Things to do with kids in Boca Raton: Sugar Sand Park's playgrounds and carousel, the free Science Explorium, splash pads, free library story times and rainy-day picks.

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. Facts come from the City of Boca Raton’s Fall 2026 Recreator (PDF), which lists every city park and facility, and the park pages linked below. Hours can change on holidays.

Boca Raton’s best-known family spot is Sugar Sand Park on South Military Trail, which packs playgrounds, a carousel, a splash pad, the free Children’s Science Explorium and a 155-seat children’s theater into one park. Around the city there are more splash pads, sea turtles at Gumbo Limbo, beach parks with playgrounds and free story times at both public libraries.

Who to call

  • Sugar Sand Park Community Center: 300 S. Military Trail, 561-347-3900
  • Children’s Science Explorium: 561-347-3912
  • Gumbo Limbo Nature Center: 561-544-8605
  • Program registration: the city’s Webtrac portal

Sugar Sand Park

300 S. Military Trail. Open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday (8 p.m. in daylight saving time). The park has playgrounds, a carousel, a splash pad, a bike trail, walking trails, basketball courts, picnic pavilions and restrooms, with plenty of parking.

  • Children’s Science Explorium: a free hands-on science center for ages 5 to 12 and their caregivers, with interactive exhibits and traveling exhibits each year. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Explorium). Free drop-in demonstrations run at 3:30 p.m. one weekend a month for ages 7 and up (Nov. 21-22 and Dec. 19-20, 2026).
  • Willow Theatre: the city’s 155-seat theater, with children’s shows such as “House at Pooh Corner” (Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026) and “Muttville Comix” (Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027). Box office noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
  • Community Center: classes, camps and the Tot Time indoor playroom (toys, bubbles, costumes, crafts and snacks) for ages 1 to 4, 10 a.m. to noon on select Tuesdays; $5 a child, adults free.

Splash pads and pools

Where Address What
Sugar Sand Park 300 S. Military Trail Splash pad and playgrounds
Patch Reef Park 2000 W. Yamato Road Splash pad and accessible playground
Wildflower Park 551 E. Palmetto Park Road Splash pad, Intracoastal views, art swings
The Swim Center 21626 St. Andrews Blvd. Kiddie pool, splash pad, heated six-lane pool
Meadows Park Pool 1300 NW Eighth St. Eight-lane pool and diving boards

Wildflower Park is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and has free community programs (Wildflower Park). Pool and summer schedules are on our summer camps and pools page.

Nature and the beach

  • Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N. Ocean Blvd.: aquariums, a butterfly garden, a boardwalk and a 40-foot tower with a ramp. Nature center 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and noon to 4 p.m. Monday; boardwalk 7 a.m. to sunset (Gumbo Limbo).
  • Beach parks with playgrounds: Red Reef Park (1400 N. Ocean Blvd., with snorkel areas), Spanish River Park (3001 N. Ocean Blvd.) and the South Beach Park Pavilion. Beach parks need a city permit or a daily parking fee (beach permits).
  • James A. Rutherford Park, 600 NE 24th St.: a boardwalk, walking trail, playground and canoe and kayak rentals.
  • North Park Traffic Garden, Jeffrey Street west of NW Second Avenue: a small streetscape where kids learn traffic rules and signals.

Playgrounds around the city

Neighborhood parks with playgrounds include Boca Isles Park, Boca Tierra Park, George Snow Park, Hidden Lake Park, Hughes Park, Meadows Park, Pine Breeze Park, Sand Pine Park, University Woodlands Park and Yale Newman Park, all listed with addresses in the city’s Fall Recreator. See our parks and trails guide for more.

Story times and the library

Both city libraries, Downtown (400 NW Second Ave.) and Spanish River (1501 NW Spanish River Blvd.), are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

  • Drop-in Family Storytime, ages 0 to 5: 10 to 10:30 a.m. Thursdays and Saturdays through Dec. 31, 2026, at both libraries; no class Nov. 26 or Dec. 25. Free, no registration.
  • Special story times (bedtime, puppets, bilingual Creole and English, themed sessions) are free but most need registration through the city.

Rainy-day picks

  1. The Children’s Science Explorium (free).
  2. A library story time or a book club.
  3. Tot Time at Sugar Sand Park Community Center for toddlers.
  4. A children’s show at the Willow Theatre.

Days off school

Palm Beach County schools are out Nov. 11, Nov. 23-27 and Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. The city runs Great Escape Days at the Explorium on Nov. 11 and Nov. 24 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m., ages 6 to 12) and surf school at Red Reef Park on several days off; see the Fall Recreator and our schools guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Science Explorium free? Yes, for ages 5 to 12 and their caregivers.

Where are the splash pads? Sugar Sand Park, Patch Reef Park, Wildflower Park and the Swim Center.

When are free story times? 10 a.m. Thursdays and Saturdays at both libraries, ages 0 to 5.

What can kids do on a rainy day? The Explorium, the libraries, Tot Time and the Willow Theatre.

Can kids see sea turtles? Yes, at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

What this means for you

  • Start at Sugar Sand Park: most of the city’s indoor and outdoor kids’ options are in one place.
  • Budget for beach parking; the playgrounds at Red Reef and Spanish River sit inside paid beach parks.
  • Register early for themed story times and holiday programs.

Related: Halloween events, summer camps and pools, free things to do and walking and biking trails.