Things to do with kids in Nashville
A local, always-current guide to family things to do around Nashville — museums and play spaces, festivals, park programs, classes, camps and plenty of free options. Sort by age, date or neighborhood.
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Maury County Fair
Come out for carnival rides, exotic animals, science shows, arena events (like the junk car jump and run and the Saturday motocross races) and more Sept 3 – 7 at the Maury County F
Heritage Days at Sam Davis Home
Come out to Same Davis Home (1399 Sam Davis Road, Smyrna) to learn about 19th century life and be immersed in history from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. See more than a dozen historical demonstr
Tennessee State Fair at the Wilson County Fairgrounds
The combined Wilson County and Tennessee State Fair fills the Lebanon fairgrounds with midway rides, livestock barns, a pioneer village and nightly...
Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Michael Jackson
Experience a talented string quartet playing your favorite anthems by Michael Jackson inside The Conrad Nashville (2500 West End Ave., Nashville) bathed in candlelight. The concert
Ray LaMontagne at Ryman Auditorium
See Ray LaMontagne perform live inside the Ryman Auditorium (116 Fifth Ave. N, Nashville) on Friday, Sept. 4 and Saturday, Sept. 5. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. and tickets start
Bluegrass & Wine Tasting Excursion Train
Enjoy some wine while listening to live bluegrass music on an excursion train ride from Tennessee Central Railway Museum (220 Willow St., Nashville) to Watertown and back! During t
Home Depot Kids Workshops
Kids can head in to their local Home Depot on the first of the month to build something fun with staff in this free workshop from from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. This month, kids can build a
Baby AKAdemy Community Shower
Come join the Upsilon Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at the Southeast Community Center (5260 Hickory Hollow Pkwy #202, Antioch) for a fun and informative event tai
Oaklands Mansion Fall Art & Craft Fair
Shop fine art, handmade crafts, and vintage items at Oaklands Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave., Murfreesboro) from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The first 100 guests will receive a shopping bag with
Fall Zzzoofari Slumber
Join Nashville Zoo for a unique overnight camping experience as you sleep under the stars just a short distance away from the snoozing animals. Zzzoofari participants get to dive i
Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party
Block party presented by Sprouts Farmers Market.
American Mosaic: A Free Nashville Symphony Community Concert
This Labor Day weekend, your Nashville Symphony transforms Walk of Fame Park (121 4th Ave. S, Nashville) into a multimedia celebration of America’s 250th birthday starting at 7:30
2026 Broadway Block Party
The inaugural Broadway Block Party women’s college volleyball tournament comes to Bridgestone Arena (501 Broadway, Nashville) starting at 11 a.m. The first matchup will feature Lou
Fireworks at Nashville Shores
Celebrate at Nashville Shores (4001 Bell Road, Nashville) with amazing fireworks displays to end the night at 8 p.m. Twilight tickets (after 4 p.m.) are $39.99 at the gate. MORE TH
Amphicar Rides
Lane Motor Museum (702 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville) presents this special event cruising around Percy Priest Lake ( 1999 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Mt. Juliet) in the 1964 Amphicar from
Petey's Preds Party Presented by Regions Bank
Petey's Preds Party Presented by Regions Bank
Mother-Daughter Getaway at Deer Run
This special weekend getaway starts Friday, Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. and continues through Sunday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. It will help you to purposely have mother-daughter time together an
The Nashville Fair
The Nashville Fair returns at The Fairgrounds Nashville (1815 Nolensville Pike, Nashville) Sept. 11 – 20. The regional multi-day fair features live entertainment , arena events, ag
Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
Discover the music of Fleetwood Mac played by a string quartet inside The Parthenon (2500 West End Ave., Nashville) bathed in candlelight at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $37. For age
“Live in Studio A” by Nashville Ballet
Place yourself in the center of the action and get an up-close view of the Nashville Ballet at The Martin Center (3630 Redmon Street, Nashville). The performances run Thursdays – S
Nashville Symphony Opening Weekend: An American Celebration
In honor of America 250, the 80th anniversary of the Nashville Symphony and the 20th anniversary of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the opening program of the 2026/27 season cele
Canines and Coffee in Franklin
Bring your paw friends and spend a morning at the dog park at Harlinsdale ( 239 Franklin Road, Franklin) to meet the Parks team for coffee, refreshments, treats and giveaways from
Middle Tennessee Highland Games
The annual Middle Tennessee Highland Games & Celtic Festival takes place on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13 at Sanders Ferry Park (513 Sanders Ferry Road, Henderson
Community Day at Glen Leven Farm
Join at The Land Trust for Tennessee’s Glen Leven Farm (4000 Franklin Pike, Nashville) for a relaxing, beginner-friendly 30-minute yoga session on the lawn led by Small World Y oga
The Baby Fair – Rutherford
Got a baby on board or expecting one? Register now to attend Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s longest-running FREE annual event for new and expectant parents at Ascension Saint Tho
La Vergne Fall Festival
Celebrate the changing of the seasons while taking part in games and enjoying yummy food for La Vergne’s annual Fall Festival. The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Bicentennial Park at
Nashville Congenital Heart Walk
Enjoy this family-friendly one-mile walk presented by Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to remember heart angels and celebrate heart warriors at Edwin Warner Park
Green Hills Park Festival
Bring the whole family for live music, local artisan vendors and an outdoor movie to close out the evening at Green Hills Park (1200 Lone Oak Rd., Nashville) from 3 – 9 p.m. The fe
Wine on the River
Sample wine, beer and spirits and taste culturally-themed menus at this outdoor tasting event along the Cumberland River at Riverfront Park (100 1st Ave. N, Nashville) from 3 – 7 p
Brooks & Dunn at Bridgestone Arena
See Brooks & Dunn’s Neon Moon Tour live inside Bridgestone Arena (501 Broadway, Nashville) with special guests Tucker Wetmore and Caylee Hammack starting at 7 p.m. Tickets start at
Home Opener: Tennessee Titans vs. New York Jets
The Titans take on the New York Jets for their home opener at Nissan Stadium (1 Titans Way, Nashville). Kickoff’s at noon. Titan up! MORE THINGS TO DO!
Frist Family Sunday
On the second Sunday of each month head to the Frist Art Museum for kid-friendly programming, family tours, multisensory gallery experience and a visit to the Martin ArtQuest Galle
Renée Fleming with Béla Fleck: The Fiddle and the Drum
Five-time Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming and ten-time Grammy-winning banjo icon Béla Fleck join forces in this celebration of Appalachian folk music, inspired by the 250 th a
Fall Harvest Festival at Lucky Ladd Farms
Make your way down to to Enjoy all things fall at Lucky Ladd Farms (4374 Rocky Glade Road, Eagleville) during their pumpkin patch and corn maze season, Wednesdays through Sundays,
Nashville Symphony Community Concert at Nashville School of the Arts
Did you miss the Glencliff-Woodbine community concert last season because of the ice storm? Good news: they’re coming back to the neighborhood! Come hear the full Nashville Symphon
“Jersey Boys” at TPAC
Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the 20th anniversary of this Tony Award-winning, original Broadway musical coming to TPAC’s Jackso
Disney On Ice presents Spotlight Magic!
Disney On Ice skates back inside Bridgestone Arena (501 Broadway, Nashville) with the brand new show, “Spotlight Magic!” Hosted by Mickey and friends at a glamorous Hollywood-style
“Jekyll and Hide” at HPAC
The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life in this thrilling musical based on the classic story at the Hendersonville Performing Arts Company (260 West Main St., Suite 2
Lucky Ladd Farms Fall Festival
The region's biggest petting farm goes all in for fall: corn maze, pumpkin patch, pedal karts, giant slides and pony rides. One admission covers ne...
Cheekwood Harvest
Cheekwood turns over to fall with thousands of mums, a scarecrow trail, a hay maze and a pumpkin house kids can walk into. The seasonal train displ...
Gentry's Farm Fall Festival
Wagon rides out to the pumpkin field, a hay bale maze, farm animals and picnic space under the trees. Admission covers all activities except the pu...
Honeysuckle Hill Farm Fall Festival
Corn maze, jumping pillow, barrel train, hayride and pumpkin patch on a farm 40 minutes north of the city. Everything is included in the gate price...
Nashville Symphony Pied Piper Family Concert
An hour-long orchestral program written for young ears, with narration and plenty of movement allowed. Come early for the instrument petting zoo in...
Legends & Lore Ghost Walk in Historic Franklin
A history-first walking tour of downtown Franklin's Civil War-era buildings with just enough ghost story for tweens. Roughly 90 minutes on paved si...
Fall Family Nights at Warner Park Nature Center
Free naturalist-led evening walks looking for owls, bats and night insects in the Warner Parks. Registration opens a few weeks ahead and fills fast...
Boo at the Zoo
The zoo's trick-or-treat trail runs after hours with costumed characters, a hay maze and low-scare decorations aimed at young kids. Costumes encour...
Pumpkins in the Park at Cumberland Park
Metro Parks' free riverfront Halloween afternoon with pumpkin decorating, games and trick-or-treat stations. Costumes welcome. Free parking under t...
Ghouls at Grassmere Family Halloween Walk
A gentler loop through the historic farm portion of the zoo, decorated for the season and staffed with storytellers. Built for preschoolers who fin...
Halloween at Adventure Science Center
Spooky-science demonstrations, dry-ice experiments and a costume-friendly day of programming across all three floors. Planetarium runs a seasonal s...
Franklin Pumpkinfest
Downtown Franklin closes Main Street for a free street festival with a costume contest, kids' zone, live music and a chili cook-off. Arrive early f...
Christmas Village Nashville
A long-running charity holiday market with hundreds of vendors, kids' activities and photos with Santa. Proceeds go to Nashville-area nonprofits. W...
A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland
Three million lights strung through the resort's indoor gardens, free to walk through even if you skip the ticketed attractions. Breakfast with San...
ICE! at Gaylord Opryland
Two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures kept at nine degrees — parkas provided at the door. The surrounding Christmas at Gaylord Opryland...
Holiday Train Show at Cheekwood
Model trains wind through miniature Nashville landmarks built from bark, twigs and seed pods. It runs during daytime garden hours, separate from th...
Cheekwood Holiday LIGHTS
A million lights across the gardens, with a light tunnel, s'mores fire pits and the model train display glowing in the cold. The route is stroller-...
Franklin on Ice
Outdoor seasonal ice rink in Franklin with skate rental included and skating aids for beginners. Fire pits and food trucks on the perimeter. Weekda...
Thanksgiving Break Camp at Adventure Science Center
Three days of hands-on science camp covering the school break before Thanksgiving. Grouped by grade band with before and after care available. Regi...
Holiday Lights at the Fairgrounds Drive-Through
A mile-long drive-through light display you tour from the warmth of your own car. Tune the radio to the show's soundtrack on the way through. Weekn...
Nashville Christmas Parade
Marching bands, floats and Santa roll through downtown on the first Saturday of December. Free to watch from the curb; grandstand seats are tickete...
Nashville Public Library Wishing Chair Holiday Puppet Show
The library's professional marionette company stages a holiday production in the downtown puppet theater. Free, first-come seating that fills 20 mi...
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Frequently asked
What are the best things to do with kids in Nashville?
Museums, zoos and play spaces, weekend festivals, park and nature programs, storytimes, sports and seasonal events — everything on this page is a real, dated listing in the Nashville area.
Something to do with kids today or this weekend?
Use the This weekend page for Friday-to-Sunday plans, or filter the map by program type to find something close by right now.
Are there rainy-day options in Nashville?
Yes — museums, indoor play, classes and library programs are all listed alongside outdoor events, so there's always an indoor fallback.
Run a program for kids in Nashville?
Listing is free, and parents in this metro are searching every week.
List your program free