• Nashville offers numerous activities for kids, including a zoo and a children's theater.Donovan Reese/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Whether it's through the arts or the sciences, parents in Nashville have multiple options when it comes to keeping their children entertained. The capital of the state of Tennessee is home to several institutions aimed at providing wholesome, recreational and educational activities for children of all ages and their families.
  
  

Adventure Science Center

• The Adventure Science Center provides ample opportunities for children to explore different scientific fields. The museum's Adventure Tower, one of many interactive exhibits, encompasses numerous activities that engage the six scientific concepts the museum seeks to expound: Earth science, creativity and innovation, sound and light, air and space, and health and energy. Another exhibit, BodyQuest, uses games and other fun activities to introduce children to the workings of the human body, including digestion, the immune system and brain function. The center's planetarium also offers laser displays and educational shows about space geared toward children as young as 2.
  
  Adventure Science Center is open every day with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Children under the age of 2 are admitted free.
  
  

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

• Children with a penchant for nature and wildlife will enjoy visiting the Nashville Zoo, which is home to a wide variety of animals, including majestic creatures such as African elephants and Bengal tigers. The Bamboo Trail exhibit showcases animals that inhabit bamboo forests, including clouded leopards, red pandas and ring-tailed lemurs. The zoo's Critter Encounters area features alpacas, goats, camels and Bennett's wallabies from Australia, some of which can be petted. In addition, from April through October, the zoo offers several different animal shows. Children can also ride the Wild Animal Carousel and play in the Jungle Gym, the zoo's 66,000 square-foot play area.
  
  The Nashville Zoo is open year-round, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Children under the age of 2 are admitted free.
  
  

Nashville Children's Theater

• The Nashville Children's Theater was founded in 1931 and is the oldest children's theater company in the United States. The shows, performed by professional actors, vary throughout the year. The average duration of a show is 70 minutes and most are based on classic childrens' books and stories. The Nashville Children's Theater also offers theater camps and workshops for children between the ages of 4 and 18. Contact the theater for ticket prices. Children ages 2 and under do not require a ticket, but must remain in an adult's lap.