50 Things to Do with Kids in Nashville Before They Grow Up
By Lindsay Ferrier of Suburban Turmoil
Nashville was made for children. Seriously, there are more events, exhibitions, playgrounds, shops, and restaurants created with kids in mind here than I’ve seen anywhere. So it was hard for me to keep this list to 50 things, as opposed to 100, OR ONE THOUSAND. Take that, Detroit.
Anyway, here are a few of my favorites…
1. Get up close and personal with the stars on a Kids Exploration Night at Vanderbilt’s Dyer Observatory.
2. Sing along with The Professor, Mary Mary, and a peanut gallery of puppets during the Nashville Main Library’s weekly Story Time.
3. Sign up the kids for recreational soccer and cheer them on from the sidelines.
4. Enjoy a famous Puckett’s Burger and bluegrass at Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant in historic Leipers Fork.
5. Prove to your children that science can be fun at Adventure Science Center.
6. Relive the good old days of country music at the Grand Ole Opry.
7. Watch Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet, then visit the furry friends in person at the Nashville Zoo.
8. Chow down on artisan ice cream and pick up funky clothes for the kids at Pied Piper Creamery.
9. Spend a night in Rugby’s haunted Newbury House and read about others’ ghostly experiences in the inn’s guest books.
10. Don a bathing suit and run through the fountains at Bicentennial Mall. Afterward, play geography tag on an enormous map of the United States carvedinto the concrete.
11. Feel the rhythm with West African Dance or Djembe Drum classes at the Global Education Center.
12. Make reservations for your teenagers and their friends to attend a free dress rehearsal and backstage tour at the Nashville Opera.
13. Ensure a nice, long afternoon nap with a morning Pop In Playtime visit to Pump It Up.
14. Welcome in autumn with pumpkin picking and a hayride at Gentry’s Farm.
15. Let the kids make dinner on their own after attending classes at the Young Chef’s Academy.
16. Count deer and make plenty of picture-taking pit stops on a leisurely and beautiful drive down the Natchez Trace Parkway.
17. Let your children wear their most whimsical costumes and run down the flower-filled paths of Cheekwood Botanical Gardens.
18. Take the plunge with your bravest little thrill seeker on the Big Scream ride at Nashville Shores.
19. Travel back in time for a mouthwatering meal at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House in historic Lynchburg.
20. Feed the ducks at Centennial Park.
21. Spend a rainy day at the The Monkey’s Treehouse indoor playground.
22. See an IMAX film and dine at Aquarium or Rainforest Café at Opry Mills.
23. Engage your children in a hands-on history of country music at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
24. Make sure no child feels left out at Lily’s Garden, a wheelchair-accessible playground.
25. Treat the kids to lunch and a special Santa musical at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre.
26. Let your child watch talented musicians at work by purchasing orchestra view seats at the Nashville Symphony.
27. Go on a Kids Adventure Cruise down the Harpeth River with Blue Heron Nature Cruises.
28. Take a picnic supper to Centennial Park and watch an outdoor family movie.
29. Let your children create their own works of art in 30 hands-on stations at the Frist Center’s ArtQuest Gallery.
30. Spend a cold, rainy day wandering through the lush indoor gardens of Opryland Hotel’s vast conservatories.
31. Chow down on the best biscuits and fried chicken in the world at the Loveless Café.
32. Take a kid-friendly walking tour of historic downtown Franklin.
33. Tap your Christmas shoe-clad feet to the Nashville Ballet’s annual Nutcracker performance (or as my three-year-old daughter called it afterward, “The Nut-pooch-en-sticker.”)
34. Catch a fly ball at a Nashville Sounds baseball game.
35. Send your child to a week-long Mad Science day camp, where she can get psyched about NASA, chemistry, or hovercrafts.
36. Re-live the life of President Andrew Jackson at his meticulously-preserved estate, The Hermitage.
37. Buy your favorite hard-to-find dolls, toys and games at Phillips Toy Mart.
38. Rent a canoe at Tip-a-Canoe just outside Nashville and spend an afternoon floating down the lazy Harpeth River.
39. Try to find the prize eggs at Red Caboose Park’s annual Easter Egg Hunt.
40. Pick your own strawberries at Portland’s Bottom View Farm.
41. Introduce your child to the glories of the stage with a show at the Nashville Children’s Theater.
42. Watch your child zip down the super deluxe water slides at the fabulous Bellevue or Maryland Farms YMCA swimming pools.
43. Visit the children’s museum and outdoor wetlands at The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring.
44. Learn how milk gets from cow to container on a tour of the Purity Dairies Plant.
45. Experience the excitement of a staged train robbery on a historic rail ride to Watertown and back.
46. Let nature guides show you how to catch crawdads, make mud pies, and survive in the woods at Warner Park.
47. Tour the Belle Meade Plantation and learn about life in the mid 1800s. Have lunch afterward at Martha’s, a restaurant routinely featured in Southern Living magazine.
48. Take the teenagers on a wildly popular Nash Trash Tour, hosted by the infamous Jugg Sisters.
49. Learn how the pioneers lived at Manskers Station, where costumed interpreters bring the 1700s to life.
50. Bring a blanket and chairs and catch a kitschy old movie at sundown in funky Hillboro Village’s Belcourt Theater parking lot.
(This series was inspired by Mommy Poppins’ 100 Things to Do with Your Kids in NY Before They Grow Up.)
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Mar 24
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Great list, Lindsay. I would add Pancake Pantry to the list, but that’s just because I like any excuse to eat there. I spent an hour or so at the Bellevue pool on Saturday morning with my nephew and agree it’s a great thing to do. Can’t wait to add some of these other things to our list for my next visit.
You know, I mulled over Pancake Pantry, but decided against it just because the breakfast line is always so long. I will say, though, that if anyone decides to go there and can’t stand the wait, Jacksons across the street has an EXCELLENT breakfast as well and no lines in the morning (no highchairs at Jacksons, though, unfortunately).
That’s awesome that you were at the pool! We LOVE that place. For anyone outside TN, our YMCAs are absolutely AMAZING. The Bellevue Y, I just heard, is in the top 5 Ys in the country in terms of donations. Kewl.
I have been dying to take my kids to Nashville…thanks for sparking the fire Lindsay!
Just an FYI about the Purity Dairy tour. It’s not a tour in the traditional sense of the word. It’s really more of a presentation. You hang out in one room that has big windows that overlook the ice cream sandwich packaging room. They show a rather dated video, but it’s kinda funny & charming, talk about the dairy’s history, answer questions and at the end hand out ice cream sandwiches. You also get a “goody” bag w/ a bunch of junk er, Purity Dairy parenphenalia! But it includes coupons so that’s nice!
The Hatcher Family Dairy does tours now and from what I read, it’s a bonafide tour! It’s a bit of a drive from Nashville though…www.hatcherfamilydairy.com
We love the Nashville Zoo! We’re taking my daughter’s Girl Scout troop to the Nashville Ballet to see the Nutcracker this December, or at least that’s the plan. We’ve taken them to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular the past two years. Unfortunately, I’m about an hour and a half from Nashville, so getting there on a regular basis to do more things just doesn’t happen.
Ooh, Radio City Christmas Spectacular is another GREAT one- Well worth the money.
Wow. This list couldn’t come at a better time since we are, in fact, moving to Nashville within the next 2 months. Thanks!
I thought of you when I was writing this, misfithausfrau.
Hey, Chaffin’s Barn isn’t just for Christmas! They currently have a Summer Children’s Show called A FishaFrogaPotaTurnip. Check out their website for info. I’m taking my girls in a couple of weeks.
I’m planning on checking out the summer show, too, Kim! Just haven’t seen it yet for myself.
Great, great bucket list! Thank you for compiling!!
51. Pfunky Griddle is a fun place to make-your-own pancakes in the 100 Oaks area.
This is an awesome list!!! I will be moving to Nashville soon and will take advantage of all the wonderful things this city has to offer children. A link or book suggestion of the next 100 or 1000 things would be a great add.
We are spending a week with 3 toddlers in June and are so excited we found this list. We are staying at Opryland for 3 nights (F, Sat, Sun) and then downtown at the Hilton for the CMT Country Music Festival from Th through Sun, so we are looking for a place to stay from Monday through Thursday? Any recommendations? We will definitely go to the Zoo and likely one of the indoor play houses, but would also like to just lounge around by a pool.
Hotels I can think of off the top of my head that I really like in town are the Hampton Inn in Nashville’s Green Hills area and Loewe’s at Vanderbilt. Honestly, though, they’re both within ten minutes of the Hilton. If you’re happy at the Hilton, you might as well just stay there. Most of Nashville’s great neighborhoods are within a few minutes of downtown.
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Thank you Lindsay for following up. You are a star!
I am going to be in Nashville for only one in June, with three kids ages 3,4,and 15
. Where do you think the best place to stay would be and out of all of the things on your list what would I have time for?
Our email to you bounced back.
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Louise: one day, one week, one month?
Sorry! One day!
Hmmm. You have several options.
Opryland Hotel is really, REALLY fun. Your kids would all love it. You could stay there overnight and have plenty for everyone to do just by wandering through the hotel and going to nearby Opry Mills. You won’t see the “real” Nashville, though.
You could stay downtown at the Hilton or the Sheraton, or in the Vanderbilt area at Loewe’s. Or the Hampton Inn in Green Hills. My parents have stayed there several times. If you are in the Vanderbilt or Green Hills areas, you are close to downtown and can’t go wrong.
Things to do? Since it will be hot in June, I’d recommend the Adventure Science Center or the Frist Museum downtown. Both have great activities/exhibits for all your children.
Good luck!
Thanks! You are a lifesaver!
An alternative to Pancake Pantry is the Pfunky Griddle in Berry Hill. Make your own pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns and more on the in-laid table griddles!
This is really helpful! I am having trouble, however, finding info. on the outdoor movies at Centennial Park. Anyone know how I can find out the cost, location, and what movies are playing all next week at what times?
Movies at the Park ended last week.
Sorry.
The girls in my family (3 generations worth) go to Nashville every Labor Day weekend and we stay atthe Fairfield/Wyndham resort which is basically across from the Opry Mills. The advantage – onsite indoor and outdoor pools, small playground, basketball court, hot tub, and a kitchen in every unit to save money on eating out.
There is also Camp Widjiwagan which can be overnight or day camp in two week sessions
What a great list.
I would like to suggest Glow Galaxy in Cool Springs. My kids and I had a great time there. Glow in the dark play area was truly unique.
Will be in Nashville with my family over Thanksgiving weekend this year. My kids are 9 and 11 years old. Any can’t miss suggestions for us? We are actually staying in the Franklin area, but do not mind driving around town in order to visit the must-sees.
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is great on a fall weekend, even if it’s cold and gray. You can all tour the fabulous museum inside the Cheekwood mansion and then let the kids run around outside for a while.
The Adventure Science Center is another good option. Opryland Hotel will be decorated for Christmas and is a GREAT place to go walk around, enjoy the sights, and have lunch in one of the hotel’s restaurants. It’s massive. Those are my suggestions.
I remember being a chid in Detroit. Tons of things to do. Not so much here. I deal with several foster kids and have a hard time finding affordable things to do.
I actually live outside of Nashville and have 4 kids (8,4,3&2 months) we’ve not done most of these. I’m so excited to get started!!