Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

This year, MLK day seems like much more than a bank holiday, doesn't it? While it's always wonderful to honor the man that had a dream, as we prepare to swear in our first African-American President of the United States, I know I feel much more profoundly the loss of Martin Luther King Jr. I sincerely wish he were alive to see this year's inauguration.

If you are interested in celebrating MLK day, be sure to check out the Philadelphia Orchestra's annual concert. It's actually a free concert, so getting tickets might be a challenge, but it's sure worth trying.

This year, President-elect Obama has asked that MLK Day be a day of public service. What a great way to pass on a spirit of civic service to your kids! Call your local parks and recreation office to help clean up your neighborhood park, or maybe contact the closest shelter or community center and offer your family's hands for the day.

But I think one of the best ways to celebrate King's legacy is to make sure your children watch the coverage of the inauguration; no matter how you voted in the election, it is a historic day (after all, very few nations have a peaceful transfer of power like we do) on all fronts and makes for some good lessons. I know I'll be making my daughter watch!