum near the New Haven Green.
- Price level: $
- Tickets: kids $12; adults $12
- Hours: Thu 1–5pm; Fri–Sat 10am–3pm
- Good for: A short weekend morning with kids under 8.
- Skip if: it’s Sunday through Wednesday; it’s open Thursday to Saturday only.
- Price source: https://www.childrensbuilding.org/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://www.childrensbuilding.org/

### Connecticut Science Center (Hartford riverfront, 250 Columbus Blvd)

- More than 165 hands-on exhibits on the Hartford riverfront.
- Price level: $$
- Good for: A rainy day in Hartford.
- Skip if: you need a quiet visit; check the site for sensory-friendly days.
- Website: https://ctsciencecenter.org/

## Free things to do

- Hartford Public Library
- New Haven Free Public Library
- Yale Peabody Museum

## Best for under 3s

- **Yale Peabody Museum**: Free, and Toddler Time runs the first Saturday of the month.
- **Connecticut Children’s Museum**: Built for young kids.
- **New Haven Free Public Library**: Stay and Play is for ages 0 to 4.
- **Hartford Public Library**: Sensory storytime is for 5 and under.

## Library storytimes

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


## Happening this week

- **Story Time at the Yale Peabody Museum** (1pm) at Yale Peabody Museum. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/#e-story_time_at_the_yale_peabody_museum
- **Halloween on the Hill at Hill-Stead** (Sat 12–4pm) at Hill-Stead Museum. See the event page. https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/#e-halloween_on_the_hill_at_hill_stead
- **Storytime Costume Parade in West Haven** (Fri 10:30–11:30am) at West Haven Public Library, Main Library, Connie Sacco Room. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/#e-storytime_costume_parade_in_west_haven
- **Trick or Treat at Miller Memorial Library** (Sat 2:30–4pm) at Miller Memorial Library, Children’s Department. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/#e-trick_or_treat_at_miller_memorial_librar
- **Family Sensory Storytime at Hartford Public Library** (Fri 11am–12pm) at Downtown Library, Hartford Public Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/#e-family_sensory_storytime_at_hartford_pub

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Hartford and New Haven: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Hartford and New Haven for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/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 Hartford and New Haven good for toddlers?
Yes. The Peabody Museum is free, and both cities have library storytimes most weeks.

### What’s free for little kids around Hartford and New Haven?
The Peabody Museum, library storytimes, and free skating at Winterfest Hartford from late November.

### What can we do in Hartford and New Haven on a rainy or cold day with a toddler?
Go indoors: Hartford Public Library and New Haven Free Public Library. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.

### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Hartford and New Haven?
Yale Peabody Museum: Free, and Toddler Time runs the first Saturday of the month. Connecticut Children’s Museum: Built for young kids. New Haven Free Public Library and Hartford Public Library are also easy with a baby or toddler. See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/guide/#under3).

### Where are the free storytimes in Hartford and New Haven?
New Haven Free Public Library: See the events calendar. Hartford Public Library: See the events calendar. Yale Peabody Museum: Saturdays and Sundays at 1pm. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Hartford weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/).

### How do you choose the places in the Hartford and New Haven guide?
Every one of the 6 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 2 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 28, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).

### How much is the Connecticut Children’s Museum for a toddler?
Kids: $12; adults: $12. We checked this on [its official site](https://www.childrensbuilding.org/) on Oct 28, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.