Things to do with kids in Charlotte: free library story times, county splash pads, Ray's Splash Planet, ImaginOn, nature centers and rainy-day picks.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Story time schedules come from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s event calendar; pool and park details from Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation; venue details from each venue’s own site.

Charlotte’s best free things for children are run by the library and the county: story times at almost every branch, summer splash pads and four nature centers. For rainy days there is an indoor water park, a children’s library with its own theater and a science museum.

Who to call

  • Library programs: ImaginOn, 704-416-4600, or your branch (below)
  • County parks, pools and splash pads: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, 980-314-1000
  • Ray’s Splash Planet: 980-314-4729

Free library story times

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library story times are free. Most branches hold them on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. This was a typical week in October, from the library’s event calendar; schedules change with the season, so check before you go.

Branch Address Story times Phone
ImaginOn 300 E. Seventh St. Baby, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; family, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; preschool, 11:30 a.m. Tuesday 704-416-4600
SouthPark Regional 7015 Carnegie Blvd. Toddler, 9:30 a.m.; family, 10:15 and 11 a.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 704-416-5400
Steele Creek 13620 Steele Creek Road Family, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday; baby, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Wednesday 704-416-6800
University City Regional 5528 Waters Edge Village Drive Toddler, 10:15 a.m. Tuesday; baby, 9:30 a.m., and tiny tots (1 to 2), 10:30 a.m., Wednesday 704-416-7200
Plaza Midwood 1623 Central Ave. Family, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday 704-416-6200
South Boulevard 4429 South Blvd. Family story time in Spanish, 11:30 a.m. Tuesday; baby and toddler, 9:30 a.m., and family, 10:30 a.m., Wednesday 704-416-6400
Independence Regional 6000 Conference Drive Baby and toddler, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday 704-416-4800
Allegra Westbrooks Regional 2412 Beatties Ford Road Family, 11 a.m. Tuesday; preschool, 11 a.m. Wednesday 704-416-3000
Hickory Grove 5935 Hickory Grove Road Toddler, 10 a.m. Tuesday; baby, 10 a.m. Wednesday 704-416-4400
Myers Park 1361 Queens Road Baby, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday 704-416-5800
West Boulevard 2157 West Blvd. Family, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday 704-416-7400
Sugar Creek 4045 N. Tryon St., Suite A Baby and toddler, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday 704-416-7000

Splash pads and pools

Mecklenburg County’s seven spraygrounds in Charlotte, at Clarks Creek, Cordelia, First Ward, Latta, Nevin, Veterans and West Charlotte parks, are free and open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The county’s outdoor pools, Cordelia Pool and Double Oaks Family Aquatic Center, charge $2 for county residents. Addresses and the 2027 season are on our summer camps and pools guide.

Rainy-day picks

  • Ray’s Splash Planet, 215 N. Sycamore St.: the county’s indoor water park, with a three-story slide (48 inches to ride), a lazy river and a play structure with four slides and a tumble bucket for children under 48 inches. School-year hours: Friday 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 1 to 6 p.m.; closed Monday to Thursday. County residents pay $8 for ages 17 and under; infants are free.
  • ImaginOn, 300 E. Seventh St.: the library’s children’s and teen branch, shared with Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, which stages How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical there from Nov. 21 to Dec. 23, 2026.
  • Discovery Place Science, Uptown: hands-on science, a rain forest and aquariums with reptiles and amphibians.
  • Sloomoo Institute, Metropolitan in Midtown: a hands-on slime experience where children mix their own slime; it offers sensory-friendly hours.

Nature centers

The county’s nature centers in Charlotte run free and low-cost programs for young children, such as Sprouts PLAY for ages 3 to 6 at Reedy Creek:

  • Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve, 2986 Rocky River Road
  • McDowell Nature Center and Preserve, 15222 York Road

Programs are listed on the county’s activity site. More on the preserves is on our parks and trails guide.

Seasonal

What this means for you

  • Library story times are the easiest free outing; arrive a few minutes early.
  • Splash pads close after Labor Day; Ray’s Splash Planet is the year-round option.
  • More ideas: free things to do and walking and biking trails.

Frequently asked questions

Where are free story times in Charlotte?

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library holds free baby, toddler, preschool and family story times at its branches, mostly on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. ImaginOn, SouthPark Regional, Steele Creek and University City Regional run several a week.

Is there a Spanish story time in Charlotte?

Yes. South Boulevard Library, 4429 South Blvd., holds ¡Hora del Cuento!, a family story time in Spanish, on Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m.

What can kids do indoors in Charlotte on a rainy day?

Ray’s Splash Planet is an indoor water park in Uptown; ImaginOn is a children’s library and theater; Discovery Place Science has a rain forest and aquariums; and Sloomoo Institute in Midtown is a hands-on slime museum.

Are Charlotte splash pads free?

Yes. Mecklenburg County’s spraygrounds are free and open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.

What are Ray’s Splash Planet’s hours?

During the school year it is open Friday 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 6 p.m., and closed Monday to Thursday.