Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Lexington this week: we found 25 free outings, including PumpkinMania at Transylvania University, Halloween Variety Show & Festival and Halloween & Thriller Parade, plus 22 library programs. Two free days and events are coming up, including two museum or zoo free days, each with its date. And four places never charge admission, like Central Library and Raven Run Nature Sanctuary.
This week
Every free outing on this week’s Lexington list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.
Central Library · 140 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
Drop-in building, experimenting and making in the Central Library children’s area. Stay as long as you like; kids 7 and under need a grown-up.
Northside Branch · 1733 Russell Cave Rd., Lexington, KY 40505
Books, music and movement that build school-readiness skills, for ages 3 to 5.
Eastside Branch · 3000 Blake James Dr., Lexington, KY 40509
Songs, bounces, stories and social time for babies and their grown-ups.
Eastside Branch · 3000 Blake James Dr., Lexington, KY 40509
Gently spooky stories from In a Dark, Dark Room, read together. For ages 4 to 6.
Beaumont Branch · 3080 Fieldstone Way, Lexington, KY 40513
Moving, singing, reading and playing together, for toddlers 18 to 36 months and their caregivers.
Tates Creek Branch · 3628 Walden Dr., Lexington, KY 40517
A 30-minute storytime with books, music and movement for ages 3 to 5.
Central Library · 140 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
A downtown baby storytime with songs, bounces and stories, plus time to meet other families.
Central Library · 140 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
An after-work family storytime with songs and movement, recommended for ages 0 to 5.
Central Library · 140 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
An interactive downtown storytime for toddlers 18 to 36 months.
Tates Creek Branch · 3628 Walden Dr., Lexington, KY 40517
Stories, songs and movement for toddlers from 18 months to 3 years.
Beaumont Branch · 3080 Fieldstone Way, Lexington, KY 40513
Songs, bounces and stories for babies with their caregivers.
Eastside Branch · 3000 Blake James Dr., Lexington, KY 40509
Books, music, movement and activities for ages 3 to 5.
Northside Branch · 1733 Russell Cave Rd., Lexington, KY 40505
Songs, bounces and stories for babies, with social time afterward.
Beaumont Branch · 3080 Fieldstone Way, Lexington, KY 40513
Books, music and movement for ages 3 to 5.
Marksbury Family Branch · 2197 Versailles Rd., Lexington, KY 40504
Halloween songs, games and crafts for ages 5 and younger with a grown-up. Costumes encouraged, no registration.
Tates Creek Branch · 3628 Walden Dr., Lexington, KY 40517
An evening storytime for kids 5 and under and their caregivers.
Tates Creek Branch · 3628 Walden Dr., Lexington, KY 40517
A Friday baby storytime with songs, bounces and stories.
Eastside Branch · 3000 Blake James Dr., Lexington, KY 40509
A Friday toddler storytime with movement and songs, for 18 to 36 months.
Marksbury Family Branch · 2197 Versailles Rd., Lexington, KY 40504
Books, music, movement and activities for ages 3 to 5 at the Marksbury Family Branch.
Central Library · 140 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
Preschoolers explore science, technology, engineering, art and math through stories and hands-on activities.
Eastside Branch · 3000 Blake James Dr., Lexington, KY 40509
A second Halloween party for little ones: songs, games and crafts, costumes encouraged, for ages 5 and younger.
Central Library · 140 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
Saturday drop-in building and tinkering in the Central Library children’s area.
Transylvania University (Old Morrison) · 300 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY 40508
Hundreds of carved jack-o’-lanterns fill the steps of Old Morrison, with pumpkin carving, games and food trucks for all ages. Free.
Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza · 120 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40507
A free downtown stage show with a DJ spinning spooky tunes and Halloween performances by local dance and marching groups, before the parade.
Downtown Lexington (Main St.) · 200 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507
The city’s Halloween parade down Main Street, then several hundred zombies dance the Thriller. Watch from anywhere along the route; the zombies may spook the littlest ones.
Nothing free on this day yet. Try an always-free place.
Mark the calendar
Museum and zoo free days, free festivals and other one-off free events, soonest first. Some free days are only for residents or cardholders, so each one says who gets in free.
Living Arts & Science Center · Lexington
Only the cardholder gets in free, so bring the card and an ID. Living Arts & Science Center is free with the card on Saturdays only.
Lexington Children’s Museum · Downtown, 440 W. Short St.
Any day
Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.
Every week
Free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at Central Library and branches around town.
Weekly at 6 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings, plus some evening sessions
Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Mother Goose Storytime (Mondays 10:30am) and Family Storytime (Tuesdays 10:30am).
Weekly at the Jessamine County Public Library; Monday–Wednesday
Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby Story Time (up to 24 months) (Mondays 9:30am, Scott County Public Library) and Toddler (24-36mos) Storytime (Mondays 10:30am, Scott County Public Library), with more at Off Site.
Weekly at 2 locations; Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, mostly mornings
Keep planning
Good questions
This week we found 25 free outings for ages 0–6, including PumpkinMania at Transylvania University, Halloween Variety Show & Festival, Halloween & Thriller Parade and Open STEAM Play (Central Library). See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.
Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. Museums for All at the Lexington Children’s Museum: Any open day ($3 per family member (up to 4 people) with a SNAP or WIC card). Dates come from each venue’s own page; see free days and free events.
Central Library, Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, Jacobson Park and McConnell Springs Park don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.
Yes. Lexington Public Library, Jessamine County Public Library and Scott County Public Library run free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.
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 19, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. How we choose and check.
Littles Weekly
One short email every Friday morning with the best things to do with little ones in Lexington that weekend, free ones flagged.
Indoor play in Lexington
Thanksgiving weekend in Lexington