Traveling with a preschooler can be at times difficult, but luckily there is a lot for them to enjoy in Fort Wayne. If you’re looking to make a visit to Fort Wayne with your family, we’ve got a list of interactive activities to do with your active preschooler in every season!

Children petting stingrays at the Stingray Bay exhibit at Fort Wayne's Children's Zoo in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Things to Do Any Time of Year in Fort Wayne with Your Preschool

Summer

Summer is when full vacation mode begins, and you may want some fun activities to do with your preschooler on a getaway weekend.

1. You still can enjoy some of the great Fort Wayne parks like Lawton Park, Buckner Park, Taylor’s Dream park, and of course the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, but you’ll also be able to cool off in one of the many splash pads.

2. Bring your preschooler to Fort Wayne, to enjoy some of our great festivals! From great food and fun family activities, there will be plenty for your preschooler to explore.

3. Take a visit to Promenade Park for adventures along Fort Wayne's riverfront!

4. Plus, there are always fun events like a TinCaps Baseball game. Discover Fort Wayne's Calendar of Events.

Chalk Walk - Three Rivers Festival 2016 - Fort Wayne, IN

Any Time of Year

Enjoy these fun activities with your preschooler any time of year or during the winter months!

1. The downtown Library is a great destination to read a few books in the cool treehouse, plus there are plenty of fun storytimes and other programs visitors can enjoy! Make sure to check out the other library branches to see their full list of events, too.

2. Science Central is a great place for your preschooler to discover science while enjoying many interactive activities. From hands-on sand and water tables to the Science on a Sphere, you could spend a whole afternoon enjoying hands-on, interactive entertainment, which is especially helpful during the winter!

3. Explore three indoor activities all year-round at the Botanical Conservatory! With new exhibits four times a year, there is plenty to discover at the Botanical Conservatory. Especially in the winter when their showcase exhibit garden becomes an oasis for young children to play and discover! Take your little one here for an afternoon scavenger hunt, will you be able to find the chocolate tree?

4. Although fine art may not scream kid-friendly, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art has colorful, eye-catching, educational exhibits. Check and see what's on display during your visit, as some exhibits are great for young ones!

5. If you’re looking for an indoor activity where you can rest and let your preschooler run around, make a stop at the Jefferson Pointe play area or Glenbrook Square play area. Both play areas are situated in two destination malls and provide the perfect opportunity for you to rest after shopping!

6. Grab your bowling shoes and hit the lanes at Crazy Pinz, but that’s not all! You can also enjoy an indoor play area, mini-golf course, and arcade with your family! Or, discover many other family entertainment facilities including Jungle George's.

7. Take a skate around the SportONE/Parkview Icehouse Friday, Saturday, or Sundays during their public skate times, or let your preschooler burn off some energy at Bounce Mania located inside the Icehouse, which is open during select hours on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

8. In the winter, there are also fun festivals and events that are great to explore and enjoy with your preschoolers like signature HolidayFest events – the Festival of Gingerbread and the Festival of Trees. Or bundle up for winter fun with Winterval in January and Weather the Fort in February.

Make sure you visit the Visit Fort Wayne Calendar of Events for a current list of events in town during your getaway!

Fall

Whether you want to enjoy the outdoor fall foliage or have a fun afternoon inside, there’s plenty to do in Fort Wayne with preschoolers in Fall.

1. Enjoy an afternoon at the Lawton Park playground, Buckner Park, or Taylor’s Dream at Kreager park, which all feature awesome playsets and opportunities for preschoolers to burn some energy.

2. Stroll through the beautiful Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.

3. Go on a nature walk at Eagle Marsh or Fox Island, or find additional scenic walks on our Fort Wayne Outdoor Pass.

4. Try your hand at mini golf at Putt Putt Fun Center while the weather is still pleasant.

5. Find the great pumpkin or apple at some of the fun fall harvest activities in Fort Wayne!

6. Enjoy a fun fall festival like Kuehnert Dairy Fall Festival where you can learn about cows, get lost in a corn maze, or play in a haystack!

7. Explore all of Fort Wayne's fall activities with the Fort Wayne Apple Trail - not all items on the trail are preschooler friendly, but there are some fun hidden gems for you and your little ones to explore.

8. Learn some history and enjoy the fall weather at an annual favorite, the Johnny Appleseed Festival! The children's area of the festival includes games, mazes, and hands-on craft activities. 

Botanical Conservatory Live Butterfly Exhibit

Spring

Pass those winter blues away with your preschooler at some special spring activities in Fort Wayne! You will be able to enjoy many of the same events that are available in Fall, plus some other Spring events!

The Live Butterfly Exhibit at the Botanical Conservatory is always a spring highlight for the whole family. You can step into the butterfly tent and be surrounded by beautiful butterflies flying all around you — one may even land on you!

Spring is also a great time to return to the outdoors, with the opening of the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo and return of TinCaps baseball!

Kick off a great start to summer with fun spring events like the Fort4Fitness Spring Cycle, which offers a family cycle route. Plus, the Fort Wayne Youtheatre offers fun, themed performances perfect for the whole family.

Printable PDF - Visit Fort Wayne

*This post was originally published May 2018 and has been updated and reformatted. Updated February 2022.