We know how it goes. We live here too. It’s too hot. WAAAAY too hot to take the kids to the park. And it stays hot until after all the pools and splash pads are closed for the summer. And then? After the briefest stints of fall weather imaginable, the weather turns much too cold! Don’t forget the rainy days. Add up all those less than ideal days, and a parent needs a reliable list of indoor play options. We got you! (As always, we encourage you to call ahead to be sure that a time or date listed is up to date as these things change.)
Nashville Indoor Fun for Kids! (FREE and Inexpensive)
The FREE Stuff:
Play Places
Chick-fil-A
Free (but you may want to buy food.) Check the link for locations and for hours of operation.
Downtown Library
615 Church Street, Nashville
Free. The children’s section of the downtown library is home to a playscape and small climbing wall.
McDonald’s
Free (but you may want to buy food.) Check the link for locations that have play places and for hours of operation.
Opryland Hotel
2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville
Free. Open 7 days a week. Enjoy the indoor gardens and walking paths. Fountains, seasonal exhibits and an indoor river are fun for the whole family.
Story Times & Library Events
Nashville Public Library Main Branch
615 Church Street, Nashville
- Babies & Books Story Time. Monday, 9:30, 10:30 AM.
- Wishing Chair Productions Story Time. Tuesday, 9:30, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM
- Music & Movement: Wednesday, 10:30 AM
**The library’s event page can help you find the story times and activities at your local branch library; and don’t miss our story time round up for Middle Tennessee!
Brilliant Sky Toys & Books (Brentwood) CALL FOR STORY TIME
1705 Mallory Lane Brentwood
Free.
Parnassus Books
3900 Hillsboro Pike Suite 14 Nashville
Free. See event calendar for specific story times.
Barnes & Noble (Brentwood)
1701 Mallory Lane Brentwood
Free. 11 a.m. Saturdays.
Barnes & Noble (Hendersonville)
300 Indian Lake Blvd. Suite 340 Hendersonville
Free. 11 a.m. Saturdays.
Barnes & Noble (Murfreesboro)
2615 Medical Center Blvd, Murfreesboro
Free. 11 a.m. Mondays
Fairytales Children’s Bookstore
114B South 11th St. Nashville
Free. 10 a.m. Fridays
Creative Workshops
The Home Depot Kids Workshop
A new project each month. Children get to take home their project, a certificate of achievement and their own apron. Please see each location for details and register online before class.
Free. 1st Saturday, each month 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Monthly projects available. Complete a certain number of workshops and become a Jr and Sr builder, and earn a free tool bag! A new project every month.
Free. Check the schedule for dates.
KEEPING OVER 1.5 MILLION POUNDS OF MATERIALS OUT OF NASHVILLE’S LANDFILL. Come join Turnip Green Creative Reuse for an exciting and creative experience at! The Kids Class is the perfect opportunity for your little ones to unleash their imagination and have a blast. Their talented instructors will guide them through various hands-on activities, encouraging them to repurpose and transform everyday materials into unique works of art. From painting and crafting to building and sculpting, your kids will have a chance to explore their creativity in a fun and supportive environment. So, grab your little artists and get ready for a memorable adventure at the TGCR’s Kids Class—every Saturday from 10:00-11:00 AM ($10)
Events calendar available here.
Hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–4:00 pm.
1014 3rd Ave. S, Nashville, TN 37210!
The Inexpensive Stuff:
Family Fun Centers:
Strike and Spare Family Fun Center
90 Volunteer Drive Hendersonville
3436 Lebanon Road Hermitage
2710 Old Lebanon Road Suite 17 Nashville
1720 Old Fort Pkwy #2002 Murfreesboro
5315 Nolensville Road Nashville
$4.35-$5.95 per game. $19.95-$32 per hour. Bowling. Daily specials available. (Arcade, laser tag, roller skating, bumper cars, and so much more at Hendersonville and Murfreesboro locations.)
Museums
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts
919 Broadway Nashville
Free for 18 years of age and younger. $15 for adults. (Memberships available).
Cheekwood Art Museum and Gardens
1200 Forrest Park Drive Nashville
Free for ages 2 and under. $13-$19 for ages 3 -17. $20-26 for adults. (Memberships available.)
Discovery Center
502 SE Broad Street Murfreesboro
Free for under 2 years of age. $12 for children and adults. (Memberships available.) Hands-on museum and nature center. Check for FREE community days.
Adventure Science Center
800 Fort Negley Blvd. Nashville
Free for under 2 years of age. $18 for ages 2-12. $22 for 13 years of age and older. (Memberships available.) Science museum with hands-on exhibits and planetarium.
Country Music Hall of Fame
222 Fifth Ave South Nashville
Local resident under the age of 18 can attend for free. Up to two adults accompanying the youth can also receive a 25% off General Museum Admission. To receive the discount, the accompanying adult(s) must also live in one of the participating counties and present a government-issued ID or a utility bill that shows proof of residency.
*The free admission for youth and the adult discount do not apply to Audio Tours, Studio B Tours, or Hatch Show Print Tours. Guests are welcome to purchase these as a stand-alone ticket.
Tennessee State Museum Children’s Gallery
1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. Nashville
Free. The Children’s Gallery is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, from 10:00 a.m.- to 4:30 p.m. On Sundays, enjoy the Children’s Gallery from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m
aMuse’um Children’s Museum
123 W 7th St #3213, Columbia, TN 38401
$10 per child. One free (18 years+) adult per paid child. Additional adults will be $5 each. Children Under 1 Year: Free
Play Centers
Kids Corner of Murfreesboro
2705 Old Fort Pkwy Suite K, Murfreesboro
Daily play passes Monday-Saturday for $20 for the first child and $10 for each additional sibling. There is no time limit on play and no appointment required.
One-hour passes $12, sibling pass $8. They do offer membership rates as well.
Come check out Rutherford County’s first and only indoor play place exclusively for ages 0-6. Their focus is having a safe, comfortable and calming play environment for little ones and parents!
The Monkey’s Treehouse
91 Seaboard Lane Brentwood
$15.00 (plus tax) per child. Siblings who have not turned one yet with a paying guest are free. Two free adults with each paying kiddo – $5.00 an adult after that. (Memberships available.) Indoor playground/tree house.
Chuck E. Cheese’s
Four locations. Free admission. Tokens and food are available for purchase. Arcade.
Dave and Buster’s
540 Opry Mills Dr. Nashville
Free admission. Game play cards and food are available for purchase. Arcade.
YMCA
Several locations. Range of membership fees. Swimming, running around the gym, etc. Green Hills (and possibly other locations) have times set for large inflatables and bounce houses.
Climb Nashville
3600 Charlotte Ave. and 1900 Eastland Ave. Nashville
1900 Eastland Ave #104, Nashville, TN 37206
1660 Memorial Blvd, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Indoor rock climbing. $21 (gear included) for Youth Day Pass and $25 for adult pass. (Classes & memberships available.)
They welcome climbers of all ages. Children under the age of 18 must have a waiver filled out by a legal guardian. Climbers ages 16 – 17 may climb unsupervised in the climbing gym. Climbers between the ages of 13 and 15 may climb unsupervised in the gym provided they have indirect (onsite) supervision by either a 16+ immediate family member or 18+ supervisor that may be related or unrelated. Climbers ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Onsite supervision is required for kids ages 13 – 15.
Sky Zone
1647 Mallory Lane Brentwood TN
1220 NW Broad St Murfreesboro
Starting at $23.99 per person (depending on time purchased). Check schedule on website since summer hours differ from regular hours. You can buy a pass for a discount.
$10 Tuesdays! (not available on school breaks)
Family Ministry Center at First Baptist Church of Hendersonville
106 Bluegrass Commons Blvd. Hendersonville
The Play Areas are currently open to the public. You do not have to have an FMC membership to play! Adults must constantly supervise their children in the play area, and socks are required. Play Areas are for children ages 11 and younger.
My Gym
330 Franklin Rd. Brentwood
$12 per family. No cost if CURRENTLY ENROLLED in class, no need to purchase a class card. (Memberships available.) Times vary. Check schedule on website. 45 minutes of Open Play.
We Rock the Spectrum Franklin
1113 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 203, Franklin
FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES FOR 3 HOURS
$16 PER CHILD. SIBLINGS DISCOUNTED TO $14 EACH
12 MONTHS AND YOUNGER DISCOUNTED TO $12 EACH (memberships available)
Indoor sensory gym promoting an inclusive play environment for children of all abilities. Weekly classes, birthday parties, special events and open play times available.
Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center
100 Sam Ridley Parkway East, Smyrna
$4-7 (ages 13 and up)
$3-5 (ages 2-12)
Memberships available
Art gallery, showcasing work from local artists, traveling educational exhibit hall, rock climbing room, indoor playground, soft play area for younger children, birthday party rooms, as well as space for camps, special events and educational programs
Nido Playspace
13260 Lebanon Rd, Mt. Juliet
6 months- 5 years $15 plus tax (add a sibling $10)
Montessori Inspired, Indoor Play Space, Soft play
Tennessee Toddles
7036 City Center Way, Fairview
$12 per child
Come in and bounce around! With 6,000 square feet of running, bouncing and crafting space there is something for every kid!
TN Kids Co
7180 Nolensville Rd. Suite 2C Nolensville
Ages 1-10 years
Ages 1-2 $10; ages 3-10 $15; Adults $5;
Under 1 $5 (*Free with paid sibling)
This multi-level indoor play place located in Nolensville is top of the line and so much fun for children up to 12 years old.
Recreation Centers
Bellevue Community Center
7638A Highway 70 South, Nashville
Offers a wide variety of activities for all ages, including NBA-sized gymnasium, after-school youth program, painting and pottery studio, and youth sports programs. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Coleman Park Community Center
384 Thompson Lane, Nashville
Offers a wide variety of activities for all ages, including an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, youth programs, and an outdoor playground. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
East Park Community Center
600 Woodland Street, Nashville
East Park Community Center offers patrons of all ages a modern and friendly place to exercise, recreate and meet friends in the heart of the exciting East Nashville area; including an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor playground and black box theater. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Hadley Regional Center
1037 28th Avenue North, Nashville
Located in North Nashville, Hadley Regional Center offers walking/running tracks, a gym, computer lab, outdoor playground and youth programs. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Hartman Park Regional Recreation Center
2801 Tucker Road, Nashville
Located in the Bordeaux area, this center offers a 25 meter indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, greenway trail access, tennis courts and outdoor basketball courts. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Madison Community Center
550 North Dupont Avenue, Madison
Located in the heart of the exciting Madison Park area, this center offers a full center fitness center, walking tracks, a gymnasium, youth programs and an outdoor playground. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
McCabe Park Community Center
101 46th Avenue North, Nashville
Located in the heart of the West Nashville-Sylvan Park neighborhood, this new facility features many environmental innovations, making it the first LEED certified community center in the city. They have many features including a gymnasium, a game room, on-going public art exhibit, cultural arts free preschool workshops and free healthy living seminars. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Sevier Park Community Center
3021 Lealand Lane, Nashville
The new center serves as the centerpiece for Sevier Park, and offer the many great amenities that our regional recreation centers have become known for. The center is home to a new gymnasium with an upper level walking track, a dance/movement room, a fitness center, and community meeting space. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Smith Springs Community Center
2801 Smith Springs Road, Nashville
Located in the Smith Springs area, this center includes indoor swimming, fitness classes, youth programs and a gymnasium. Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
Southeast Regional Community Center
5260 Hickory Hollow Parkway, Suite 202, Antioch
Located in the Hickory Hollow area of Antioch, this center includes an NBA-sized gymnasium, an outdoor playground, youth and sports programs, and more! Daily fees are $3 and under or you can purchase a membership.
There are also many neighborhood recreation centers, and that complete list can be found here.
If you are in a surrounding county, please check your county’s parks and recreation page. All community and recreation centers can be found there and are an great inexpensive way to entertain your kids and get your fitness on!
Did we miss anything? If you have a great idea to add to the list, let us know in the comments!
Share this list with your friends, and we’ll see YOU out there soon!
You mentioned YMCAs but don’t forget about all of the county rec centers, their daily admissions are very inexpensive.
Thanks for your suggestion! We added the county rec centers to the list 🙂
We Rock the Spectrum has a location in Nashville/Madison now! In the same area as the Rivergate Target and Jo-Ann.
Don’t forget the Lane Motor Museum. They have a kids play area as well as microcar rides for the kids periodically.
Lost Worlds Dinotopia
Madison, TN