Looking for kids activities in Merced this week? November 9 to 15, 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 and 100th-anniversary party at the Mariposa County Library, the free teen Makerspace, the Boys & Girls Club after-school program, the Merced County Veterans Day Parade on November 11, and museum outings at Castle Air Museum and Kids Discovery Station. Every pick is real, verified against an official program page, and open to everyone.
Veterans Day anchors the middle of the week, giving families a free community parade in Merced on Wednesday, November 11 alongside the steady weekly programs they can count on: library storytimes, the teen makerspace, after-school recreation, and year-round museums. 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 13
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 13 is a regular date on that weekly schedule.
Tiny Tales @ Atwater Library, Wednesday November 11
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 11 is the regular date this week, and the program is free. The branch also runs Wiggle & Read on Thursdays at 10:30 AM for babies and toddlers, November 12 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 12
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 12 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 11
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 11 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.
A Free Teen Program and After-School Recreation
Teens get a free Merced County Library program plus the daily after-school recreation at the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County this week.
Teens: Makerspace @ Merced Main, Wednesday November 11
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 11 is the date this week, and the program is free. The county's official library calendar lists the session.
After-school program and volleyball, weekdays November 9 to 13
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 through Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, and the Club also offers Zumba and Toning for Kids, free for members. Membership is open to all youth at about $20 per year.
Veterans Day, Wednesday November 11, Across the County
Merced County Veterans Day Parade, 1:00 and 2:00 PM
The 22nd Annual Merced County Veterans Day Parade is a free, family-friendly centerpiece for the week. An opening ceremony begins at 1:00 PM at Bob Hart Park, near the Veterans Memorial at Courthouse Park, and the parade steps off at 2:00 PM along Main Street in downtown Merced, with a scheduled military flyover and a ceremony honoring the Grand Marshals. It is open to everyone and easy to catch with kids and teens.
Castle Air Museum, open daily with free admission for veterans on November 11
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. On Veterans Day, Wednesday November 11, admission is free for veterans and active duty service members. Regular 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. More than 80 restored aircraft are on display across 35 acres, and my Castle Air Museum community spotlight covers the full story.
Museum and Zoo Outings for Kids
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, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday run 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Wednesday runs 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday run 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, and the museum's Paint, Create, and Play session runs Thursday, November 12 from 1:00 to 1:30 PM. Confirm that week's program on the museum's events page.
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 11 to 15 this week, a calm museum afternoon with older kids and teens; confirm hours on the official site before you go. 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 12 to 15 this week, with admission of $4 for ages 3 to 13 and $5 for ages 14 to 59. And at the McCombs Youth Center gym, the City of Merced runs an 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; check the City of Merced Activity Search for current times.
Why Local Activities Matter for Merced County Families
A week that includes free storytimes at four libraries, a free teen program, after-school recreation, a community parade, 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 14 to 15 rounds out the family plans with the Saturday farmers markets in Merced and Turlock, free admission at the Courthouse Museum, and sandhill crane viewing at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. Whether you are reading stories at the library, serving at the Boys & Girls Club, or riding the parade route on Veterans Day, 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 November 2-8: Kids & Teen Activities: November 2 to 8 covered free Tiny Tales storytimes at three 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.
- 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 9 to 15, 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 and 100th-anniversary party at the Mariposa County Library, the free teen Makerspace at Merced Main, the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County after-school program, the Merced County Veterans Day Parade on November 11, and museum outings at Castle Air Museum and Kids Discovery Station. 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 (November 13 this week), at the Atwater Library on Wednesdays at 10:30 AM (November 11), and at the Livingston Library on Thursdays from 11:00 AM to noon (November 12), 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 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, with 3D printing and hands-on projects. After school, the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County runs daily programs plus member volleyball in the gym Monday through Thursday. Confirm each session on the official calendar, since schedules can shift.
Is the Merced County Veterans Day Parade good for families?
Yes. The 22nd Annual Merced County Veterans Day Parade on Wednesday, November 11 is free and family friendly. An opening ceremony begins at 1:00 PM at Bob Hart Park near Courthouse Park, and the parade steps off at 2:00 PM along Main Street in downtown Merced. The program includes a military flyover and honors the Grand Marshals, and the route is walkable and open to the public.
What do the museum outings cost this week in Merced County?
Kids Discovery Station at 350 W Yosemite Avenue in Merced is $7 per adult and per child over 1 year old, open Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays), and it runs a Paint, Create, and Play session Thursday, November 12 from 1:00 to 1:30 PM. Castle Air Museum in Atwater is open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM with $15 admission for ages 6 to 17, free for children under 6 with a paid adult, and free for veterans and active duty on November 11. The Merced County Courthouse Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 PM with free admission.
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