Top Fun Activities for Young Kids in Fredericksburg Area

Are you looking for activities outside of your home to keep you little ones busy? We’ve compiled a list of classes, playgroups, and other activities in the Fredericksburg/Stafford/Spotsylvania area including King George, Culpeper, and beyond. Please feel free to email us if you hear of any other activities we should include. This page will be updated as new activities are found. We hope this wealth of information will help you plan fun and meaningful experiences for your little ones.

Make sure to check dates and times before heading out.

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LIBRARIES: Remember that public libraries are great spots to find FREE activities for children. Most offer story times for toddlers and preschool aged children, and most have play areas for little ones. Check branches in your local area to see when these events are happening. Most require pre-registration.

• Central Rappahannock Regional Library with branches in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland. Great play area at the Salem Church, Howell, and Fredericksburg locations.
• Culpeper County Library
• LE Smoot Memorial Library – King George
• Caroline County Library

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PARKS AND RECREATION: Local parks and recreation departments are good places to look for activities and classes for children. Their activities are usually reasonably priced. On the sites below, you’ll find a list of playgrounds in the area plus special events and activities.

• Fredericksburg Parks and Rec
• Spotsylvania Parks and Rec
• Stafford Parks and Rec
• Culpeper Parks and Rec
• King George Parks and Rec

Fenced in playgrounds:
Keswick Park – Spotsylvania
Duff McDuff Green Memorial Park – Stafford
Saint Clair Brooks Park – Stafford
Aquia Landing Park – Stafford
Patawomeck park – Stafford
Willowmere Park – Stafford
Maury Park – Fredericksburg
Marine Corps Museum at Quantico

STROLLER-FRIENDLY WALKING — the first 6 are bike-friendly as well

• Belmont-Ferry Farm Trail — Connects with Pratt Park

• Virginia Central Railway Trail + Alum Springs (Harrison Road Convenience Center also has a walking/bike path)
• Rappahannock River Heritage Trail
• Canal Path
• Keswick Park
• Spotsylvania Parkway — Walking path runs from Rt. 1 to Smith Station (Near Bickford and the Lee’s Parke Clubhouse)
• Downtown Fredericksburg + Riverfront Park
• Baseball fields near Ron Rosner YMCA and Patriot Park
• Lee’s Parke, Breckenridge, and Idlewild are neighborhoods with sidewalks

FARMS

• Braehead Farm — Braehead is open year-round. The front area of the farm is always FREE. They pay area is $6/pp. Season passes are available for $25/pp. Children 2 and under are FREE with a paying adult.
• Happy Meadow Farm has Mommy and Me Learning Days on the Farm. The cost is $35 for 1 adult and 1 child. $15 per additional child. Ages 5 and under. Dates are Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22, and Nov. 19, 2025. 9:30-11:30 am
• Haven Hills Farm in Bealeton is a great spot for families. Visits are only $30 for up to 5 people or you can volunteer for FREE.
• Sneads Asparagus Farm — Great play area for children of all ages. Farm visits are $7/pp.
• Yoder’s Country Market has a wonderful petting area and small play area. Stop by the Ole Country Store in Culpeper. There’s a lake adjacent (Lake Culpeper Adventures) where in the summer you can rent a kayak or canoe for only $5/hour.

PET STORES or ANIMAL SHELTERS:

• Pets Plus in Stafford is a unique pet store. They have several puppies and unique animals plus fish. Extend your visit by walking at Government Island.
• Petco or Pet Smart locations.
• Check out the chicks at Tractor Supply Company.
• The Richmond SPCA is a great spot to visit. They have a cat room where you can play with the cats.
• Visit the small aquarium at Bass Pro Shops.
• Possumbilities in Fredericksburg
  Stop by to see a real opossum and more (Biscuit the Pug, Big Mama the tarantula, and more). Schedule varies.
  They also have a scavenger hunt for kids.
  Story times the 2nd Sunday of the month at 11 am
  All FREE!

MONTHLY FREE KID WORKSHOPS:

• Home Depot offers FREE in-store children’s workshops the first Saturday of the month from 9 am – Noon while supplies last. Pre-registration is offered but not required. Paint is also provided if your children want to paint.
• Lowe’s offers FREE in-store children’s workshops each month (dates vary), but you MUST pre-register for these. There is no painting involved.
• Micahels offers FREE Craft Sunday Make Break Events. These in-store events happen between 2-4 pm. Check their schedule as they do offer some Saturday events.
• JcPenney’s Kids Zone offers FREE crafts the 2nd Saturday of each month from 11 am – Noon.

STORY WALKS:

• The Fredericksburg StoryWalk is along the Rappahannock River Heritage Trail and Caroline Street between Old Mill Park and Ford Street.
• There’s another StoryWalk behind Battlefield Elementary School. They have a fenced in toddler playground that can be used when school is not in session.
• There’s a StoryWalk near the Patriot Park Amphitheater in Spotsylvania. This is located past the Ron Rosner YMCA.
• There’s a StoryWalk at Courtland Elementary School.

BOARDWALKS AND OTHER FUN TRAILS:

• Tom Rhoades Tree Carving Trail is a must-see stop in Warsaw. Read more about this unique trail and some fun stops along the way.
• Here are a few of our favorite boardwalks and trails that are perfect for little ones: Government Island, VCR Trail with access near Alum Springs or downtown Fredericksburg near the Cobblestone development , Neabsco Creek Boardwalk, Rappahannock Heritage River Trail, Huntley Meadows. All of these trails have stroller-friendly sections, some are 100% stroller-friendly.

STATE PARKS AND NATIONAL PARKS:

• Virginia State Parks are perfect for little ones. Check event listings as many times they offer classes or activities for preschoolers/toddlers. These classes are usually free or very inexpensive.
• National Parks are wonderful to visit for young children. There are three right in the state of Virginia: Shenandoah National Park, Prince William Forest Park, and Great Falls Park. If you have a 4th grader, they can get a FREE National Parks Pass with the Every Kid Outdoors Program. The 4th grader must be present when you use this free entry.

MUSEUMS:

Museums especially children’s museums are great spots for preschool and toddler-aged children. Here are some of our favorites:

• National Museum of the Marine Corps: This museum is FREE and offers monthly family activities and virtual preschool events. There’s also a large, fenced playground and paved trails.
• The National Museum of the United States Army has a children’s play area and daily story and craft times.
• Children’s Museum of Richmond
• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond is FREE and is open every day.
• Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum in Winchester is a must-see.

ROLLER-SKATING:

Some roller-skating rinks offer tot skate times or special hours when tots/preschoolers can bring in wheeled toys to play with.

• Skate-A-Way in Midlothian offers a special Tiny Tot Skating session on Thursdays from 10-11:15 am. $9 includes admission, skates, lesson, and snack. Parents of Tiny Tots skate for FREE. What a deal!
• Stroll and Roll Thursdays happen at Cavalier Family Skating Center from 10 am – Noon on Thursdays. Children can bring their favorite ride on toy or play in the Play Zone. $4/per child, Parents FREE!
• Kraken in DC offers All Wheels Skate Sessions on Wed (2 pm) and Thur/Sat (9 am) where all manual wheels are welcome – from scooters, skates, and tricycles – if it’s kid-powered it’s welcome. Sessions are 2-hours and all children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
  

CHICK-FIL-A STORY TIMES:

Some Chick-fil-a restaurants offer story times.

• Ashland Chick-fil-a: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 10 am. Make sure to check their schedule before heading there.
• Virginia Center Commons (10176 Brook Rd, Glen Allen, Virginia 23059): 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 10 am, Nov – April
• King George Chick-fil-a has story-times. Check the link for details.
• Every 2nd Tuesday of the month is for toddlers. It’s from 10 – 11 am at the Food Court in the Spotsylvania Towne Centre. This is sponsored by the library, the mall, and Chick-fil-a.

FREE BOOKS:

• Free books for children (12 and under) at a Rappahannock Goodwill location. Every child aged 12 and under gets any book of their choosing for FREE! Valid every Friday starting 9/6/24. Find a Goodwill near you at http://www.fredgoodwill.org

BABY ACTIVITIES:

• The Mom Pod is for moms and babies up to 6 months. They meet every Tuesday from 10-11 a.m. at the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center on the 2nd floor in the Community Room.

FREDERICKSBURG

The Mom Squad of Fredericksburg hosts weekly playgroups. Message them via Facebook to get connected.

Wild Women and Infants Long-term Development offers classes.

Indoor Play Park
Dorothy Hart Community Center
Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30 am
$3/resident or $4/non-resident
Aug. 20 – Dec. 17

MILESTONES PLAY GYM & PEDIATRIC THERAPY
Offers child-led play experiences in their indoor play gym for children up to age 5 several times per week, as well as weekly yoga, music, playschool & other small groups. More information, including dates & times on their website. Free-trial or play gym

Art Time 4 Kids
Downtown Fredericksburg
They offer Sing with me Classes (Ages 0-5) and Art from the Start classes (Ages 2-5)

Fort Pure Play
FORT pure play offers party and play experiences by appointment only

Sky Zone
Little Leapers for Ages 6 and under
See schedule online.

Fun Land

Chuck E. Cheese

Possum-bilities
Storytime and crafts on the 2nd Sunday of the month at 11 am.

Fit 4 Mom Fredericksburg Stroller Strides
First class is always FREE!

Admission to the Fredericksburg Area Museum is FREE for 2024. There is a STOMP Dinosaur Exhibit that would be fun for toddler-preschool ages. They can go on a scavenger hunt to find the dinosaurs and stamp their scavenger hunt cards at each location. While downtown Fredericksburg, stop by Possum-bilities and see one of their opossum ambassadors. Ambassadors are there Th-M. Visit the Fredericksburg Antique Mall and Clock Shop at 925 Caroline Street. Enjoy the sounds of an antique Orchestrion, Pipe Organ or Player Piano for the price of a quarter. These are located in their music room on the lower level.

In the summer, Agora Cafe and Downtown Greens have story times. Check their Facebooks pages for details. Motts Run Reservoir offers FREE Log Cabin Storytimes starting in February. These are held one Saturday per month for ages 2 and up.

The Fredericksburg Food Co-op has Storytime in Pajamas every 2nd Monday from 6-7 pm.

SPOTSYLVANIA

Pioneers Read
FREE story time for toddlers and preschoolers
Tree of Life Christian Prep School
9:30-10 am
Read aloud plus craft
Held the 2nd and 4th Mondays from Jan – April 2026

Board and Brush Fredericksburg has a new TODDLER TUESDAY workshop. The first is July 23, 2024, from 10 – 11:30 am. Read book, have a treat, and make a cute sign. Must register and pay.

Grow & Giggle
Second Thursday of Each Month
Lee Hill Community Center
10 – 11:30 am
$10/child, Ages 2-5, pre-registration required

Paragon Gymnastics has a Preschool Open Gym on Wed, Sat, and Sun.
Times vary | Ages 5 and under | $10/hr

Urban Air
Special Jumperoo time for anyone under 10 years old. NO special lights, NO loud music. Check Facebook for schedule.

Urban Air has a Toddler Jump Time on Thursdays (9-1) and Sundays (9-12). The cost is $14.99 plus you must have their socks ($3.49). If you plan to go monthly, you can purchase a membership for $12.99/month. You must commit for a year.

Snapology
Snapology presents Toddler Time on Thursdays from 10 am – Noon inside Urban Air. This is a fun and FREE activity.

Fredericksburg Field House
The Field House offers several different sporting events for all ages. Lil’ Kickers is for ages 18 months-9 years. Little Ninjas is for ages 4-6 and Lil’ Fielders is for ages 3-7.

Visit the play area in the Spotsylvania Towne Centre near Build-a-Bear. You can also take a train ride ($).

Every 2nd Tuesday of the month is for toddlers. It’s from 10 – 11 am at the Food Court in the Spotsylvania Towne Centre. This is sponsored by the library, the mall, and Chick-fil-a.

Ride the Little Yellow Train for FREE at the Rappahannock Railroad Museum. They are only open Saturday mornings.

STAFFORD

Finding Friends Preschool Playgroup
Massad Family YMCA
Wednesdays, 1-2 pm, FREE
Specifically for children ages 2-5 with special needs and their siblings

Stafford Gymnastics Tot Open Gym
Stafford Gymnastics
Thursdays– 10:30-12 pm | Fridays– 9-10:30 am, 11 am – 12:30 pm
New Paperwork and $14 registration fee. $3 per session.

Stroll and Roll Thursdays
Cavalier Family Skating Center
10 am – Noon
$4/per child, Parents FREE
Bring your favorite ride on toy or play in the Play Zone.

Spectrum Sea Turtles
Massad Family YMCA
Fridays, 4-5 pm, FREE
Aquatics program geared toward people on the autism spectrum.
(This program is not happening right now, but you can click on the link for information about other activities.)

Preschool Palette
Gari Melchers House
10 – 11 am
For ages 2-5 with adult | $12/pair
Dates Vary

Art Cart Kids
Offers preschool (Ages 3-6) art classes and Creative Play (Open Studio) for all ages, but 5 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

ASHLAND

Toddler Takeover: Happens the 2nd Saturday of every month starting at 10 am. This is a FREE event–one hour of cartoons and family friendly fare. It’s open for children ages 0-6. No tickets are needed. There is a suggested donation of $5/family. Concessions are available to purchase.

The Bass Pro Shop has fish feedings at 12 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

CULPEPER

Play-Date: A Children’s Museum in Culpeper opened for the summer on June 23, 2024. They are located at the Culpeper Baptist Church. Tickets are $10 for an adult and one child, $5 for additional siblings. They are open Mondays (9 am – Noon and 3-6 pm), Thursdays (9 am – Noon), and Sundays (10 am – 1 pm).

Bounce With Us – Brandy Station : Toddler Time is every Tuesday from 10 am – 12 pm for $8. Homeschool Jump every Wednesday 11 am – 3 pm, BOGO 1/2 off.

Let’s Go Have Fun – Madison: Play area that has a separate baby/toddler room.

Open Tumbling (9-10 am on Mondays and 9-10 am and 10-11 am on Saturdays, Ages 1-6) and Preschool Playtime (Wednesdays and Fridays from 9-11 am) are held at the Culpeper County Fieldhouse. There’s a $5 charge per participant/non-resident is $8. This is for ages 1-6.

The Museum of Culpeper History offers monthly classes for ages 2-5. Little Learners requires pre-registration.

The Culpeper County Library has a Tiny Tots Story Time for ages 0-2 years on Tuesdays. Registration opens 2 weeks before each story time. They have a preschool story time on Thursdays from ages 3-5. Hands-On History is a monthly program for all ages.

Path Recreation and Fitness Center in Culpeper has drop-in open play on their basketball courts: $5 (ages 4-12; must be accompanied by parent/guardian). They also offer a Tiny Tumblers class for ages 18 months to 3 years old that is available with parental participation.

KING GEORGE

King George Tot Time
King George Citizens Center
Fridays, 10:30-11:30 am | Free play, snack, and craft
$3/pp | Ages 0-5, 1 and under are FREE

FAUQUIER COUNTY

Schedule a farm experience at Haven Hills Farm in Bealeton. Visits are only $25 for up to five or volunteer when you can for FREE. Messick’s Farm Market is nearby and has a fun play area and small animal area.

Prince William County

• Stonebridge Kids’ Concerts: These concerts are held every Wednesday at 10 am in front of Muse Paintbar, May – September.
• Storytimes are held every Wednesday at 10 am at the lawn in front of Muse Paintbar May – September. On these days kids meals are FREE with an adult meal purchase at BurgerFi. (In the event of inclement weather, storytime will be held inside Barnes & Noble).
• Tiny Tots Playtime: This is held at Healthy Fun One Adventure Park now through June 7, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 am – 3:30 pm. Ages 2-5, $5 per child.
• Ikea offers special kids’ activities on Wednesdays. You must register for these. These activities are usually held between 11 am – Noon. While you are here, get two FREE kid’s meal with purchase of adult entrée in the Restaurant.

ADDITIONAL PLAY LOCATIONS + IDEAS

• Beehive Indoor Playground in Woodbridge
• Unplug and Play in Monclair
• Kids Empire in Glen Allen
• Kings Dominion offers FREE Pre-K passes to children 3 – 5 years old. The Pre-K Pass grants complimentary admission to Kings Dominion and Soak City Waterpark for all of 2024.
• Busch Gardens offers FREE 2-park preschool pass for children ages 3-5. The 2-Park Preschool Pass offers unlimited admission to both the theme park and water park in Williamsburg, Virginia.
• Ann Marie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center is a magical spot in Solomons, Maryland. It’s worth a visit especially when the fairy gardens are open. Watch our recent reel HERE.

MORE INSPIRATION

• Follow @familyadventuresva on Instagram and Facebook. We are always posting fun-family activities that even young ones can enjoy.
• Check out our 50 Things To Do lists for Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford. Many are appropriate for little ones. You can find links to these on our IG bio or the main page of our blog.

LOCAL SWIMMING POOLS

When the weather gets warmer, swimming pools and splash pads are perfect spots for preschoolers and toddlers. Check out this list of area pools and splash pads. In April or May, it will be updated for the new year.

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ADDITIONAL PLAY SPOTS

Alexandria:

• Charles Houston Rec Center–Mon/Tues/Wed: 9 am – 12 pm, plus the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays of the month. Residents pay $6 and non-residents are $7.
• Chinquapin Rec Center has a soft play room designed for children five and younger. Play time is for 30 minute increments daily from 10 am – 4:30 pm. Fee: $6/per child, $7/non-resident. One chaperone is free. $1 for additional resident chaperones/$4 for non-resident. Socks are required.

Warrenton:

• Believe Imagination Station —

Winchester:

• PB and J Club–Day: 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, except as noted 1/10, 1/24, 2/14, 2/28, 3/13, (no 3/27) ,Time: 9:00 – 11:30 a.m., Ages 1-5 | RDF: $4; Fee: $5 (adults and children under 1 are free) | Location: Jim Barnett Park, Gym