Looking for things to do with kids and teens in Southwest Florida this week? The week of Saturday, November 7, through Friday, November 13 carries a full family calendar across the region: the Florida Panther Festival returns to the Naples Zoo Saturday morning, IMAG's Science Saturday runs in Fort Myers the same day, W.O.N.D.E.R. drops in at Naples Botanical Garden four times, Artis-Naples opens its whole campus free on Sunday, the libraries hold their storytimes in Bonita Springs, Naples, and Marco Island, and the Everblades celebrate Swampee's birthday Friday night in Estero. Here are seven picks for the week, each with the age range, date, time, cost, and the official page so you can confirm before you go.
Key Takeaways
- The Florida Panther Festival is Saturday, November 7, from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Naples Zoo, free for Collier County residents on the county Free Day, with live panther ambassador Athena, wildlife talks, and conservation booths.
- IMAG's Science Saturday runs 10 AM to 2 PM Saturday, November 7, in Fort Myers, free with museum admission: themed STEM shows, hands-on activities, a 3D film, live animal encounters, and touch tanks.
- W.O.N.D.E.R. at Naples Botanical Garden runs Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Friday, 10 AM to noon, drop-in and included with garden admission, for children in Pre-K through 5th grade.
- Artis-Naples Fall Community Day is free Sunday, November 8, from 1 to 5 PM: The Baker Museum, live music, hands-on art, an instrument petting zoo, bilingual storytelling, and the Youth Symphonia at 1 PM.
- Free storytimes this week: Bilingual Family Storytime at the Bonita Springs Public Library Saturday at 10:30 AM; Toddler Storytime and Little Explorers at the Headquarters library in Naples Tuesday and Thursday; Family Storytime at the Marco Island branch Friday.
The Week's Picks
Florida Panther Festival at the Naples Zoo
The 14th annual Florida Panther Festival, presented by the Live Wildly Foundation, fills the zoo grounds with conservation exhibitors, guided nature walks, and wildlife presentations on Saturday morning. Live panther ambassador Athena makes an appearance, and the talk lineup includes pythons at 10:30 AM, panthers at 11 AM, and Florida black bears at 12:30 PM with an FWC biologist, plus the Living with Wildlife Pavilion. It lands on the Collier County Free Saturday, so residents can reserve free zoo tickets that week and show proof of residency; everyone else pays regular zoo admission. The zoo sits on Goodlette-Frank Road in central Naples, covered in our Naples area guide.
Ages: All ages
Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 9 AM to 1 PM
Cost: Free for Collier County residents on the county Free Day (reserve free tickets that week, proof of residency required); non-residents pay regular zoo admission
Official page: floridapantherfestival.com
Science Saturday at IMAG History and Science Center
IMAG holds Science Saturday on the first Saturday of each month, so it lands on November 7 with themed STEM shows and guided hands-on activities in the Hands-On Hall. Regular admission also covers the 3D film, live animal encounters, the Sea-to-See touch tanks, and more than 60 exhibits, which makes it an easy full morning for a science-minded family. The center sits on Cranford Avenue near downtown Fort Myers, and our Fort Myers area guide covers the neighborhoods around it.
Ages: All ages; built for kids and families
Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 10 AM to 2 PM
Cost: Free with museum admission: $22 adults, $17 ages 3-17, $21 seniors, free ages 2 and under (per the ticketing page)
Official page: theimag.org/imag-weekends/
W.O.N.D.E.R. at Naples Botanical Garden
W.O.N.D.E.R., which stands for Walk, Observe, Navigate, Draw, Explore, and Read, is the garden's drop-in family program where children move through educator-led activities in the Wonder Circle on the Hoffmann Lawn. It runs four mornings in this window, no registration needed, and activity booklets are available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole at the visitor center. A morning at the garden pairs well with the grounds themselves, which settle into their fall season this month. Our Naples area guide introduces the neighborhoods around it.
Ages: Pre-K through 5th grade with family
Dates: Saturday, November 7; Sunday, November 8; Monday, November 9; Friday, November 13
Time: 10 AM to noon
Cost: Included with garden admission: $27 adults, $12 ages 4-17, free ages 3 and under, members free
Official page: naplesgarden.org/series/w-o-n-d-e-r/
Artis-Naples Fall Community Day
Artis-Naples opens its entire cultural campus free on Sunday afternoon, including all The Baker Museum exhibitions, live music, hands-on art activities, an instrument petting zoo, and bilingual storytelling. The Naples Philharmonic Youth Symphonia plays a free concert at 1 PM, and the Youth Chorus follows with a free fall concert at 5 PM in Hayes Hall. It is a relaxed, do-it-yourself afternoon: wander the galleries, try the instruments, and catch a concert when it suits you. The campus sits on Pelican Bay Boulevard in North Naples, covered in our Naples area guide.
Ages: All ages
Date: Sunday, November 8
Time: 1 to 5 PM; Youth Symphonia at 1 PM, Youth Chorus at 5 PM
Cost: Free
Official page: artisnaples.org/education/family/community-day
Bilingual Family Storytime at the Bonita Springs Public Library
The Bonita Springs Public Library, part of the Lee County system, hosts Bilingual Family Storytime on Saturday morning with stories, music, movement, and activities in English and Spanish. It is free, open to everyone, and a natural fit for the many bilingual families in the area. The library sits near the center of Bonita Springs, and our Bonita Springs area guide covers the neighborhoods around it.
Ages: Birth to age 5 with a caregiver; all are welcome
Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 AM
Cost: Free
Official page: leelibrary.librarymarket.com
Collier County Library Storytimes in Naples and Marco Island
The Collier County system keeps its children's programs moving in early November. Toddler Storytime runs Tuesday morning at the Headquarters Regional branch on Orange Blossom Drive in Naples with stories, songs, fingerplays, and puppets. Thursday brings Little Explorers: Adventures into the Amazon at Headquarters, a storytime and craft for ages 2 to 5, and Fall Family Storytime at the Naples Regional branch on Central Avenue, which asks for an RSVP. Friday morning, the Marco Island branch holds its regular Family Storytime on Heathwood Drive, free and open to everyone. All Collier branches close Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans Day, and storytime times can shift, so the library calendar is the best place to confirm before you go. Our Naples area guide and Marco Island area guide cover the neighborhoods around the branches.
Ages: Toddler Storytime birth to 3½; Little Explorers ages 2-5; Family Storytime all ages with a caregiver
Dates: Tuesday, November 10 (Toddler Storytime, 11 to 11:30 AM); Thursday, November 12 (Little Explorers, 10 to 10:30 AM, and Fall Family Storytime, 10 to 10:30 AM); Friday, November 13 (Marco Island Family Storytime, 10:30 to 11:30 AM)
Cost: Free
Official page: library.collier.gov/Events-directory
Everblades vs. South Carolina Stingrays at Hertz Arena
Friday night at Hertz Arena is Swampee's Birthday, presented by Arthrex, and the Everblades host the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:30 PM. The first 1,500 fans get a Swampee bucket hat, a family deal bundles two tickets, two small ice creams, and a program for $39, and kids 12 and under eat free at Breakaway Sports Pub. Saturday brings Military Night with a 7 PM puck drop, specialty jerseys, and replica jerseys for the first 1,500 fans. The arena sits on Everblades Parkway in Estero, and our Estero area guide covers the surrounding area.
Ages: All ages
Dates: Friday, November 13 (Swampee's Birthday, 7:30 PM); Saturday, November 14 (Military Night, 7 PM)
Cost: Tickets vary by seat; Friday family deal is 2 tickets, 2 small ice creams, and 1 program for $39, and kids 12 and under eat free at Breakaway Sports Pub
Official page: floridaeverblades.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free pick for families this week?
Artis-Naples Fall Community Day on Sunday is completely free, from 1 to 5 PM, with museum galleries, live music, hands-on art, an instrument petting zoo, bilingual storytelling, and youth orchestra concerts. The library storytimes are free as well, and the Florida Panther Festival is free for Collier County residents on the county Free Day.
Do any of these require tickets or registration?
A few do. Collier County residents reserve free Florida Panther Festival tickets the week of the event and show proof of residency at the gate, and the Fall Family Storytime at the Naples Regional library asks for an RSVP. W.O.N.D.E.R. is a drop-in program, and everything else is pay at the door or just show up.
What is open on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11?
Library branches in both Collier and Lee Counties close Wednesday for Veterans Day, so no storytimes run that day. Most of this week's picks fall Saturday through Tuesday or on Friday, and the Everblades games are Friday and Saturday night, so there is no shortage of options around the holiday.
What is there to do with teens this week?
The Everblades game Friday night in Estero suits older kids and teens, with the $39 family deal and the Swampee bucket hats for the first 1,500 fans. IMAG's Science Saturday in Fort Myers runs STEM shows and hands-on exhibits, and the Florida Panther Festival has the wildlife talks, including panthers at 11 AM and bears at 12:30 PM. Artis-Naples is another good option with the museum galleries and the Youth Symphonia at 1 PM on Sunday.
For the full free rundown of the November 7-8 weekend, including the Bonita Springs Farmers Market, the Marco Island Historical Museum, and the Illuminations Parade on Fort Myers Beach, see this weekend's free things guide. The weekend guide for November 6-8 covers the rest of the calendar, and the live music guide for November 5-12 lists the week's concerts. Past editions of this kids and teens list live in the Family Activities archive.
A note from the author: I'm Catalina Quintero, a bilingual REALTOR with The Miranda Group at Premiere Plus Realty, Co., serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. Every week I put this guide together from dated, published event listings, so things can shift and it always pays to confirm the official pages before you head out. These are public events open to all residents and visitors, and everyone is welcome. If you're exploring Southwest Florida with a move in mind, email or text me any time.
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Contact Catalina Quintero at (239) 206-6909 or visit catalinaquintero.com/contact/ to schedule a consultation.