# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Lakeland: the parent guide

> Lakeland’s best stop for little kids is Bonnet Springs Park, where the children’s museum and a big playground sit side by side.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 4 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/guide/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/index.md
- Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/visiting/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/llms.txt

## Parks and outdoor play

### Circle B Bar Reserve (4399 Winter Lake Road)

- A big nature preserve on Lake Hancock with a free Nature Discovery Center for a short indoor stop.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free; Everyone
- Hours: Nature Discovery Center: Tue–Sat 9am–4pm; Sun noon–4pm
- Good for: Spotting birds and alligators from the trail.
- Skip if: it’s Monday; the Nature Discovery Center is closed.
- Price source: https://www.polkfl.gov/things-to-do/parks-and-recreation/educational-venues/ (checked 2026-10-30)
- Website: https://www.polkfl.gov/things-to-do/parks-and-recreation/educational-venues/

### Bonnet Springs Park (400 Bonnet Springs Blvd)

- A large park with a train-themed playground and stroller-friendly paths, next to the children’s museum.
- Price level: Free
- Good for: Playground time before or after the museum.
- Skip if: it’s after 7pm; the gates close.
- Website: https://bonnetspringspark.com/plan-your-visit/

## Museums, zoos and big outings

### Florida Children’s Museum (Bonnet Springs Park, 600 Bonnet Springs Blvd)

- Two floors of hands-on play with a daily story time at 10:30.
- Price level: $$
- Tickets: kids 2 and up $20; adults $20; under 2
- Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 10am–3pm
- Good for: Rainy or hot mornings.
- Skip if: it’s late Sunday afternoon; it closes at 3.
- Price source: https://explorefcm.org/plan-your-visit/ (checked 2026-10-30)
- Website: https://explorefcm.org/plan-your-visit/

### AGB Museum of Art (Florida Southern College, 800 E Palmetto St)

- A free art museum with short galleries that suit a quick visit.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free; Everyone
- Hours: Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 10am–5pm; Thu 10am–8pm; Sun 1–5pm
- Good for: A free indoor stop.
- Skip if: it’s Monday; it’s closed.
- Price source: https://agbmuseum.org/ (checked 2026-10-30)
- Website: https://agbmuseum.org/

## Free things to do

- Circle B Bar Reserve
- Bonnet Springs Park
- AGB Museum of Art

## Best for under 3s

- **Florida Children’s Museum**: Under 2 free.


## Happening this week

- **No Tricks & All Treats at Little Lake** (Sat 9am–noon) at Little Lake. $20 per ticket; members free. https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/#e-no_tricks_all_treats_at_little_lake
- **Lake Morton Halloween Trick-or-Treating** (Sat 5–9pm) at Lake Morton neighborhood. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/#e-lake_morton_halloween_trick_or_treating
- **Story Sprouts at Florida Children’s Museum** (10:30–11am) at Florida Children’s Museum. Included with admission: $20; Florida residents $16; under 2 free. https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/#e-story_sprouts_at_florida_childrens_museu

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Lakeland: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Lakeland for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/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 Lakeland good for toddlers?
Yes. The Florida Children’s Museum lets kids under 2 in free, and the Bonnet Springs playground is next door.

### What’s free?
Bonnet Springs Park, the AGB Museum of Art and neighborhood trick-or-treating at Lake Morton.

### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Lakeland?
Florida Children’s Museum: Under 2 free. See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/lakeland/guide/#under3).

### How do you choose the places in the Lakeland guide?
Every one of the 4 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 3 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 30, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).

### How much is the Florida Children’s Museum for a toddler, and who gets in free?
Under 2; kids 2 and up: $20; adults: $20. We checked this on [its official site](https://explorefcm.org/plan-your-visit/) on Oct 30, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.