Pittsburgh is better for little kids than its reputation suggests: a top children’s museum, a walk-through aviary, a zoo with an aquarium and a cable car ride up Mt. Washington.
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.
A classic Pittsburgh breakfast diner with crepe-style hotcakes, open mornings only.
A local family restaurant chain famous for its Smiley cookies.
The Pittsburgh sandwich stop, with fries piled inside the sandwich.
A longtime neighborhood pizzeria with a party room for birthdays.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour.
Water play, a garage of real tools and a nursery room just for babies. It’s open every day.
“I want to give one extra plug for checking out the Heinz History Center and the Children's Museum because USA Today just named them the best history museum and best children's museum in the entire country”
A big science museum with a model railroad, a submarine and kid zones.
Walk-through bird rooms, with daily bird shows and feedings.
A glass conservatory full of plants and seasonal flower shows, and warm on cold days.
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
Wooded trails and the Blue Slide Playground, a local favorite.
Big lawns, trails and a playground next to the museums.
An Allegheny County park with open fields and a mansion, plus seasonal events.
A short ride up the hill in a historic cable car, with a huge view at the top.
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
A zoo plus an aquarium, with a kids’ farm area.
Online prices; $2 more at the gate
Dinosaur Hall is the big draw for little paleontologists.
Includes Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood sets and a hands-on kids’ area.
A night away without a long drive. New bed, same bedtime.
A downtown hotel close to Market Square and Point State Park.
A big resort in the Laurel Highlands with lots of family activities.
A mountain resort with family-friendly lodging, and skiing in winter.
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 Pittsburgh without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in Pittsburgh.
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar.
Weekly; days and times vary by branchFree storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers at neighborhood branches across the city. Allegheny County suburbs have their own libraries with their own schedules.
Schedule ↗Weekly at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library; Wednesdays and ThursdaysFree baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Book Babies (Wednesdays 10am) and Storytime for 2s & 3s (Thursdays 10am).
Schedule ↗Weekly at the Northland Public Library; WednesdaysFree baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Preschool Storytime (Wednesdays 10am).
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.
Wednesdays at 10am · Mt. Lebanon Public LibraryBirth to 2 years. Learn early literacy skills through stories, rhymes and songs for babies ages birth-2 years with a caregiver.
Storytime calendar ↗
Under 2 free
Admission page ↗Under 24 months free
Admission page ↗17 and under free
Admission page ↗
Changing stations are in many restrooms, including single-user family rooms. There’s a nursing room in the Little Learner Clubhouse on the 4th floor.
Official site ↗Every restroom has a baby changing station, and there are lactation rooms marked on the Zoo map.
Official site ↗
Strollers are welcome and you can rent one at the ticket counter. Some theaters and the USS Requin can’t fit them, so ask staff where to park it.
Official site ↗Rent single ($10) or double ($13) strollers in the Village at the top of the entry escalator.
Official site ↗Strollers are encouraged, and the museum lends them for free.
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 Pittsburgh right now.
Yes. It has a nursery room just for babies, and the water play and tool garage work for toddlers.
The Children’s Museum, the National Aviary and the Kamin Science Center are all on the North Side and all indoors.
Yes. It’s a short ride, kids 5 and under are free, and the view is great. Weekend afternoons are busiest, with about a 10-minute wait each way.
Yes. Frick Park, Schenley Park and Hartwood Acres are free or have a free entry. See the free list.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Mt. Lebanon Public Library: Weekly at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library; Wednesdays and Thursdays. Northland Public Library: Weekly at the Northland Public Library; Wednesdays. 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 Pittsburgh weekly list.
Every one of the 18 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.
Under 24 months free; kids 2–13: $23; adults: $27 (online prices; $2 more at the gate). We checked this on its official site on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
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