The Best Kid-Friendly Activities in Nashville

Adventurous kids will love this challenging treetop adventure, set among the forest canopy just outside Percy Warner Park. Harness up, clip yourself on and tackle a range of obstacles. From there, embark on a journey across bridges, rope courses, ladders and zip lines, all of which are ranked on difficulty so that you can progress at your own pace. The high-ropes course is suitable for kids aged seven plus, but it has a low-ropes course and a pretty awesome adventure playground for younger ones (and parents that aren’t too fond of heights). Recommended by local insider Leena Kollar

Engage your children’s brains with a visit to Nashville’s premier escape room. Get them to choose the theme (options include space, prison break, an art heist and even securing a record deal), and plunge into a 60-minute interactive, puzzle-tastic adventure that will keep your entire family on their toes. Book a private experience to ensure that it’s just your nearest and dearest in the room. Otherwise, the Escape Game may sell the remaining spots to other people – which is fine, but probably not the family-bonding experience you were after.

Yoga, with friendly, frolicking goats. What’s not to love? One for older kids (the activity isn’t suitable for under 11s), goat yoga will have your family in rhapsodies of delight as the farm’s cutest and most mischievous critters bound onto your backs, nuzzle at your nose and do just about anything to distract you from the yoga part of the package. Oh, and don’t forget to take your camera for some top photo ops. Combine it with brunch at the exceedingly well-regarded Old School restaurant next door for a family day out – even the surliest teenagers won’t be able to resist. Recommended by local insider Cristy Wicks

Nashville Children’s Theatre is somewhat of a hidden gem. Not many of the city’s residents know about it, and it certainly deserves more recognition than it currently receives. Its annual program centers around family-friendly productions, performed by professional actors. It’s a great alternative to the cinema for an afternoon’s entertainment, and it might well foster a love of drama in your little ones that’s hard to achieve in adult-oriented theaters. Recommended by local insider Leena Kollar

Kids love a water park, and Wave Country is no exception. Is it exceptional, as water parks go? Not particularly – it has a solid range of slides and a wave pool (one of the only ones in the area) – but it is an absolute godsend on a hot Tennessee summer day when all you can think about is how to cool off. While there are food concessions, you can bring a picnic, too. Shade is limited, so get here early to bag an umbrella or bring a pop-up tent along. You’ll need it! Recommended by local insider Leena Kollar

Make your kid’s fairytale dreams come true with a one-hour mermaid experience. Your child will receive a sparkly mermaid tail and spend time learning to swim like a mermaid (yes, there is a specific style they will need to perfect). For those under the age of seven, Aquamermaid (located on the Vanderbilt University campus) offers swimming parties headed up by one of its in-house mermaids. Younger kids won’t be able to don the tails due to safety concerns, but they will enjoy splashing around with their real-life mermaid instructor. Meanwhile, you’ll love the super adorable photo ops. Recommended by local insider Leena Kollar

The best way to describe Topgolf is as an augmented reality driving range, using microchipped golf balls to make target-based games a possibility. The beauty of it is that you can play different types of games depending on your skill level. If you’re a family of golf pros, aim for some of the advanced options, or simply stick at seeing how many times you can hit the target. Food and refreshments are available on the premises, with the cheese fries being a hit among kids and grown-ups alike. Recommended by local insider Chaney Curd