Pony rides, hayrides and a petting zoo at Harlinsdale Farm. Free admission, plenty of steps.

If I spend a Saturday chasing a kid from the pony rides to the train and back to the petting zoo, I am absolutely counting that as movement. I will not be taking questions from my watch.

Franklin Parks’ Family Day returns Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Road. Admission is free, and the listed activities include miniature train rides, hayrides, pony rides, a petting zoo, cane-pole fishing and a Touch-a-Tractor area.

Let play do the work

We spend so much time trying to make movement fit into a schedule that it is easy to forget the simplest version: go outside and do something together. Family Day gives kids room to wander, explore and try a new thing while grown-ups get plenty of steps without calling it a workout. No matching outfits, no registration for a boutique class, no family leaderboard required.

I’m tempted to test the theory anyway: start a step count at the gate, let the kids choose our route, and see what four hours at the farm add up to. The number is the fun part. The point is getting a whole family moving without making it feel like an assignment.

If you go, wear shoes made for walking and give yourself time to roam. Come for the pony rides; stay because the kids discovered one more thing they have to show you before you leave.

Franklin Family Day: Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Road, Franklin. Free admission. City of Franklin event information.

Author: NFM Staff

Nashville’s go-to resource for all things Fitness, Health and Wellness in Music City. We’re a social and editorial platform dedicated to amplifying community events, exchanging meaningful dialogue through user generated content and sharing authentic stories that transcend fitness.