This vibrant studio dedicated to the ceramic arts offers a range of workshops and classes that encourage you and the children to get in touch with your inner potter. Explore the Sea is a three-hour workshop just for adults with children of ages 4 to 12. This class plumbs the depths of the ocean, inspiring the creation of whimsical creatures from the deep.
Contact number: (215) 925-3453
Location: 39 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Learn more here.
This little gem of a museum houses a theater and exhibits that tell the story of the Schuylkill River and its human connections throughout history. With a strong emphasis on environmental awareness, the museum invites the children to re-route historic streams, peak inside a 48 inch water main and explore the original 1812 pumping station. They’ll especially enjoy seeing where the water goes when they flush a toilet. A visit to Pollutionopolis will inspire everybody to keep it clean. The adjacent — albeit pricey — restaurant offers patio seating with a river view. Ask about kid friendly menu items.
Contact number: (215) 685-0723
Location: Philadelphia, PA 19130
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This interactive experience brings history to visitors in a fresh and engaging way, using storytelling and costumed interpretive guides. The children ages 10 and younger will love becoming junior detectives on the “Colonial Kids’ Quest,” a kid-friendly, stroller-friendly “Whodunit” in search of a missing copy of the Declaration of Independence. During summer, storytellers visit 13 different locations and reveal little-known secrets about Philadelphia’s history in the Storytelling Benches program. Locations and times on the website.
Contact number: (215) 629-4026
Location: 500 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Learn more here.
Folk artist Isaiah Zagar, who owns the Eyes Gallery up the street, has transformed a once trash-strewn empty lot into a magical warren of walls and passageways, a stuccoed sculpture studded with shards of mirror, pottery, ceramic tiles, bicycle wheels, and colored bottles. Zagar is inspired by many artists, but especially by the whimsy and genius of Spain’s Antoni Gaudi. This is folk art at its best. Exploring the garden will be as much fun for you as for the children.
Contact number: (215) 925-0193
Location: 1020-22 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
Learn more here.
Philadelphia’s newest attraction is also one of its oldest. Franklin Square, one of the five public squares that William Penn laid out in his original plan for the city, opened in the summer of 2006. The children will love this family-friendly park, which includes two playgrounds (one for children ages 2 to 5, another for ages 5 to 12), an 18-hole Philly-themed miniature golf course, a classic 30 figure carousel, storytelling benches where you can hear tales of Franklin Square’s past (courtesy of the friendly storytellers of Once Upon a Nation), and a picnic area. Four brick walking paths with nighttime lighting lead to the centerpiece of the Square, the Franklin Square Fountain, a marble masterpiece built in 1838 surrounded by wrought iron fences.
Contact number: (215) 629-4026
Location: Sixth Street and Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Learn more here.
The Mummer’s Parade — Philly’s answer to Mardi Gras — takes place on New Year’s Day every year (subject to weather). As parades go, this is a biggie, with 12,000 marchers, enough sequins and feathers to outfit a gaggle of Vegas show girls and strutting string bands. The children will love the spectacle; just dress for the chilly weather. An indoor rehearsal show called Mummer’s Fest takes place at the PA Convention Center December 28, 29, 20, and 31. Donation suggested.
Location: Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
Learn more here.
Sneaker freaks love this store, with its edgy vibe, skater threads, hipster designer denim and hard-to-score clothing by Silas and Maria, Rag and Bone, Christian Dior, and Marc Jacobs. Sneaker heads are bound to swarm the limited edition Nikes they always seem to have. The area is a perfect ‘hood in which to shop, graze, and people watch around Rittenhouse Square.
Contact number: (215) 988-0194
Location: 1509 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Learn more here.
Clue the children into the Philly sound. If they haven’t danced to Love Train it’s not too late. This shop is stocked with vinyl records and 45s for die-hard fans and serious collectors. And the kids will flip over the chance to check out the recording booth and record live songs over a favorite TSOP track.
Contact number: (215) 985-0900
Location: 309A South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Learn more here.
Take an afternoon or evening cruise on the Delaware, it’s a fun way to spend a few hours with the children and see both the Philadelphia and Camden side of the river from a new perspective. Cruises include lunch or dinner and entertainment. The kids will have fun pointing out landmarks like the Adventure Aquarium, Ben Franklin Bridge and the sports stadiums.
Contact number: (215) 923-1419
Location: Columbus Boulevard and Lombard Circle, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Learn more here.
This wonderful playground in Fairmount Park features a classic old wooden slide (the kind where you go riding down on a burlap sack) called Swing City, an amazing landscape of rope sculptures, swings, and other crazy stuff that children love; and the Playhouse, a 19th-century three-story mansion filled with toys, games and a miniature cityscape designed for the 5 and younger set.
Contact number: (215) 765-4325
Location: East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA 16801
Learn more here.
