GUIDE Knoxville · The Marble City

Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Knoxville: the parent guide.

Knoxville is a great small city for little kids, with a big zoo and a hands-on science museum side by side in Chilhowee Park, a nature center with toddler programs and splash pads downtown.

Around town14 spots · checked Oct 16

The Knoxville places we go back to, again and again.

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.

Eat

Kid-friendly restaurants

Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.

4 spotsMost $$

The Tomato Head

Market Square and Kingston Pike

A Market Square favorite for pizza and sandwiches, with a cheap kids’ menu of pasta bowls, cheese toast and the Simon Plate.

Menu prices

Kids’ meals $4.50–$6.25
9-inch pizzas ~$19.50–$26

Good for: Cheap kids’ plates at $4.50–$6.25 on Market Square.

Skip if: it’s Monday, when it’s closed, or you need a quiet table at Saturday brunch.

Sat 11am–10pm (brunch until 3pm) · closed MonSite ↗ for The Tomato Head

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Tupelo Honey

Market Square

Southern brunch, lunch and dinner at the base of the Oliver Hotel, with patio seating on the square.

Good for: Patio brunch on the square from 8am.

Skip if: you want somewhere quiet; it sits on busy Market Square.

Daily 8am–9pmSite ↗ for Tupelo Honey

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Harvest

Bearden, 5200 Kingston Pike

A seasonal Kingston Pike restaurant serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, with its own kids’ menu.

Good for: A nicer weekend brunch with its own kids’ menu.

Skip if: you only have weekday mornings; brunch is weekends only.

Sat 10am–10pm · Sun 10am–9pmSite ↗ for Harvest

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Billie Rae’s BBQ

East Knoxville, 1920 E. Magnolia Ave.

Window-service barbecue on Magnolia Avenue. Kids’ plates include a chili dog, two ribs or three wings, each with a side.

Menu prices

Kids’ meals $7.50–$10.49

Good for: Window-service barbecue with kids’ plates at $7.50–$10.49.

Skip if: you need a weekday lunch before 12:30, or it’s Monday.

Sat–Sun 12:30–5:30pm · Wed–Fri 12:30–6:30pm · closed MonSite ↗ for Billie Rae’s BBQ

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Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Knoxville that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →

Play

Indoor play and rainy days

For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.

All indoors4 spots3 free

$12General admission

Muse Knoxville

Chilhowee Park

A hands-on science museum for young kids, with free family nights on the fourth Friday of each month.

Tickets

Under 1 free

Admission paid onsite

Good for: Weekend or afternoon visits with young kids; under 1 is free and there’s a nursing nook.

Skip if: you go on a weekday morning, when school groups fill it.

Tue–Fri 10am–4pm · Sat–Sun 9am–4pmSite ↗ for Muse Knoxville

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Free

McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture

UT campus

A natural history and culture museum on the University of Tennessee campus. Admission and parking are free.

Tickets

Free parking in front, first come, first served

Good for: A free museum hour with free parking out front.

Skip if: it’s Monday, when it’s closed, or your toddler wants hands-on play more than exhibits.

Tue–Sat 9am–6pm · Sun 10am–5pmSite ↗ for McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture

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Free

Museum of East Tennessee History

Downtown

Regional history on the first floor of the East Tennessee History Center.

Tickets

Free admission June 1, 2026 – February 14, 2027

Good for: A free downtown add-on for curious preschoolers through Feb 14, 2027.

Skip if: you want hands-on play; it’s a history museum.

Mon–Fri 9am–4pm · Sat 10am–4pm · Sun 1–5pmSite ↗ for Museum of East Tennessee History

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Free

Lawson McGhee Library

Downtown

The main branch of the Knox County library, with free children’s programs on the calendar.

Good for: Free children’s programs at the main county library.

Skip if: you need to run; World’s Fair Park is the better bet.

Site ↗ for Lawson McGhee Library

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Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Knoxville that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →

Splash & ride

Parks and outdoor play

Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.

3 spots3 free

South KnoxvilleFree

Ijams Nature Center

A nonprofit nature center with trails, storytimes and toddler programs.

Tickets

$5 daily parking per car

Good for: Toddler programs and easy trails; entry is free and parking is $5.

Skip if: you want a paved-only stroller day.

Site ↗ for Ijams Nature Center

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DowntownFree

World’s Fair Park

The Festival Lawn, splash pads in summer, and the Sunsphere overhead.

Good for: Free lawn time under the Sunsphere, plus summer splash pads.

Skip if: it’s cold and you came for the splash pads.

Site ↗ for World’s Fair Park

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East KnoxvilleFree

Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum

44 acres of display gardens, stone walls and walking trails, with old stone roundhouses to find.

Tickets

Open every day, dawn to dusk

Good for: A free walk hunting for stone roundhouses, open daily.

Skip if: you need slides and swings; it’s gardens and trails.

Grounds open daily dawn to dusk · visitors center daily 9am–5pmSite ↗ for Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum

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Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Knoxville that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →

Explore

Museums, zoos and big outings

Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.

1 spot

Zoo Knoxville

East Knoxville

Home to more than 1,500 animals, with interactive spots for kids.

Tickets

Kids 3–12 $21.95
Adults $26.95
Age 2 and under free

Good for: A full morning at opening; 2 and under are free.

Skip if: you’re arriving mid-afternoon; it’s best at opening.

Site ↗ for Zoo Knoxville

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Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Knoxville that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →

Stay

Staycations and overnight trips

A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.

1 close to home1 a drive away

Market Square$$$

The Oliver Hotel

A boutique hotel right on Market Square, steps from Tupelo Honey and the Tomato Head.

Good for: Staying right on Market Square.

Skip if: you want a big hotel pool; it’s a small boutique.

Site ↗ for The Oliver Hotel

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≈35 minutes · Norris$

Norris Dam State Park

4,018 acres on Norris Lake with cabins, a campground, a playground, CCC history and an old grist mill.

Good for: Cabins, a playground and a grist mill about 35 minutes away.

Skip if: you want to stay near Market Square.

Site ↗ for Norris Dam State Park

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Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Knoxville that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →

These don’t change week to week. Last checked Oct 16, 2026. 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.

No ticket needed

Free things to do

Where a family can go in Knoxville without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in Knoxville.

UT campusMcClung Museum of Natural History & CultureA natural history and culture museum on the University of Tennessee campus.FreeIndoor

DowntownMuseum of East Tennessee HistoryRegional history on the first floor of the East Tennessee History Center.FreeIndoor

DowntownLawson McGhee LibraryThe main branch of the Knox County library, with free children’s programs on the calendar.FreeIndoor

South KnoxvilleIjams Nature CenterA nonprofit nature center with trails, storytimes and toddler programs.Free

DowntownWorld’s Fair ParkThe Festival Lawn, splash pads in summer, and the Sunsphere overhead.Free

East KnoxvilleKnoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum44 acres of display gardens, stone walls and walking trails, with old stone roundhouses to find.Free

Littlest explorers

Best for under 3s

Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.

Chilhowee ParkMuse KnoxvilleBuilt for young kids, with a Nursing Nook.Kids $12Under 1 freeIndoor

DowntownLawson McGhee LibraryFree children’s programs for little ones.FreeIndoor

Every week

Library storytimes

Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar.

Weekly at 15 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings

Knox County Public Library

Free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at Lawson McGhee and branches across the county.

Schedule ↗

Babies and 1-year-olds

With a baby or a 1-year-old in Knoxville

Baby storytimes, places where babies get in free, and where to change and feed. For rainy days, see indoor play places; for zero-cost ideas, see free things to do.

Baby and lap-sit storytimes

Fridays at 10:30am · Bearden Branch Library

Baby Bookworms · Knox County Public Library

Babies and toddlers

Storytime calendar ↗

Tuesdays at 10:30am and 11:15am · Cedar Bluff Branch Library

Baby Bookworms · Knox County Public Library

Babies and toddlers

Storytime calendar ↗

Wednesdays at 10:30am · Farragut Branch Library

Baby Bookworms · Knox County Public Library

Babies and toddlers

Storytime calendar ↗

Fridays at 11am · Fountain City Branch Library

Baby Bookworms · Knox County Public Library

Babies and toddlers

Storytime calendar ↗

Fridays at 10:30am · Halls Branch Library

Baby Bookworms · Knox County Public Library

Babies and toddlers

Storytime calendar ↗

Thursdays at 10:30am · Lawson McGhee Library

Baby Bookworms · Knox County Public Library

Babies and toddlers

Storytime calendar ↗

Babies get in free

Muse Knoxville

Under 1 free

Admission page ↗

Zoo Knoxville

Age 2 and under free

Admission page ↗

Changing tables and nursing rooms

Muse Knoxville

There’s a private Nursing Nook, and staff can give you breastmilk bags and cooler packs if you ask.

Official site ↗

McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture

Changing tables are in both the men’s and women’s restrooms.

Official site ↗

Stroller notes

Zoo Knoxville

Single strollers are $14 and doubles are $16, plus tax, at the rental stand near the entrance.

Official site ↗

Muse Knoxville

Strollers are allowed, and there’s marked stroller parking on the main exhibit floor.

Official site ↗

By season

Seasonal spots

Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices.

Santa in KnoxvilleBreakfast with Santa, Santa photos and Santa trains, with 2026 prices

Christmas lights in KnoxvilleDrive-thru and walk-through displays, start times and 2026 prices

This week

What’s on this week in Knoxville

The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in Knoxville right now.

See all 24 this week →

Good questions

Things to do with toddlers in Knoxville: the FAQ

Is Muse Knoxville good for toddlers?

Yes. It’s built for young kids, babies under 1 are free, and there’s a Nursing Nook.

What’s free to do with little kids in Knoxville?

World’s Fair Park, the McClung Museum, the Botanical Garden, Ijams and library programs are free, and the Museum of East Tennessee History is free through February 14, 2027. Muse also has free family nights on the fourth Friday of each month.

What can we do in Knoxville with a toddler when it rains?

Muse Knoxville, the McClung Museum and the Museum of East Tennessee History are all indoors.

What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Knoxville?

Muse Knoxville: Built for young kids, with a Nursing Nook. Lawson McGhee Library: Free children’s programs for little ones. Free for the littlest: Zoo Knoxville (Age 2 and under free). See best for under 3s.

Where are the free storytimes in Knoxville?

Knox County Public Library: Weekly at 15 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, and this week’s dated sessions are on the Knoxville weekly list.

How do you choose the places in the Knoxville guide?

Every one of the 14 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 8 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. How we choose and check.

How much is the Zoo Knoxville for a toddler, and who gets in free?

Age 2 and under free; kids 3–12: $21.95; adults: $26.95. We checked this on its official site on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.

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