A lot of people picture Silver Dollar City as mostly thrill rides, but there is a surprising amount designed for younger kids. If you know where to go, you can easily fill an entire day with things that are toddler and preschool friendly. Between themed play areas, gentle rides, shows, and interactive spots, it ends up being a place where even very young kids stay engaged and excited.
Preschool Season Passport + Planning Tip
If you have a child born in 2021 or 2022, you can register them for the Preschool Season Passport, which gives them free admission for the entire season. Also, kids 3 and under are always free, which makes visiting with little ones much more doable than most people realize.
While you are planning your trip, make sure to download the Silver Dollar City app ahead of time. It is genuinely one of the most helpful tools for navigating the park with kids. Every ride is listed there with height requirements, but here is the detail most people miss: some rides show a requirement like 48 inches, but in the small print it will say 36 inches when accompanied by an adult.
Young Kid/Toddler Favorites
These are the rides my 3-year-old (36″) enjoys the most (with adult accompaniment):
Grand Exposition – we usually start here!
- Wings of Wonder
- Magnificent Wave Carousel
- Grand Exposition Coaster
- Elephant March
- Happy Frogs
- Lady Bugs
- Royal Tea Party
- Mighty Galleon
Fire District
- Fire Spotter
- Lucky’s Dizzy Dogs
- Fireman’s Flyers
- Firehouse Play Place
- Up the Ladder
- Splash Area
- Fire Wagon Frenzy
- Fire in the Hole
Other park favorites
- Hugo & Mary’s Carousel (Half Dollar Holler)
- Sand Play (Half Dollar Holler)
- Treetop Trail (Half Dollar Holler)
- The Flooded Mine
- Tom and Huck’s RiverBlast
- Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train (bring something small to give to the train robbes, like candy, a quarter, a piece of gum, etc)
- American Plunge (prepare to get wet!)
- Grandfather’s Mansion (prepare to be dizzy LOL)
Big Kid Rides
I will also be working on an in-depth post featuring my 7-year-old’s favorite “bigger kid rides.” In the meantime, here are a few favorites!
Once kids reach 48 inches, they can ride things like:
- Electrospin
- Mystic River (you’ll likely be soaked – save it for a hot day)
- Outlaw Run
- Thunderation – 2026 is the LAST year to ride! (can be ridden at 42 inches)
- Powderkeg (can be ridden at 42 inches)
Other things to know:
- There are no stroller restrictions – you can bring whatever stroller or wagon works for your family. We usually bring our double bob! There are also stroller rentals available.
- You are welcome to bring your own food into the park – whether thats snacks for your kids or a smaller cooler for lunch. There are lots of areas to enjoy a picnic. At the same time, we love eating food at Silver Dollar City! From Tater Twisters to Pretzel Dogs to Turkey Legs and Frozen Lemonade, there are hundreds of options and you’ll be sure to find something you love! I love the Succotash!
- Since we have multiple little kids and a big stroller, my husband usually drops us off at the front entrance of SDC and then goes and parks and runs back to meet us. It saves having to load the stroller on the tram and the front is always okay with drop offs. They will direct you to a spot to pull out and unload/load.
- Silver Dollar City provides 4 Nursing Stations throughout the park. They are located by the restrooms at PowderKeg, Fireman’s Landing, Red Gold Heritage Hall and The Giant Barn Swing.
- Family assist bathrooms are available at Thunderation, Red Gold Heritage Hall, across from Crossroads Pizza and First Aid.
- Gluten free or dairy free? Here’s a list of allergen-free foods!
Every time we go to Silver Dollar City, I’m always amazed at how there is something for everyone! The kids could keep going forever, and there’s always something new to try. It’s busy, it’s fun, and it just works really well for this age.
Happy to answer questions anytime if you are planning a trip!