Preschooler & Toddler Activity Guide
Looking for an activity your toddler or preschooler will enjoy? We’ve compiled a list of activities and classes in the Lakeland area specially designed for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Whether you’re looking for local places to meet other moms, a place for your toddler to use up some energy, or a weekly activity to get you out of the house, you’ll find something on this list. Includes music classes, gymnastics classes, mommy and me classes, and more.
Interested in classes & activities for kids ages 5+? Check out our Class & Activities Guide. It includes dance, art, cooking, martial arts, and plenty of other options.
Ideas for Outdoor Play with Toddlers
☀️ Head to a local playground!
Check out our list of shaded playgrounds
Read our review of The Rotary Playground in Hernando’s Landing at Lake Parker Park
See our directory for a full list of local playgrounds
☀️ Feed the ducks – Lake Morton is the best place to find an abundance of birds. Take corn (canned, frozen or fresh), duck pellets (sold at pet stores), lettuce or greens, defrosted frozen peas, or birdseed. Bread is bad for the ducks and swans!
☀️ Circle B Bar Reserve – Look for alligators, eagles, and other amazing wildlife at Circle B Bar Reserve– named one of the “Top 51 Places in the US to See Wildlife” by USA Today! Entry is FREE. Toddlers will also enjoy exploring the Nature Center and playing in the “treehouse” inside.
☀️ Hammock Hollow Children’s Garden at Bok Tower – Children under 5 are free, adult admission only $15. Click here to read our review.
☀️ Mulberry Phosphate Museum – Dig for sharks teeth and fossils in the outdoor phosphate pile, then head inside to see the skeletons and shark teeth on display inside. Make sure you bring a small shovel or other item to dig through the rock pile, and something to sit on – you won’t want to kneel. (The phosphate pile is always open, visit the website for museum hours)
☀️ Little Free Library – find a little library around town where you can take a book and/or leave a book – for FREE! Clean out your bookshelves and leave a few at each location, and hopefully you’ll find something to take with you. Use the map at littlefreelibrary.org to find one near you.
☀️ Visit a Farmers Market – Pick up fresh local produce at a local market – there are 5 across Polk County that happen on various days during the week
☀️ Go on a picnic – One of our favorite locations is Peterson Park and then we walk the nature trails and boardwalks afterward.
FREE Library Programs for Kids – Storytime, STEM, Crafts & More
All of our local libraries offer storytimes and other activities for toddlers during the week. Visit our calendar to see all upcoming events at our libraries. If your library isn’t listed, visit our Directory for a full list of Polk County Libraries.
You might also like: 10 Great Ways to Meet Mom Friends in the Lakeland Area
More Activities for Preschoolers & Toddlers in Lakeland + Polk County
HELPFUL TIP: Use the filter button (3 horizontal lines) to narrow down the list by city and/or category. All city filters are a general geographic area, check each listing address for a specific location. Use the map at the bottom to find Baby, Toddler, + Preschool Activities Near You.
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Family Fun Center of Lakeland is the best place for Family Fun and Entertainment in Lakeland, FL. We have everything! Tons of video and arcade games, Mini-golf, Laser Tag, Funtasia, Parties, and More! Book your next outing today or bring the family in to play!
Funtasia Soft Play – One of the largest soft play areas in the country, Funtasia is active entertainment for all of your little ones ages 12 & under! Your children will explore a 4 story maze of tunnels, tubes, slides, and obstacles.
Arcade Games + Prize Redemption – Our arcade features over 100 video and redemption arcade games ranging from the classics like Pac-Man and Galaga, to the newest cutting edge games including Super Bikes 2, Crossy Road, Monster Drop, Spongebob Pinapple Arcade, and Big Buck Hunter. Our HUGE prize redemption counter has something for everyone.
Mini Golf – Enjoy our 18 hole adventure golf course. Fully lit so you can play day or night! Golfers of ALL ages will enjoy competing on each of the par 2 holes along the way.
Lazer Tag – Our Laser Tag arena offers over 2200 square feet of heart thumping space. You can run but you cannot hide! As a member of the S.T.A.R.R. force team, your mission is to eliminate the mutant aliens before they escape the area 51 compound. You can compete one on one, or team up for capture the flag style play. Grab up to 14 of your friends and give it a try!
Birthday Parties & Team Celebrations – Family Fun Center is the perfect location for birthday parties, team parties, and other celebrations. Party Packages start at just $149 and can be customized with any of our attractions based on the age group of your party. All packages include pizza, drinks, and a birthday gift for the guest of honor. For your next birthday party, let Family Fun Center do the set-up, clean-up, and all the entertaining in between. All you need to bring is the cake and candles!
Family Fundamentals is changing its name! The grand opening of The Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children’s Resource Center is November 4, 2022, and classes will begin Monday, November 7th. The new center will be located at Bonnet Springs Park.
The Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children’s Resource Center is a collaboration of organizations committed to strengthening families and our community by increasing access and awareness to resources and services. This Success By 6 parent resource center is a warm, welcoming place where parents and other family members come to access information, support services, and the tools they need to be the best parents they can be. Community agencies offer services on site to provide a one-stop opportunity for parents. Parents come for one service or class and return for others.
Weekly classes for ages 0-5 are offered for FREE! The schedule follows Polk County Schools calendar. Learn more about classes at The Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children’s Resource Center.
As Florida’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center,” the Florida Air Museum features a dynamic display of unique designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques, and warbirds. More than a collection of airplanes; it stands as a tribute to the history and joy of flight. Exhibits educate about pioneers like Howard Hughes, early air racers, Floridians, and others who have influenced the world of aviation.
The Aerospace Center for Excellence also offers a variety of year-round educational experiences for all ages including field trips, storytime, camps, tours, workshops, and speaker presentations. ACE and the Museum continue to grow and meet the challenge of showcasing aviation history through exhibits, restoration and preservation, education and outreach, and sharing a passion for flight with visitors of all ages.
Learn more:
7 Things to Do on Your Next Visit to the Aerospace Center for Excellence + Florida Air Museum
Adventure is in the Air: Book an Interactive Field Trip with the Aerospace Center for Excellence.
Each week in Music Together® Mixed-Age Classes at Melody Makers, babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grownups who love them gather for 45 minutes of fun-filled family music time. Your teacher will lead you and the other families in music activities ranging from lullabies to full-on jam sessions (with child-friendly instruments, of course). It’s so much fun you won’t realize how much learning is taking place!
You’ll receive the award-winning music used in class, along with an illustrated songbook and other resources. As you discover new ways to play with music all week long, you’ll be supporting your child’s music-learning and overall development—even if you don’t think of yourself as a great singer or dancer.
The Florida Children’s Museum {formerly Explorations V Children’s Museum} opens in November 2022 at Bonnet Springs Park.
Art Centric Studio is an art studio for children of all ages in Lakeland, Florida, providing them with authentic opportunities to make and create. The studio offers a wide variety of classes for ages 1-101! Whether it’s a Homeschool Class, After School ArT, or even a KiDz NiGhT OuT, you’re sure to find a new way to create a lasting memory with us.
Bible Study Fellowship’s mission is in-depth Bible study producing passionate commitment to Christ, His Word and His Church. Our vision is to magnify God and mature His people as they cultivate a deeper relationship with Him, with classes for all ages – infants to adults.
Bok Tower Gardens is a Polk County Gem. With over 50 acres of beautiful gardens, a variety of plants, trees, and flowers, 205 foot Singing Tower carillon, and a fantastic children’s garden play area, it is one of our favorite places to be outdoors. Learn more and see photos in our article on Hammock Hollow Children’s Garden at Bok Tower Gardens.
We believe piano lessons should be fun, creative, and engaging. We take time to learn about your student, and use creative materials and resources to help them engage and learn in the best ways. We teach piano lessons kids LOVE! Piano lessons are available Monday through Thursday, from 10am-7pm. Lessons for ages 3 – adult.
Come enjoy our indoor play area while you grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, or an ice dream treat. Offering mobile ordering through our app to have your food ready the moment you arrive.
Come enjoy our indoor play area while you grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, or an ice dream treat. Offering mobile ordering through our app to have your food ready the moment you arrive.
Come enjoy our indoor play area while you grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, or an ice dream treat. Offering mobile ordering through our app to have your food ready the moment you arrive.
Our mission is to bring positive enlightenment to diverse audiences through offering a variety of dance classes and community performances, to strive for excellence in dance education, and to teach students a unique style and approach to dance! Crystal’s World of dance offers dance classes, holiday camps, and after school programs.
Serving the South Lakeland area. Offering classes in ballet, lyrical, tap, jazz, and hip hop. Ages ~ 2.5 to adult. Beginners thru advanced.
Defy Gravity at one of the Coolest Facilities in America. Over 50,000 square feet of connected, world-class trampolines in a 60,000 sq. ft facility. Our trampoline grid features over 60 trampolines, including the famous angled wall trampolines, launching decks and a few surprises up in the ceiling to test your vertical.
East Lakeland Baseball runs both a Fall and Spring Baseball League. T-Ball begins at age 4.
At Elite World Gymnastics we offer a program that can meet your child’s and your family’s needs. We have girls’ and boys’ recreational gymnastics for all levels, competition team gymnastics, cheerleading, aerial acrobatics, trampoline, tumbling, and so much more.
Polk County’s only professional dance company! FDT also operates a training academy for students offering pre-ballet for ages 3-5, ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop, plus summer camps and summer intensives. Annual performances include the Nutcracker in December, fall and spring performance.
Gymtek Gymnastic Center is located in Lakeland since 1987. Serving Polk County, GYMTEK offers gymnastics and cheerleading classes for all ages and abilities. Gymtek offers classes for pre-school age children up to competitive cheerleading and gymnastics teams.
Rachael Hamblin is a devoted music educator for students of all ages. She has over 9 years of experience and has taught a wide range of students from Kindergarten to adult. Her desire is to make lessons fun and engaging as students learn to make music. Rachael has a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and is certified in the state of Florida to teach music in grades K-12.
Highland School of Dance was opened in Lakeland in 1974. We offer classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, musical theater, and acrobatics, along with summer camps and dance intensives!
HP Sports leagues are dedicated to building self-esteem, developing friendships, and learning the physical and mental fundamentals of the game. Offering Basketball, Flag Football, Soccer, and Volleyball for ages 3 – 17, plus adult flag football, basketball, and volleyball leagues.
Just Dance Academy of Dance & Etiquette, was established to help promote ballroom and social dancing, as well as other forms of dance and fine arts. Everything from Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, to Rumba, Cha Cha, and Swing. We provide friendly and courteous instruction through all forms of dance and fine arts for children as well as adults. Just Dance also offers and after school program.
Children thrive on music! The joy of music makes it one of the best processes to get your young child engaged, interacting, and learning. With 20+ years experience, owner and lead educator Debbie Mondale guides you and your children through group music making opportunities. Update as of August 2022, Ms. Debbie is no longer offering Kindermusik programs on a weekly basis but is available to facilitate private events and small groups.
L.A. Dance Center offers award-winning instruction focused on providing a positive atmosphere. L.A. Dance Center offer classes in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, acro-tumbling, fitness, and more! We are proud to serve our community with trend-setting education for the 21st century.
We are a group of parents based in Lakeland, Florida who share a love of babywearing. It is our goal as a group to promote safe babywearing. We invite you to join our group if you are interested in wearing your baby and meeting fellow moms!
Recreational youth baseball organization for boys and girls from ages 4 -15 years old. Fall season includes 2 weeknight games, Spring Season includes one weeknight game and one Saturday game. Games are played at Peterson Park (age 4-10) and Lake Bonny/Fletcher Park (age 11-15). Buddy Ball League is for boys and girls with physical and/or intellectual disabilities, ages 5 and up.
Baseball League with Fall & Spring Seasons for Ages 3-18 based on players age on April 30 of the Spring Season. Instructional level starts at age 3.
The Lakeland Public Library is a member of the Polk County Library Cooperative, an inter local agreement between 13 municipalities with public libraries and the Board of County Commissioners, enabling all residents of the county, including those in the unincorporated area to have library services. Check out their fantastic programming for adults and children, including storytime, writing club for teens, children’s theatre, technology programs, summer programs, and more! Visit the website to see a full list of upcoming programs. You can also find them all on our calendar at lakelandmom.com/calendar.
Lakeland School Of Music is Lakeland’s largest music school with over 14,000 lessons taught annually. We offer music lessons in over 25 different instruments, and have 16 dedicated music teachers on staff, ready to serve you and your family. Guitar, Piano, Singing, Voice, Drums, Violin, & more. Lakeland School of Music also offers Music Fun Time, an innovative and proven early childhood curriculum for kids 18 months to 7 years old.