New and seasoned moms alike know that leaving the house with a baby or toddler in tow (or two!) is no easy task. Gone are the days of running quick errands by ourselves. Even though it takes some effort to leave the house, getting out and about in a new environment is beneficial for both you and your child.
It can be intimidating to try somewhere new with your kiddos if you don’t know what to expect whether you’re a new mom breastfeeding and looking for somewhere to go with your newborn or wrangling toddlers.
That’s why I’ve done the work for you and rounded up the 25 of the best things to do if you are wondering where are the best places to take babies and toddlers in North Dallas.
Indoor Play for Toddlers Near Plano
The Moody Family Children’s Museum at the Perot Museum
One of Dallas’ most unique and fun places is the Perot Museum located in downtown Dallas. The Moody Family Children’s Museum on the lower level of the Perot offers hands-on activities for kids 0-5 years old including an indoor hike, pint-sized farmer’s market, and water play table.
Your toddler’s curiosity will run wild here! It’s one of the best places to take babies and toddlers.
Kids under two get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket.
CAMP
CAMP offers an interactive toy store and play experience. Every few months, the experience theme rotates, meaning your toddlers will want to come back again and again. Recent themes have included Paw Patrol, Disney’s Encanto, and Mickey & Friends. Much of the experience is kept a secret, which your kids will love.
CAMP is best for kids over the age of two and under 8 years old.
Dallas Museum of Art
On four Wednesdays a year, the Dallas Museum of Art offers “Wee Wednesdays” activities specifically for kids 0-5 years old. Activities include story time, art activities, toddler dance parties, and more.
The remaining 2024 dates and themes include:
- May 1: Garden Party
- September 4: Every Little Letter
- December 4: Winter Wonderland
For more information, visit:
The Dallas Museum of Art also offers Arturo’s Nest, which is open every day. This room features a new theme each month and is stocked with puzzles, games, and books.
Watermark Tree Fort
Open 8am- 5pm Monday through Saturday, the tree fort at Watermark Church is a fun, free option when the weather calls for indoor playgrounds and indoor fun.
The tree fort is ideal for toddlers and Dallas children who are already walking, but a great outing for moms looking for something to do with their baby.
Moms can grab a pick-me-up at the coffee shop inside and there’s a breastfeeding room on the first floor of the church, making this a comfortable option for nursing moms looking to get out of the house with their baby.
Things to Do Inside In Collin County Texas
Many of these are quirky places you may now know about, including indoor activities and indoor places for fun with toddlers to visit.
Bubbles Eat and Play
Want an outing with your toddler that’s fun for you too? Check out the brand-new Bubbles Eat and Play in Fairview.
Bubbles includes a full-service restaurant, and the menu is full of healthy and yummy food both you and your baby will enjoy. Bubbles has thought of everything to make life easier for moms. They provide safe and easy-to-use highchairs that are great for babies just learning to sit and enjoy solids and will even provide complimentary diapers upon request.
Before or after lunch, toddlers can play in the indoor play area for an extra charge of $11.99 on weekdays and $13.99 on weekends.
The play area is ideal for toddlers and babies who can walk, but you can come just to enjoy lunch if that better suits your schedule.
Playstreet Museum
Play Street Museum is an interactive children’s museum and indoor play area best for kids up to 8 years old and enjoyable even for young babies.
Each location has a different theme ranging from cities to farms to grocery stores, which makes it worthwhile to visit multiple locations.
The Plano Playstreet Museum is themed, “The Great Outdoors” and is full of hands-on learning experiences that will keep the busiest toddler occupied.
Reservations are encouraged by booking online here. Admission is $14.00 per child ages 1-8. Older & younger kids are free if accompanied by a paying sibling, so it’s the perfect activity for moms with multiple kids.
Indoor Playground at Prestonwood Church
For the days when the Texas weather is not cooperating and you’re looking for something to do with your toddler, check out the indoor playground “Prestonwood Kidz” at Prestonwood Church.
This is one of the largest indoor playgrounds in the area and it’s free of charge!
The playground is ideal for toddlers who are comfortable walking and kids up to 10 years of age, but the church has options for moms with newborns such as nursing rooms and a nearby café.
The playground is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Legoland® Discovery Center
Legoland Discovery Center has 12 different family attractions. If you’re looking for something to do with your preschoolers, look no further than Legloland®.
Babies and toddlers will love the DUPLO® Village, which has building blocks, giant soft building blocks, and a small climbing area with a slide. Legoland® also features an outdoor Pirate Beach waterpark if you visit during the warmer months.
Peppa Pig World of Play
Peppa Pig is an indoor playground specifically designed for toddlers.
Your preschooler doesn’t have to enjoy watching the Peppa Pig show to enjoy these massive 14 themed areas throughout.
If they are fans of the show, they will be thrilled to get to meet Peppa Pig characters in real life!
Outdoor Toddler Activities in Plano
Windhaven Meadows Park
A Plano hidden gem, Windhaven Meadows Park offers a unique, dome-shaped park area that makes it easy to keep your eyes on even the most active toddlers. The park has swings, jungle gyms, a climbing wall, and slides for younger toddlers and older kids.
Complete with clean bathrooms, paved trails around the park, and covered picnic tables, this park is one of the best in the area if you’re looking for things to do with your baby or toddler.
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve
Conveniently located, just off the toll road in West Plano, Arbor Hills offers an escape from the city. The 200-acre park includes three miles of paved trails that are stroller-friendly.
Or you can put your baby in a carrier and go off the beaten path on unpaved trails.
Take the hike to the Observation Tower (which is just under 2 miles) for a great view of the entire nature preserve. Arbor Hills also boasts a large playground with swings for babies and fun equipment for toddlers to explore.
They have large pavilions with abundant picnic tables with a view of the park offering ideal picnic locations.
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve is Plano’s largest park, spanning 800 acres. The park has 3.5 miles of paved trails that are stroller friendly and up to 5 miles of hiking trails that border Rowlett Creek which are best for toddlers wanting to explore and wearing your baby in a carrier.
In the warmer months, the pond at Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve is open for kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddle boarding from dawn to dusk.
Heard National Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
The Heard Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary is unlike anywhere else in the DFW metroplex. You can spend an entire day here with your baby or toddler.
The Heard features indoor exhibits, the most popular of which are the dinosaur and fossil exhibits. For babies and toddlers, you will enjoy the 6.5 miles of nature trails through several different habitats such as Blackland prairie, wetlands, and forests.
Don’t worry- you don’t have to hike the entire 6.5 miles! Several nature trail options are available with hikes as short as ½ a mile. Animal encounters are also a draw to the Heard Museum including birds, inserts, and raccoons, lemurs, deer, bobcats, and owls.
Outdoor Toddler Activities around Dallas
The Rory Myers Children’s Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum
This adventure garden is full of activities that are best for 18-month-olds to five-year-olds and has recently reopened after refurbishment in 2024. The outdoor garden offers experiences such as a caterpillar maze, giant sandbox, potting shed, tree house, plant petting zoo, and a brook.
In the warmer months, the Dallas Arboretum offers story time at 10:30 a.m. during the week.
Even if your baby is too young to enjoy the many offerings of the adventure garden, the Arboretum is worth getting out of your house for a change of scenery including a beautiful, unobstructed view of White Rock Lake.
Klyde Warren Park
Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, Klyde Warren Park is one of the most popular things to do in Dallas for free.
The Sheila and Jody Grant Children’s Park, located at the west end of the park is an oasis for busy toddlers.
It includes a 35-foot climbing tower and slide (one of only two in Dallas!), a kid-sized climbing wall, two water features, a tree-top lookout, and plenty of other equipment to keep your toddler entertained.
Nearby restrooms and plenty of benches make this park a great outing for moms with littles. Not to mention you will have your choice of delicious food trucks that line the park when it’s time for lunch.
Keep an eye on their calendar for more events and activities such as music and storytime for your toddler!
Dallas Zoo
Don’t skip on the Dallas Zoo!
Kids under two are free, so you can easily tote your baby in a carrier or stroller if you’re looking for things to do with both your toddler and newborn.
The Dallas Zoo has over 2,000 different kinds of animals which makes the trek to South Dallas worthwhile. Keep an eye on their website for upcoming events and exhibits year-round. Check out the Lacerte Family Children’s Zoo for a petting zoo and opportunities for your toddler to feed the animals. Many local families ask us which Zoo is better: the Fort Worth Zoo vs the Dallas Zoo?
Things to Do in Dallas and Plano for Free
Storytime at Plano Libraries
Looking for something free to do with your newborn or your toddler? Plano Libraries offer events for kids 0 -5 years old – and on every day of the week.
You can bring your newborn to storytime as young as you’d like.
Babes in Arms is for babies 0-9 months and allows for mom to hold the baby while introducing him/her to sounds and language and work on motor skills.
Rhyme Time is for babies 0-24 months and focuses on repetitive rhymes, songs, and movement to help babies learn language and become comfortable with motor skills.
Storytime options include Babes in Arms (0-9 months), Rhyme Time (0-24 months), Toddler Time (18-36 months), and preschool storytime (3-5 years).
NorthPark Mall Storytime at Bookmarks in Dallas
Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Bookmarks, the library inside North Park Mall, hosts an interactive storytime that’s fun for parents, newborns, and toddlers.
Each week includes songs, dances, and of course – a story. NorthPark is great for moms who are still breastfeeding. Just a few steps from where story time takes place (near the Bread Winners) are great nursing rooms for mamas.
Northpark is a great place to take babies and toddlers because it’s full of unlimited activities.
Spend a whole morning here pushing your baby in the stroller to explore new sites and letting your toddler check out the ducks. Throw in a fun stop for yourself as well such as a specialty coffee or custom dessert from Eataly.
Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas
Children under the age of three get in for free here (with the purchase of a $12 adult ticket) making it a great family activity, especially on a pretty day.
Your toddler can enjoy the snake and reptile shack, playground, nearby ponds, garden trails, and of course – free roaming butterflies which are released every Wednesday to Sunday at noon! There is also a model train track your kids will enjoy watching circle the gardens.
Interurban Railway Museum in Plano
If your toddler loves airplanes and trains, this is the place for you!
The museum is small but easier to tackle with littles, and with free admission, it’s one to add to your list. Inside, kids can explore hands-on activities while learning about electricity. The miniature electric train exhibit helps kids use their imagination and picture what Plano used to be like years ago with dirt streets and rural farms.
Fun Classes and Events for Babies and Toddlers
Kindermusik
Kindermusik is the most widely recognized music education program for young children and we are lucky to have classes offered at various locations around the metroplex including the Tom Muehlenebeck Rec Center in Plano.
The research on the benefits of music for babies and toddlers is abundant, making these music classes one of the best mommy & me classes out there.
The program teaches children and babies movement and learning skills through music education. Babies and toddlers will love playing instruments, dancing, singing, and listening to stories each week.
Swim Lessons at Emler Swim School
Emler Swim School offers swim classes for babies as little as two months old to help them get acquainted with the water and gives parents ideas for ways to engage with them during bath time. For babies 2 to 35 months, parents join them in the water.
Once babies are older than 6 months, Elmer starts working on life-saving skills such as breath control, becoming comfortable with going underwater, and teaching babies to kick their feet. Learning to swim is a must from an early age and then you can take them to a waterpark
Little Gym of Plano
If you’re looking for somewhere, one of the best places to take babies and toddlers, The Little Gym is a great option where you can start as young as 4 months! Parents are involved in the class with littles up to three years of age, so come ready to learn too.
Toddlers learn to summersault, sidestep, twirl, and more. Little Gym is membership-based with various class times available throughout the week and locations across the metroplex.
Join a local MOPs group
Are you looking for your mom’s squad in North Texas?
MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, is a great way to meet other moms and let your baby or toddler have a play date as well.
MOPS groups often meet up outside of their regularly scheduled time for additional play dates, adventures, field trips, and even mom’s night out in the Dallas area.
MOPS meets at various locations across the metroplex. If you’re in Plano, check out the group at Prestonwood Church.
