# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Syracuse: the parent guide > Syracuse has an inexpensive zoo and a science museum built for hands-on kids, which matters during long winters. - Last checked: 2026-10-30 - 5 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/llms.txt ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Onondaga County Public Libraries (Central Library and city branches) - Free storytimes most weeks, including Books ’n Babies at Central and Family Storytime at Soule. - Price level: Free - Good for: Free mornings with babies and toddlers. - Skip if: you need a weekday evening; most programs run mornings. - Website: https://onlib-central.libcal.com/calendar ## Parks and outdoor play ### Rosamond Gifford Zoo (Burnet Park, 1 Conservation Pl.) - An affordable zoo that’s open every day except three winter holidays. Under 3 is free. - Price level: $ - Tickets: kids 3–17 $5; adults $9; 2 and under - Hours: Daily 10am–4:30pm - Good for: A morning outing. - Skip if: you need a full day; it’s a manageable size. - Price source: https://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/visit/plan-your-visit/hours-and-admission/ (checked 2026-10-30) - Website: https://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/visit/plan-your-visit/hours-and-admission/ ### Onondaga Lake Park (Liverpool, 106 Lake Drive) - County park along the lake with playgrounds, trails and bike rentals. It’s also home to Lights on the Lake in winter. - Good for: Stroller walks and playground time. - Skip if: it’s a cold, windy day by the water. - Website: https://onondagacountyparks.com/parks/onondaga-lake-park/ ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### MOST, Museum of Science & Technology (Armory Square area, 500 S. Franklin St.) - 35,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits, including the Science Playhouse for little ones. Outside food is allowed. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 2–15 $14; adults $18; Under 2 - Hours: Thu–Sun 9:30am–5pm - Good for: Rainy or snowy days. - Skip if: it’s Monday to Wednesday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.most.org/visit/hours-prices/ (checked 2026-10-30) - Website: https://www.most.org/visit/hours-prices/ ### Erie Canal Museum (Downtown Syracuse, 318 Erie Blvd E) - The 1850 Weighlock Building, with a canal boat to walk through. Admission is pay what you wish. - Price level: Free (donation) - Hours: Daily 10am–4pm - Good for: A short indoor stop downtown. - Skip if: it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day; it’s closed. - Website: https://eriecanalmuseum.org/visit/ ## Free things to do - Onondaga County Public Libraries - Erie Canal Museum ## Best for under 3s - **Rosamond Gifford Zoo**: Kids 2 and under get in free. ## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Books ’n Babies (Central Library)** (Onondaga County Public Libraries): Fri Oct 30 at 10:30am this week · Central Library. Lapsit storytime for birth to 2 with books, songs and bounces. Walk-ins welcome. https://onlib-central.libcal.com/event/17674098 ### Babies get in free - **Rosamond Gifford Zoo**: 2 and under. https://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/visit/plan-your-visit/hours-and-admission/ - **MOST, Museum of Science & Technology**: Under 2. https://www.most.org/visit/hours-prices/ ## Library storytimes - **Onondaga County Public Libraries**: Weekday mornings at several branches. Free baby and family storytimes. https://onlib-central.libcal.com/calendar ## Happening this week - **Westcott Halloween Dog Parade @ Petit** (Sat 11am–12pm) at Petit Branch Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/#e-westcott_halloween_dog_parade_petit - **Trick-or-Treat Tables and Halloween Fun @ Soule** (Sat 10:30am–2pm) at Soule Branch Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/#e-trick_or_treat_tables_and_halloween_fun - **Rosamond Gifford Zoo** (10am–4:30pm) at Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Burnet Park. $5 ages 3–17, $9 adults, free for 2 and under. https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/#e-rosamond_gifford_zoo - **MOST, Museum of Science & Technology** (9:30am–5pm) at Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology. $14 ages 2–15, $18 adults, free under 2. https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/#e-most_museum_of_science_technology Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Syracuse: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Syracuse for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/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 Syracuse good for toddlers? Yes. The zoo is cheap and kids 2 and under are free, and the MOST has a Science Playhouse. ### What’s free for little kids in Syracuse? Library storytimes and family events at the Onondaga County libraries. ### What can we do in Syracuse on a rainy or cold day with a toddler? Go indoors: Onondaga County Public Libraries. 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 Syracuse? Rosamond Gifford Zoo: Kids 2 and under get in free. Free for the littlest: MOST, Museum of Science & Technology (Under 2). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Syracuse? Onondaga County Public Libraries: Weekday mornings at several branches. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Syracuse weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/syracuse/). ### How do you choose the places in the Syracuse 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 2 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 30, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is the Rosamond Gifford Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free? 2 and under; kids 3–17: $5; adults: $9. We checked this on [its official site](https://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/visit/plan-your-visit/hours-and-admission/) on Oct 30, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.