Things to do with kids in Lexington: the Children's Museum, the Kentucky Children's Garden, library story times, spraygrounds, Jacobson Park and rainy-day picks.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Facts come from each organization’s own website, linked below. Parks office: 859-288-2900.

Lexington has a children’s museum downtown, a children’s garden at The Arboretum, six library locations with story times, spraygrounds in summer and a lake with pedal boats at Jacobson Park. Here is what each offers, with hours from its own site.

Indoors and rainy days

  • Lexington Children’s Museum, 440 W. Short St., 859-258-3253: hands-on exhibits for learning through play. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday. The museum also runs school’s-out camps through the year and takes part in Museums for All.
  • Lexington Public Library: free story times at its branches (below), and the Kloiber Foundation STEAM Lab, a space for youth and families at Central Library, 140 E. Main St.
  • Lexington Children’s Theatre, 418 W. Short St., 859-254-4546: plays for young audiences; the season and times are on its site.
  • UK Art Museum, Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St.: free admission year-round. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday, Monday and university holidays.

Library story times

Lexington Public Library runs Toddler Storytime, an interactive session to “move, sing, read, and play” for toddlers and their caregivers, and lends preschool story time kits for two weeks. Dates and times change by branch and season; find them on the library’s events calendar. Locations, from the library’s locations page:

Library Address
Central Library 140 E. Main St.
Beaumont Branch 3080 Fieldstone Way
Eastside Branch 3000 Blake James Drive
Marksbury Family Branch 2197 Versailles Road
Northside Branch 1733 Russell Cave Road
Tates Creek Branch 3628 Walden Drive

Main library phone: 859-231-5500.

Outdoors

  • Kentucky Children’s Garden at The Arboretum, 500 Alumni Drive: open Wednesday to Saturday from April 1 to Oct. 31, 2026, with fall hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in September and October and summer hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 (children under 2 free); pick up wristbands at the visitor center before 4 p.m. The Arboretum grounds, which are free, are open daily from dawn to dusk. On UK home football game days, The Arboretum warns that the garden and parking lot hours can change.
  • Jacobson Park, 4001 Athens-Boonesboro Road: a lake with pedal boat and kayak rentals at the marina, a fishing dock, a sprayground, playfields and shelters.
  • Masterson Station Park, 3051 Leestown Road: a playground and sprayground, riding lessons through the city’s equestrian program, and the hill where the city holds Kite Fest each April (Saturday, April 25, in 2026).
  • Spraygrounds: no admission charge listed; at Charles Young, Jacobson and Masterson Station parks from late April to early October (9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in 2026), and at Castlewood and Douglass during pool hours. No lifeguard, so an adult must supervise. Pools, camps and dates are in summer camps and pools.
  • Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, 3885 Raven Run Way, 859-272-6105: more than 10 miles of hiking trail and a 1-mile paved trail. No pets or bikes.

Coming up this fall (city events)

From Lexington Parks and Recreation’s fall events list:

  • Dunbar Community Center fall festival, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, 6 to 8 p.m.: free, with carnival games, face painting, a bounce house and candy.
  • Raven Run pumpkin carving, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, 1 to 2:30 p.m.: $8, registration required, children must be with an adult.
  • Halloween Festival and Thriller Parade, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, 4 to 9 p.m., downtown: free.
  • Jack-O’-Lantern Trail at McConnell Springs, Tuesday, Oct. 27, to Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, 6:30 to 10 p.m.: $6, children 12 and under free.

More in Halloween events and trick-or-treat hours.

Horses

Keeneland, 4201 Versailles Road, says its grounds are open to the public every day, and its Keeneland Kids Club is free for fans 12 and under.

More

Frequently asked questions

What are the Lexington Children’s Museum hours?

The museum at 440 W. Short St. is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and is closed Monday. Phone 859-258-3253.

When is the Kentucky Children’s Garden open?

In 2026 the garden at The Arboretum, 500 Alumni Drive, is open Wednesday through Saturday from April 1 to Oct. 31, with fall hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick up wristbands at the visitor center before 4 p.m.

Does the Lexington library have story time?

Yes. Lexington Public Library runs toddler story times for toddlers and their caregivers, and lends preschool story time kits for two weeks. Dates and branches are on the library’s events calendar.

Where can kids play in water in Lexington?

The city has five spraygrounds, at Castlewood, Charles Young, Douglass, Jacobson and Masterson Station parks. In 2026 the last three to close shut for the season after Oct. 4.

What can kids do in Lexington on a rainy day?

The Lexington Children’s Museum, the library branches, the free UK Art Museum and shows at Lexington Children’s Theatre are all indoors.