Libraries with the best children's areas in Dallas's northern suburbs

Libraries are the most underrated summer outing in Dallas: free, air-conditioned, with toy corners and a dozen storytimes a week, and every city in the northern suburbs has built itself a beautiful one. The ones here have children's areas big enough to keep a kid busy for an hour or more.

Frisco's 2023 library in a converted factory is the most spectacular in DFW, with reading nooks kids can climb into; Plano Haggard and Richardson have the most Chinese picture books; Allen has its own children's wing; McKinney's Roy & Helen Hall sits on the old town square, ice cream afterwards; Carrollton's Josey Ranch Lake library is built on a pond, so you feed the ducks after storytime; and Coppell's Cozby is next to Andy Brown Park. Dallas Public Library also runs a children's branch, Bookmarks, inside NorthPark Center.

• 7 places
• 7 free
• 7 stroller-friendly
• closest is 10 min away