Things to do in Austin with kids.

This is the shortlist we'd actually send to friends moving here with kids — not a dump of every children's venue in town. The picks below are weighted for the things that work on a normal Saturday with small humans in tow: stroller-accessible, shade where it matters, bathrooms that exist, and parking that won't ruin the outing before it starts.

We update it weekly with seasonal shifts — the Greenbelt is different in April than in August, the Zephyr train runs on a schedule, the Blanton's third-Thursday is worth planning around. Free days are flagged clearly because that actually matters when you're a family of four.

If you're new to Austin with kids, subscribe to The Sunday Dispatch — every Sunday morning we flag the two or three kid-shaped plans worth building a week around, without the sponsored-content clutter of the Austin mom blogs.

• Museum · Tue – Sun · 10am
  The Thinkery for the under-10 set.
  Austin's children's museum in Mueller. Four floors, water tables, wind tunnels, and a sensory-friendly morning on the first Saturday of every month.
  Thinkery · Mueller · $14 ($10 after 4)
• Park · Sat – Sun · 11am
  Zilker Park playground and the miniature train.
  Newly restored Zephyr train loops the park weekends and holidays. Pair with the Zilker playground, a picnic, and swim at Barton Springs after.
  Zilker Park · South Austin · $4 train · free park
• Animals · Daily · 9:30am
  Austin Zoo, the sanctuary version.
  Not the SeaWorld-ification of zoos — this one's an animal-rescue sanctuary tucked into the hills. Smaller than you'd expect, better for under-6s.
  Austin Zoo · Southwest Austin · $15 adults · $11 kids
• Park · Daily · dawn to dusk
  Mayfield Park peacocks and garden.
  Free, hilariously under-the-radar: 23 acres on Lake Austin with resident peacocks wandering the grounds. Easy hour with little kids.
  Mayfield Park · West Austin · Free
• Outdoors · Daily
  Barton Creek Greenbelt, Twin Falls access.
  The easy way in. Half-mile flat walk to a shallow swimming hole — the kid-graded version of the Greenbelt experience. Shoes that can get wet.
  Twin Falls access · South Lamar · Free
• Film · Summer weekdays · 10am
  Alamo Drafthouse Summer Kids Camp.
  Free weekday morning screenings of classic kid movies — full theater, full breakfast menu, 10am start. The summer scheduling miracle.
  Alamo Drafthouse · Mueller + South Lamar · Free
• Museum · Tue – Sun · 9am
  Austin Nature & Science Center.
  Free, hands-on, small. Dinosaur dig, reptile house, a trade-your-rocks counter kids love.
  Zilker Nature Preserve · Free (donation)
• Museum · First Sun · 10am
  Bullock Museum first-Sunday free day.
  First Sunday is free. Texas history on the main floor, hands-on for kids upstairs.
  Bullock Museum · Downtown · Free (first Sun)
• Museum · Daily · 9am
  LBJ Presidential Library.
  Kids free, animatronic LBJ on the top floor, the full presidential limousine on the ground floor. Surprise hit.
  LBJ Library · UT Austin · Kids free · $10 adult
• Outdoors · Daily · 8am
  McKinney Falls State Park.
  Lower falls has a shallow limestone swimming area — safer for kids than the Greenbelt. $6 entry.
  McKinney Falls · SE Austin · $6
• Park · Daily
  Pease Park + Kingsbury Commons.
  Splash pad, climbing-net tower, tree-top walk, shade. The best new park in central Austin.
  Pease Park · West Campus · Free
• Sports · Seasonal · 7pm
  Round Rock Express minor-league game.
  Triple-A affiliate, 20 minutes north, $15 tickets, fireworks Fridays. The cheap and easy family outing.
  Dell Diamond · Round Rock · $15+
• Arts · Tue – Sun · 10am
  Umlauf Sculpture Garden.
  Six acres of sculpture on shaded paths near Zilker. Kids run, adults can actually think. Thursdays are free.
  Umlauf · Barton Springs Rd · $7 · Free Thu
• Library · Mon – Sat · 10am
  The Central Library as a destination.
  Six floors, rooftop garden, kids' floor with reading nooks and a view of the lake. Bring snacks.
  Central Library · Downtown · Free
• Market · Sun · 10am
  Mueller Farmers Market, Sunday edition.
  Stroller-friendly, live music, breakfast tacos and lemonade stands — the weekly low-effort family morning.
  Mueller Lake Park · Free
• Park · Daily
  Circle C Metropolitan Park.
  Sixty acres, splash pad, inclusive playground built for accessibility — the best playground in southwest Austin.
  Circle C · SW Austin · Free
• Tour · Daily · Hourly
  Texas Capitol free guided tour.
  Kids are surprisingly into it — underground extension, dome up-view, cowboy-hat senators. Hourly from the south entrance.
  Texas State Capitol · Free
• Arts · First Sun · 1pm
  Blanton Art Start family Sundays.
  First Sunday free · hands-on art-making cart · guided looking tours for families. Built for small-kid attention spans.
  Blanton Museum of Art · Free (first Sun)