Indoor and rainy day activities with kids in Palo Alto

What's on for kids in Palo Alto

• Super Family Sundays

  Sun, Oct 18 · Junior Museum & Zoo · Ages 0–12

  A free event when the JMZ is open exclusively to families with children who have disabilities. Children with all disabilities are welcome, as well as parents, siblings, and grandparents. Come meet zoo animals up-close.

• 16th Annual Peninsula Private Elementary School Fair

  Sun, Oct 18 · 11:00 AM · Center for Children and Youth · Age 4

  A unique opportunity to engage in-person with more than 30 schools located on the Peninsula. Families can speak informally with school representatives and find the right fit for their child. Light snacks will be provided.

Within a short drive of Palo Alto

• Santa Clara City Library Comic Con

  Sat, Oct 10 · 10:00 AM · Santa Clara City Library - Central Park · santa clara · 12 mi away · Ages 0–12

Rainy day ideas you already have the stuff for

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  DIY Tie-Dye Sneakers or Hat

  Kids can transform a plain pair of canvas sneakers or a simple baseball cap into a unique fashion statement. Choosing colors and patterns, then watching them come to life on their shoes or hat, offers a great sense of personal expression and ownership. It’s satisfying for this age group to create something wearable that reflects their individual style and shows off their creativity to friends and family. First, decide if you'll use fabric markers for intricate designs or fabric dye for a classic tie-dye look. If dyeing, dampen your item, then twist, crumple, or fold it and secure with rubber bands before applying the dye. For markers, sketch your design lightly with pencil first. Let your creation dry completely according to product instructions. To stretch the activity, consider making a matching t-shirt or a smaller accessory like a bandana.

  10-13 · Indoor · 60 min

  Open
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  Design a Royal Castle Blueprint

  Every royal needs a castle! Let's use painter's tape to draw a giant castle floor plan on the floor and then furnish it with toys and pillows.

  4,5,6,7 · Indoor · 60 min · About $5–$10

  Open
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  Colossal Craft Tub Creation Day

  Let's open up this giant tub of craft supplies and see what we can imagine! Googley-eyed pom-pom creatures, sparkling pipe cleaner crowns... the possibilities are endless.

  4,5,6,7 · Indoor · 90 min · About $25–$30

  Open
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  Family Trivia Night You Host

  You'll take the lead in hosting a fantastic family trivia night! It's a chance to show off your creativity by designing interesting questions and managing the whole game. Creating your own categories and challenging everyone to think makes this activity especially rewarding, giving you a fun way to share what you know and learn new things together. To start, pick five categories, like "Animal Facts," "Movie Quotes," or "History." Write a few questions for each, making some easy and some trickier. Then, create a simple scoreboard to keep track of points. On game night, you'll read the questions, decide on correct answers, and crown the winning team. To make it extra fun, try adding a "Lightning Round" where questions are asked quickly.

  9-13 · Indoor · 60 min

  Open

Questions parents ask about Palo Alto

What can you do with a toddler in Palo Alto on a rainy day?

The city libraries run several toddler and preschool storytimes a week, and they're short enough — about 30 minutes — to fit before a nap. The indoor list for Palo Alto shows what's scheduled.

Are these activities free?

Library programs and creek trails are free. The children's museum and zoo charge admission, with lower rates for Palo Alto residents. Anything ticketed links out to the organizer so you can check the price before you go.

How often is this page updated?

Event listings refresh automatically from local sources, so past dates drop off on their own.