Free Events for Children & Families in North Carolina

Join us as we play, explore and share free hands-on activities, games, demonstrations with community partners, PBS KIDS educational resources and more. Each stop of the Rootle Roadster Tour features learning experiences through purposeful play that families can enjoy together.

Upcoming Tour Stops

Saturday, May 17, 2025
10 AM—2 PM
Moore Square &
Marbles Kids Museum
201 E Hargett St
Raleigh, NC 27601

Friday, July 11, 2025
4 PM—8 PM
Greenfield Lake
Amphitheater
1941 Amphitheater Dr
Wilmington, NC

What is the Rootle Roadster Tour?

Rootle Roadster Tour in 2024

Free Community Events Open to All

PBS North Carolina assists in hosting events across the state aimed at deepening engagement with families and connecting them to resources and information from local community agencies and organizations. Rootle Roadster Tour stops are designed to welcome families at easily accessible locations within their county. They can be presented as part of a local event or as standalone events at schools, libraries, parks, public housing communities and other locales.

Join Rootle PBS KIDS and community partners in play and exploration featuring:

Hands-on learning activities and games
PBS KIDS education resources
Local community partners offering resources and support services
Take-home learning materials and giveaways
Special events will show screenings of your favorite PBS KIDS shows and movies and even live performances!

Where We've Been

Rootle Roadster Map from 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The Rootle Roadster Tour has travelled over 2,500 miles and visited 16 of North Carolina’s counties:

Bertie
Carteret
Chatham
Dare
Forsyth
Guilford
Harnett
Johnston
Northampton
Pasquotank
Pitt
Randolph
Robeson
Transylvania
Wake
Wayne

Want to partner with us to bring the Rootle Roadster Tour to your county? Email rootle@pbsnc.org to learn more.

Highlights from the Rootle Roadster Tour

A child poses with a "thumbs up" next to cutouts of the Wild Kratt brothers.

The Rootle Roadster Tour at the North Carolina Zoo in 2024.

Children and caregivers around a demonstration table.

Educational demonstrations sometimes include slimy critters!

Ava the STEM Princess poses with a cardboard cutout of herself at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

You're sure to meet Ava The STEM Princess on the Rootle Roadster Tour!

A child points at Rootle PBS KIDS characters on a poster quiz at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

How many PBS KIDS characters can you name?

A kid shares with a baby and their mom at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Sharing is encouraged in the Rootle Roadster Tent!

PBS North Carolina Education team members pose with Rootle Ambassadors at a PBS KIDS table at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Cindy from PBS NC and your local Rootle Ambassadors work hard to keep the fun going!

A young child and their parent pose together next to a cardboard cutout of Lyla and Stu from the PBS KIDS show, "Lyla in the Loop" at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

You can pose and take pictures with all of your favorite PBS KIDS characters!

A child wearing a matching shirt with their parent as they play on a Rootle PBS KIDS picnic blanket on the ground.

Kids of all ages have plenty of space and activities on the Rootle Roadster Tour.

A child smiling while holding a car they made out of tubular building toys.

Kids love to show off their awesome creations!

Close up of a child drawing on a coffee filter at a Rootle Roadster Tour craft table.

There are all kinds of crafts to choose from at the Rootle Roadster Tour!

A little boy poses with Hugo Hornet at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

This little boy was excited to get his picture taken with Hugo Hornet.

Young children gather around buckets of kinetic sand with toys in them at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Kids absolutely loved the kinetic sand station.

A Rootle volunteer hands out take home goodies to a family at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Cindy from PBS NC hands out goodie bags at the Sanford Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Families line up at Kona Ice food truck at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Families enjoyed shaved ice from the Kona Ice food truck at the Sanford Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Ava the STEM Princess and her crew pose at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Ava the STEM Princess and her family and team pose at the NC State Fair.

A father and daughter play with stacking pins at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

A dad plays with his daughter on the Rootle Roadster tent lawn at the NC State Fair.

families learn science with Ava the STEM Princess at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Ava the STEM Princess teaches kids and their caregivers about science at the Sanford Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

A little boy meets Casey Cardinal at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

This little boy was happy to meet NC State Fair's Casey Cardinal.

Dads play with their kids at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Dads get involved making slime at the NC State Fair.

Sisters who have their faces painted play with slime at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Two sisters who have their faces painted play with slime at the North Carolina State Fair Rootle Roadster tent.

Ava the STEM Princess and her mom meet Daniel Tiger at a Rootle Roadster Tour stop.

Ava the STEM Princess and Lab Assistant Mommy stand with Daniel Tiger at the 2023 Sanford Rootle Tour stop.

Support the Rootle Roadster Tour

We invite community organizations and agencies to share their free family resources at every Rootle Roadster stop as well as a fun activity aligned with literacy, physical activity, sensory fun, social-emotional awareness and/or STEM education. Since 2022, the Rootle Roadster Tour has partnered with more than 80 community organizations and has welcomed over 15,000 participants to events. Support the Rootle Roadster Tour by becoming an event or table host, sponsor or contributor of community resources. Email us at rootle@pbsnc.org for more information.

Thank you to our supporters:

NC Department of Health and Human Services: Division of Child Development and Early Edication.