10+ Family Things to Do Around Nashville This Week (Nov. 12-18)
Holiday lights, puppets and a free planetarium night headline the week for Nashville families. From Thursday, Nov. 12 through Wednesday, Nov. 18, here are ten family things to do around Nashville, with the cost noted wherever the organizer posts one. Details can change, so confirm times on the organizer's page before you go.
Veterans and Military Family Night at Adventure Science Center
Thursday, Nov. 12, 3:30 to 7 p.m. · Adventure Science Center, 800 Fort Negley Blvd. Free entry for eligible families. Veterans, service members (including Guard and Reserve) and Gold Star and Blue Star families get hands-on exhibits and planetarium shows, hosted with Operation Stand Down. Military IDs are checked at the door and space is limited, so reserve in advance.
Drive-In Movie on the Point
Thursday, Nov. 12, 7 to 9 p.m. · Nissan Stadium Lot R, 408 S. 1st St. The listing is Jumanji, rated PG, shown from your car. Registration is required on the organizer's event page, so sign up before you drive down.
A Child's Calendar Puppet Show with Wishing Chair Productions
Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. · Nashville Public Library, Main Library Children's Theatre, 615 Church St. A musical puppet show built on John Updike's month-by-month poems, recommended for children under 8. Free. It is a good first show for a toddler because it runs short.
Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo
Opens Friday, Nov. 13; nightly 5 to 9 p.m. through Jan. 3 · Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Single-night tickets $27, Platinum Pass $39, parking $10; children under 2 are free (everyone needs a ticket). This is the zoo's holiday light show, so dress warm and plan for an evening stroll instead of a quick stop.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show at Nashville Children's Theatre
Opens Saturday, Nov. 14; runs through Jan. 3 · Nashville Children's Theatre. Four Eric Carle picture books come to life onstage, made for ages 3 to 8. Showtimes and ticket prices are on the theatre's site.
Nashville Symphony's American-Music Family Concert
Sunday, Nov. 15, 3 p.m. · Schermerhorn Symphony Center, One Symphony Place. The Symphony invites families on a musical journey through American sound. Tickets are through the Symphony.
Radnor Lake State Park
Late in the season the bare branches open up lake views, and turtles, ducks and deer are easier to spot from the Lake Trail. There is no admission fee, and it is a quiet place by design, so save the scooters for another day.
Percy and Edwin Warner Parks
Miles of wooded trail, the long hardwood-lined allee and a nature center make this an easy half-day for kids who need to burn energy. Check the nature center's posted hours before you go.
Centennial Park and the Parthenon grounds
Walk the one-mile loop around the lake and let the kids run the lawns beside the Parthenon. The grounds are free; the museum inside is paid.
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and the Nashville Farmers' Market
Kids can walk the giant granite map of Tennessee and listen for the carillon, then warm up in the market halls. The park is free, and the market is free to browse.
Tip for the week: Glow Wild and the Children's Theatre run into January, so if Thursday and Friday are already full, there is no rush to catch them this weekend.
Image: illustrative, AI-generated – not the actual location.
