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

My Favorite Campgrounds Near Philly

by Cecily Kellogg

April 28, 2009

Before I had my daughter, I loved camping. My husband and were avid "car campers" (meaning we camped at campgrounds where you can park your car right in your site), often spending nearly sixty nights out under the stars during the camping season (from April to October). It was our favorite activity during the warm season.

But then came infertility and pregnancies and having a child, and we lost our camping mojo. But this year, we are getting it back! My daughter is nearly three and has become a great hiker and I think she will love camping as much as we did. Luckily we did enough exploring various campgrounds that we have great information about which spots are best for us now that we have a young child. Listed below are my five favorites! One note: we camp with our dog, so all of the below also allow dogs in parts of their campground. 

1. Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware. What's not to love about this great campground? The sites are shady and pleasant, and with paved trails leading throughout the dunes and to the beach, it's a great safe place for biking, walking, and even roller skating or skateboarding. One word of caution: book your trip well in advance, and be warned that some of the inner ring sites are quite tiny.

2. Promised Land State Park. This lovely spot offers a great family retreat. With beautiful sites, nice trails, and a cute lake beach, you can't go wrong. And if you are NOT camping with a dog, the Pickerel Point section of the campground offers sites directly on the lake -- lovely!

3. Pioneer Campground. This private campground is great for families. Not only are there tent and RV sites but there are also cabins. There's a pool, a playground, and events every night. You can have the best of rural camping AND a family campground -- the trick is to book their "remote" campsites where you'll have privacy and direct access to walking trails, as well as just a short walk to all the amenities. Near Worlds End State Park (which also offers campsites to non-dog owners).

4. Dingman's Campground. Located right in the heart of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area, this campsite re-opened with new owners a few years ago and has become an amazing place. You can camp in the woods or right on the river (although it gets noisy down by the river, although it's better since they do not allow alcohol anymore). They also rent canoes so you can enjoy the singular pleasure of floating down the Delaware River. 

5. Shenandoah National Park. This huge park offers everything -- cabins, lodges, and beautiful campsites. I would save this spot for mid-summer, though; we've camped there in late May/early June and been caught in some pretty severe weather, ranging from snow to endless downpours. There are multiple campgrounds, but I love Big Meadows right in the center where you can get an amazing batch of buckwheat pancakes at the local camping store.

I'm eager to hear your suggestions. Where do you love to camp in our area?

Preparing For Summer

by Cecily Kellogg

April 27, 2009

Wow, that was a blast of early summer this weekend, wasn't it? Sunday was my birthday and it hit 93 degrees. NINETY THREE DEGREES. That is crazy for end-of-April weather!

But it put me in mind of getting ready for summer. Time to get out and buy a swimsuit for both me and the kiddo before they are all gone. Time to stock up on sunscreen, the summer wardrobe, and sign up for summer camp.

Savvy Source Philadelphia is here to help you get summer sorted out! Check in regularly for great summer tips, and be sure to take a look at our thorough camps guide.  We've already signed up our daughter for an excellent camp program at a local church; she'll be going five mornings a week for about half the summer (we plan on spending the rest of the summer camping!). 

Here are some other posts I've done to help you get off to a good start for the summer:

• Top Five Day Trips from Philly.

• Best Philly Gardens, now fully in bloom!

• Top Ten Playgrounds (you'll often find me at #1!)

You'll also find articles soon about our best local beaches, most family friendly playgrounds, and more! Keep your eye on this site. Good stuff is coming!

This Weekend's Events

by Cecily Kellogg

April 23, 2009

It is going to be gloriously summer like this weekend, with temperatures hitting the mid 80's on Sunday. I'll be enjoying it as I celebrate my 41st birthday (sigh). I'm going to focus today on one particular great event that is happening this weekend since I already discussed the Earth Day events in the region earlier this week.

If you live in Philadelphia, you know that the suburbs have a lot of great local community art centers. There's Abington Art Center, the Cheltenham Art Center, the Main Line Art Center, the Wayne Art Center -- just to mention a few. The South Philly folks, of course, have the amazing Fleisher Art Memorial.

Until recently, the other half of the city was missing out -- but five years ago, The Fairmount Art Center came into being, and has since been offering a full range of programs for children and adults, right in the northwestern section of the city. As a former Fairmount resident, I am jealous that you folks are that lucky.

This Sunday, from 2pm to 6pm, the Fairmount Art Center is having a big ol' bash to celebrate their fifth anniversary. Here are the details:

"Open to the public, a free indoor/outdoor celebration will feature make-and-take crafts at sidewalk stations, interactive music, art demonstrations and a special student art exhibition.  At 4:00 p.m., FAC students, teachers and friends will blow out birthday candles atop an elaborate sculptural cake designed by Meredith Frantz, Owner of Tiny Little Oven Cakes.  Birthday Bash celebrants of all ages will learn traditional linen papermaking techniques by Master Crafter Richard Aldorasi and enjoy face painting by Liberty Faces."

It sounds like a wonderful time, and if I wasn't having a party myself I would be there. Enjoy! And Happy Birthday, Fairmount Art Center!

To read more about the Fairmount Art Center, be sure to check out this great article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  

Celebrating Earth Day In Philadelphia

by Cecily Kellogg

April 21, 2009

How can you celebrate Earth Day in Philadelphia? Here's a great list of local events!

1. The Philadelphia Zoo is offering two Earth Day parties, one on Saturday April 25th and Sunday April 26th. From 10am to 4pm, you'll find music, games, and great information!

2. A fun "green" fashion show hosted by Drexel University offers up a unique perspective on the environment! 7pm on Wednesday, April 22, at 249 Arch Street in Philadelphia.

3. EARTH SaturDAY celebration on South Street features fun things like music and more on the 900 Block of South Street all day Saturday, April 25!

4. Temple University offers up its Earth Fest on Friday, April 24th from 9am to 2:30pm.

5. Morris Arboretum offers up its annual Arbor Day Celebration, featuring sculpture by Patrick Doughterty, events and activities for kids and more!

If you know of other great Earth Day celebrations, post 'em here!

Earth Day Week!

by Cecily Kellogg

April 20, 2009

I always note Earth Day because, selfishly, it happens so close to my birthday every year. This year Earth Day is on Wednesday, April 22, and I plan to celebrate by getting outside with my family and going for a walk in the woods, pointing out the amazing spring plant and animal life to my daughter.

We've worked at becoming a more green family, but we still struggle. About a year ago we started recycling all of our boxes and packaging, including milk cartons and popsicle boxes. It's made a huge difference -- our trash decreased by about 60%, and it has become a fun family event to flatten and put away the boxes for recycling. We involve my daughter with cleaning up and are working hard at teaching her the difference between "trash" and "recycling." I know the best we can do is lead by example.

But I know there is so much more we can do. For instance, we are a busy family, so we often use paper plates to eat on so we have fewer dishes to wash (and now, we never remember to recycle them). We buy bottled water more often than not, even though we have reusable water bottles throughout the house. 

Then there's food... sigh. We try to buy local produce and meats, but sometimes it's just so much easier to buy everything at a regular chain grocery store. I realize this is important, and I am committed to trying to do better. We've been enjoying the Farmer's Market at Clark Park in West Philly on Saturdays, and I hope to buy a larger percent of my groceries from them in the future.

For more great greening tips, check out this column at the main Savvy Source Parenting site. And go green for Earth Day!