What’s cool for the kids in Philly now?
April 13, 2022 9:37 AM Subscribe
Visiting Philly with a four year old next week. What are some fun places I can take them?
Kid loves all things kids love (book and toy stores, museums, playgrounds, water splashing). Plus desserts and eating outdoors. COVID-safe recommendations please!
We’re staying near the Magic Gardens and I’m hoping we won’t need to drive too much? Are there other transport options or parking tips if not? Thanks all!
PS- we went to Please Touch Museum a few years ago and I don’t feel like doing that again unless it’s changed since.
Kid loves all things kids love (book and toy stores, museums, playgrounds, water splashing). Plus desserts and eating outdoors. COVID-safe recommendations please!
We’re staying near the Magic Gardens and I’m hoping we won’t need to drive too much? Are there other transport options or parking tips if not? Thanks all!
PS- we went to Please Touch Museum a few years ago and I don’t feel like doing that again unless it’s changed since.
Logan Circle has a huge fountain that (if it's warm enough) kids can splash around in. It's next to 2 kid-friendly science museums (Academy of Natural Science and the Franklin Institute) and the main branch of the Free Library (which has a great kids section if you feel like some quiet read aloud time). It's next to Sister Cities Park, which has a cafe and play areas (they usually have a splash fountain in the summer, not sure if that's open yet). It's also walking distance to Federal Donuts, which has indoor and outdoor seating. North of there on the Parkway is the Philadelphia art museum, which might be less interesting for a 4.yo. Between the PMA and Logan Circle there's a big playground.
posted by Geameade at 10:56 AM on April 13, 2022
posted by Geameade at 10:56 AM on April 13, 2022
I don't think the fountains fill up until after Memorial Day.
Close to the Girard stop on on the MFL subway (from South St take the bus to Market or take the Broad St line to MFL) is PlayArts, and awesome playspace with open play reservations on the weekend - my toddler loves it, and there are always mixed ages (up to 8) having a ton of fun.
Ms. Minor's Music classes are lovely and outdoors!
posted by DoubleLune at 11:23 AM on April 13, 2022
Close to the Girard stop on on the MFL subway (from South St take the bus to Market or take the Broad St line to MFL) is PlayArts, and awesome playspace with open play reservations on the weekend - my toddler loves it, and there are always mixed ages (up to 8) having a ton of fun.
Ms. Minor's Music classes are lovely and outdoors!
posted by DoubleLune at 11:23 AM on April 13, 2022
Oh and MommyPoppins is a great resource for finding things to do!
The playground (and indoor playhouse) at Smith Memorial are really popular, and free. There's a bus that drops off close by (the 32) and starts at Broad and South.
posted by DoubleLune at 11:27 AM on April 13, 2022
The playground (and indoor playhouse) at Smith Memorial are really popular, and free. There's a bus that drops off close by (the 32) and starts at Broad and South.
posted by DoubleLune at 11:27 AM on April 13, 2022
Hit up the classic bakeries in the Italian Market for desserts: Isgro, Termini Bros (a nice 22 minute walk from Magic Gardens). On the way there or back, walk along E Passyunk and visit the toy store Tildie's Toy Box. John's Water Ice is open for the season
Lots of great spots to eat outside, especially if the weather ends up nice, including Hawthorne's, Sally, and Loco Pez. Friends take their four-year-old to Sally regularly and he likes it.
You're staying near Seger Park, which has play structures (and maybe splash options?). It is pretty well maintained last I checked.
posted by knile at 1:08 PM on April 13, 2022
Lots of great spots to eat outside, especially if the weather ends up nice, including Hawthorne's, Sally, and Loco Pez. Friends take their four-year-old to Sally regularly and he likes it.
You're staying near Seger Park, which has play structures (and maybe splash options?). It is pretty well maintained last I checked.
posted by knile at 1:08 PM on April 13, 2022
The Museum of Natural Sciences, in other words the Dinosaur Museum, located at 19th and the Parkway on Logan Circle just opened a new exhibit called Extreme Deep, an immersive exhibit on the deepest ocean. I can't wait to take my grandchildren. They also have a kiddie indoor playground called Outside In on the 3rd floor, which includes a few live animals and aquariums of bugs; giant hissing cockroaches, anyone? Add in an interactive dig-for-fossils exhibit and dinosaur skeletons and it's a perpetual destination for those 10 and under.
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It's across the street from the Franklin Institute, now with an enormous and popular Harry Potter exhibit, but for littler kiddos that's probably miss-able, and may even be sold out (Harry Potter is an add-on exhibit). There is a great climb-through neurological model of the brain kiddos love, as well as a wonderful sports exhibit where you can see if you can run as fast as the Phillie Phanatic and other sports figures, throw a baseball and track your speed, etc.
And of course, there's the actual Baldwin locomotive in the basement. (When I was a kid it chugged back and forth on its track for a yard or two. Alas, it's static now, but still fun). There's a free planetarium show if your child would appreciate it. As a bonus, the Franklin Institute has the best gift shop, and is 10 times as large as the Dinosaur Museum's. However, don't bother to eat there, as the selections are both expensive and pretty blah.
In that neighborhood the best lunch or dinner spot would be Pizzaria Vetri on Callowhill and 20th St, about 2 blocks from the Franklin Institute, behind the Free Library (awesome Children's section) and at the same intersection as the Barnes Foundation. Delicious pizza, and you can sit at the counter and watch them make and cook your meal in the open oven. They have wine and beer if you need a pick-me-up after hours chasing your 4 year old through the city.
The Zoo is totally awesome, but be advised that all the outside birds (flamingos, etc.) are off-exhibit and inside because of an uptick in bird flu.
For transportation to the Zoo, and perhaps the Parkway Museums I suggest you look into the Septa Philly Phlash route, which travels specifically between cultural destinations. Septa also sells day passes, which might work well for you. The Orange subway line travels up and down Broad Street, and there's a Lombard/South St. station, which would work for you at the Magic Gardens. You could take it North to the Race/Vine station and then walk on Race from Broad (14th St.) to Logan Circle at 19th for the Museum of Natural Sciences.
Welcome back to Philly!
posted by citygirl at 2:20 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
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It's across the street from the Franklin Institute, now with an enormous and popular Harry Potter exhibit, but for littler kiddos that's probably miss-able, and may even be sold out (Harry Potter is an add-on exhibit). There is a great climb-through neurological model of the brain kiddos love, as well as a wonderful sports exhibit where you can see if you can run as fast as the Phillie Phanatic and other sports figures, throw a baseball and track your speed, etc.
And of course, there's the actual Baldwin locomotive in the basement. (When I was a kid it chugged back and forth on its track for a yard or two. Alas, it's static now, but still fun). There's a free planetarium show if your child would appreciate it. As a bonus, the Franklin Institute has the best gift shop, and is 10 times as large as the Dinosaur Museum's. However, don't bother to eat there, as the selections are both expensive and pretty blah.
In that neighborhood the best lunch or dinner spot would be Pizzaria Vetri on Callowhill and 20th St, about 2 blocks from the Franklin Institute, behind the Free Library (awesome Children's section) and at the same intersection as the Barnes Foundation. Delicious pizza, and you can sit at the counter and watch them make and cook your meal in the open oven. They have wine and beer if you need a pick-me-up after hours chasing your 4 year old through the city.
The Zoo is totally awesome, but be advised that all the outside birds (flamingos, etc.) are off-exhibit and inside because of an uptick in bird flu.
For transportation to the Zoo, and perhaps the Parkway Museums I suggest you look into the Septa Philly Phlash route, which travels specifically between cultural destinations. Septa also sells day passes, which might work well for you. The Orange subway line travels up and down Broad Street, and there's a Lombard/South St. station, which would work for you at the Magic Gardens. You could take it North to the Race/Vine station and then walk on Race from Broad (14th St.) to Logan Circle at 19th for the Museum of Natural Sciences.
Welcome back to Philly!
posted by citygirl at 2:20 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: This is fabulous, thanks everyone!!
posted by inevitability at 4:00 PM on April 14, 2022
posted by inevitability at 4:00 PM on April 14, 2022
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