The Best Weekly Classes and Open Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers in Tampa Bay
Tampa has changed and grown so much over the past few years of raising my daughters (ages 2 & 4). By now there are a TON of new options for toddlers since the end of the Covid/lockdown era and our littles are loving all the new playtime offerings. From long-time Tampa favorites like Carrollwood’s Little Play Place, to new favorites like The Rock, we’ve got something fun for you and your littles to do.
This list is organized into the following categories:
- Weekly Classes with a commitment
- Open Play with no commitment
- Regular Events by Day of the Week
- Best Places to Take your Toddler Shopping in Tampa
TAMPA’S BEST WEEKLY TODDLER CLASSES:
Looking for a weekly toddler class to help get the wiggles out? There are plenty! Although we’re still sad about losing The Sunflower Patch, we’re loving the tot-tailored gyms we’ve tried out lately, which are an especially nice option to consider planning during the witching hour – just throwing that out there! These are our Go-To’s for planning our weekly calendar with fun things to look forward to.
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Allisongs for Tots, South Tampa
Toddlers and preschoolers love making music together at Allisongs for Tots in Hyde Park Village. Bang drums, shake tambourines and wave scarves together with your little one at one of their classes for Babies (under 1 year), Mixed Ages (babies to age 5) and Masters (ages 3-7).
Classes are tons of fun and beginning this Fall will now include all original songs by Ms. Alli, marking a departure from years of using Music Together song books. Also new in 2024 is their Tiny Tunes piano lessons for kids ages 3.5/5 years.
Tuition is $300 for an 8-week long session (siblings 1 year and under are free), which include a songbook to keep, one in-person class plus one video-class to enjoy at home per week. Classes are indoors and super clean (thank you, Ms. Alli!) and there’s even the option to purchase only the online video portion of the class if you’re remote.
Baby Bungalow, South Tampa
Join a weekly playgroup based on your toddler’s age at Baby Bungalow in South Tampa. Classes and workshops are designed to engage your toddler while you learn alongside them and other caregivers while also gaining access to valuable parenting resources, developmental screenings, and community.
Classes are Free (funded by The Children’s Board) with the opportunity to contribute to fees if you’re able to. Check their website for registration windows and dates.
KidStrong, South Tampa
These 45-minute weekly classes on Gandy Blvd. are almost as fun for parents to watch as they are for kids to take part in. The perfect blend of character, strength and confidence building, kids work on everything from agility and balance to handshakes and public speaking.
In the end, kids had a complete blast and love standing on the winner’s podium getting recognition for their hard work.
Offering free trial classes, memberships are on the pricier side, but parents are swearing by this place and our girls had a complete blast (despite having to shake off some early jitters). Classes are morning or afternoon for littles as soon as they’re able to walk up to 11 years old.
Learn and Play Tampa Bay
You can earn a yearlong membership to Glazer Children’s Museum through this awesome program designed to help families find community over a 10-week period. Enjoy bilingual songs, stories, and play, provided FREE of charge through funding by The Children’s Board.
These 10-week in-person sessions are held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday through Fridays at various locations around Tampa Bay. Enrollment for the upcoming Fall program will open again in September, 2024.
The Florida Aquarium AquaTots Program, Tampa
The aquarium is your toddler’s classroom at the weekly AquaTots classes at the Florida Aquarium. Designed for kids ages 3 through 5 with interactive games and engaging activities classes are offered every Wednesday from 10-11am.
Each class is $15 per 1 adult and 1 child and does not include the cost of Aquarium admission.
Yellow Bird Studio, locations in South Tampa & North Tampa
Yellow Bird Studio is a charming little art studio tucked away on S. West Shore Blvd. just north of El Prado (there’s a North/Gunn Hwy location as well). With its signature yellow canary to greet you, the meticulously organized space is home to Little Art and Play, plus Mini Art Lab classes for toddlers.
We love the freedom to explore the different stations throughout the studio and it’s great there’s a playroom as well, since we’ve all parented *those* days where participation is well, tough.
Toddler options at Yellow Bird include: Monday Mini Art Lab (kids ages 3-5), beginning August 19, 2024 at 1:30pm ($125 for 4 weeks) and Little Art and Play (ages 2-5), every Thursday beginning August 22 from 10-11:15am.
Dance & Ballet Classes for Toddlers in Tampa
There are a handful of established kids dance and ballet programs around Tampa Bay for kids as young as 2. In South Tampa the most popular include Ms. Lisa’s Dance and Dancebox. In Seminole Heights, New Heights Dance Academy is a newer studio that offers super cute classes for tots ages 2+.
The Patel Conservatory, New Level Dance Company, Karl & DiMarco’s South and Brucie Klay’s all begin their youth classes at age 3.
Up north in Carrollwood, Mary Jo’s Performing Arts Academy or Karl & DiMarco’s North are the easy go-to picks.
OPEN PLAY & DROP-IN CLASSES FOR PRESCHOOLERS IN TAMPA:
Need to get out of the house for an hour? Skip the typical trip to Target where you’ll buy a ton of stuff you don’t need and check out our top picks for avoiding total home meltdowns. These places all have flexible drop-in and membership options and are great options to look at when planning a birthday party as well.
Altitude Trampoline Park, Tampa
Get the wiggles out at Altitude Trampoline Park during their weekday Junior Jumpers program for kids 6 and under. Little kids can jump to their hearts delight in the Kids Court made just for them. Summer specials and memberships available, plus jump for half-price on Wednesdays from 3pm to close!
Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park, Lutz
Take advantage of the Toddler Pass from Flying Squirrel for children 6 years and under. Your Toddler Pass gets you a 10-hours of jumping to use within 1 year. Otherwise, for kids 6 and under its $14 for 60 minutes of jump time, $19 for 90 minutes, or $25 for 120 minutes.
Little Explorers, Palm Harbor
Little Explorers is an adorable education-based indoor play area in Palm Harbor that was started by a local mom and former educator. They offer daily open play sessions that include 60 minutes of open play and a 30-minute playful learning class for $20.95 for the first child ($13.95 for the second kid; babies are free).
Weekly playgroups by age are also available including the Terrific TWO’s, Tuesdays at 9:00am, Thriving THREE’s, Fridays at 10:45am, and the Explore More for 4-6 year olds, Thursdays at 12:45pm. Open play on Saturdays is from 9-11am. Registration and socks are required.
Little Play Place, North Tampa
Little Play Place in Carrollwood is an adorable spot where kids can use their imaginations to dream big and play Montessori-style. Each room is a different theme to explore, from working at a cafe, to a beauty salon, being a construction worker or a doctor, the spaces are super clean and contained and don’t overwhelm.
They offer play sessions Tuesdays-Sundays at 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. Reservations are recommended to ensure you have a spot.
Playgrounds of Tampa, South Tampa
Tampa’s Indoor Playground got a redesign a couple of years ago greatly improving the parent experience much to our relief. They split up the areas into more defined spaces, each with plenty of comfy chairs for watchers. There’s an arcade area with prize redemption, an area for littles, a small café and of course their signature extravagant bounce houses with a cool new crawl-over bridge.
Memberships and party rooms are available. Open play during the week is 9am to 7pm and then Fri-Sun 9am to 5pm. They’re closed on Wednesdays usually, but check their schedule since they have different summer hours.
The Rock Athletics of Tampa
The Rock is a batting cage and youth movement studio geared towards empowering kids and building confidence. They offer drop-in classes and reasonably-priced memberships for toddlers through 5th grade with classes for children as young as 20 months.
There are 4 youth programs to choose from depending on your child’s age and abilities, plus an Open Gym and even a Rock n Flow yoga class for kids. Open Gym (“Rock ‘n Play”) is $10 per child for 60 minutes and includes ~15 minutes of active group learning focused on early childhood development principles and includes – the beloved parachute!
Sign up for their newsletters to get in the loop for their Fall class schedules which are in the works.
Toddler Time & Story Time at the Library, Hillsborough County
There’s a Story Time every day of the week at Hillsborough County Public Libraries, and a Toddler Time (for ages 18-36 months) offered weekdays Monday – Thursdays as early as 10:15am. Times and days of the week vary by location so be sure to get familiar with your branch’s schedule. Almost every branch in the Tampa Bay area offers some sort of programming for toddlers like story time, crafting, puppet shows and more.
There’s a capacity of 15-20 children per session so get there early since tickets are first-come, first-served. Pick them up 15 minutes prior to the event.
We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym, Brandon & Clearwater
Take your busy tot to open play at We Rock the Spectrum, a sensory-safe gym for children of all abilities. Featuring therapy equipment, an arts & crafts area, and a calming room, kids can also jump, swing and zip down a zip line.
Open play hours are on weekdays beginning at 9 or 10am, but check their Facebook page for the most current schedule. Kids ages 1-12 are $14 per person, with a $2 discount for siblings; Memberships and class-packs are available. Socks are required; no shoes in the gym.
The Salt Room, Kids Room, South Tampa
A hidden gem playroom in South Tampa – whether your Little One suffers from allergies or respiratory issues – or not – take your kiddo to a session at The Salt Room and they’re sure to have a blast while reaping the health benefits of salt.
The floor of the room is covered in huge salt crystals which my girls love playing with, meanwhile salty air is being pumped into the room, so be aware that you will leave covered in a layer of salt… but if you aren’t bothered by that, you’ll truly enjoy watching your toddler play in the super fun room featuring a pretend campfire setup, kitchen, puzzles and more.
Book ahead on the app or call to reserve your 60-minute session, available every hour on the hour. $20 for the first child, $10 each additional sibling.
REGULAR EVENTS FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND TODDLERS IN TAMPA BY DAY OF THE WEEK:
If you’ve got a free day coming up and want to make the most of it with your preschooler, consider signing up for one of these great regular events to try or learn something new. Need an excuse to go explore the St. Pete Pier? Plan a day around the Tampa Bay Watch’s adorable Bay Babies program every first Saturday of the month and learn about a new sea creature! Does your little have a big heart and love animals? Plan the next Tuesday or Thursday Humane Society Pets and Tots Storytime! Keep on reading for more fun ideas by day of the week.
Tuesday Events for Toddlers:
- ZooTampa’s Toddler Tuesdays: Members can explore a new letter of the alphabet each month and learn how it fits into the animal kingdom every second Tuesday of the month from 10-10:30am Toddler Tuesdays at ZooTampa, which is best for children ages 2-6. It’s free for members, just show your Zoo Membership card at Saunders Pavilion at least 10 minutes before start time.
- Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Pets and Tots: Enjoy story time and hands-on activities while visiting with furry friends at Pets & Tots. The class is offered once a month on either Tuesday or Thursday from 10:30-11:30am. Kids up to 4 years old are welcome and the cost is $20 for the first child and $5 for each additional child.
Wednesday Events for Toddlers:
- The Florida Aquarium AquaTots Program: The aquarium is your toddler’s classroom at the weekly AquaTots classes at the Florida Aquarium. Designed for kids ages 3 through 5 with interactive games and engaging activities classes are offered every Wednesday from 10-11am. Each class is $15 per 1 adult and 1 child and does not include the cost of Aquarium admission.
Thursday Events for Toddlers:
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Pre-K Pod Pals: Members and non-members can take advantage of this fun program for kids every first Thursday of the month from 10:30-11:15am at CMA, which is best for ages 3-5 years old. The cost is $10 per child and $5 per adult, and you can Add-on Aquarium Admission for $4.95 per person by calling 727-441-1790 x 2262 at least 24 hours in advance; Parking fee is not included.
- Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s Pets and Tots: Enjoy story time and hands-on activities while visiting with furry friends at Pets & Tots. The class is offered once a month on either Tuesday or Thursday from 10:30-11:30am. Kids up to 4 years old are welcome and the cost is $20 for the first child and $5 for each additional child.
Friday Events for Toddlers:
Know of a great event to go here? Email zoe@tbparenting.com!
Saturday Events for Toddlers:
- Tampa Bay Watch Bay Babies Program: Head to the St. Pete Pier every first Saturday of the month beginning September 7 at 11am for a really cool marine science program for our littlest marine explorers, aged 3-6. Including crafts and animal interactions, it’s $10 per child and free for siblings under 2 years.The Tampa Bay Watch Center is mid-way to the end of the Pier which is a good walk but there’s a tram you can take. We love exploring the wildlife in the Tampa Bay Watch Center, walking out for the view at the end of the Pier, and then spending time at the Pier’s stellar playground and splash pad.
Sunday Events for Toddlers:
- Family Day at Cage Brewing: Head over to Cage Brewing in St. Petersburg every last Sunday of the month for their fun Family Day featuring live music from Mr. Harley, face painting, games and pizza in their huge lawn that has plenty of room for activities. Lacking in space, though, is the parking lot, so be prepared to walk some, or ride your bikes there instead.
Where are the Best Places to Shop with your Toddler in Tampa Bay?
The summers here in Tampa are long and sometimes the only way to beat the heat is to escape inside a nice cool mall for some retail therapy. Whenever I have to pick something up with either of my girls in tow, I try to plan in some play time around where I’m going.
International Mall has a nice little indoor playground that makes for an easy pit stop shopping, and you can follow it up with lunch at California Pizza Kitchen where kiddos can make their own pizzas. Barnes & Noble is another family-favorite where we can easily spend an hour perusing all the books and fun kid stuff.
If your kids love riding escalators like mine do take them to Ikea Tampa, where they can play like Corduroy the Bear trying out all the beds and office furniture. After they’re done, treat yourself to some yummy mac ‘n cheese or a Swedish meatball lunch in the cafeteria which is another fun experience for kids.
If you sign up for Ikea Family (which is free) parents can even get a free coffee to shop with, plus they have rotating “kids eat free” deals, score!
Photos by Zoe Joiner.