FreeLittle Rock · The Rock

Free things to do with kids in Little Rock, this week and every week.

Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Little Rock this week: we found 25 free outings, including Día de Muertos Festival (Main Library), The Kinders’ Spooky Fall Concert (Sanders Library) and Boo Fest (Maumelle Library), plus 19 library programs. Eight free days and events are coming up, including three museum or zoo free days, each with its date. And nine places never charge admission, like CALS Children’s Library & Learning Center and CALS Main Library.

Last checked · Every listing links to its official page. How we choose

25free outings this weekincl. 19 library programs8free days and events coming upincl. 3 museum or zoo free days9places that are always freeCALS Children’s Library & Learning Center, CALS Main Library3free storytime calendarsCentral Arkansas Library System, Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library System

This week

Free things to do with kids in Little Rock this week

Every free outing on this week’s Little Rock list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.

Mon Oct 1910–11am

Lapsit Storytime (Thompson Library)

Thompson Library · 38 Rahling Cir., Little Rock, AR

Songs, rhymes, a read-aloud and play with developmental toys for babies up to 24 months.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–2
Tue Oct 2010–11am

Music and Movement (Thompson Library)

Thompson Library · 38 Rahling Cir., Little Rock, AR

Songs, dancing, instruments and games for ages 2–5, then free play.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 2–5
Tue Oct 2010–11am

Sensory Hour (Children’s Library)

Children’s Library · 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock, AR

Hands-on sensory bins for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Tue Oct 2010–11am

Preschool Storytime (Rooker Library)

Rooker Library · 11 Otter Creek Ct., Little Rock, AR

Tuesday storytime with an autumn theme this month.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Tue Oct 2010:30–11:30am

Pre-K Storytime (Maumelle Library)

Maumelle Library · 10 Lake Pointe Dr., Maumelle, AR

Stories, songs and a simple craft for ages 3–5.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Tue Oct 2010:30–11:30am

Sensory Hour (Sanders Library)

Sanders Library · 10200 Johnson Dr., Little Rock, AR

Toddlers and preschoolers dig into sensory bins, and the library handles the cleanup.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 1–5
Tue Oct 2010:30–11am

Fletcher Friend Storytime (Fletcher Library)

Fletcher Library · 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock, AR

Books, playful songs and interactive activities for little ones.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Wed Oct 2110:30–11:30am

Art Start at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Windgate Art School · 501 E. 9th St., Little Rock, AR 72202

Art, music, movement and play for toddlers and preschoolers with a grown-up, in the museum’s art school.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 1–5
Wed Oct 219:45–10:15am

Storytime (Sanders Library)

Sanders Library · 10200 Johnson Dr., Little Rock, AR

Stories, songs and moving to the beat.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Wed Oct 2110–11am

Storytime (Thompson Library)

Thompson Library · 38 Rahling Cir., Little Rock, AR

A themed Wednesday storytime with songs and a matching craft.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Wed Oct 2110–11am

Storytime (Children’s Library)

Children’s Library · 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock, AR

Cuddly critters, movement and read-alouds at the Children’s Library.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Wed Oct 2110:30–11:30am

Storytime & Crafts (Main Library)

Main Library · 100 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR 72201

Stories, songs, rhymes and movement, then a craft.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Wed Oct 2110:30–11:30am

Mother Goose on the Loose Baby Storytime (Maumelle Library)

Maumelle Library · 10 Lake Pointe Dr., Maumelle, AR

Stories, songs and fingerplays for the youngest patrons.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–3
Wed Oct 2110:30–11:30am

Preschool Process Art (Children’s Library)

Children’s Library · 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock, AR

A hands-on craft made for little ones.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 2–5
Wed Oct 214–5pm

Magic Tracks (Nixon Library)

Nixon Library · 703 W. Main St., Jacksonville, AR

Build tracks for light-up cars. Registration encouraged but not required.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–12
Thu Oct 226–7pm

Boo Fest (Maumelle Library)

Maumelle Library · 10 Lake Pointe Dr., Maumelle, AR

The library’s fourth yearly Boo Fest: games, treats and crafts for the whole family.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAll ages
Thu Oct 224–5pm

Spooky Movie Screening (Children’s Library)

Children’s Library · 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock, AR

A spooky-season movie for families in the Children’s Library.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–99
Thu Oct 229:30–10:30am

Fletcher Little Senses (Fletcher Library)

Fletcher Library · 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock, AR

Sensory activities and play spaces for kids 5 and under.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Fri Oct 2310–11am

Family Storytime (McMath Library)

McMath Library · 2100 John Barrow Rd., Little Rock, AR

Read, sing and play together, then free play. Best for kids 0–5 with their grown-ups.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Fri Oct 2310:30–11:30am

Storytime & Crafts (Main Library)

Main Library · 100 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR 72201

Friday stories, songs, rhymes and a craft downtown.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Fri Oct 2310:30–11am

Preschool & Toddler Gym (Nixon Library)

Nixon Library · 703 W. Main St., Jacksonville, AR

A 30-minute play session to crawl, jump and tumble.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 1–5
Fri Oct 2310:30–11am

Fletcher Friend Storytime (Fletcher Library)

Fletcher Library · 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock, AR

Books, playful songs and interactive activities to end the week.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Sat Oct 2411am–2pm

Día de Muertos Festival (Main Library)

Main Library · 100 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR 72201

CALS’s Day of the Dead festival at Library Square, with a family craft corner. Free; parking is free with validation in the library lot.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAll ages
Sat Oct 2410:30–11:30am

The Kinders’ Spooky Fall Concert (Sanders Library)

Sanders Library · 10200 Johnson Dr., Little Rock, AR

A not-too-scary musical concert to celebrate fall, made for preschoolers and families.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 2–8
Sat Oct 242–3pm

Art Hour (Children’s Library)

Children’s Library · 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock, AR

A Saturday hour of open art-making for all ages.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–99
Showing all 25 free outings

Mark the calendar

Free days and free events coming up in Little Rock

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.

Who gets in free:EveryoneResidents onlyCardholders only
Oct21

Art Start at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts · 501 E. 9th St., Little Rock, AR 72202

10:30–11:30am. Art, music and movement for toddlers and preschoolers.

Official page ↗Checked Report a problem
EveryoneFree
Nov7
Nov8
Dec5
Dec6

Bank of America Museums on Us weekend

Clinton Presidential Center; Museum of Discovery · Little Rock

Only the cardholder gets in free, so bring the card and an ID.

Official page ↗Checked Report a problem
Cardholders onlyFree general admission for Bank of America, Merrill and Private Bank cardholders (one per card, with photo ID)
Dec12

Little Rock Community Day at the zoo

Little Rock Zoo · War Memorial Park

9am–4pm

Official page ↗Checked Report a problem
Residents only$2 per person for Little Rock residents
Any open day

Zoo for All at the Little Rock Zoo

Little Rock Zoo · War Memorial Park

Kids 2 and under are always free.

Official page ↗Checked Report a problem
Who gets in$2 per person for up to 6 SNAP/EBT recipients with the EBT card and matching state ID; parking $1
Any open day

$2 admission with SNAP at the Museum of Discovery

Museum of Discovery · River Market, downtown

Show both at the front desk.

Official page ↗Checked Report a problem
Cardholders only$2 general admission for the cardholder and five more people with an EBT card and state ID

Any day

Places that are always free in Little Rock

Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.

CALS Children’s Library & Learning Center

Midtown, 4800 W. 10th St.A library built just for kids, with Baby Ballet, sensory hours and storytimes.Official site ↗Report a problem

Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center

Riverfront Park, 602 President Clinton Ave.A free nature center on the river with big aquariums of native fish; fish feeding Wednesdays and alligator feeding Fridays at 2pm.Official site ↗Report a problem

Riverfront Park playgrounds

Downtown, 400 President Clinton Ave.Little Rock’s 33-acre riverfront park, with the Peabody Playground and a separate toddler playground (both with splash pads in season) along the river trail.Official site ↗Report a problem

Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Arkansas Arboretum

West of Little Rock, 9600 Hwy. 300, RolandA free state park with a visitor center, an education pond and the 0.6-mile paved, barrier-free Arkansas Trail loop through the arboretum: easy with a stroller.Official site ↗Report a problem

Burns Park Funland

North Little Rock, Burns ParkThe rebuilt Funland play area in Burns Park, with a playground open daily and a splash pad and little train on weekends (the train leaves at the top of every hour).Official site ↗Report a problem

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

MacArthur Park, 501 E. Ninth St.A free art museum in MacArthur Park with free toddler-and-preschooler Art Start mornings and drop-in Creative Saturdays at its art school.Official site ↗Report a problem

Historic Arkansas Museum

DowntownFree galleries of Arkansas history and art downtown, with low-cost guided tours of the historic grounds and free parking.Official site ↗Report a problem
Free to get in, but parking, special exhibits and seasonal extras can cost money. Check each place’s site before you go.

Every week

Free library storytimes

Central Arkansas Library System

Free storytimes, sensory hours and music classes for little ones at branches across Pulaski County.

Weekly at most branches

Free
Find a storytime near you ↗

Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library System

Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Preschool Storytime (Wednesdays 10:30am).

Weekly at the Vilonia Public Library; Wednesdays

BabiesToddlersPreschoolFree
Find a storytime near you ↗

Saline County Library

Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Oh Baby! Storytime (Thursdays 10:30am, East End Branch) and Storytime Tails with the Library Mice (Mondays 10:30am, Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library - Benton), with more at Mabel Boswell Memorial Library- Bryant.

Weekly at 3 locations; Monday–Thursday, mostly mornings

BabiesToddlersPreschoolFree
Find a storytime near you ↗

Keep planning

More for little kids in Little Rock

Indoor play in Little RockIndoor playgrounds, toddler times and museums, with pricesThanksgiving weekend in Little RockParades, turkey trots and what’s open on ThursdayThis week in Little RockDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday

Good questions

Free things to do with kids in Little Rock: the FAQ

This week we found 25 free outings for ages 0–6, including Día de Muertos Festival (Main Library), The Kinders’ Spooky Fall Concert (Sanders Library), Boo Fest (Maumelle Library) and Spooky Movie Screening (Children’s Library). See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.

Art Start at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts: Wed Oct 21. Boo Fest at Maumelle Library: Thu Oct 22. Día de Muertos Festival: Sat Oct 24. Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. Dates come from each venue’s own page; see free days and free events.

CALS Children’s Library & Learning Center, CALS Main Library, Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, Riverfront Park playgrounds and Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Arkansas Arboretum and 4 more don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.

Yes: CALS Children’s Library & Learning Center and CALS Main Library. See all of them on indoor play places in Little Rock.

Yes. Central Arkansas Library System, Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library System and Saline County 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.

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