Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and Around Fairfield County - 2020

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo:
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo creates wonderfully wild experiences for children and families all year 'round. Connecticut's only zoo, celebrating its 98th anniversary this year, features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Guests won't want to miss our critically endangered Amur tigers and leopards, and Mexican and red wolves. Other highlights include the new Farmyard, Spider monkey habitat, the prairie dog exhibit, plus the Pampas Plains featuring maned wolves, Chacoan peccaries and Giant anteaters. Guests must buy tickets in advance at www.beardsleyzoo.org, and bring and wear a mask. Children under two do not need masks. For more information, visit beardsleyzoo.org.

Rockin' Jump is the Ultimate Trampoline Park featuring Aerial Silks, Trapeze, Warrior Course, Warped Wall, Rock Climbing Wall and of course Trampolines.  Great for parties, group events, field trips, fundraisers and quality time with friends and family.  Book your next birthday party with at Rockin' Jump and let us do all the work for you! Have fun while exercising at Rockin' Jump! 

The nationally recognized aquarium focuses on the fascinating marine life in Long Island Sound and its watershed, including prowling sharks, curious seals, rambunctious river otters, stately sea turtles, pulsing jellyfish and thousands of other animals. The Aquarium also offers: educational programs, including public study cruises out onto the Sound; changing special exhibits; and Connecticut's largest IMAX movie theater, with a screen that’s six stories tall! The not-for-profit attraction is the centerpiece of the popular South Norwalk (or “SoNo”) neighborhood, with fun shops, nightclubs and restaurants.

At Pump It Up, it is our mission to throw the best birthday party on the planet! From giant inflatables to 100% private arenas and party rooms, to smile-inducing arena experiences, it’ll be the party everyone is talking about. Plus, our dedicated team members will do it all for you, from set up to clean up, and everything in between! Book your party online today! Our huge inflatable indoor playgrounds make every day feel like your birthday. Check out our Events Calendar to find out all the ways your kids can come unleash the fun, from open jump to camp, at the best play place for kids around.

At Stepping Stones Museum for Children, the hands-on exhibits and educational programs engage, inspire and delight every child — as well as countless parents and caregivers.

Of course, the libraries in the Fairfield County area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them #3 in best places to take kids this year!

As New England’s hands-on aquarium, Mystic Aquarium offers guests a variety of up-close encounters with a wide range of marine animals, including endangered African penguins and New England’s only beluga whales. Dive below the sunlit seas in Titanic – 12,450 Feet Below, the aquarium’s newest exhibit full of captivating imagery, breathtaking recreations, emotional soundscapes, hands-on activities and thrilling entertainment that transport you to the moment and inspire your course for exploration and discovery.

Pantochino Productions Inc. is Connecticut's 'ridiculously entertaining,' professional not for profit theatre for family audiences. Founded in 2010, our mission is to entertain, engage and enrich young audiences and their families with an array of original, affordable, professional entertainment experiences, and provide positive, nurturing training to young actors. In addition to original musicals, the company boasts a wildly popular Summer Theatre Camp, a Teen Theatre program, After School Drama Clubs, Masterclasses, Musical Podcasts and a Cabaret series. The company performs at the MAC, Milford Arts Council with studios located in the Connecticut Post Mall.

Celebrating its 174th season, Lake Compounce is the Premier Family Theme Park & Water Park in New England and the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America. What makes us the best amusement park in Connecticut for family-friendly fun and excitement? We're home to the top-rated wooden roller coaster in the world, Boulder Dash, as well as the best water park in Connecticut!
Enjoy our classic rides, thrilling coasters, and several attractions you won't find anywhere else in New England. Lake Compounce is your family's destination for special events, family dining options, and a whole season of fun!

The Adventure Park’s 13 “treetop trails” consist of about 200 platforms installed in the trees and connected by various configurations of cable, wood, and rope to form “crossings” of different kinds including the ever-popular zip lines.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity, lifelong learning, and inspiration. We seek to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, promote environmental stewardship, and nurture an appreciation for learning through exhibitions, education programs, and special events that enhance every visitor’s experience of our unique site.

Quassy Amusement Park, is an amusement and waterpark in Middlebury, Connecticut, USA. It has 20 rides on its 20 acres. Quassy is considered "one of the last of the old-time trolley parks." In addition to a variety of fun-filled classic and newer theme park rides, Quassy also has Splash Away Bay waterpark for the whole family to enjoy. We specialize in catering private parties for school, church, camp, sporting & corporate events and birthday parties.

The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat has outdoor adventures for the whole family including train and boat excursions along the Connecticut River, Pirate Adventures, Murder Mysteries, Private Parties, Pumpkin Patch Trains, Elf Academy, North Pole Express, and more! Their mission is to keep alive the rich mechanical, industrial, and transportation heritage of our state through the continual operation of vintage steam and diesel locomotives and passenger coaches. New for 2020: Pedal a Rail-Bike on a round trip adventure over easy terrain with stunning scenery along the CT River! 4, 6 and 9.5 miles excursions are on sale now!

A natural history museum at Yale University, advancing our understanding of earth’s history through geological, biological and anthropological research, and by communicating the results of this research to the widest possible audience through publication, exhibition and educational programs. From mummies and mastodons to dinosaurs and diamonds, there's something fascinating around every corner of the Peabody. Note: A major renovation is closing the museum to the public for a time starting July 2020. Please check their web site for updates.

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo:
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo creates wonderfully wild experiences for children and families all year 'round. Connecticut's only zoo, celebrating its 98th anniversary this year, features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Guests won't want to miss our critically endangered Amur tigers and leopards, and Mexican and red wolves. Other highlights include the new Farmyard, Spider monkey habitat, the prairie dog exhibit, plus the Pampas Plains featuring maned wolves, Chacoan peccaries and Giant anteaters. Guests must buy tickets in advance at www.beardsleyzoo.org, and bring and wear a mask. Children under two do not need masks. For more information, visit beardsleyzoo.org.

Pantochino Productions Inc. is Connecticut's 'ridiculously entertaining,' professional not for profit theatre for family audiences. Founded in 2010, our mission is to entertain, engage and enrich young audiences and their families with an array of original, affordable, professional entertainment experiences, and provide positive, nurturing training to young actors. In addition to original musicals, the company boasts a wildly popular Summer Theatre Camp, a Teen Theatre program, After School Drama Clubs, Masterclasses, Musical Podcasts and a Cabaret series. The company performs at the MAC, Milford Arts Council with studios located in the Connecticut Post Mall.

Dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction.

It is the mission of ROCKWELL DANCE CENTER to provide each student with a creative and inspiring dance education. We feel it is imperative that every dancer be given a strong, technical foundation by utilizing proper terminology, training and anatomical understanding. RDC encourages artistry in a supportive and nurturing environment; we believe in recognizing and appreciating the individual strengths of each dancer