Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Memphis
Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. On this page, we showcase Memphis's winners for 2024! (Click here for the full list of nominees.)
Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! Memphis is rich in fun events and exciting places. Don’t miss out on ALL the other wonderful places as well! Browse through KidsOutAndAbout.com, check out our calendar, and discover lots more to do, especially Everything That's Free. If you don't already get our fabulous free weekly e-newsletter, please sign up by clicking here. You'll find out everything that is happening for kids and families at these places and a lot more -- way ahead of time!
2024's Top 20 ranking + category winners! Scroll down for more about each venue, with links!
| 1. Memphis Zoo 2. Children's Museum of Memphis 3. Memphis Botanic Garden 4. My Local Library 5. The Orpheum Theatre 6. Harrell Theatre 7. Dixon Gallery and Gardens 8. Lichterman Nature Center 9. Playhouse on the Square 10. Morton Museum of Collierville History 11. Billy Hardwick's All Star Lanes 12. Cedar Hill Farm 13. Germantown Performing Arts Center 14. High Point Climbing and Fitness Memphis 15. National Civil Rights Museum 16. Safari Wild Animal Park and Preserve 17. Urban Air 18. Cordova Skating Center 19. Fire Museum of Memphis 20. Memphis River Parks Partnership |
Arts Education: Sunfish Children's Theatre Sports Education: YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South STEM Education: Memphis Zoo |
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1. Memphis Zoo
Memphis Zoo's mission is Creating Adventures, Saving Wildlife. We support that mission with informative and engaging keeper chats, animal encounters, top-rated STEM education programs, a fully developed Conservation and Research Team, and more! Click the link to our website and plan your adventure today.
2. Children's Museum of Memphis
The Children's Museum of Memphis, with 30+ exhibits from a tornado to a 1909 Dentzel grand carousel to a skyscraper - inspires children to explore, imagine, and create through the joy of play in hands-on programs. Growing their minds and filling them with endless possibilities while creating memorable learning experiences to last a lifetime. CMOM - where learning is child's play!
3. Memphis Botanic Garden
Memphis Botanic Garden strives to enhance lives by connecting people with plants to increase awareness and appreciation of our environment. The 96-acre property includes 30 specialty gardens that families can explore together, including the 2 ½ acre My Big Backyard children’s garden, the Prehistoric Plant Trail with interactive dino features, a Pollinator Garden, and a Delta Garden featuring traditional vegetables and crops.
4. My Local Library
Of course, the libraries in the Memphis area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them to the list of best places to take kids this year!
5. The Orpheum Theatre
The Orpheum Theatre Group campus is located in the heart of downtown Memphis and includes the historic Orpheum Theatre and the modern Halloran Centre for Performing Arts and Education. The organization offers a variety of family-oriented programs, from education and engagement opportunities like camps, workshops, and student matinees to live touring productions like Baby Shark Live, Spy Ninjas Live, and Disney’s Frozen. The Orpheum Theatre Group and its programs is a great way to introduce young people to the wonder of live theatre and the performing arts!
6. Harrell Theatre
7. Dixon Gallery and Gardens
Founded in 1976 by Hugo and Margaret Dixon, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens is a fine art museum and public garden distinguished by its diverse and innovative programs in the arts and horticulture.
8. Lichterman Nature Center
Located in the heart of metropolitan Memphis, the Center features exciting new exhibits, lush gardens featuring native wildflowers and trees, and a tradition of excellence in environmental education set in the midst of 65 acres of lake, meadow, and forest. Home to a wide variety of plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, Lichterman is an urban nature center, easily accessible to the people who need it the most, the people who live in the city.
9. Playhouse on the Square
Circuit Playhouse, Inc. which includes Playhouse on the Square, The Circuit Playhouse, and TheatreWorks@TheSquare is Memphis’ largest professional theatre company and is celebrating over 50 years of bringing live theatre to the Mid South. Founded by Jackie Nichols, Playhouse on the Square began as a nomadic theatre troupe in the city known as The Circuit Players. In 1969, the troupe incorporated and soon found home in Midtown Memphis. Many buildings have claimed home to the theatre over the years. But for the past 30 years, the theatre has been rooted at the corner of South Cooper Street and Union Avenue.
10. Morton Museum of Collierville History
Located at the intersection of Poplar Avenue and North Main Street in Collierville's Historic Downtown, the Morton Museum of Collierville History invites both residents and tourists to explore Collierville's rich history. Museum admission is always free of charge. Exhibitions and programs are designed to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and literacy skills among visitors of all ages. After your museum visit, don’t miss out on other local history attractions within walking distance, like the Train Depot & Visitors Center, Frisco 1351 steam locomotive, William Talley’s Log Cabin, and more.
11. Billy Hardwick's All Star Lanes
Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes is a Family Owned & Operated 40 lane bowling center with updated HD scoring, full lounge, snack bar and redemption arcade. We have been offering Memphis the best array of bowling options for the past 30 years.
12. Cedar Hill Farm
Cedar Hill Farm is located in the Community of Love, outside of Hernando, Mississippi, just minutes south of Memphis, Tennessee. ach year improvements are made to make Cedar Hill Farm one of the top Agri-Tourism businesses in the Mid-South. Take a tractor drawn hayride around our farm, out to the Easter Egg Hunt Field in the Spring, to pick Berries in the Summer, the Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maize in the Fall and to the Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Fields in the Winter.
13. Germantown Performing Arts Center
14. High Point Climbing and Fitness Memphis
High Point Climbing And Fitness Memphis is located just west of Shelby Farms Park off of Walnut Grove Road. High Point Memphis brings world-class climbing to West Tennessee with over 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor climbing surface featuring walls up to 55 feet tall! We also offer a Kid Zone, Bouldering Room, Weight and Aerobic Rooms, and yoga classes! Host your party or group at High Point Climbing. We provide a unique, fantastic experience for any special occasion.
15. National Civil Rights Museum
16. Safari Wild Animal Park and Preserve
17. Urban Air
Urban Air is the ultimate indoor adventure park where kids of all ages (and kids at heart) can explore thrilling attractions, challenge their body and mind, and most importantly…have a blast! We are WAY more than just your average trampoline park. Locations in Collierville and Cordova.
18. Cordova Skating Center
19. Fire Museum of Memphis
20. Memphis River Parks Partnership
The Memphis River Parks Partnership is a nonprofit organization that manages, activates and maintains five miles of riverfront parks on behalf of the City of Memphis. The partnership works to create a connected, catalytic and fun riverfront for all Memphians.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in three categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator: Sunfish Children's Theatre
Memphis' only Children's Community Theatre that offers quality theatrical experiences through performance and educational workshops for kids 3 to 103. SunFish Children's Theatre is also a great place to have your birthday party! We have birthday options for all ages...but all of them include a day of theatre fun, craft, and a special gift for the birthday child! A SunFish Party is a FUN-day party!
Top Sports Educator: YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South
The YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South consists of 11 Wellness & Activity Centers and 100+ program sites spanning across the Memphis area and Western Tennesse including Milan &Trenton, TN, and into Mississippi including DeSoto County, and Oxford.
Top STEM Educator: Memphis Zoo
Memphis Zoo's mission is Creating Adventures, Saving Wildlife. We support that mission with informative and engaging keeper chats, animal encounters, top-rated STEM education programs, a fully developed Conservation and Research Team, and more! Click the link to our website and plan your adventure today.
