5 Things To Do In Orlando With Toddlers

Traveling anywhere with young children is an adventure, but visiting Orlando with toddlers can be downright overwhelming. Home of Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park, SeaWorld and Universal Orlando Resort, the city welcomes more than 60 million visitors of all ages per year from around the world. All those wide-eyed vacationers have expectations as high as a fairy-tale castle. But joining in on the action with a toddler in tow doesn’t have to be stressful. Orlando is chock-full of things to do inside and outside the park gates that will be fun for the whole family.

Be one with science

Give your toddler a peek into the world of science at the Orlando Science Center. Children can navigate various exhibitions, such as Dino Digs, where they uncover “fossils” in the dig pit while playing the role of scientists. There’s even an exhibit where budding engineers can construct a bridge and build a boat using LEGO bricks. Kids under three will especially feel at home in the permanent KidsTown exhibit, which includes an interactive Toddler Town area.

Get colorful

At the Crayola Experience at the Florida Mall, your little one can participate in a variety of activities in the Toddler Town area, including having fun with a giant ball maze and creating shapes and colors on a big pegboard. Plan on spending a few hours navigating the entire place, as there are activities for kiddos throughout.

Play and romp for free

Let your toddler experience marine animals at SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium.

At many Orlando area amusement parks (LEGOLAND’s DUPLO Valley, Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando), kids ages 3 and under get in free. This means your 18-month-old can ride “it’s a small world” over and over at no additional cost. SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium offers a Toddler Time program on Tuesdays where children two and under get to participate in age-appropriate activities—for example, they can take an aquarium tour, interact with sea animals and participate in a sing-along—for free.

Get wet

You may be an hour’s drive from the beach, but don’t let that stop you and your family from getting some sand and sun time. At Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, young kids can fill up buckets of sand and create their very own sandcastle. Need to wash off? Make a stop at Ketchakiddee Creek where kiddos under four feet tall can run in and out of a waterfall, coast down scaled-down slides, and enjoy a mini inner-tube ride at this themed water park.

Take a break from the parks

It’s okay if your toddler gets a little messy during a meal at The Polite Pig.

If you just aren’t ready to tackle an amusement park with a toddler in tow, consider spending a half day at Disney Springs. Full of shops, dining and entertainment, this area gives you a dose of the parks without the long lines. Plan for lunch at the Polite Pig, a casual, kid-friendly barbecue joint. Afterward, hit the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM for a sweet treat. Then take a stroll; you just might run into a favorite character or two before heading back to your Orlando hotel!