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

Best Spots to Learn About Science in Philadelphia

by Cecily Kellogg

March 31, 2009

We're lucky we live in such a great city; everywhere you look there are places to learn more about science. Here are my favorite spots.

1. The Franklin Institute. Well, it may seem obvious, but this wonderful science museum for kids is the perfect place to start. While I have to admit that many of the exhibits are oriented for children older than preschool, the hands on elements make it fun for even the smallest budding scientist. Once again, I will remind you to avoid the museum on Fridays; it's full of elementary students on field trips on Fridays. Trust me.

2. Please Touch Museum. No, this museum does not have a scientific focus, but there are plenty of exhibits that teach about the physics of water and air, and is a great place for the preschool set. There are also some nice exhibits about ponds and other areas that qualify as science.

3. The Academy of Natural Science. Well, this one is obvious too, isn't it? The Academy has many hands-on sections, including live animals, as well as the awesome year-round butterfly exhibit. I find this is a nice, small and quiet museum that isn't as crowded as others, so it really provides you time to teach some solid scientific lessons.

4.  University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaelology and Anthropology. If you want to teach about the emergence of past peoples and our own history, this is the perfect museum. It might be best for children four and up, but you can't go wrong visiting this museum if people is what you want to study.

5. The Mutter Museum. Not for the faint-hearted, this museum at the College of Physicians in Center City will gross out your kids, but trust me, they will be engaged. The bins and bins of things people have swallowed will entertain them for an hour or more, and the formaldehyde jars of all kinds of digusting things will wow them. Again, best for kids four and up, I think.

Springtime and Crazy Weather

by Cecily Kellogg

March 30, 2009

So, where were you for the freakish crazy hail storm on Sunday? In the twenty some years I've lived in the Philadelphia area I've never seen anything like that. We were literally JUST off the trail at the Wissahickon (where my daughter walked three miles in two hours! yeeha!) and in the car headed down City Line Avenue when the skies broke open and all hell broke loose.

We had a full minivan too -- four adults, two kids, and three dogs -- and we all FREAKED out when the hail started. We quickly got off the road, thankfully, and managed to calm down enough to comfort my daughter who could not understand why God was throwing ice at our car.

My husband, in his husbandy way, began a lengthy lecture about clouds and air circulation and how hail forms and my daughter immediately glazed over. Hell, I glazed over. But when I got out of the car (once it was safe) and gave her a couple of balls of hail to touch, she was much better able to begin embracing some of the scientific concepts that went into creating that hail.

So we learned another great parenting lesson during that storm; that no matter what happens, you can take any natural occurance and turn it into a science lesson for the kiddos. This week I'll be talking about some of the best spots to teach your kids about science in Philadelphia, and we'll use our crazy March weather as a launching pad.

So what did you tell your kids about that storm?

Best Way To Celebrate Spring In Philadelphia

by Cecily Kellogg

March 24, 2009

It's finally here! Spring, that is. The sun has been shining and while it hasn't been warm (with the exception of a couple of gorgeous days), it's been nice enough to be out and about. So how do you celebrate Spring time in Philly? Here are some of my favorite places to go to feel the blast of spring.

1. Kelly Drive. In recent years there has been a major drive to plant flowering cherry trees in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, and no where are they more evident than along Kelly Drive. Park along the drive itself (there are two parking lots toward the middle of the four-mile drive) or at the start near the Art Museum or just walk on over, whatever works for you. Bring bikes, skateboards, rollerskates/blades, or scooters for the kids, and have a great time viewing the cherry tree blossoms. Just for the record, although it's still early, the trees ARE starting to bloom!

2. Rittenhouse Square. This park right in the heart of the city doesn't seem like it has a lot to offer to kids, but they LOVE it. They can climb in the (still dry) fountain, sit on the goat, or run around the guard house in the center. On nice days you are sure to see lots of other families, and for the grown-ups, it's some of the best people watching you can get. You can pop into DiBruno's at 18th and Chestnut and buy everyone a gourmet picnic lunch, or if you want to eat in, the Continental at 18th & Chestnut (across the street from DiBruno's) is actually pretty kid-friendly, and all kids will be WOWED by the massive stack of shoestring fries (just tell them to but the hot mustard on the side, unless your kids go for spicy).

3. Franklin Square. Sister park to Rittenhouse (there are four sister parks in Philly: Logan Square, Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square, and Franklin Square, with City Hall dead in the middle of all four), this spot offers the best family fun you can imagine. A complete transformation from its days as "wino park" (I know, so bad, but so true), this spot now features a mini-golf course, a caroseul, and lots of family events! Check it out.

This Weekend's Events!

by Cecily Kellogg

March 19, 2009

So, what's happening this lovely weekend of the Spring Equinox? Below you'll find my best recommendations for the weekend.

Friday

Cinderella. For the slightly older kids, this weekend is the final weekend of the Pennsylvania Ballet's performance of Cinderella. Tickets are still available, so check it out! @8pm at the Academy of Music. 

The Very Hungry Caterpiller. The Please Touch Museum is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of our favorite hungry caterpillar book by Eric Carle. Stop by for various events throughout the day at the best local children's museum.

Saturday

150th Birthday! The Philadelphia Zoo is proudly celebrating it's 150th birthday as the oldest Zoo in the nation! You'll find all kinds of fantastic events all weekend long. An excellent time to visit the zoo! (and that reminds me, must renew my membership!).

Sendak in Spring! Visit the marvelous Rosenbach Museum and celebrate the awesomeness that is Maurice Sendak. You'll find events all afternoon from 12-4pm featuring the works of the author of Where The Wild Things Are as well as an exhibition of his drawings and paintings. 

Sunday

Home and Garden. Just in case it's raining, you might want to head on over to Doylestown's Delaware Valley College campus to enjoy the Bucks Beautiful Home and Garden show. You'll find lots of flowers and displays to enjoy plus great kid's activities as well.  $8 admission for everyone 13 and up.

Children's Concert--Free! This great free concert by the Kennett Symphony orchestra also features a "instrumernt petting zoo" afterwards, so kids get to handle the instruments! What a fun idea. 2pm, @ West Chester University.

Top Five Philadelphia Gardens

by Cecily Kellogg

March 17, 2009

Spring is coming (I swear, it really is!) and Philadelphia is full of some of the most amazing gardens in the world. Below you'll find my favorite five flower spots here in the Philadelphia area; please feel free to add your ideas as well in the comment section!

1. Longwood Gardens. You cannot beat Longwood Gardens. Between the amazing indoor flowers, the fantastic childrens garden (including a great bunch of water features, so bring an extra shirt), the music performances (with dancing fountains, natch) and the endless, endless flowers, you will have a great time at Longwood. One caveat: the admission is pricey, so if you plan to visit often, get a membership. Open 9-5 until March 31, then 9-6, and by May there are extended evening hours. There is a cafe on site (under construction until March 27). Admission: $16 for adults, free for children under four, $6 for children five and up.

2. Bartram's Garden. This lovely spot, hidden away in a neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia, next to the Schuykill River, is beautiful in spring. Not only does it offer a wide variety of plants and trees, but it is small enough for the smallest explorers to see every beautiful blossom. Best of all, the grounds themselves are free. Pack a lunch, and have a lovely time exploring this hidden treasure!

3. Camden's Children's Garden. A perfect spot to visit when you feel like riding the ferry from Philadelphia but don't want to go to the Aquarium! This lovely children's garden offers nearly five acres of interactive exhibits including a great train and a year-round butterfly garden. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10am-5pm. Admission is $6 for adults, and $4 for children over three.

4. Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve. Oh, how I love this place. Admittedly, I am a wildflower nerd (identifying wild plants and flowers is my hobby), so it's not a shock. But this is a great spot to hit on your way up to visit New Hope; the kids can run themselves out enjoying the amazing flowers and you can then shop and eat in peace in New Hope itself. Heh. Best of all, admission is free.

5.  Chanticleer. This remarkable 35 acre garden in Wayne is just a beautiful spot. Open from April to October, you will find so much to admire and enjoy in this historical garden! With plenty of nearby restaurants, you will find this an excellent spot to visit with your little ones. Admission is $6 for those 16 and up, and free to anyone under 16. Enjoy!