# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Rochester: the parent guide > Rochester is a great place for little kids: the country’s museum of play, a year-round zoo, a big holiday village downtown and free storytimes at libraries across Monroe County. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - 16 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Rochester) (Downtown, 99 Court St.) - A big, busy downtown barbecue restaurant, open for lunch every day. - Price level: $$ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $9 (sliders, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, mac & cheese, ribs or wings), entrées Brisket sandwich $19; 2-meat combo $26 - Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 11am–9pm - Good for: A noisy barbecue lunch where kids blend right in. - Skip if: you want a quiet meal. - Price source: https://dinosaur-bbq.order.online/store/dinosaur-bar-b-que-rochester-548609 (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/rochester/ ### Mel’s Diner (Greece, 3579 Mount Read Blvd.) - A local diner with a “just for kids” menu for 12 and under: silver dollar pancakes, an egg or French toast with meat and a small drink. - Price level: $ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $5.99 (12 and under; small drink included) - Hours: Tue–Thu 8am–7:30pm; Fri 8am–8pm; Sat 8am–2pm; Sun 8am–1pm - Good for: An early breakfast with little ones. - Skip if: it’s a Monday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://melsdinerny.com/breakfast.html (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://melsdinerny.com/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### The Strong National Museum of Play (Downtown) - A huge museum all about play, with room after room for little kids plus a butterfly garden. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: Under 2 free. Half-price admission Fridays 4–8pm · $6 per person with SNAP EBT (up to four guests) · 1-day tickets from $25 - Hours: Daily 10am–5pm; Fri–Sat to 8pm - Good for: A whole rainy day; under 2 are free. - Skip if: you’re hoping for a quiet morning on a holiday weekend. - Price source: https://www.museumofplay.org/visit/hours-and-admissions/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.museumofplay.org/ ### Rochester Central Library (Downtown, 115 South Ave.) - The main library downtown, with crafts and family events for little ones. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free family programs downtown. - Skip if: you need weekend storytimes; most run on weekdays. - Website: https://roccitylibrary.org/ ### Lincoln Branch & Toy Library (Northeast, 851 Joseph Ave.) - A city branch with a toy library, plus Babies & Books and Musical Storytime. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free baby and music storytimes. - Skip if: you’re coming on a closed day; check the branch hours. - Website: https://roccitylibrary.org/location/lincoln/ ### ROC Kid City (Monroe Avenue, 3300 Monroe Ave.) - A bright play space for 8 and under with a dedicated baby and toddler area, ball pit, train tables and LEGO. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids $15.50 for 1 hour; $25.50 for 2 hours; adults $3 - Hours: Daily 9am–6pm - Good for: A snowy morning with a toddler. - Skip if: you plan to stay all day; it’s priced by the hour. - Price source: https://rockidcity.com/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://rockidcity.com/ ### Lamberton Conservatory (Highland Park, 180 Reservoir Ave.) - Monroe County’s plant conservatory in Highland Park, free for kids 5 and under and open every day. - Price level: $ - Tickets: kids 6–18 $2; adults $4; Children 0–5 free - Hours: Daily 10am–4pm - Good for: A warm, inexpensive hour on a gray day. - Skip if: it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas; it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.monroecounty.gov/parks-conservatory (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.monroecounty.gov/parks-conservatory ### Ontario Play & Café (Gates / Chili, 1861 Scottsville Rd.) - An indoor play space with a café, where a day pass covers unlimited play. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids $20 (ages 2–12); under 2 $12; Infants under 1 free with a paid sibling - Hours: Mon 10am–5pm; Tue 9am–4pm; closed Wed; Thu 9am–4pm; Fri–Sun 10am–5pm - Good for: A long winter day of play with coffee for you. - Skip if: it’s a Wednesday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.ontarioplay.com/hours-admission (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.ontarioplay.com/ ### LADYBUGS Play (Fairport, 650 Whitney Rd.) - A small, spotless play space made for little ones. - Price level: $ - Tickets: kids $13.50; Under 1 free with a paid sibling - Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–1pm; Sun 9am–noon (rotating); Sat parties only - Good for: A weekday morning with a toddler. - Skip if: it’s an afternoon or Saturday; open play is mornings only. - Price source: https://www.ladybugsplay.com/open-play (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.ladybugsplay.com/ ## Parks and outdoor play ### Seneca Park Zoo (North side, 2222 St. Paul St.) - The city’s zoo, open all year, with elephants and snow leopards. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 4–14 $11 online, $13 at the gate; adults 15–61 $14 online, $16 at the gate; Children 3 and younger free - Hours: Daily 10am–5pm; entry closes 4pm - Good for: An outdoor morning with the animals. - Skip if: it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day; it’s closed. - Price source: https://senecaparkzoo.org/tickets/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://senecaparkzoo.org/ ### Springdale Farm (Spencerport, 700 Colby St.) - A farm park with barnyard animals, a petting zoo on special days from about April to October, and a playground by the picnic pavilion. - Price level: Free - Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–4pm; Sun noon–4pm - Good for: A free farm-and-playground morning. - Skip if: you’re set on the petting zoo; it runs on special days only. - Website: https://springdalefarm.org/ ### Wild Wings at Mendon Ponds Park (Honeoye Falls, 27 Pond Rd.) - A nonprofit raptor center in Mendon Ponds Park that cares for injured birds of prey that can’t be released; kids can see the raptors up close. - Price level: Free - Hours: Mon–Tue and Fri–Sun 10am–2pm; closed Wed–Thu - Good for: A short, quiet bird visit plus a walk in the park. - Skip if: it’s a Wednesday or Thursday; it’s closed. - Website: https://www.wildwingsinc.com/ ### Ontario Beach Park (North end of the city, on Lake Ontario) - The Lake Ontario beach park, with a pier and the historic 1905 Dentzel Carousel ($1 a ride in summer; 2 and under ride free). - Price level: Free - Tickets: Park free; carousel riders 2 and under free with a paying adult - Hours: Daily 7am–10pm - Good for: A free lakeside walk out on the pier. - Skip if: you came for the carousel off-season; it runs in summer. - Price source: https://www.monroecounty.gov/parks-ontariobeach (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.monroecounty.gov/parks-ontariobeach ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### Rochester Museum & Science Center (Rochester) - The region’s big science and history museum, with a café and the Strasenburgh Planetarium; kids under 3 get in free, no ticket needed. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–18 $21; adults $23; Children under 3 free - Hours: Tue–Sat 9am–5pm; Sun 11am–5pm; closed Mon Sept–June except school holidays - Good for: A long rainy-day museum morning, including Sundays. - Skip if: it’s a school-year Monday; it’s closed then except school holidays. - Price source: https://rmsc.org/museum-science-center/hours-admission/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://rmsc.org/ ### Memorial Art Gallery (Rochester) - The University of Rochester’s art museum, free for kids 5 and under, with half-price admission after 5pm on Thursdays and second Fridays. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: adults $20; Children 5 and under free - Hours: Wed–Sun 11am–5pm (Thu and second Fri to 8pm); closed Mon–Tue - Good for: A calm museum hour with a baby in a carrier. - Skip if: it’s a Monday or Tuesday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://mag.rochester.edu/visit/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://mag.rochester.edu/ ### Genesee Country Village & Museum (Day trip from Rochester) - A living-history village museum; kids 3 and under get in free, and it’s open fall weekends through mid-November. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 4–12 From $10; adults From $16; Children 3 and under free - Hours: Fri–Sun 10am–3pm (fall season ends Nov 15) - Good for: A fall weekend day out with walkers and up. - Skip if: it’s a weekday in fall; it’s open Friday through Sunday. - Price source: https://www.gcv.org/admission/ (checked 2026-10-18) - Website: https://www.gcv.org/ ## Free things to do - Rochester Central Library - Lincoln Branch & Toy Library - Springdale Farm - Wild Wings at Mendon Ponds Park - Ontario Beach Park ## Best for under 3s - **The Strong National Museum of Play**: Under 2 free. - **Lincoln Branch & Toy Library**: Baby storytime. ## With a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Lapsit Baby Storytime** (Brighton Memorial Library): Tuesdays at 11:30am · Friends of BML Learning Center. Babies. Drop-in storytime for infants and pre-walkers with their caregivers can join us for thirty minutes of songs and board book share. https://www.brightonlibrary.org/events ### Babies get in free - **The Strong National Museum of Play**: Under 2 free. https://www.museumofplay.org/visit/hours-and-admissions/ - **Ontario Play & Café**: Infants under 1 free with a paid sibling. https://www.ontarioplay.com/hours-admission - **LADYBUGS Play**: Under 1 free with a paid sibling. https://www.ladybugsplay.com/open-play - **Seneca Park Zoo**: Children 3 and younger free. https://senecaparkzoo.org/tickets/ - **Ontario Beach Park**: Park free; carousel riders 2 and under free with a paying adult. https://www.monroecounty.gov/parks-ontariobeach - **Rochester Museum & Science Center**: Children under 3 free. https://rmsc.org/museum-science-center/hours-admission/ - **Genesee Country Village & Museum**: Children 3 and under free. https://www.gcv.org/admission/ ## Library storytimes - **Rochester Public Library and Monroe County Library System**: Weekday mornings at most branches. Free baby, toddler and all-ages storytimes at city branches and town libraries across Monroe County. https://calendar.libraryweb.org/ - **Brighton Memorial Library**: Weekly at the Friends of BML Learning Center; Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Free baby, toddler and preschool storytimes. This fall's regular sessions include Lapsit Baby Storytime (Tuesdays 11:30am) and All Ages Storytime (Mondays 9:30am). https://www.brightonlibrary.org/events ## Happening this week - **Fall Literacy Festival & Parade (Central Library)** (Sat 1–3pm) at Central Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/#e-fall_literacy_festival_parade_central_li - **Fall Fest: Spooky Weekend at Seneca Park Zoo** (10am–5pm (last entry 4pm)) at Seneca Park Zoo. Zoo admission: $16 adults, $13 ages 4–14 at the gate ($14/$11 online); 3 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/#e-fall_fest_seneca_park_zoo - **Halloween at the Market** (Sun 4:30–7pm) at Rochester Public Market. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/#e-halloween_at_the_market - **Fall Family Trunk or Treat with Brighton Memorial Library** (Sat 10am–noon) at Golisano Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship. Free library and town recreation event for all ages. https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/#e-brighton_fall_family_trunk_or_treat - **Book & Beast at Seneca Park Zoo** (Wed 11–11:30am) at Seneca Park Zoo. Free story time for all ages. https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/#e-book_and_beast_seneca_park_zoo Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Rochester: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Rochester for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/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 Strong good for toddlers? Yes. It’s built around play, children under 2 are free, and Friday evenings are half price. ### Are there free things to do with little kids in Rochester? Yes. Rochester Central Library, Lincoln Branch & Toy Library, Springdale Farm, Wild Wings at Mendon Ponds Park and Ontario Beach Park are free or have a free entry. See [the free list](https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/guide/#free). ### What can we do in Rochester on a rainy or cold day with a toddler? Go indoors: The Strong National Museum of Play, Rochester Central Library, Lincoln Branch & Toy Library and ROC Kid City. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time. ### What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Rochester? The Strong National Museum of Play: Under 2 free. Lincoln Branch & Toy Library: Baby storytime. Free for the littlest: Ontario Play & Café (Infants under 1 free with a paid sibling), LADYBUGS Play (Under 1 free with a paid sibling), Seneca Park Zoo (Children 3 and younger free) and Ontario Beach Park (Park free; carousel riders 2 and under free with a paying adult). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Rochester? Rochester Public Library and Monroe County Library System: Weekday mornings at most branches. Brighton Memorial Library: Weekly at the Friends of BML Learning Center; Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Rochester weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/rochester-ny/). ### How do you choose the places in the Rochester guide? Every one of the 16 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 12 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 the Seneca Park Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free? Children 3 and younger free; kids 4–14: $11 online, $13 at the gate; adults 15–61: $14 online, $16 at the gate. We checked this on [its official site](https://senecaparkzoo.org/tickets/) on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.