Kidding Around in Philadelphia
A Guide to Family Fun in the City
Both a modern city and the birthplace of our nation, Philadelphia is teeming with educational experiences that are so much fun, kids will hardly realize they’re learning. Here is a selection of some of the city’s best family-friendly activities, for kids of all ages:
To get the lay of the land — and water — climb aboard the ever-popular Ride the Ducks Tour. World War II amphibious vehicles whisk you around city streets before plunging into the Delaware River at Penn’s Landing for a duck’s-eye view of the city skyline. The tour combines music and fun with history for a “quack-tacular” experience. Tours run daily, mid-March through December.
If you’re looking for a futuristic way to see the city, sign up for a guided I Glide Segway Tour. These self-balancing two-wheeled “human transporters” glide you through the Art Museum District while experienced guides offer an entertaining and engaging historical narrative through wireless headsets. Training and equipment are provided and anyone 13 years and older can join in the fun. Tours run up to three times daily.
Just beyond the Liberty Bell and Independence Park lies the urban oasis Franklin Square, one of the city’s five original public green spaces. The park features a myriad of family attractions such as the Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, celebrating Philadelphia’s legacy as the late 19th- and early 20th-century carousel-making capital of the world. You can also putt-putt your way through a kid-size version of Philadelphia on the square’s miniature golf course, or let the little ones go crazy on two state-of-the-art playgrounds. The park is open daily from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
On a warm summer evening, grab a blanket and head to the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing for a Screening Under the Stars. On Thursday nights in July and August, families can watch kid-friendly film classics such as Curious George, The Wiz, and Happy Feet, beginning at dusk. Leading up to show time, special themed activities get everyone in the mood for movie night! Events begin at 6 p.m.
For an entirely different light-show experience, travel through time to the founding of our nation with the Lights of Liberty: Experience the American Revolution. Hand-painted images of some of the country's most significant moments are projected onto the buildings, such as Independence Hall, where the events actually took place. The one-hour tour around Independence National Historical Park tells the story of our nation, accompanied by a specially commissioned musical score. Walter Cronkite and Charlton Heston lend their voices to the narration, and a special "Children’s Version," for kids ages 6 to 12, makes this the perfect family activity.
If you’re looking for a truly wild indoor experience, look no further than the Adventure Aquarium’s new array of interactive attractions. The aquarium has five new "touch areas" that allow kids to feel slimy jellyfish, wandering spider crabs, prickly seastars, curious lobsters, and even sharks! At the Touch-A-Shark exhibit, kids can roll up their sleeves and get friendly with brown banded and white spotted bamboo sharks, as well as smooth dogfish sharks.
At the Academy of Natural Sciences you can hunt for dinosaur bones, watch butterflies emerging from live pupae and investigate the habitats of far-flung animals through the museum's dioramas. The Academy's children's museum, Inside Out, provides a multitude of hands-on educational activities for the whole family.
Hungry yet? Stop by the bustling Reading Terminal Market — regarded as the oldest and best farmers' market in the country — and peruse the offerings of the more than 80 vendors. You’ll work up an appetite in no time! For a truly authentic taste of Philadelphia, grab a cheesesteak from Rick's Philly Steaks with your choice of mushrooms, onions, peppers, and, of course, Cheese Whiz™. Top it all off with a scoop of ice cream from Basset’s, one of the market’s original tenants, who has been making ice cream for 147 years.
Please Touch Museum, the Children's Museum of Philadelphia, is designed for families with young children and features six brand new interactive exhibits, daily activities and theater performances. Housed in historic Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, the museum now also offers on-site parking, a family-friendly cafe and a century-old carousel!
Located in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a leading museum in science and innovation. Interactive exhibits include Space Command, Sir Isaac's Loft: Where Art Physics Collide, The Franklin Air Show, and the famous Giant Heart
Shake things up and head to Dave & Buster's, the only place with a restaurant serving everything from wings to New York Strips and is also filled with the latest interactive and video games!
A fun place to learn the history of firefighting and fire safety tips is Fireman's Hall. Located just behind Elfreth’s Alley, the Museum occupies a restored 1902 fire house filled with apparatus, traditional and interactive exhibits.
The Philadelphia Zoo has over 1,300 animals. View the city in the Channel 6 Zooballoon® (hot-air balloon), observe Exotic animals, Victorian gardens, and much more.
