Looking for kids activities in Merced this week? November 2 to 8, 2026 brings seven verified picks for kids and teens across Merced County: free Tiny Tales storytimes at the Merced, Atwater, and Livingston libraries, a free storytime at the Mariposa County Library, three free teen library programs, the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County after-school program, Applegate Park Zoo, Kids Discovery Station, and Castle Air Museum in Atwater. Every pick is real, verified against an official program page, and open to everyone.
November opens the post-Halloween calendar with the steady weekly programs families can count on: library storytimes, teen makerspaces and clubs, after-school recreation, and year-round museums and the zoo. All seven picks below list their organizer, age range, date, time, and cost as published. Dates and times were confirmed this week; it is always worth a quick check of the linked official page before you head out, since library and museum hours can change.
Free Library Storytimes for Kids in Merced County
Four Merced County Library branches and the Mariposa County Library run free weekly storytimes this week, each on its own day and time. All are open to families, free to attend, and geared to young children with a caregiver, with no registration mentioned on the official calendars.
Tiny Tales @ Merced Main Library, Friday November 6
The Merced County Library calendar lists Tiny Tales at the Merced Main Library (2100 O Street, Gracey Room) on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 AM, with story time from 10:30 to 11:00 and a craft from 11:00 to 11:30. The program is for children ages 3 to 6 with a caregiver, and it is free. Friday, November 6 is a regular date on that weekly schedule.
Tiny Tales @ Atwater Library, Wednesday November 4
The Atwater branch of the Merced County Library (1600 Third Street) holds Tiny Tales on Wednesdays at 10:30 AM, a storytime with picture books, fingerplays, and music for ages 3 to 6. Wednesday, November 4 is the regular date this week, and the program is free. The branch also runs Wiggle & Read on Thursdays at 10:30 AM, November 5 this week. The Merced County Library Programs page describes the programs and their age ranges for families in Atwater.
Tiny Tales @ Livingston Library, Thursday November 5
In Livingston, Tiny Tales runs Thursdays from 11:00 AM to noon at the Livingston Library (1212 Main Street), with story time from 11:00 to 11:30 and a craft from 11:30 to noon, for ages 3 to 6 with a caregiver. Thursday, November 5 is on the regular weekly schedule, and it is free. The Merced County Library Programs page describes the program and its age range.
Mariposa County Library Storytime, Wednesday November 4
Up in Mariposa, the Mariposa County Library (4978 10th Street) runs a weekly storytime in the Kids Room on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. Stories are geared for children entering kindergarten and younger, and all ages are welcome. Wednesday, November 4 is on the weekly schedule, and the program is free. The county's Children's Resources page describes the program; the county advises confirming with library staff before coming, since times can change with the season.
Free Teen Programs Across the County
Teens get three free Merced County Library programs this week, each on a different day and at a different branch.
Teens: Makerspace @ Merced Main, Wednesday November 4
Merced Main Library runs a free teen Makerspace for ages 12 to 18 on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the Teen Department, with 3D printing and hands-on projects among the activities. Wednesday, November 4 is the date this week, and the program is free. The county's official library calendar lists the session.
Teen Tuesday @ Atwater Library, Tuesday November 3
The Atwater Library runs a free Teen Tuesday on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, November 3 this week. The library also rotates teen Makerspace sessions on Tuesdays, so check the library calendar for the exact activity planned for this week's session.
Teen Crochet Club @ LeGrand Library, Monday November 2
The LeGrand Library (12949 Le Grand Road, Le Grand) runs a free Teen Crochet Club on Mondays from 3:00 to 5:00 PM for ages 12 to 19. Monday, November 2 is the date this week, and the program is free. The official library calendar lists the session and its age range.
After-School Recreation at the Boys & Girls Club
After-school program and volleyball, weekdays November 2 to 6
The Boys & Girls Club of Merced County runs its after-school program weekdays from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the McCombs Youth Center at 615 W 15th Street in Merced, with homework help, sports and recreation, arts and crafts, and character and leadership development. Volleyball with Coach Teng runs in the gym on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, November 2 and 4 this week. Membership is open to all youth at about $20 per year, and the Club's program areas include athletics, culinary arts, the arts, and digital citizenship.
Zoo and Museum Outings
Applegate Park Zoo, Thursday through Sunday
The Applegate Park Zoo at 1045 W 25th Street in Merced is open Thursday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, so it is open November 5 to 8 this week, and closed Monday through Wednesday. Admission is free for children under 2, $4 for ages 3 to 13, $5 for ages 14 to 59, and $3 for ages 60 and up. The zoo, established in 1962, houses about 75 mammals, birds, and reptiles, many of them California native species from wildlife rescue centers.
Kids Discovery Station, Tuesday through Sunday
Kids Discovery Station, the hands-on children's museum at 350 W Yosemite Avenue in Merced, is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed Mondays. This week, Wednesday, November 4 runs 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission is $7 per adult and per child over 1 year old, and children under 1 are free. The play-based exhibits are designed for kids up to about age 12.
Castle Air Museum in Atwater, daily
Castle Air Museum at 5050 Santa Fe Drive in Atwater is open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with last admission to the aircraft exhibit area sold at 3:15 PM. Admission is $25 for adults 18 to 64, $20 for seniors 65 and up, $20 for active and retired military and veterans, $15 for children 6 to 17, and free for children under 6 with a paid adult. The VC-9 Presidential Aircraft tour is an additional $10 per person and runs on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting. More than 80 restored aircraft are on display across 35 acres, and my Castle Air Museum community spotlight covers the full story.
More Ideas Around Merced County
A few more low-cost picks round out the week. The Merced County Courthouse Museum at 21st and N Streets in Merced is free to enter and open Wednesday through Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, so it is open November 4 to 8 this week, a calm museum afternoon with older kids and teens; confirm hours on the museum's official site before you go. At the McCombs Youth Center gym, the City of Merced runs Open Gym Pickleball for ages 8 and up on Sundays from 9:00 AM to noon, at $5 daily drop-in or $15 per month. And the farmers market calendar continues: my Farmers Market Report for the week of October 29 notes the Mariposa Certified Farmers' Market Winter Market opener on Wednesday, November 4.
Why Local Activities Matter for Merced County Families
A week that includes free storytimes at four libraries, three free teen programs, after-school recreation, the zoo, and two museums gives families across the county plenty of ways to get out. Families considering a move to Merced, Atwater, Livingston, Mariposa, Turlock, or McSwain often ask what there is to do with kids locally, and free public programs plus family outings are a big part of that picture. The activities themselves are open to everyone, and that is exactly how a community calendar should work.
Want more of the local calendar? My free weekend guide for November 7 to 8 rounds out the family plans with the Saturday farmers markets in Merced and Turlock, a free movie screening at The Mainzer, and free admission at the Courthouse Museum. Whether you are reading stories at the library, serving a volleyball at the Boys & Girls Club, or walking the aircraft line at Castle Air Museum, you are part of the local story that makes a community home. If you are considering selling your home in Merced County, schedule a free consultation with Monica Franks, The Seller's Agent, and learn more about Monica's approach on her about page.
- Week of October 26-November 1: Kids & Teen Activities: October 26 to November 1 covered free Tiny Tales storytimes at three libraries, the teen Makerspace, a Halloween trunk-or-treat at the Boys & Girls Club, the Monster Mash Dash and Zombie Zoom family race at Lake Yosemite, and the final weekend of the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch in Turlock.
- Week of October 19-25: Kids & Teen Activities: October 19 to 25 covered free Tiny Tales storytimes at four libraries, the teen Makerspace, Nintendo Switch gaming, Homework Haven, Kids Discovery Station, the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch, and Castle Air Museum in Atwater.
- Week of October 12-18: Kids & Teen Activities: October 12 to 18 covered free Tiny Tales storytimes at four libraries, the teen Makerspace, the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch, and the Fall Blitz car show at Castle Air Museum in Atwater.
Every week, this series publishes a fresh roundup of kids and teen activities in Merced County, and past editions stay live under Past Weeks. Find the whole archive under the Family Activities category on the blog.
What Activities Are Available for Kids in Merced This Week?
What activities are available for kids in Merced this week?
The week of November 2 to 8, 2026 brings seven verified picks for kids and teens in Merced County: free Tiny Tales storytimes at the Merced Main, Atwater, and Livingston libraries, a free storytime at the Mariposa County Library, three free teen library programs, the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County after-school program, Applegate Park Zoo, Kids Discovery Station, and Castle Air Museum in Atwater. Every entry links to its official source so you can confirm details before you go.
Are the library storytimes in Merced County free?
Yes. Merced County Library storytimes, including Tiny Tales, are free and open to the public. Tiny Tales runs at Merced Main on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 AM, at the Atwater Library on Wednesdays at 10:30 AM, and at the Livingston Library on Thursdays from 11:00 AM to noon, for ages 3 to 6 with a caregiver. The Mariposa County Library also runs a free weekly storytime on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 AM.
What is there to do for teens in Merced County this week?
Teens ages 12 to 18 can head to Merced Main Library for the free Makerspace on Wednesday, November 4 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, with 3D printing and hands-on projects. The Atwater Library runs a free Teen Tuesday on November 3 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, and the LeGrand Library runs a free Teen Crochet Club on Mondays from 3:00 to 5:00 PM for ages 12 to 19. Confirm each session on the library's official calendar, since schedules can shift.
What does the Boys & Girls Club after-school program cost?
The Boys & Girls Club of Merced County is open to all youth with a membership of about $20 per year. The after-school program runs weekdays from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the McCombs Youth Center at 615 W 15th Street in Merced, with homework help, sports and recreation, arts and crafts, and leadership activities. Volleyball for members runs Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the gym.
Which museums and zoos are open this week in Merced County?
Applegate Park Zoo in Merced is open Thursday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with admission of $4 for ages 3 to 13 and $5 for ages 14 to 59. Kids Discovery Station, the children's museum at 350 W Yosemite Avenue, is open Tuesday through Sunday with $7 admission per person over 1 year old. Castle Air Museum in Atwater is open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with $15 admission for ages 6 to 17 and free entry for children under 6 with a paid adult.
The Seller's Agent. Monica combines deep Merced County market knowledge with a polished, confident approach that gets results for home sellers across the Central Valley. Serving Merced, Atwater, McSwain, Livingston, Turlock, Winton, Chowchilla, Catheys Valley, and Mariposa.
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Enjoy the week with your family, Merced. And when you are ready to talk about your home, Monica is here: a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your goals and what your property could achieve in today's market. Call (209) 345-3836 or use the form below.
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