top of page
170e2c_4d3a0fa899c947b286712d74a29c2c20~mv2.jpg.webp

Family Fitness Adventure

​Join us every second-to-last Sunday of the month Participate in family fitness challenges

Race Competition in Nature
20230621_094856.jpg

Science and Engineering Academy

Monthly After-School STEAM Classes 

Weekly
Story
Time 
Fridays

Join us every Friday at 11:30am for story time and puppet theatre

IMG_0018.HEIC

Fitness Tuesdays

Every Tuesday

Baby Steps Fitness

11:30am-12pm

Tots and Toning

12-12:30pm

IMG_8271.jpg

Spring Break Camp

April 21st-25th

Free for MCSD Students

20230613_103532.jpg

Annual Fundraiser

On Friday, October 3rd, we are hosting our fourth annual fundraiser. This year's theme is Oktoberfest.

Kids Discovery Oktoberfest-63.jpg
20240312_111157(0).jpg

Discovery Days
Free Admission 

Every last Sunday until June 29th.

Sponsored by Merced County Human Services Agency

Sensory Play Mornings

Join us every second to last Thursday for Sensory activities for babies and toddlers at 11:30am.

IMG_8202 3.jpg
KDS yellow planet.png

Kids Discovery Station, a nonprofit organization, is the only educational venue of its kind in Merced.
We offer a unique environment where children can experience fun and stimulating activities that encourage imagination, creativity, and learning through the power of play. A place that’s nearby, safe, and positive for all.

Your donation can impact Merced’s kids for lifetimes.

KDS2 tractor.png
KDS spire-disk2.png
KDS Merced crops green2.png
IMG_6313.JPG
A Wide Range of Activities
KDS blue robot.png
Playground_edited.jpg

Outdoor
Exhibits

Coming Soon!

Something for Everyone!

Happy family
General Admissions

Admissions to Kids Discovery Station is $7 for all guests, adults and children above the age of 12 months.

Your ticket offers you:

       - Free play in all parts of the museum

       - All day access with in-and-out privileges

Kids Discovery Station offers Military Family and EBT discounts at our front desk.

Want to discover more?

Convert your day pass to an annual membership to explore every day!

IMG_9144.JPG
Kids Discovery Station-98.JPG
Black Sky_edited_edited.jpg
KDS rocket1.png
What The Kids Get:

Discovering
new experiences

Inspire young minds and spark curiosity and imaginations

Fun pretend-play

Learn and develop new interests through pretend play

Jr Doctor4.png
KDS yellow planet.png
Young girl1_edited.jpg
KDS2 transparent-free-idea-icon.png

Learning while playing

Foster creativity and appreciation of our world in all of it diversity

Young boy2.png
Farm 1_144x48.jpeg
KDS yellow robot.png

Our kids deserve a beautiful and engaging place where they can playdiscover and learn. 

Upcoming Events
KDS blue robot.png
  • Science and Engineering Academy
    Science and Engineering Academy
    Jan 06, 2025, 1:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Are your kids curious about how things work? Do they love exploring and experimenting? Then our Science and Engineering Academy is the perfect adventure for them!
    Share
  • Discovery Days - Free Admission
    Discovery Days - Free Admission
    Multiple Dates
    Sun, Mar 30
    Mar 30, 2025, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us for monthly free admission days sponsored by Merced County Human Services Agency. Every last Sunday of the month (until June 26th) we will offer free admission days, all day long!
    Share
  • Tuesday Morning Fitness Classes
    Tuesday Morning Fitness Classes
    Multiple Dates
    Tue, Apr 01
    Apr 01, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us for low-impact classes for parents, babies, and toddlers. Every Tuesday morning: Baby Steps from 11:30am to 12pm and Tots and Toning from 12pm to 12:30pm.
    Share
  • Weekly Story and Puppet Time
    Weekly Story and Puppet Time
    Multiple Dates
    Fri, Apr 04
    Apr 04, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us every Friday at 11:30am for story time and puppet theatre. Order a free book after our story time!
    Share
  • Easter Event
    Easter Event
    Sat, Apr 19
    Apr 19, 2025, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    On Saturday, April 19th, Kids Discovery Station is hosting its second annual Easter Egg Hunt and Pictures with the Easter Bunny Event.
    Share
  • Spring Break Camp
    Spring Break Camp
    Mon, Apr 21
    Apr 21, 2025, 8:30 AM – Apr 25, 2025, 3:30 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us for a fun, hands-on, educational Intersession Camp at Kids Discovery Station hosted from Monday, April 21st to Friday, April 25th.
    Share
  • Sensory Play Mornings
    Sensory Play Mornings
    Multiple Dates
    Thu, Apr 24
    Apr 24, 2025, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us for Sensory Play mornings, every last Thursday of the month at 11:30am. We will have three sensory activities available with alternating themes. Free with admission to the museum.
    Share
  • Gabby's Dollhouse Weekly Story and Puppet Time
    Gabby's Dollhouse Weekly Story and Puppet Time
    Jun 27, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us every Friday at 11:30am for story time and puppet theatre. Order a free book after our story time! This week we will be reading Gabby's Dollhouse books along with Gabby's Dollhouse Puppet Theatre.
    Share
  • Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWseum Days
    Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWseum Days
    Jun 28, 2025, 10:00 AM – Jun 29, 2025, 5:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    🎉🐾 Join us for two days of meow-gical fun at Kids Discovery Station during MEOWseum Days! 🌈✨
    Share
  • Weekly Story and Puppet Time
    Weekly Story and Puppet Time
    Multiple Dates
    Fri, Jul 04
    Jul 04, 2025, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Join us every Friday at 11:30am for story time and puppet theatre. Order a free book after our story time!
    Share
  • KiDS Annual Fundraiser and Gala - Oktoberfest
    KiDS Annual Fundraiser and Gala - Oktoberfest
    Oct 03, 2025, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
    Merced, 350 W Yosemite Ave, Merced, CA 95348, USA
    Celebrate Oktoberfest at Kids Discovery Station. Food, drinks, music, dancing, auctions, and more awaits you!
    Share
Portrait of a Boy with Glasses_edited.jp
People Love It!

Our SDC preschool students really enjoyed the activities and the interactions with the program helpers. All of our students found something to do and explore that they enjoyed. The Discovery Station facilitated the students' engagement giving them both freedom, encouragement, and assistance as needed.

- Cristianna Jones

Special Day Class Teacher

Merced City School District

My students absolutely loved their experience at the Discovery Station. The exhibits gave the children the opportunity to explore, use their imagination, be creative, problem-solve, pretend play, and brought out their natural curiosity. They loved being doctors, chefs, artists, builders, and grocery shopping like their families do. It was a great experience and staff was friendly. It's a children's museum, but it totally brings out the playful child in us adults too! 

The Kids Discovery Station is exactly what Merced needed.  My children delighted in the exhibits and activities they offer.  For parents who are looking for creative and educational play opportunities for their children, the Kids Discovery Station is a gem!

- Molly Elaiser

Parent

Museum Visitor

- Cindy Valenzuela

Teacher

Merced City School District

KDS yellow robot_edited_edited.png

A safe, positive, nonjudgemental place where inspiration is nurtured

KDS earth.png
Recent Posts...
KDS green robot.png

Now, It's Your Turn to Do Something!

In Press
KDS yellow robot.png

ABC News 7 Story
about Kids Discovery Station opening in Merced

news.jpeg

Merced’s first-ever children’s museum set to open this month

Kids Discovery Station, the first ever children’s museum in Merced, is expected to open... Read more

kids_discovery_museum.jpeg

Kids Discovery Station Brings New Learning Opportunities To Merced

A new children’s museum is opening to the public next month... Read more

A man talking on the radio
KDS green robot.png

Kids Discovery Station taking shape in north Merced

The board of directors behind the project to create the city’s first Kids Discovery Station... Read more

Thank you to our founding partners:

First Five Merced logo_edited_edited.jpg
MercedOfficeof Ed logo_edited_edited.jpg
Golden Valley Health logo_edited_edited.
Webcor logo_edited.jpg
UC Merced_edited.png
Comm Found Merced logo_edited_edited.jpg
CHSR_edited.png
Hilmar Cheese_edited.jpg
CVCF_edited.png
Merced_County_edited.png
Lions Club logo_edited_edited.jpg
CoreHR logo_edited.jpg
FluetschBusby_edited.jpg
STEAMplug_logo_edited.jpg
Legacy Construction_edited.png

Frances &

Vinton Thengvall

City_of_Merced_edited_edited.jpg
El Cap_edited.jpg
mainzer-logo-gold EPS (1)_edited.jpg
Screenshot 2024-09-19 at 6.51_edited.jpg
Screenshot 2024-09-19 at 6.52_edited.jpg

We'd love to see you here too!  :)

Jr Doctor4_edited.jpg

Come Join us!

KDS rocket1.png
IMG_0067_edited.jpg
Young girl1_edited.jpg
Child Model
Portrait of a Boy with Glasses
KDS spire-disk2.png
KDS Merced city lt grey4.png
statue of liberty
Jr Doctor3.png
Happy family
KDS logo.png

Hours

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Closed

11:00am to 5:00pm

11:00am to 7:00pm

11:00am to 5:00pm

11:00am to 5:00pm

10:00am to 5:00pm

10:00am to 5:00pm

Join our mailing list!

Join us for a fun, hands-on, education Intersession Camp at Kids Discovery Station hosted from Monday, April 21st to Friday, April 25th.

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Call Us:

Find us here:

Thanks for submitting!

(209) 580-4070

350 W Yosemite Ave

Merced, CA 95348

USA

© Copyright 2022 | Kids Discovery Station. All Rights Reserved.

Website by Addwater

bottom of page