Looking for kids activities in Merced this week? October 26 to November 1, 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 teen Makerspace at Merced Main, a free Halloween trunk-or-treat at the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County, the family Monster Mash Dash and Zombie Zoom race at Lake Yosemite, and the final weekend of the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch and corn maze in Turlock. Every pick is real, verified against an official program page, and open to everyone.
Halloween week closes out the fall calendar in a big way. This roundup pairs the library staples families can count on each week with the holiday events that only arrive once a year, plus the last weekend of the Turlock pumpkin patch before the season ends October 31. 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 farm hours can change.
Free Library Storytimes for Preschoolers
Three Merced County Library branches run free weekly storytimes this week, each on its own day and time. All are open to families, free to attend, and geared to children ages 3 to 6 with a caregiver, with no registration mentioned on the official calendars.
Tiny Tales @ Merced Main Library, Friday October 30
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, October 30 is a regular date on that weekly schedule. The same library also runs a free Cuentos Bilingües en Español bilingual storytime on Friday mornings; check the calendar for its age range and exact time.
Tiny Tales @ Atwater Library, Wednesday October 28
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, October 28 is the regular date this week, and the program is free. The Merced County Library Programs page describes the program and its age range for families in Atwater.
Tiny Tales @ Livingston Library, Thursday October 29
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, October 29 is on the regular weekly schedule, and it is free. The Merced County Library Programs page describes the program and its age range.
Free Teen Programs in Merced
Teens: Makerspace, Wednesday October 28
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, October 28 is the date this week, and the program is free. The county's official library calendar lists the session. For teens who would rather craft than build, the Livingston Library runs a free Teen and Adult Crochet Club on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 PM, October 28 this week; check the library for the full age range.
Halloween Weekend for Families
Boys & Girls Club Trunk or Treat, Saturday October 31
The Boys & Girls Club of Merced County trunk-or-treat runs Saturday, October 31 from 10:00 AM to noon at 615 W 15th Street in Merced. It is a free, family-friendly Halloween gathering with trick-or-treating, open to the community, and the UC Merced Community Engagement Center recruits volunteers to help run it. In Livingston, the LDS Ward also hosts a free trunk-or-treat Friday, October 30 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at 110 W Summitt Street; check with organizers for the latest details.
Monster Mash Dash and Zombie Zoom, Saturday October 31
For an active Halloween morning, the Monster Mash Dash and Zombie Zoom runs Saturday, October 31 from 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM at Lake Yosemite (5715 North Lake Road, Merced). The schedule includes a 400-meter Zoom Zoom event for kids plus 5K and 10K Monster Dash races, with registration from about $22 depending on the event you enter. Costumes are welcome, and the day is billed as family- and kids-friendly.
Museum and Fall Family Outings
Kids Discovery Station, Merced
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, October 28 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. The play-based exhibits are designed for kids up to about age 12, making it a steady indoor option through the holiday weekend.
Merced County Courthouse Museum, free admission
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 both Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1. It is a calm, low-cost option for a museum afternoon with older kids and teens during the holiday weekend.
R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch and corn maze, Turlock
R.A.M. Farms at 716 N Daubenberger Road in Turlock runs its 2026 season through October 31, making this the final weekend. Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 are open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM during Freaky Flashlight Nights, and the farm states there is never an entrance fee to the pumpkin patch itself. The corn maze requires a ticket of about $12 to $16. Sunday, November 1 falls after the advertised season end, so check with the farm before planning a Sunday visit.
More Free Ideas Around Merced County
A few of the week's best free picks for the whole family are rounded up in my Free This Weekend guide for October 31 to November 1: the Saturday farmers markets in Merced and Turlock, a free community Halloween gathering on Marshall Lane, free admission at the Courthouse Museum, and free sandhill crane viewing at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge, where crane numbers build through October toward a winter peak of roughly 20,000 birds.
Why Local Activities Matter for Merced County Families
A week that includes free storytimes at three libraries, a free teen makerspace, a free trunk-or-treat, a family race, and the final weekend of the pumpkin patch gives families across the county plenty of ways to get out. Families considering a move to Merced, Atwater, Livingston, or Turlock 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 October 31 to November 1 rounds out the family plans, and the farmers market report for the week of October 22 covers the county's markets. Whether you are reading stories at the library, running the kids dash at Lake Yosemite, or walking the corn maze at R.A.M. Farms, 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 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 October 26 to November 1, 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 teen Makerspace at Merced Main Library, a free Halloween trunk-or-treat at the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County, the family Monster Mash Dash and Zombie Zoom race at Lake Yosemite, and the final weekend of the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch and corn maze in Turlock. 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.
What is there to do for teens in Merced this week?
Teens ages 12 to 18 can head to Merced Main Library for the free Makerspace on Wednesday, October 28 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, with 3D printing and hands-on projects. The library also hosts a Cuentos Bilingües en Español bilingual storytime on Friday mornings, and the Livingston Library runs a Teen and Adult Crochet Club on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. Confirm each session on the library's official calendar, since schedules can shift.
What Halloween events are happening for kids in Merced County on October 31?
Saturday, October 31 brings two verified family picks. The Boys & Girls Club of Merced County hosts a free trunk-or-treat from 10:00 AM to noon at 615 W 15th Street in Merced. At Lake Yosemite, the Monster Mash Dash and Zombie Zoom runs from 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM with a 400-meter kids event plus 5K and 10K races, with registration from about $22. In Livingston, the LDS Ward hosts a free trunk-or-treat Friday, October 30 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM; check with organizers for details.
Is the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch open the weekend of Halloween?
Yes for Friday and Saturday. The 2026 season at R.A.M. Farms in Turlock runs through October 31, with Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM during Freaky Flashlight Nights. Entry to the pumpkin patch itself is free, and the corn maze requires a ticket of about $12 to $16. Sunday, November 1 falls after the advertised season end, so check with the farm before planning a Sunday trip.
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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