Nashville is a good city for little kids, with a hands-on science center, a big zoo, a garden with a children’s area, a famous city park and a library system that runs storytimes citywide.
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.
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
Pizza with a fenced outdoor playground in East Nashville.
A big outdoor playground next to the patio, and pizza from the kitchen.
“East Nashville Beer Works has a playground, which is nice”
A longtime Nashville pancake house.
A sit-down restaurant with a proper kids menu, for when you want something nicer.
Whole-hog barbecue in a casual setting.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.
An indoor play cafe in East Nashville. Book ahead.
Plus tax; siblings $20; 1 hour for $15
Hands-on science and a planetarium near downtown.
A museum of unusual cars from around the world.
A trampoline park for rainy days.
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
A zoo with a playground and a carousel.
Varies by date; parking $10
A water park on Percy Priest Lake.
2026 gate prices, plus tax
A full-size Parthenon replica and plenty of grass to run on.
A big theme park in Pigeon Forge, about 3.5 hours away.
Good-any-day 1-day ticket, plus tax; Pick-A-Day adult from $94.99
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
A downtown art museum with a hands-on art gallery.
“My one place, my like top recommendation for this entire episode is the Frist. I have said since I moved here 10 years ago from Brooklyn that the Frist's kids section is better than the Brooklyn Museum's kids section”
Gardens with seasonal displays.
Daytime price; changes by date
On Cheekwood Harvest, for kids who scare easily
“I think probably Cheekwood Harvest is like such a classic because there's absolutely nothing scary there at all, I don't think. It's mostly just like flowers and pumpkins and the cute little pumpkin houses”
A farm park in Eagleville with animals.
Price changes by date and time
Costumes, instruments and music history downtown.
Local kids 18 and under free
A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.
Acres of indoor gardens under glass. The SoundWaves water park is only included with its own overnight package.
A lodge and cabins by a lake west of town.
A downtown hotel connected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Lakeside cabins and a lodge near a 256-foot waterfall, one of the tallest in the eastern U.S.
These don’t change week to week. Last checked . 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.
Where a family can go in Nashville without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in Nashville.
West EndCentennial ParkA full-size Parthenon replica and plenty of grass to run on.Free
DowntownNashville Public Library, Main LibraryFree, with books, a children’s area and no ticket to buy.FreeIndoorOn the Main Library puppet shows
“They are amazed that for a solid 30 minutes, … kids will sit still and find themselves lost in a story”
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
South of downtownAdventure Science CenterHands-on exhibits that toddlers can reach and touch.Kids $18Adults $22Under 2 freeIndoorDowntownNashville Public Library, Main LibraryBoard books, floor space and storytimes for the littlest.FreeIndoor
DowntownFrist Art MuseumFree for kids, so a short visit costs only the adult ticket.Adults $2018 and under freeIndoorA few more places we like that aren’t in the lists above.
DowntownTennessee State MuseumA state history museum downtown.Indoor“Tennessee State Museum is free for everybody and they have this children's room”
Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar.
Weekly; days and times vary by branchBaby, toddler and family storytimes at branches across Davidson County, including Main, North, Looby and Thompson Lane.
Schedule ↗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.
Tuesdays at 9:30am and 10:30am · Main Library, Children's Activity Room (1314 Columbia Ave, Franklin)Newborn to 18 months. Stories and songs for babies and caregivers.
Storytime calendar ↗Mondays at 11am · Storytime Room (8109 Concord Rd, Brentwood)6 weeks to 24 months. Sensory and motor play using sight, sound and touch. The library also holds a Baby Bounce (up to 18 months) on some Thursdays at 9:30am, such as Oct 29.
Storytime calendar ↗
Under 2 free
Admission page ↗Under 2 free
Admission page ↗2 and under free
Admission page ↗3 and under free
Admission page ↗18 and under free
Admission page ↗2 and under free
Admission page ↗Under 2 free
Admission page ↗
An adult-size changing table in the family restroom, and a nursing room on the first floor.
Official site ↗
Strollers aren’t allowed in the planetarium theater.
Official site ↗Strollers rent first come, first served ($11 single, $13 double).
Official site ↗Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices.
The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in Nashville right now.
Yes, as a morning outing. The exhibits are hands-on, so toddlers can touch and press things. Pick one or two areas and leave before nap.
Centennial Park, library storytimes and the Main Library cost nothing. Check each listing above for details.
The Adventure Science Center, the State Museum and the Main Library are all indoors, and branch libraries run storytimes on weekdays.
Adventure Science Center: Hands-on exhibits that toddlers can reach and touch. Nashville Public Library, Main Library: Board books, floor space and storytimes for the littlest. Frist Art Museum is also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Lane Motor Museum (5 and under free), Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (Under 2 free), Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort (2 and under free) and Frist Art Museum (18 and under free). See best for under 3s.
Nashville Public Library: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. 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 Nashville weekly list.
Every one of the 21 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 16 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. How we choose and check.
Under 2 free; kids 2–12 ($4 less than adults): $21–$24; adults & teens: $25–$28 (varies by date; parking $10). We checked this on its official site on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
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