9 things to do with kids in Philly

"Mommy, I don't want to leave Philadelphia!" my son, Dante, proclaimed on the plane ride home to San Francisco. I asked why and he said, "It has more stuff for kids." We decided to brainstorm a list of the city's best kid attractions. Here's what we came up with.

1) Play a round of putt-putt at Franklin Square. One of the five public squares that William Penn laid out in his original plan for the city boasts a miniature golf course (pictured above), a classic carousel, and a picnic area.

2) Take part in a bucket brigade at Fireman's Hall. Kids can play firefighter amidst some of the nation’s earliest hand-engines and hand pumpers, some dating back to 1730.

3) Satisfy your sweet tooth at Shane's. Ever tried vanilla butter creams? These rich and creamy treats are slowly cooked in a copper kettle and stirred with a wooden paddle--just the way they were made in 1876 when this candy store was founded.

4) Walk through a giant human heart at the Franklin. At this science museum founded to honor Benjamin Franklin, you can trace the route of a corpuscle through the world's largest artificial heart, play pilot in the cockpit of a T-33 jet trainer, and drive a 350-ton Baldwin steam locomotive. Don't miss: Franklin's lightning rod.

5) See real swords and daggers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Little boys will go nuts in the Arms & Armor gallery, filled with shiny medieval armor, swords, daggers, polearms, firearms, shields, crossbows, and equestrian equipment.

6) Watch pretzels being made at the Reading Terminal Market. At this clamorous farmers’ market (est. 1893), vendors sell produce, cookware, plants and flowers, books, handicrafts, and homemade pretzels, which were actually invented in Philly.

7) Ride in a hot air balloon at the Philadelphia Zoo. Want a sweeping view of the city? At the country's first zoo, a hot air balloon that lifts you high into the sky.

8) Order a bowl of baked mac and cheese at Jones. The Brady Bunch living room meets a New York lounge at this retro-hip restaurant dishing up American comfort food.

9) Sip an egg cream at the Franklin Fountain. At this meticulous replica of a 1905 Art Nouveau ice cream parlor, sodas are made from syrup and seltzer drawn on an original tap and banana splits are served in 100-year-old pressed glass boats.


What are your favorite kid attractions in Philly?

Photo credit: Photo by J. Holder for GPTMC