FreeRaleigh · The City of Oaks

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

Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Raleigh this week: we found 28 free outings, including Family Storytime at Dix Park, Kids Voting Mock Election (West Regional Library) and Big Lights, Tiny Smiles: A Family Diwali Celebration (Morrisville Community Library), plus 25 library programs. One free day or event is coming up, including one museum or zoo free day, each with its date. And nine places never charge admission, like Gipson Play Plaza and Knightdale Station Park.

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

28free outings this weekincl. 25 library programs1free days and events coming upincl. 1 museum or zoo free day9places that are always freeGipson Play Plaza, Knightdale Station Park2free storytime calendarsWake County Public Libraries, Durham County Library

This week

Free things to do with kids in Raleigh this week

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

Mon Oct 1910:30am–11am

Family Storytime at Parrish Womble Park

Parrish Womble Park · 1201 Grigsby Avenue, Holly Springs, NC 27540

An outdoor library storytime at the park's picnic shelter.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Mon Oct 199:15am–9:45am

Toddler Storytime (East Regional Library)

East Regional Library · 946 Steeple Square Court, Knightdale, NC 27545

Books, music and movement for new walkers up to age 3.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 1–3
Mon Oct 1910:15am–10:45am

Preschool Storytime (East Regional Library)

East Regional Library · 946 Steeple Square Court, Knightdale, NC 27545

Books, music, rhymes and movement for preschoolers.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Mon Oct 1911am–11:30am

Baby Storytime (Oberlin Regional Library)

Oberlin Regional Library · 1930 Clark Ave., Raleigh, NC 27605

A seated storytime for babies who aren't crawling yet.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–1
Mon Oct 1911am–11:30am

Owl Family Storytime (Wake Forest Community Library)

Wake Forest Community Library · 400 E. Holding Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27587-2926

An owl-themed storytime with books, music and rhymes.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Tue Oct 2010:30am–11am

Family Storytime at Beech Bluff County Park

Beech Bluff County Park · Beech Bluff County Park, Wake County, NC

An outdoor library storytime at Beech Bluff County Park.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Tue Oct 2010:30am–11am

Family Storytime (Richard B. Harrison Community Library)

Richard B. Harrison Community Library · 1313 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, NC 27610

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers sing, learn and dance.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Tue Oct 2010:30am–11am

Family Storytime (Green Road Community Library)

Green Road Community Library · 4101 Green Road, Raleigh, NC 27604

Books, music, rhymes and movement for little kids.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Tue Oct 2010:30am–11am

Family Storytime (Southgate Community Library)

Southgate Community Library · 1601-14 Cross Link Road, Raleigh, NC 27610

Books, music, rhymes and movement for little kids.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Tue Oct 207:15pm–8pm

Evening Stay & Play (Cary Regional Library)

Cary Regional Library · 315 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27511

Legos, blocks, puppets and puzzles after the evening storytime.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAll ages
Wed Oct 219:30am–10am

Baby Storytime (Middle Creek Community Library)

Middle Creek Community Library · 111 Middle Creek Park Ave., Apex, NC 27539-7983

A lapsit storytime for babies and their grown-ups.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–1
Wed Oct 219:30am–10am

Toddler Storytime (Eva Perry Regional Library)

Eva Perry Regional Library · 2100 Shepherd's Vineyard Drive, Apex, NC 27502

Books, music and movement for new walkers up to age 3.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 1–3
Thu Oct 2210:30–11am

Family Storytime at Dix Park

Dorothea Dix Park · 701 Palmer Dr., Raleigh, NC 27603

Wake County Public Libraries brings an outdoor family storytime to Dix Park, with books, music, rhymes and movement for young children.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Thu Oct 2210am–12pm

Bookmobile at Dix Park

Dorothea Dix Park · 701 Palmer Dr., Raleigh, NC 27603

The library bookmobile parks near the Gipson Play Plaza: sign up for a card, check out books and return borrowed items, then hit the playground.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–12
Thu Oct 2210:30–11am

Bilingual Family Storytime (Green Road Community Library)

Green Road Community Library · 4101 Green Road, Raleigh, NC 27604

An interactive family storytime in English and Spanish, with books, music, rhymes and movement.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Thu Oct 2210:30–11am

Preschool Storytime (Zebulon Community Library)

Zebulon Community Library · 1000 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon, NC 27597

Books, music, rhymes and movement to build pre-reading skills.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Thu Oct 222:30–3:15pm

ABC Craft and Learn (West Regional Library)

West Regional Library · 4000 Louis Stephens Drive, Cary, NC 27519

An interactive kindergarten-readiness program for ages 3 to 5 and their grown-ups.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Fri Oct 2310–10:30am

Family Storytime (Leesville Community Library)

Leesville Community Library · 5105 Country Trail, Raleigh, NC 27613

Books, music, rhymes and movement to build pre-reading skills.

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

Storytime Stay and Play (Green Road Community Library)

Green Road Community Library · 4101 Green Road, Raleigh, NC 27604

Storytime followed by activity stations with playdough, building materials and crafts; designed for ages 3 to 5, younger siblings welcome.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 2–5
Fri Oct 2311am–12pm

Baby Playdate (Oberlin Regional Library)

Oberlin Regional Library · 1930 Clark Ave., Raleigh, NC 27605

Sensory stations for babies from birth to crawling, plus a chance to meet other families. No registration needed.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–1
Fri Oct 234–6pm

Kids Voting Mock Election (West Regional Library)

West Regional Library · 4000 Louis Stephens Drive, Cary, NC 27519

Kids 5 to 17 cast a mock ballot, play games and learn how voting and elections work.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 5–12
Sat Oct 2410:30–11am

Family Storytime (Green Road Community Library)

Green Road Community Library · 4101 Green Road, Raleigh, NC 27604

Books, music, rhymes and movement to build pre-reading skills.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Sat Oct 2411–11:30am

Bilingual Storytime / Cuentos en Familia (Wendell Community Library)

Wendell Community Library · 207 S. Hollybrook Road, Wendell, NC 27591

An interactive family storytime in English and Spanish.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Sat Oct 2411–11:45am

ABC Craft and Learn (Duraleigh Road Community Library)

Duraleigh Road Community Library · 5800 Duraleigh Road, Raleigh, NC 27612

An interactive kindergarten-readiness program for ages 3 to 5 and their grown-ups.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Sat Oct 2411–11:30am

Stay and Play (Athens Drive Community Library)

Athens Drive Community Library · 1420 Athens Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606

A short play session for little ones at the library; sign-up is listed on the event page.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–5
Sat Oct 2411:30am–12pm

ABC Craft and Learn (Zebulon Community Library)

Zebulon Community Library · 1000 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon, NC 27597

A pretend preschool classroom where kids practice pre-literacy, social and fine-motor skills ahead of kindergarten.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Sat Oct 2412–12:45pm

Big Lights, Tiny Smiles: A Family Diwali Celebration (Morrisville Community Library)

Morrisville Community Library · 310 Town Hall Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560

Celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with a family program at the library.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 0–8
Sat Oct 242–4pm

Ready, Set, School Playdate with Marbles (Zebulon Community Library)

Zebulon Community Library · 1000 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon, NC 27597

Marbles Kids Museum brings hands-on play for ages 3 to 5 that builds language, reading, math and problem-solving skills.

Event page ↗Checked Report a problem
FreeAges 3–5
Showing all 28 free outings

Mark the calendar

Free days and free events coming up in Raleigh

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
Nov7
Nov8
Dec5
Dec6

Bank of America Museums on Us weekend

Marbles Kids Museum · Raleigh

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)

Any day

Places that are always free in Raleigh

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

Wake County Public Libraries (Oberlin Regional Library)

1930 Clark Ave, Raleigh, NC 27605 · Across Wake CountyFree, with books, a children’s area and no ticket to buy.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

Wake County Public Libraries

Baby, toddler, family and sensory storytimes at Wake County branches including Green Road, North Regional, Cary Regional and Southgate.

Weekly; days and times vary by branch

BabiesToddlersFree
Find a storytime near you ↗

Durham County Library

Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Baby Bookworms (Lapsit Storytime) (Mondays 10am, East Regional Library (211 Lick Creek Lane)) and Babies & Bubbles: Lapsit Storytime (Wednesdays 9:45am, Southwest Regional Library (3605 Shannon Rd)), with more at Bragtown Branch Library (3200 Dearborn Dr), Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St), North Regional Library (221 Milton Rd) and South Regional Library (4505 S. Alston Ave).

Weekly at 6 locations; Monday–Friday, mostly mornings

BabiesToddlersPreschoolFree
Find a storytime near you ↗

Keep planning

More for little kids in Raleigh

Indoor play in RaleighIndoor playgrounds, toddler times and museums, with pricesThanksgiving weekend in RaleighParades, turkey trots and what’s open on ThursdayNoon Year’s Eve in RaleighKid-friendly countdowns, home by napThis week in RaleighDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday

Good questions

Free things to do with kids in Raleigh: the FAQ

This week we found 28 free outings for ages 0–6, including Family Storytime at Dix Park, Kids Voting Mock Election (West Regional Library), Big Lights, Tiny Smiles: A Family Diwali Celebration (Morrisville Community Library) and Family Storytime at Parrish Womble Park. See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.

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.

Gipson Play Plaza, Knightdale Station Park, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, NC Museum of Art and JC Raulston Arboretum and 4 more don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.

Yes: NC Museum of Natural Sciences. See all of them on indoor play places in Raleigh.

Yes. Wake County Public Libraries and Durham 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.

Littles Weekly

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