Small Fry WeekendNW Metro Read Issue #1

FreeEvery ThursdayAges 0–5

Your toddler's weekend, planned by Thursday.

A free Thursday email with the best things to do with kids 0–5 in Maple Grove, Plymouth, Osseo, Brooklyn Park, Rogers and Champlin. It's short, close to home, and every listing is checked.

  • Maple Grove
  • Plymouth
  • Osseo
  • Brooklyn Park
  • Rogers
  • Champlin
What you get

One short email. The whole weekend sorted.

  • 3 weekend picks + 1 indoor backup.

    Nap-friendly plans close to home, with a fallback for when it's too cold or wet to go out.

  • Every storytime in one grid.

    This week's library storytimes and play times, sorted by branch.

  • Verified, with links.

    Each listing comes from an official city, library, park or organizer calendar, with date, time, ages, cost and a source link.

What's in an issue

A peek at issue #1

Here are the picks from the very first issue, for the weekend of Oct 16–18, 2026. Every issue follows the same simple format.

  • 3 weekend picks with when, where, ages, cost and indoor/outdoor
  • A "too cold?" indoor backup
  • Storytimes and play times by library branch
  • A short "looking ahead" list
Issue #001 · Weekend of Oct 16–18, 2026
This weekend has a lot of pumpkins in it.

🎃 This weekend's 3 picks

  • Kids Pumpkin Fest at Maple Grove fire stations

    FreeSat Oct 17, 10 a.m.–noon. Big trucks, a free pumpkin, and you're done before nap.

  • Halloween Family Fun Day at Weaver Lake Park

    $6/childSat Oct 17, afternoon. Costumes, crafts and a "Hallo-weeny Fashion Show."

  • Fall Scavenger Hunt Hike at Eastman Nature Center

    FreeSun Oct 18, 1–3 p.m. A self-guided hunt at toddler speed.

  • 🥶 Too cold? Maple Maze indoor playground

    BackupMaple Grove Community Center. Toddler zone for ages 3 and under. Socks required.

Plus a storytime grid for 6 branches and what's coming up next.

Read the full issue
About

Written by a local parent

Small Fry Weekend is written by a Maple Grove dad of a 3-year-old who kept losing Thursday nights to a dozen city, library and park calendars. So I started keeping one short list, and now I send it to neighbors too.

I only include events I can find on an official or organizer source, and I link every one so you can double-check before you head out. Got a tip about a toddler-friendly event in the NW metro? Just reply to any email.

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