Event
Tue, Oct 27 · 10:00 am
Spooky Storytime
Not-too-scary Halloween stories and songs for little ones. Costumes welcome.
Photo: Kyle Nieber / Unsplash135 picks · Updated October 27, 2026
Free Things to Do with Kids in Rochester
What are free things to do with kids in Rochester? Start with Spooky Storytime, T(w)een Halloween Night or Trick-or-Treat Around the Library. Plenty of the best family outings around Rochester cost nothing: Olmsted parks, beaches, waterfalls, nature centers, library storytimes and free museum afternoons.
Written by the ROC Kids Activities team. Listings checked weekly.
Events coming up
Event
Event
Wed, Oct 28 · 6:00 pm
T(w)een Halloween Night
An evening Halloween party at the library just for tweens and teens.
Event
Wed, Oct 28 · 9:30 am
Trick-or-Treat Around the Library
A morning costume walk where little ones collect treats around the library.
Event
Thu, Oct 29 · 10:30 am
Bop 'Til You Drop: Halloween Edition
A costume dance party for toddlers and preschoolers.
Event
Thu, Oct 29 · 3:00 pm
Halloween Karaoke Dance Party
After-school Halloween karaoke and dancing at a city library branch.
Event
Event
Fri, Oct 30 · 1:00 pm
Library Trick or Treat
Afternoon trick-or-treating around the library for young kids.
Event
Fri, Oct 30 · 5:00 pm
Mall Trick or Treat
Indoor trick-or-treating store to store, a dry option if the weather turns.
Event
Fri, Oct 30 · 11:30 am
Preschool Halloween Party
Games, songs and treats for preschoolers in costume.
Event
Sat, Oct 31 · 5:00 pm
Grace Church Trunk or Treat
A neighborhood trunk-or-treat in the church parking lot on Halloween night.
Event
Event
Sat, Oct 31 · 11:00 am
Trick or Treat in the Village of Webster
Daytime trick-or-treating at shops along Main Street.
Event
Mondays 9:30 am, through Dec 28
Baby Story Time
A short lap-sit program where caregivers pick up songs, rhymes and fingerplays to use at home with their babies.
Event
School-year club; contact Central Library for practice times, through Dec 31
Central Library Esports Club
The Central Library runs a scholastic esports team for middle and high schoolers, with team spots open during the school year. Teen Central on the 2nd floor also has a gaming area.
Event
Mondays 10:15 am, through Dec 28
Story Time with Mary Jo
Stories, songs, rhymes and a snack for ages 2–5, followed by playtime with library toys. Siblings welcome, no registration.
Event
Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10:00 am, through Nov 18
Simply Stories
Drop-in storytime for babies through preschoolers with books, songs and play in the Barbara Ireland Community Room. Fall series wraps Nov 17–18.
Event
Tuesdays 10:15 am, through Dec 29
Story Time Tuesday
Weekly early-literacy session of stories, songs, rhymes and play for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
Event
First Wednesday of the month, noon–5 pm, through Dec 2
Amazon Free Afternoons at RMSC
Free museum admission on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month (Nov 4, Dec 2). Free planetarium seats can be reserved the same day, first come, first served.
Event
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 11:00 am, through Dec 16
Book & Beast
A free zoo storytime that ends with an up-close visit from one of the zoo's ambassador animals. Dates: Nov 4, Nov 18, Dec 2, Dec 16.
Event
Wednesdays & Thursdays 10:30 am, through Dec 10
Family Story Time
A half-hour of songs, picture books and play for 2- to 5-year-olds and their grown-ups. Same program both days; registration on the library calendar is recommended.
Event
Wednesdays 10:15 am, through Dec 30
Time for Tots
About 40 minutes of free play with library toys, wrapped up with a short story time. Recommended for ages 1–5.
Event
First Thursdays 6:30 pm, through Dec 3
PJ Story Time
An evening storytime where preschoolers can come in pajamas for songs and stories before bed. Sessions Nov 5 and Dec 3; space is limited.
Event
Sun, Nov 15 · 9:30 am–3:00 pm
Recycle Rally
A hands-on day of recycling and sustainability activities around the zoo. A separate Recycle Rally drop-off is listed for Nov 14.
Event
Third Thursdays 6:30 pm, through Dec 17
Teen Game Night: Fall Edition
Monthly hangout for ages 13–18 with party games and snacks. No registration needed; remaining dates Nov 19 and Dec 17.
Event
Nov 27 – Dec 20
Roc Holiday Village
Downtown's outdoor holiday village returns for its eighth year, opening on Black Friday with free ice skating, a shopping village, food, Santa's Workshop and free kids' crafts in the Gingerbread House.
Event
Nov 27 – Dec 20 · Wed–Sun during village dates
Visit Santa at Roc Holiday Village
Meet Santa in his workshop at the downtown holiday village; each visit comes with a free 4x6 print and a sugar cookie, and a text-alert system holds your place in line.
Event
Nov 29 – Dec 10
Holidays at the Market
The Public Market's special holiday shopping days with extra vendors; the Thursday evening market on Dec 10 is a festive after-dark outing. More dates may be added.
Event
Sun, Nov 29 · 11 am–6 pm
Kwanzaa Celebration at Roc Holiday Village
A free cultural celebration in the Gingerbread House presented by the Rochester Kwanzaa Coalition.
Event
Fri, Dec 4 · 6–9 pm
Lake House Tree Lighting
The lakeside resort lights its tree with carolers, live reindeer and visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Event
Sat, Dec 5 · Afternoon (1–5 pm per Visit Finger Lakes)
Victor's Jingle Mingle
Victor's village holiday party has kids' activities, an artisan market, horse-drawn wagon rides, a parade and photos with Santa.
Event
Sun, Dec 6 · 11 am–6 pm
Three Kings' Day Celebration at Roc Holiday Village
A free family celebration of Three Kings' Day traditions presented by the Puerto Rican Festival.
Event
Sat, Dec 12 · 11 am–2 pm
Winterfest at Cobblestone Arts Center
A free indoor winter festival with live music and dance, hands-on crafts, an artisan market and a visit from Santa.
Event
Sun, Dec 13 · 11 am–6 pm
Hanukkah Celebration at Roc Holiday Village
A free Hanukkah celebration for families hosted with the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester's PJ Library.
Event
Sun, Dec 20 · 11 am–6 pm
Christmas Celebration at Roc Holiday Village
The village's closing-day Christmas celebration, presented by First Bible Baptist Church and free to attend.
Museums & attractions
Museums & attractions
Open regularly · Rochester
Edgerton Model Railroad
A big model railroad layout run by volunteers inside the Edgerton R-Center, open to visitors on set days and for holiday open houses.
Museums & attractions
Open regularly · Pittsford
Powder Mills Park Fish Hatchery
A small fish hatchery inside Powder Mills Park where kids can see trout from fingerlings to adults, open year-round.
Museums & attractions
Open regularly · Shortsville
Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society Museum
A volunteer-run rail museum in Shortsville's old station with exhibits and equipment, open seasonally on weekends.
Farms & animals
Farms & animals
Open regularly · Pittsford
Powers Farm Market
A Pittsford farm market and bakery with animals to feed, a beehive window and seasonal attractions in fall and at the holidays.
Farms & animals
Open regularly · Spencerport
Market 1892
A Spencerport farm market with pigs, cows, chickens and sheep plus a free playground.
Farms & animals
Open regularly · Spencerport
Homesteads for Hope
A nonprofit farm in Spencerport hosting Thursday evening farm nights with music, vendors and pony rides from June to October.
Farms & animals
Open regularly · Perinton
Lollypop Farm (Humane Society of Greater Rochester)
The local humane society's campus, where families can visit the farm animals barn and walk the grounds.
Farms & animals
Open regularly · Hilton
Blodgett Family Farm
A small Hilton family farm with no admission fee, donkeys, a frog pond, a toddler play area and a fairy house trail.
Farms & animals
Open regularly · Perinton
Chase Farms
A Fairport farm market with u-pick berries, goats, a wooden ship play structure and a shortcake and sundae bar.
Skating & snow
Skating & snow
Open regularly · Rochester
Cobbs Hill Park
One of the city's go-to sledding hills in winter; the rest of the year families walk the loop around the hilltop reservoir for skyline views.
Skating & snow
Open regularly · Greece
Frisbee Hill Park
A Greece town park with a big sledding hill and a playground, with parking at the bottom.
Skating & snow
Open regularly · Riga
Churchville Park
A sprawling western park with a well-used sledding hill in winter and, in summer, an accessible kayak launch onto Black Creek plus big picnic areas.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Troup Street Park Spray Park
A small city park spray feature and playground aimed at kids 6 and under.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
David F. Gantt Recreation Center Spray Park
A City of Rochester rec center spray park on North Street.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Roxie Ann Sinkler Recreation Center Spray Park
A City of Rochester rec center spray park in the southwest.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Campbell Street Recreation Center Spray Park
A City of Rochester rec center spray park (Tyshaun Cauldwell Recreation Center for Hope).
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Edgerton Recreation Center Spray Park
A City of Rochester rec center spray park in the Edgerton neighborhood.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Fourth and Peck Street Park Spray Park
A small city spray park aimed at kids 6 and under.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Thomas P. Ryan Recreation Center
A renovated city recreation center with a new playground and a summer spray park.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Highland Park
Rolling Olmsted-designed hills where kids can roll down grassy slopes in summer and sled them in winter; the lilac collection peaks in May and the reservoir loop is stroller-friendly.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Carter Street Recreation Center Spray Park
A City of Rochester rec center spray park, generally open 9am-8pm in summer.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Maplewood Park & Rose Garden
A city park along the Genesee gorge known for its rose garden, which peaks in June, plus a playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Humboldt R-Center Spray Park
A City of Rochester spray park next to the Humboldt rec center, where neighborhood kids cool off in summer.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Genesee Valley Park
Flat, open Olmsted park where the Erie Canal crosses the Genesee River; families bike the paved trails, picnic, watch rowers and paddle the canal.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Seneca Park
Another Olmsted park perched above the Genesee gorge, with a pond, gorge-edge trails and big lawns right beside the zoo, so it pairs well with a zoo visit.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Irondequoit
Heyer-Bayer Park
An Irondequoit neighborhood park with a partly fenced inclusive playground; portable toilet only.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Gates
Westgate Park
A Gates park with a shaded, rubber-surfaced playground that opened in 2025.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Penfield
Ellison Park
A big county park along Irondequoit Creek with playgrounds, wide fields, wooded creek trails and a popular sledding hill once snow falls.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Gates
Gates Town Park
The main Gates town park with a playground and picnic pavilions.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Goodwin Park
A small Greece park with a classic wooden playground; portable toilet only.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Kid's Canyon Playground
A fenced, forest-themed playground at Greece's town campus, next to the Wild Over Water Zone spray park.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Carter Park
A Greece neighborhood park with a newer playground that suits toddlers.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Greece Spray Park (Wild Over Water Zone)
Greece's town spray park on the Town Hall campus, with fountains and sprayers that keep toddlers and young kids cool on hot days.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Irondequoit
Camp Eastman Spray Park
A county spray park at Camp Eastman in the Durand Eastman area of Irondequoit.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Durand Eastman Park & Beach
A long sandy lakefront beach backed by hilly wooded trails and small lakes; the steep slopes become sledding runs in winter.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Irondequoit
Lemming Beach & Bateau Park
A lesser-known lakeside spot with an inclusive playground and a grassy, sandy area; parking is limited and there are no restrooms.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Pittsford
Kings Bend Park
A Pittsford town park along the canal with a fully accessible, turf-surfaced playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Irondequoit
Irondequoit Bay State Marine Park & Outlet Beach
A bay-outlet park with a fully fenced playground and a small shallow sandy beach for wading (no swimming).
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Webster
Sandbar Park
A small Webster lakefront park at the bay outlet with accessible paths, a playground and a pier.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Henrietta
Henrietta Splash Bash (Memorial Park)
A new Henrietta splash pad beside the Memorial Park playground and the town library.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Greece Canal Park
Home to Monroe County's newest ADA-accessible playground, fully fenced with rubber surfacing, a communication board, some of the county's biggest slides and a giant tower; canal-side trails sit right next door.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Edmund Lyon Park Splash Pad
A Greece town park with a splash pad and playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Penfield
Rothfuss Park (Jack's Place Penfield)
A Penfield park home to the original Jack's Place community-built wooden playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Ontario Beach Park Spray Park & Inclusive Playground
An accessible spray park and inclusive playground right by the beach and carousel, so kids can splash, dig in the sand and ride the carousel in one trip.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Rochester
Ontario Beach Park
Rochester's classic beach day: swim at the lifeguarded beach in summer, ride the antique carousel and walk the long pier out toward the lighthouse.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Greece
Basil Marella Park
A large Greece park with an inclusive, partly fenced playground featuring sensory play.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Penfield
Abraham Lincoln Park
A Penfield town park with a playground, included on KOAA's area playground list.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Pittsford
Kreag Road Park
A Pittsford park with climbing-focused play equipment for older kids.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Henrietta
Veterans Memorial Park
A Henrietta town park with playground equipment and sports fields.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Penfield
Shadow Pines Playground
A fenced, toddler-friendly playground in Penfield with restrooms close by.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Pittsford
Thornell Farm Park
Pittsford's main town park, with a playground, a loop trail for scooters and bikes, sports courts, and a sledding hill that fills up after every snowfall.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · North Chili
Union Station Park
A Chili park with a playground rebuilt in 2025 right next to a splash pad, a handy summer combo.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · North Chili
Davis Park
A Chili town park with two playground areas, including an inclusive structure and swing set.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Perinton
Perinton Park
A park on the Erie Canal near Fairport village with a playground and canal path access.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Mendon
Mendon Ponds Park
Monroe County's largest park, shaped by glaciers: families hike esker ridges and boardwalks past kettle ponds, fish, and come back in winter to snowshoe or ski.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Pittsford
Powder Mills Park
Kids can peer into the trout-rearing ponds at the fish hatchery, wade along Irondequoit Creek and sled the park's hill in winter.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Webster
North Ponds Park
A Webster town park with ponds, a walking loop and a playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Webster
Karpus Family Playground
An inclusive, partly fenced playground in Webster that works well for toddlers, with restrooms nearby.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Webster
Webster Spray Park (First Responders Park)
Webster's splash pad at First Responders Park, an easy summer stop for little kids to run through water jets with a playground close by.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Webster
Webster Park
Wooded trails lead out to Lake Ontario bluffs and a fishing pier; in winter the hills and trails are used for sledding and cross-country skiing.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Chili
Black Creek Park
Rolling meadows, ponds and quiet woodland trails in western Monroe County, great for wildlife spotting, picnics and winter snowshoe walks.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Perinton
Egypt Park
A Perinton park with a farm-themed playground, wide ramps and a walking path that connects to Lollypop Farm and the trolley trail.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Hilton
Adventure Towers Playground
A big tower-style playground at the Hilton-Parma town park, geared mostly to older kids.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Hilton
Manitou Beach Preserve
A mostly rocky Lake Ontario preserve near Braddock Bay that's good for shore walks and wildlife spotting.
Parks & playgrounds
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Ogden
Northampton Park
Big western-county park with ponds and trails; in winter kids sled and tube Sugar Hill, and local astronomers run public stargazing at the onsite observatory.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Victor
Dryer Road Park
Victor's rebuilt playground has a ramped structure for little ones, towers and tube slides for bigger kids, an inclusive spinner and accessible surfacing in place of wood chips.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Victor
Victor Municipal Park
A neighborhood park near the village with a playground and ball fields; an easy stop for younger kids before or after errands in Victor.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Macedon
Gravino Park
A Macedon village park with an inclusive, turf-surfaced and mostly fenced playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Brockport
Sweden Town Park Splash Pad
A town splash pad near Brockport next to a new playground.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Hamlin
Hamlin Recreation Playground
A wooden maze-style playground behind the Hamlin library; no restrooms.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Canandaigua
Motion Junction (Outhouse Park)
A railroad-themed playground designed so kids and grown-ups of every ability can play side by side, with soft surfacing, family restrooms, a timber-frame pavilion and a calm mindfulness path.
Parks & playgrounds
Open regularly · Canandaigua
Kershaw Park
A grassy lakefront park with a small swim beach on Canandaigua Lake, a waterfront path for scooters and a playground; pairs well with a Motion Junction visit.
Nature & hikes
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Rochester
Rochester Heritage Trail
A self-guided downtown walking route marked with plaques at historic sites, a free way to explore the city with school-age kids.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Rochester
Genesee Riverway Trail
A mostly paved bike path that follows the Genesee River through the city, linking parks, waterfalls and the lake so families can pick a short stretch to ride.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Rochester
High Falls & Pont de Rennes Bridge
Stroll out onto a pedestrian bridge high above the Genesee for a close look at a 96-foot waterfall right downtown; it's flat and easy with a stroller.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Rochester
Lower Falls Park
Overlooks and a footbridge give dramatic views of the Lower Falls and the deep Genesee gorge right inside the city; a short walk with a big payoff.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Rochester
Tryon Park
A mostly undeveloped wooded park with steep, rooty trails down to Irondequoit Creek marshes; a good first 'real hike' for school-age kids.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Brighton
Corbett's Glen Nature Park
Walk through an old stone tunnel under the railroad tracks to find a small waterfall on Allen Creek, where kids love to wade and skip stones.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Irondequoit
Helmer Nature Center
A small, school-district-run nature center with woodland trails and a pond, plus seasonal family programs like maple sugaring and owl walks.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Rochester
Turning Point Park
A long boardwalk floats along the Genesee River past wetlands and boats; flat and paved for bikes and strollers, with herons and turtles to spot.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Pittsford
Erie Canal Trail at Schoen Place
Ride bikes or push a stroller along the flat canal towpath, watch boats pass and stop for ice cream at the canal-side shops in Pittsford village.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Henrietta
Hansen Nature Center at Tinker Nature Park
A flat loop with a boardwalk through woods and wetlands, plus a small nature center with live critters and seasonal kids' programs.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Webster
Gosnell Big Woods Preserve
A 165-acre Webster preserve with old-growth woods, wetlands and dirt trails; no restrooms.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Mendon
Birdsong Trail & Wild Wings (Mendon Ponds)
Bring birdseed: chickadees will land right on kids' hands along this short trail, which also has fairy houses tucked among the trees, and the rescued raptors at Wild Wings are next to the trailhead.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Penfield
Thousand Acre Swamp Sanctuary
A big wetland sanctuary in Penfield with boardwalks and dirt paths; muddy in spring and fall.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Perinton
Erie Canal Trail at Fairport Lift Bridge
Kids watch Fairport's oddly angled lift bridge rise for boats, then bike the towpath in either direction from the village.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Henrietta
Lehigh Valley Trail
A flat former railroad bed through woods and farmland in southern Monroe County; good for bikes in warm months and cross-country skis or snowshoes in winter.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Spencerport
Erie Canal Trail at Spencerport Depot
A quieter stretch of towpath beside Spencerport's restored trolley depot and lift bridge; good for a young rider's first longer bike ride.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Perinton
Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern Trolley Trail
A flat, roughly 8-mile path on an old trolley line in Perinton that families can walk out-and-back at any length.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Webster
Webster Arboretum (Kent Park)
Short garden paths, a pond and a whimsical fairy garden make this volunteer-run arboretum a gentle outing for preschoolers.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Greece
Braddock Bay Park & Hawk Lookout
In spring thousands of hawks funnel along the lakeshore here; kids can watch from the hawk lookout platform and walk marsh boardwalks to look for owls and herons.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Webster
Four Mile Creek Preserve
A hilly Webster preserve with a creek, an overlook and old abandoned cars along the trail.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Victor
Victor Hiking Trails
A network of volunteer-maintained trails through Victor's parks and preserves with many short family-friendly loops.
Nature & hikes
Open regularly · Holley
Holley Canal Falls
A small waterfall in a village park in Holley, about 35 minutes west of the city, popular for photos and picnics.
Quick answers
Are there free museum days in Rochester?
Amazon Free Afternoons at RMSC (First Wednesday of the month, noon–5 pm, through Dec 2)
Your weekend plans, sorted.
A free email every other Thursday with the best things to do around Rochester, picked for your kids’ ages and your part of town.