Things to do with kids in Gainesville: Depot Park's splash pad, the Cade Museum, the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, free library story times and rainy-day museums.

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Every listing is checked against the venue’s own page, linked below. Hours change, so check before you go. City of Gainesville parks: 352-334-5067.

Gainesville is an easy town for young families: a free downtown park with a splash pad, a hands-on invention museum next door, a college-run zoo, free library story times most days of the week and two museums on the UF campus. Here is where to go, by age and weather.

Quick picks

  • Free and outdoors: Depot Park playground and splash pad, 874 SE Fourth St.
  • Under 5: library story times; Little Sparks at the Cade, 10:15 a.m. Thursday to Sunday
  • Animals: Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, open daily 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Rainy day: the Cade Museum, the free Harn, the Florida Museum from Nov. 23, 2026

Playgrounds and splash pads

  • Depot Park, 874 SE Fourth St. The 32-acre downtown park has a playground and a splash pad and water-play area, walking paths and a pavilion that can be rented for parties. The play area is open 7 a.m. to sunset; restrooms are open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free.
  • Bivens Arm Nature Park, 3650 S. Main St. A playground plus nearly 2 miles of shady trails and a marsh overlook, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park has a playground; the park is open 8 a.m. to sunset and charges a per-vehicle fee.

The city’s three pools, including water play at Hunter Pool, are on our summer camps and pools page.

Museums and indoor play

Where Ages Hours Cost
Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention, 811 S. Main St. All; Little Sparks for 0 to 5 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Sunday Admission; under 5 free; $3 adults and free children with SNAP, EBT or WIC
Harn Museum of Art, UF Cultural Plaza All 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday Free
Florida Museum of Natural History, UF Cultural Plaza All Reopens Monday, Nov. 23, 2026 See museum
Matheson History Museum, 513 E. University Ave. Older kids 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday Free

Little Sparks at the Cade is a program for ages 0 to 5 at 10:15 a.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with music, dancing, crafts and stories about science; it is included in admission. Parking at the Cade is free. The Cade closes on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The Florida Museum has been closed for an expansion and says its exhibits, including the Discovery Zone and the Butterfly Rainforest, reopen to the public on Nov. 23, 2026.

Animals and nature

  • Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, 3000 NW 83rd St. Run by the college’s zoo animal technology students, it is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week (last entry 2:30 p.m.), with a playground and picnic benches inside. Children 3 and under are free, parking is free, and pets are not allowed.
  • Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Drive. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Thursdays; children under 5 are free with a parent.
  • The UF bat houses on Museum Road: free, and the bats fly out 15 to 20 minutes after sunset on warm evenings.
  • Sweetwater Wetlands Park, 325 SW Williston Road, for alligators and wading birds; see our parks and trails guide for fees.

Free story times

The Alachua County Library District runs:

  • Story Time at the Zoo: 10:30 a.m. on the third Wednesday of every month except December, on the front lawn of the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo; free, with free parking.
  • Saturday Story Time: every Saturday at selected branches.
  • Story Time on the Green: outdoor stories, songs and fingerplays for infants to 5-year-olds at 10:30 a.m. at library green spaces and parks, weather permitting; bring a blanket.

Branch times are on the district’s events calendar.

What this means for you

  • Depot Park’s play area opens at 7 a.m. every day.
  • Plan museum days around closures: the Cade is open Thursday to Sunday, the Harn closes Mondays and Kanapaha closes Thursdays.
  • School holidays: see spring break and summer camps and pools.

Related: free things to do and things to do this weekend.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the splash pad in Gainesville?

Depot Park, 874 SE Fourth St., has a splash pad and water-play area next to its playground. The play area is open from 7 a.m. to sunset and is free.

Are there free story times in Gainesville?

Yes. The Alachua County Library District holds Saturday Story Time at selected branches, outdoor Story Time on the Green for infants to 5-year-olds, and Story Time at the Zoo at 10:30 a.m. on the third Wednesday of most months.

What can kids do in Gainesville when it rains?

The Cade Museum, 811 S. Main St., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, the Harn Museum of Art is free, and the Florida Museum of Natural History reopens its exhibits on Nov. 23, 2026.

What are the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo hours?

The zoo, 3000 NW 83rd St., is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week, with last entry at 2:30 p.m. Children 3 and under are free, and parking is free.