Category: Things to do with kids in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Orchestra for Kids

This world-renowned orchestra offers a family concert series every season, performing in Philadelphia and its suburbs for the 6 to 12 year old set. Another initiative, Sound All Around, appeals to 3 to 5 year olds. Music is chosen for its appeal to children, often with the addition of visuals, dance, and drama. For Sound All Around, the children sit up close to the musicians, who demonstrate their instruments, perform short pieces and tell musical stories for 40 minutes.

Contact number: (215) 893-1999

Location: Broad Street and Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Learn more here.

Philadelphia Children’s Festival

The oldest festival of its kind in the U.S., the annual Philadelphia International Children’s Festival spotlights some of the world’s best children’s performers to celebrate culture, storytelling, dance, music, and art. You and your children will love the wide range of performers, with website descriptions offering helpful details and age ranges. In 2007, a few offerings included the American-based Zoppe Family Circus, Los Folkloristas from Mexico and Amara, and The Shadow Theatre Of Java from Indonesia.

Contact number: (215) 898-3900

Location: 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

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PECO Energy Lights of Liberty Center

This high-tech addition to Independence National Historical Park puts you and your children in the middle of the action. The show unfolds at five different points in the park, where you can see and hear images and sounds depicting events that led up to the colonists’ fight for independence from the British. Kids love the cool headsets, five-story images projected onto Independence Hall, and the special audio children’s channel. Lights of Liberty also boasts sound editing by George Lucas’s Skywalker Sound; the engineers for Star Wars and Titanic, among other movies.

Contact number: (215) 524-3789

Location: Sixth Street and Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn more here.

Mann Music Center

This performance venue, located in verdant Fairmount Park, offers a wide range of entertainment; from pop to opera, classical to dance, jazz, and rock and roll. Free lawn seats to Philadelphia Orchestra performances are one highlight, another is a free young people’s concert series, which includes multi-cultural music, circus performances, and gospel offerings. Bring a picnic before the show, and sing along with your children under the stars.

Contact number: (215) 893-1999

Location: 5201 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131

Learn more here.

Arden Children’s Theatre

This division of the Arden Theatre Company is dedicated to producing high quality children’s shows that rival anything on the mainstage. Shows like Ferdinand the Bull, Looking Glass Alice and the Dinosaur Musical will delight you and your children. After each performance, the director leads a Q&A session, giving kids the chance to ask questions. Afterwards, they can meet the cast in the lobby.

Contact number: (215) 922-1122

Location: 40 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn more here.

The Insectarium

Located in the northeast section of the city, the Insectarium is a guaranteed gross-out experience — in a good way! Creepy crawly exhibitions include thousands of live and mounted insects, tons of interactive displays, a movie room and the horror movie-esque Roach Kitchen; a life size room crawling with swarms of the icky pests. A seven foot plexiglas wall is still too close for comfort. Hands-on displays let fearless children tickle a live Madagascar hissing roach which shoots out air when danger is near. You’ll understand how he feels.

Contact number: (215) 338-3000

Location: 8046 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19136

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The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology

Penn’s archaeological and anthropological collection is world renowned, and with good reason. An outstanding schedule of family programming includes story telling, music, dance, and theater performances from around the globe. The children will be fascinated by the ancient Egyptian mummies, including a mummified cat from the second century B.C.

Contact number: (215) 898-4001

Location: 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Learn more here.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art

This world class collection of Renaissance, American, Impressionist, and Modern art doesn’t leave kids out of the picture. On Sundays, the museum offers a full schedule of activities for little ones, including drawing classes, readings, gallery tours, and a “pay what you wish” policy (that’s more for the parents). There are even tours for 3 to 5 year olds, and drawing workshops for the whole family. A recent Japanese Children’s Day celebration featured fun crafts and a dance performance.

Contact number: (215) 763-8100

Location: 00 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

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Please Touch Museum

The nation’s first museum for ages 7 and younger set includes plenty of interactive play that just happens to be educational. Your younger children will love the Supermarket, where they can pretend to shop for groceries, or stock shelves. An area devoted to Maurice Sendak’s art brings the pages of Where the Wild Things Are to life. There is a regular schedule of crafts and fun activities, so check online before you visit. A daily show takes place at the Playhouse at 11am and 1pm. The museum moved to Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park and officially opened on October 18, 2008.

Contact number: (215) 581-3181

Location: 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131

Learn more here.

Philadelphia Doll Museum

With an emphasis on black dolls, this collection showcases more than 300 dolls that portray the history of dolls of color. Besides African, European, and American Folk Art dolls, your children will see other varieties including Barbie, Cabbage Patch, rag dolls, and action dolls that move and speak. There’s even some 60s memorabilia — although chances are, the kids won’t recognize Diahann Carroll and Flip Wilson.

Contact number: (215) 787-0220

Location: 2253 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132

Learn more here.