Elephant Ears at the Oregon Zoo
$Elephant Plaza, inside the zoo
The zoo’s cinnamon-sugar fried dough, sold for more than 35 years.
Good for: A treat in the middle of a zoo morning.
Skip if: you want a sit-down lunch.
Report a problemGUIDE Portland · City of Roses
Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Portland: the parent guide.
Portland’s easiest toddler days pair Washington Park with the museums along SE Water Avenue.
Around town5 spots · checked Oct 28
The Portland places we go back to, again and again.
The places we go back to all year. 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.
Eat
Kid-friendly restaurants
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
Featured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Portland that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Play
Indoor play and rainy days
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour. For toddler classes and every indoor playground we’ve checked, with prices and sock rules, see indoor play in Portland.
Free
Multnomah County Library
Citywide and East County
Free baby, toddler and family storytimes at almost every branch, in English, Spanish, Mandarin and more.
Good for: A free weekday morning.
Skip if: you need a weekend-afternoon plan; most storytimes are weekday mornings.
Report a problemFeatured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Portland that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
Explore
Museums, zoos and big outings
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
Oregon Zoo
$$Washington Park, 4001 SW Canyon Road
The zoo sits in Washington Park with its own MAX stop. In November it runs shorter days, and Fall Discount Days (Nov 2–8) cut admission to $13.
Tickets
- Kids 2–11 $21
- Adults $26
- Under 2
Good for: A dry morning with a stroller.
Skip if: you arrive after 2:30pm in November; that’s last entry.
Nov 1–30: daily 9:30am–3:30pm (last entry 2:30pm), closed Nov 26 · Dec 1–17: Fri–Mon · Dec 18–Jan 3: daily, closed Dec 25Site ↗ for Oregon Zoo
Report a problemOMSI
$$Central Eastside, 1945 SE Water Ave.
Portland’s science museum on the river. Kids under 3 get in free but still need a ticket, and Curiosity Kids mornings are aimed at preschoolers.
Tickets
- Kids 3–13 $14.50
- Adults $21.50
- Under 3 (ticket required)
Good for: A rainy afternoon with a curious 4-year-old.
Skip if: it’s Monday; it’s closed.
Tue–Fri 9:30am–5:30pm, Sat 9:30am–7pm, Sun 9:30am–5:30pm · closed MonSite ↗ for OMSI
Report a problemOregon Rail Heritage Center
$Central Eastside, 2250 SE Water Avenue
Three historic steam locomotives and a working machine shop, a short walk from OMSI. Admission is $4 for kids, and under 3 is free.
Tickets
- Kids 3–13 $4
- Adults $6
- Under 3
Good for: Train fans on a weekend afternoon.
Skip if: it’s Monday to Wednesday; it opens Thursday to Sunday afternoons only.
Thu–Sun 1–5pm · closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s DaySite ↗ for Oregon Rail Heritage Center
Report a problemFeatured partnerThis spot is open.Run a place in Portland that belongs in this section? One featured spot here is set aside for a local partner, and it’s always labeled.About featured spots →
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.
No ticket needed
Free things to do
Where a family can go in Portland without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in Portland.
Littlest explorers
Best for under 3s
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
Washington Park, 4001 SW Canyon RoadOregon ZooFree for kids under 2.Kids $21Adults $26Under 2
Central Eastside, 1945 SE Water Ave.OMSIFree under 3 with a ticket.Kids $14.50Adults $21.50Under 3 (ticket required)IndoorCentral Eastside, 2250 SE Water AvenueOregon Rail Heritage CenterFree under 3.Kids $4Adults $6Under 3Indoor
Citywide and East CountyMultnomah County LibraryBook Babies storytimes at many branches.FreeIndoorEvery week
Library storytimes
Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar. For every weekly storytime by day and branch, see library storytimes in Portland.
Most weekday morningsMultnomah County Library
Free Book Babies, toddler and family storytimes, many in Spanish, Mandarin and other languages.
Schedule ↗Babies and 1-year-olds
Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old in Portland
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.
Baby and lap-sit storytimes
Thursdays at 10:15am · Woodstock LibraryBook Babies · Multnomah County Library
For babies and a grown-up.
Storytime calendar ↗Thursdays at 11:15am · Gregory Heights LibraryBook Babies · Multnomah County Library
For babies and a grown-up.
Storytime calendar ↗Thursdays at 10:30am · Kenton LibraryBook Babies · Multnomah County Library
Followed by Book Babies Playtime at 11.
Storytime calendar ↗Fridays at 10:15am · Midland LibraryBook Babies · Multnomah County Library
For babies and a grown-up in East Portland.
Storytime calendar ↗Mondays at 10:30am · Northwest LibraryBook Babies · Multnomah County Library
Monday morning in Northwest Portland.
Storytime calendar ↗Wednesdays at 11:30am · Cedar Mill LibraryBabytime · Washington County Cooperative Library Services
At the Cedar Mill library.
Storytime calendar ↗Sundays at 10:15am · Hillsboro Public Library, Shute ParkBook Babies/Libros para bebés · Washington County Cooperative Library Services
Bilingual English and Spanish, Sunday mornings in Hillsboro.
Storytime calendar ↗Babies get in free
Oregon Zoo
Under 2
Admission page ↗OMSI
Under 3 (ticket required)
Admission page ↗Oregon Rail Heritage Center
Under 3
Admission page ↗By season
Seasonal spots
Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices. For holiday and indoor rinks with season dates, prices and skate aids, see ice skating with kids in Portland.
This week
What’s on this week in Portland
The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in Portland right now.
- Halloween in Multnomah VillageMultnomah Village · Free
- Woodstock SpooktacularWoodstock Community Center · Free
- Trick-or-Treating at Kennedy SchoolMcMenamins Kennedy School · Free
Good questions
Things to do with toddlers in Portland: the FAQ
Is Portland good for toddlers?
Yes. The Oregon Zoo, OMSI and the Rail Heritage Center are all easy with little kids, and library storytimes run most weekday mornings.
What’s free for little kids in Portland?
Library storytimes, OMSI and the Rail Heritage Center for kids under 3, and the zoo for under 2.
What can we do in Portland on a rainy or cold day with a toddler?
Go indoors: Multnomah County Library. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.
What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Portland?
Oregon Zoo: Free for kids under 2. OMSI: Free under 3 with a ticket. Oregon Rail Heritage Center and Multnomah County Library are also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Oregon Rail Heritage Center (Under 3). See best for under 3s.
Where are the free storytimes in Portland?
Multnomah County Library: Most weekday mornings. 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 Portland weekly list.
How do you choose the places in the Portland guide?
Every one of the 5 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 3 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 28, 2026. How we choose and check.
How much is the Oregon Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free?
Under 2; kids 2–11: $21; adults: $26. We checked this on its official site on Oct 28, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
Get the list every Thursday.
One short email every Thursday evening with the five things we’d leave the house for in Portland.