# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Memphis: the parent guide > Memphis is an easy city with little kids: a children’s museum built for them, a big zoo in Overton Park, a riverfront park and one of the biggest city parks in the country. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - 15 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Central BBQ (Downtown, 147 E. Butler Ave. (plus Midtown and more)) - A Memphis barbecue favorite with pulled pork, ribs and sides, and counter service that’s easy with kids. - Price level: $$ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $7.30 (with a side, a snack and a drink), pulled pork plate $15.10 - Hours: Downtown: daily 11am–9pm - Good for: A casual barbecue lunch with easy sides for picky eaters. - Skip if: you need a quiet room; it gets busy at mealtimes. - Price source: https://order.toasttab.com/online/central-bbq-downtown-147-e-butler-ave-elshf (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.centralbbq.com/ ### Huey’s (Midtown, 1927 Madison Ave. (plus other locations)) - A Memphis burger chain known for its toothpick-covered ceilings, with a kids’ menu. - Price level: $$ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $6.95 (with ice cream and a side), burgers ~$9–$11 - Hours: Midtown kitchen: Sun–Thu 11am–midnight; Fri–Sat 11am–12:30am - Good for: Burgers and fries with toothpicks to spot on the ceiling. - Skip if: you want a fast in-and-out; it’s sit-down service. - Price source: https://hueyburger.com/menu-20260211131415 (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.hueyburger.com/ ### Arcade Restaurant (South Main Arts District, 540 S. Main St.) - Memphis’ oldest café: eggs, biscuits and gravy, sweet potato pancakes, pizzas and sandwiches. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 7am–3pm - Good for: An early breakfast downtown, every day from 7am. - Skip if: you want dinner; it closes at 3pm. - Website: https://arcaderestaurant.com/menu ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Children’s Museum of Memphis (Midtown, 2525 Central Ave.) - Hands-on exhibits for little kids, with the H2Oh! splash park and Dino Dig in summer. Closed Mondays. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 1+ $20; adults $20; Younger than 1 free. Ages 1–100 pay the same price - Hours: Tue–Sun 9am–5pm - Good for: Tue–Sun 9am–5pm - Skip if: you come on a Monday, when it’s closed. - Price source: https://cmom.com/visit/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://cmom.com/ ### Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid (Downtown, 1 Bass Pro Dr.) - The giant downtown pyramid is a store with big fish tanks and an indoor swamp to wander. Walking in is free. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free rainy-hour wander to see the fish and the swamp. - Skip if: you were hoping to skip the store; it is a store. - Website: https://stores.basspro.com/us/tn/memphis/1-bass-pro-dr.html ### Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library (East Memphis, 3030 Poplar Ave.) - The main library, with weekly baby, toddler, preschool and sensory storytimes. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free storytimes most weekday mornings. - Skip if: you go on a weekend morning without checking the calendar. - Website: https://www.memphislibrary.org/ ### We Rock the Spectrum Memphis (Cordova, 2362 N. Germantown Pkwy., Suite 101) - A sensory-friendly gym built for kids of all abilities. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids $16; siblings $14 - Hours: Open play schedule posted online - Good for: A calmer play session for a kid who gets overwhelmed in big play places. - Skip if: you don’t have socks for the grown-ups; they’re required (sold on site). - Price source: https://www.werockthespectrummemphis.com/open-play/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.werockthespectrummemphis.com/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Shelby Farms Park (East Memphis) - One of the country’s largest urban parks, with the Woodland Discovery Playground, a lake and the bison herd. - Price level: Free - Hours: Park open daily, sunrise to sunset; Woodland Discovery Playground daily 9am until an hour before sunset - Good for: A free playground and lots of room to run. - Skip if: you’re short on time; it’s big and takes a while to cross. - Website: https://www.shelbyfarmspark.org/ ### Tom Lee Park (Downtown riverfront) - A rebuilt riverfront park on the Mississippi with play areas and big lawns. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free riverfront play right downtown. - Skip if: it’s a hot, sunny afternoon; bring water. - Website: https://www.memphisriverparks.org/ ### Lichterman Nature Center (5992 Quince Rd.) - More than three miles of trails, a Backyard Wildlife Center with over 50 native species, a lake viewing area with an alligator snapping turtle, the Discovery Forest nature-play area and a Nature Nook with puzzles and books. - Price level: $ - Hours: Wed–Sun 10:30am–5pm - Good for: Nature play in the Discovery Forest, then the turtles. - Skip if: it’s Monday or Tuesday; it’s open Wednesday to Sunday. - Website: https://moshmemphis.com/explore/lichterman-nature-center/ ### Rainbow Lake Playground (Overton Park) (Overton Park) - An adventure playground with a Big Green Mound, a hollow-tree tunnel and slide, swings, a merry-go-round and shaded picnic tables for grown-ups. The park’s East Parkway Playground has classic swings and slides. - Price level: Free - Tickets: Free - Good for: A shady playground morning. - Skip if: you want a fenced toddler area; check the layout first. - Price source: https://overtonpark.org/the-park/park-features/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://overtonpark.org/the-park/park-features/ ### Mud Island River Park (Mud Island) - Walk a scale model of the Mississippi River from its mouth to the Gulf of Mexico, then take a photo with the 50-foot MEMPHIS sign and the skyline. - Price level: Free - Hours: Daily 7am–5pm in winter; 7am–7pm the rest of the year - Good for: A stroller walk along the river model. - Skip if: it’s hot and sunny midday; plan for shade breaks. - Website: https://www.memphisriverparks.org/mud-island ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Memphis Zoo (Overton Park, 2000 Prentiss Pl.) - A big zoo in Overton Park. Tennessee residents get in free on Tuesdays with an advance reservation. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 9am–5pm this fall; last admission 4pm - Good for: Free Tuesdays for Tennessee residents (book ahead). - Skip if: you show up on a free Tuesday without a reservation. - Website: https://www.memphiszoo.org/ ### Dixon Gallery & Gardens (4339 Park Ave.) - An art museum with gardens to wander in every season. Admission is now free, for good. - Price level: Free - Tickets: Free admission - Hours: Tue–Fri 10am–5pm (third Thursdays to 8pm); Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 1–5pm; closed Mon - Good for: A free garden stroll with a baby in the carrier. - Skip if: it’s Monday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.dixon.org/hours-admission (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.dixon.org/hours-admission ### Pink Palace Museum & Mansion (3050 Central Ave.) - Memphis and Mid-South history in a pink marble mansion, with a Piggly Wiggly store replica where you can “shop like the old days” and the Clyde Parke Miniature Circus, which runs at set times. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Tue–Sun 10:30am–5pm; miniature circus Wed–Fri 11am, Sat 11am and 2pm, Sun 2pm - Good for: Catching the miniature circus at 11am on a weekday. - Skip if: it’s Monday; it’s open Tuesday to Sunday. - Website: https://moshmemphis.com/explore/pink-palace-mansion/ ## Free things to do - Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid - Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library - Shelby Farms Park - Tom Lee Park - Rainbow Lake Playground (Overton Park) - Mud Island River Park - Dixon Gallery & Gardens ## Best for under 3s - **Children’s Museum of Memphis**: Under 1 free, with plenty for toddlers. - **Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library**: Baby and toddler storytimes most weeks. ## With a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Babies and Books (ages 0-18 months)** (Memphis Public Libraries): Tuesdays at 10:15am · Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. Birth to 18 months. Come join us for storytime for caregivers and babies up to 18 months old. https://memphis.librarycalendar.com/events/upcoming - **Baby Story Time** (Memphis Public Libraries): Mondays at 10:30am · Raleigh Library. https://memphis.librarycalendar.com/events/upcoming ### Babies get in free - **Children’s Museum of Memphis**: Younger than 1 free. https://cmom.com/visit/ ## Library storytimes - **Memphis Public Libraries**: Weekly at 9 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings, plus an evening session. Free baby, toddler, preschool and sensory storytimes at Central Library and branches across the city. https://www.memphislibrary.org/ ## Happening this week - **Halloween Spooktacular at the Children’s Museum of Memphis** (Sat 10am–2pm) at Children’s Museum of Memphis. $25 for nonmembers; $3 for members. https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/#e-halloween_spooktacular_cmom - **Día de Muertos Parade & Festival** (Sat 11am–3pm) at Court Square to the Halloran Centre. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/#e-dia_de_muertos_parade_festival_memphis - **Free Family Day at the Stax Museum** (Sat 1–4pm) at Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/#e-free_family_day_stax - **Fantasy Faire (Cordova Library)** (Sat noon–4:30pm) at Cordova Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/#e-fantasy_faire_cordova_library - **Wolf River Fall Fest** (Fri 5:30–8pm) at Shady Grove Trailhead (Wolf River Greenway). Free (online registration preferred). https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/#e-wolf_river_fall_fest Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Memphis: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Memphis for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/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 the Children’s Museum of Memphis good for toddlers? Yes. It’s built for little kids, babies under 1 get in free, and it’s open Tuesday through Sunday. ### When is the Memphis Zoo free? Tennessee residents get free admission on Tuesdays, with an advance reservation (up to six tickets each). ### What can we do in Memphis with a toddler when it rains? The Children’s Museum, the Pyramid and Central Library are all indoors. ### What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Memphis? Children’s Museum of Memphis: Under 1 free, with plenty for toddlers. Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library: Baby and toddler storytimes most weeks. See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Memphis? Memphis Public Libraries: Weekly at 9 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings, plus an evening session. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Memphis weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/memphis/). ### How do you choose the places in the Memphis guide? Every one of the 15 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 6 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is Children’s Museum of Memphis for a toddler, and who gets in free? Younger than 1 free; kids 1+: $20; adults: $20 (ages 1–100 pay the same price). We checked this on [its official site](https://cmom.com/visit/) on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.