Free And Inexpensive Indoor Activities For Kids

Free and Inexpensive Indoor Activities for KidsIf it’s too hot, too cold or too rainy, Knoxville Moms has you covered! We put together a giant list of all the Knoxville Indoor Activities.

If you are looking for summer activities, be sure to check out this fun list and for birthday parties check out our local guide. We also have an Ultimate Guide to all things Knoxville and family day trips and road trip destinations from Knoxville!

In the market for enrichment and extracurricular activities for your child? Check out our Guide to Enrichment & Activities!

If you are new to Knoxville from a different city or moving across town be sure to check out our Guide to Moving to Knoxville.


THE FREE STUFF:

Story Times

Knox County Public Library: For ages infant to five years, starting around 10:00am Monday through Friday. Check the website for the library closest to you and for specific date and age groups. There are nearly 40 fun and educational story times in the Knoxville area each week!

Blount County Public Library: Little Learners Storytime is held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am to 10:30am. Baby & Me Storytime is Tuesdays at 6:00pm-6:30pm and Wednesdays from 11:00am to 11:30am. Be sure to check the calendar for even more library activities.

Lenoir City Public Library: Story times are held the first and third Fridays of every month at 10:30am. Children of all ages are welcome. 

Loudon Public Library: Preschool Pals story time is held Fridays at 10:30am. See the Loudon Public Library Facebook page for dates and information. 

Sevier County Public Library: Story times are held at the various branch libraries for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Story times are accompanied with a related craft. For the complete schedule, click here

Barnes & Noble: Saturdays at 12:00pm. Check listing for location and story time theme.

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Performs at various Knoxville library story times!


Museums

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture: Open Tuesday to Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm. The museum is closed on the following dates: January 1, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, December 24 and 25 and during UT football games. Admission is free.

Knoxville Museum of Art: Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Admission is free.

Beck Cultural Exchange: Small group, guided or self-guided tours by appointment. Tours generally last one hour. Call (865) 524-8461 to schedule. Admission is free.

Farragut Folklife Museum: Open Monday to Friday 10:00am to 4:30pm. Admission is free. (Currently closed for renovations.)

Lenoir Museum: (Norris, about 30 minutes north of Knoxville) Historical artifacts from early life in East Tennessee. Hours vary. Call (865) 494-9688 for more information. Admission is free.


Local Stores & Malls 

Foothills Mall Play Area: Open during mall hours Tuesday through Saturday 10:00am to 8:00pm and Sundays 12:00pm to 6:00pm. 

Home Depot Kids Workshops: First Saturday of the month 9:00am to 12:00pm. Each child gets a free Home Depot apron.

West Town Mall Play Area: Open during mall hours Monday through Saturday 10:00am-8:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm to 6:00pm. This is a great way for kids to run off some steam for free!


THE INEXPENSIVE STUFF:

Sporting/Physical Activities

Backyard Bouncers (Clinton): The cost is $10.00 per child for 60 minutes. Call (865) 566-5867 to reserve your spot or reserve online here. Socks are required to play. Parents are welcome to join their children on the inflatable, but no more than two adults per child. Open play is offered all day on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings.

Farragut Golf & Games: Family arcade with games and events. It’s $1.00 for four tokens, $5.00 for 20 tokens, $10.00 for 45 tokens and $20.00 for 100 tokens. Special deals and promotions are often offered. For the latest, visit the Farragut Golf & Games Facebook page.

Foothills Gymnastics/Tumble Bears: Every third Wednesday of each month from 10:00am to 11:00am. Cost is $6.00 per child. Ages walking to five-years-old. Registration must be done in advance here.

Gym Bugs: Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30am to 11:30am. The cost is $5.00 per child. There is a $1.00 sibling discount. Cash or check only.

Cool Sports: Public ice-skating sessions. Admission $5.00 Ages 4 & Under (Includes skate rental), $10.00 Ages 5 & Older (Does NOT include skate rental), Skate Rental $5.00, Skate Aids $10.00. Check website for public skate hours.

Defy: 90-minute jump is $26.99, all day $39.99. Check website for jump schedule.

Farragut Community Center: Toddler Takeover takes place each Tuesday from 10:00am to 11:00am in the Community Center gym. The cost is $2.00 per child. Toddler Takeover is a parent-supervised indoor playtime where children can explore bright, colorful, age-appropriate equipment! Family open gym is also held on certain days. For  Community Center activities and events, click here

Little Play Cafe Knoxville: This new indoor playground and cafe is located near West Town Mall. There is a tiny town for pretend play, a gross motor skills zone, a jungle jumparoo, a STEM area, and a crawlers farm for toddlers and babies. Daily passes and monthly and annual memberships are available. The daily pass is $14.00 for the first child and $10.00 for an additional child. The daily pass punch card for 10 visits is $120.00.

We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym: WRTS Knoxville is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and fun environment to foster learning, exploration and safe sensory experiences for all children ages six months to teens. Open play admission is $16.00. Siblings are discounted to $14.00. Monthly memberships are available as well as open play packages. For more information, click here.

Poppets Play Place: Poppets Play Place is a parent supervised indoor play area for children up to age seven. It’s located in the West End Shopping Center in Farragut. There is a soft play area that includes a large netted play structure and various soft play toys on foam flooring. Daily passes range from $15.00 to $20.00. There is one free adult with every paying child. Additional children are $10.00. Memberships and play passes are available. Gripper socks are required to play. The socks are available for purchase for $3.00 per pair. Poppets is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Friday to Saturday 8:30am to 2:30pm.

Maryville’s Play Station: Located inside Foothills Mall in front of Verizon. A day pass is $12.00 per child. Parent and Me classes are also offered. Those classes are free with the purchase of a day pass or membership. Open Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 8:00pm and hours vary on Saturdays.

Onsight Rock Gym: Adult (Ages 13+) Day Pass $20.00, Youth Day Pass (Ages 6-12) $18, Tot Day Pass (Ages 5 & under) $10.00. Weekdays 11:00am to 10:00pm, Saturday 10:00am to 8:00pm and Sunday 10:00am to 6:00pm.

The Climbing Center: Adult Day Package $25.00, Student Day Package $23.00. Open Monday through Friday from 12:00pm to 9:00pm. Saturdays 12:00pm to 7:00pm and Sundays 12:00pm to 6:00pm. See website for more details.

The Ice Chalet: Public skate admission $7.50. Skate Rental $7.50. Ages five and under $7.50 total. Spectator fee $5.50. Check website for latest public skate hours.

Knoxville Ice Bears: Take the family to watch a hockey game! Tickets as low as $9.00. Check website for schedule and tickets.

Chuck E Cheese: Admission is free. Games are one token each. Check website for times and location as well as coupons for pizza and token combos.

Summit Sports Training Center (Lenoir City): Open gym and Nerf battles. Cost is $10.00 per child. For the latest schedule, visit the Summit Sports Training Center Facebook page.

Tataru’s Gymnastics: Open play admission is $10.00 for one hour, $15 for two hours, $20 for 3 hours. Parents Night Out is $10.00 for one hour, $15 for two hours, $20 for 3 hours, and pizza can be added for $5.00. Open gym is Monday from 9:00am-2:00pm, Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00am-12:00pm and Saturday hours vary. For the latest information, visit the Tataru’s Facebook page

Tennessee Elite Gymnastics (Lenoir City): Open gym is held Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 12:00pm and 7:00pm to 8:00pm, Fridays 7:00pm to 8:00pm and Saturday 9:00am to 12:00pm. The cost is $12.00 a child for one hour. A free tummy time class is also offered every Wednesday from 9:30am to 11:30am.

Family Bowl Strike and Spare: Game rates Monday to Friday 11:00am to 6:00pm $4.50, Sunday to Thursday 6:00pm to close $5.40, Friday to Sunday 5:00pm to close $5.95. Shoe rental: $4.50 plus tax.

Oak Ridge Bowling Center: Monday through Thursday $3.00 game per person all day. Fridays and Saturdays are $3.00 until 6:30pm. Cosmic bowling Friday and Saturday from 1 7:00pm to 12:00am. Three games plus shoes is $15.00. Addiitonal james are $4.00 per person after cosmic purchase. Shoe rentals are $3.25 per person every day.

Maryville Roll Arena Party Zone: Admission is $6.00 to $14.00. Skate Rental: $3.00.
Hours: Tuesday 1:00pm-4:00pm & 6:30pm-9:00pm, Friday 7:00pm-10:00pm, Saturday 2:00pm-6:30pm & 7:00pm-10:00pm and Sunday 1:00pm-5:00pm.


Museums, Stores & Movies

Muse Knoxville: Designed for ages 1-12 (all ages welcome). Admission $12.00. Seniors 65+, Teachers and military with ID are $6.00. Babies 12 months and under are free. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. See website for current updates and changes.

American Museum of Science and Energy (Oak Ridge): $10.00 adults, $5.00 Youth (6–17 yrs old) & Seniors 65+ and Children 5 and under are FREE. Monday-Saturday: 9:00am 5:00pm; Sundays 1:005:00pm. Museum open daily except Christmas Eve, Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge: Adults $10.00, Children 3-17 $8.00. Children under two are free. Open Monday through Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm. Open Sunday 1:00pm to 4:00pm. 

Museum of Appalachia (Norris/Clinton exit): Adults (18-64): $20.00, Children (6-17) $10.00, Children (under 6) with a parent are free. Family rate (2 adults and up to six children ages 6-17) $50.00. Hours depend on seasons and special events. Click here for the latest.

Museum of East Tennessee History: Admission is $10.00 for adults, $8.00 for seniors 55 & over, and FREE for children 16 and under. ETHS Members always receive FREE admission. Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm, Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm and Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Smart Toys and Books:  Call (865) 394-6060 to book sessions at the indoor playground. The cost is $10.00 for the first child and $7.00 for one additional child. No charge for children under two with paid sibling. Socks must be worn at all times. Socks are available for purchase for $3.49. A waiver must be filled out in advance to play on the playground. You can find it here. The open play schedule is Monday through Friday 10:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-3:00pm and 4:00pm-6:00pm. The Saturday open play schedule varies.

Sunsphere: Open Monday to Friday 10:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm to 4:00pm. Adults and children over age 12 are $10.00 per person. Children 12 and under are $5.00. Veterans receive $1.00 off regular admission, but only if purchased in person. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.

Do you have a favorite indoor family activity location we’ve missed? Share with us in the comments and we’ll be sure to add it!