# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Philadelphia: the parent guide > Philadelphia with little kids works best around Center City and Fairmount Park. - Last checked: 2026-10-26 - 14 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Reading Terminal Market (Center City, 1136 Arch St.) - A big indoor food market where everyone in the family can pick something different. It’s about a mile from the Franklin Institute and close to Franklin Square. - Price level: $$ - Hours: Daily 8am–6pm - Good for: Lunch with picky eaters. - Skip if: you need a quiet sit-down meal; it’s busy at lunch. - Website: https://readingterminalmarket.org/ ### The Franklin Fountain (Old City, 116 Market St.) - An old-fashioned ice cream parlor and soda fountain in Old City. - Price level: $ - Hours: Daily 11am–midnight - Good for: A treat after Franklin Square. - Skip if: you need a real meal; it’s ice cream and sodas. - Website: https://www.franklinfountain.com/ ## Indoor play and rainy days ### Delaware County Libraries (Delaware County) - Member libraries across the county with baby, toddler and preschool story times nearly every weekday, from Swarthmore to Radnor. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free story time west of the city. - Skip if: you need it on a holiday. - Website: https://delcolibraries.libcal.com/ ### Camden County Library System (Camden County, NJ) - Free story times and family events at branches in Voorhees, Bellmawr, Westmont and more. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free story time across the river. - Skip if: you need it on a holiday. - Website: https://events.camdencountylibrary.org/ ### Chester County Library System (Chester County) - Story times and play programs at libraries from Paoli to West Chester and Phoenixville. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free outing on the Main Line or farther west. - Skip if: you need it on a holiday. - Website: https://ccls.libcal.com/calendar ## Parks and outdoor play ### Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse (East Fairmount Park, 3500 Reservoir Drive) - A free playground and three-floor playhouse built for kids 10 and under, home of the Giant Wooden Slide. There’s a free lot out front. - Price level: Free - Tickets: kids Free; adults Free - Hours: Oct–Mar: Tue–Sun 10am–5pm; closed Mondays - Good for: A free morning that works in any weather. - Skip if: it’s a Monday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://www.smithplayground.org/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://www.smithplayground.org/plan-your-visit ### Franklin Square (Old City, 200 N. 6th St.) - A small park with playgrounds, the Parx Liberty Carousel, mini golf and SquareBurger, a few blocks from Independence Hall. It dresses up for Halloween in October and for the holidays from Nov 19. - Price level: $ - Good for: A short stop between history sights. - Skip if: you want a big park; it’s one city square. - Website: https://historicphiladelphia.org/events/holidays-in-franklin-square/ ## Museums, zoos and big outings ### The Franklin Institute (Logan Square, 222 N. 20th St.) - A big hands-on science museum on the Parkway. Weekday mornings fill with school groups, so the museum suggests coming after 2pm. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $23; adults $29; 2 and under - Hours: Daily 9:30am–5pm - Good for: A rainy day with kids 3 and up. - Skip if: it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day; it’s closed. - Price source: https://fi.edu/en/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://fi.edu/en/plan-your-visit ### Philadelphia Zoo (Fairmount Park, 3400 W. Girard Ave.) - America’s first zoo. Buy tickets online ahead; prices change by date. - Price level: $$$ - Hours: Daily 9:30am–5pm; last entry 4pm - Good for: A full morning with toddlers or preschoolers. - Skip if: you’re arriving after 4pm; last entry is at 4. - Website: https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/ ### Elmwood Park Zoo (Norristown, 1661 Harding Blvd.) - A smaller zoo in Norristown that suits short legs. It runs sensory-friendly events like Quiet Mornings. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 3–12 $15.95 online, $16.95 at the gate; adults $18.95 online, $19.95 at the gate; 0–2 - Hours: Wed–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm; closed Mon–Tue - Good for: Toddlers who tire out at a big zoo. - Skip if: it’s a Monday or Tuesday; it’s closed. - Price source: https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/visit/hours-and-prices/ (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/visit/hours-and-prices/ ## Staycations and overnight trips ### Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, 1001 Longwood Road) - A huge garden about 50 minutes from Center City, with seasonal displays and fountains. A Longwood Christmas runs Nov 20 to Jan 10 with lights until 11pm. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: kids 5–15 $20 youth on general admission days; adults $35; 4 and under - Hours: Through Nov 1: Mon, Wed, Thu 10am–6pm, Fri–Sun 10am–9pm; closed Tuesdays - Good for: A day trip with a stroller. - Skip if: it’s a Tuesday; it’s closed most Tuesdays. - Price source: https://longwoodgardens.org/visit (checked 2026-10-26) - Website: https://longwoodgardens.org/visit ### Great Wolf Lodge Poconos (Scotrun, Pocono Mountains) - A 120,000-square-foot indoor water park kept at 84 degrees, included with your room. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: A big indoor water park weekend in the mountains. - Skip if: you only have one night and hate long drives. - Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/poconos ### Kalahari Resorts Poconos (Pocono Manor) - More than 250,000 square feet of water parks, with a sensory-friendly calming room for breaks. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: A water park trip with a child who needs quiet breaks. - Skip if: you’re after a small, low-key place. - Website: https://www.kalahariresorts.com/pennsylvania/ ### French Creek State Park (Berks and Chester counties) - 7,730 acres with camping and swimming, the largest block of forest between Washington and New York City. - Price level: $ - Good for: A camping weekend west of the city. - Skip if: you want an ocean beach. - Website: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/french-creek-state-park ## Free things to do - Delaware County Libraries - Camden County Library System - Chester County Library System - Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse ## Best for under 3s - **Philadelphia Zoo**: Easy paths for strollers. - **Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse**: Built for kids 10 and under. - **Franklin Square**: Playgrounds and a gentle carousel. - **Delaware County Libraries**: Baby and toddler story times. - **Camden County Library System**: Free story times. - **Chester County Library System**: Story times and play programs. - **Elmwood Park Zoo**: 2 and under free. - **Longwood Gardens**: 4 and under free. ## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Infant Story Time** (Delaware County Libraries): Mondays at 10am and 11am · Ridley Township Public Library. For ages 2 and under; siblings welcome. https://delcolibraries.libcal.com/event/17427891 - **Baby & Toddler Story Time** (Delaware County Libraries): Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:15am and 11am · Media-Upper Providence Free Library. Stories, songs, movement and puppets. https://delcolibraries.libcal.com/event/17699933 - **Baby Time (12 months and under)** (Lower Merion Library System): Tuesdays at 1pm · Penn Wynne Library. For babies 12 months and under. https://lmls.libcal.com/event/16402985 - **Babies & Books Storytime** (Chester County Library System): Mondays at 10am · Easttown Library. For birth to 2 years. https://ccls.libcal.com/event/17344307 - **Baby Storytime** (Bucks County Free Library): Thursdays at 10am · Yardley. Books, music, rhymes and lap bounces. https://calendar.buckslib.org/event/16445172 - **Busy Baby Story Time** (Bucks County Free Library): Mondays at 10:30am · Warminster. Stories, songs and fingerplays for the littlest kids. https://calendar.buckslib.org/event/17176526 ### Babies get in free - **The Franklin Institute**: 2 and under. https://fi.edu/en/plan-your-visit ## Library storytimes - **Delaware County Libraries**: Most weekdays. Free baby, toddler and preschool story times at libraries across the county. https://delcolibraries.libcal.com/ - **Chester County Library System**: Weekday mornings. Free story times and play programs in Paoli, West Chester, Phoenixville and more. https://ccls.libcal.com/calendar - **Camden County Library System**: Weekday mornings. Free story times at branches in South Jersey. https://events.camdencountylibrary.org/ ## Happening this week - **Boo at the Zoo: Final Weekend at the Philadelphia Zoo** (9:30am–5pm) at Philadelphia Zoo. Included with zoo admission (prices vary by date; buy online ahead); ACCESS tickets $8. https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/#e-philly_zoo_boo - **Boo at the Zoo at Elmwood Park Zoo** (10:30am–3:30pm) at Elmwood Park Zoo. Included with zoo admission (Adults $18.95 online, kids 3–12 $15.95 online, 2 and under free); free zoo passes and coupons don’t apply. https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/#e-elmwood_boo_at_the_zoo - **Trick-or-Treat Night at Elmwood Park Zoo** (Fri 5:30–8:30pm) at Elmwood Park Zoo. Kids $30 ($25 members), and each child ticket includes two adults; extra adults $18.95. https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/#e-elmwood_trick_or_treat_night - **Spooky Mini Golf in Franklin Square** (Thu–Sun 10am–5pm) at Franklin Square. Adults $15, kids 3–12 $12; advance tickets required Fri–Sun. https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/#e-franklin_square_spooky_mini_golf - **Swarthmore Halloween Tots Parade** (Fri 4:30–5:30pm) at Swarthmore Public Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/#e-swarthmore_halloween_tots_parade Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Philadelphia: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Philadelphia for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/christmas-lights/index.md) ## About this list - Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city. - How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com). - Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list. - How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote. ## FAQ ### Is Philadelphia good for toddlers? Yes. Smith Memorial Playground is free and built for small kids, and the zoo and the Franklin Institute are easy full mornings. ### What’s free for little kids in Philadelphia? Smith Memorial Playground and suburban library story times are free, and most weeks have plenty of library events. ### Is Elmwood Park Zoo good for toddlers? Yes. It’s smaller than the Philadelphia Zoo, kids 2 and under get in free, and it runs sensory-friendly Quiet Mornings. ### What can we do in Philadelphia on a rainy or cold day with a toddler? Go indoors: Delaware County Libraries, Camden County Library System and Chester County Library System. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time. ### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Philadelphia? Philadelphia Zoo: Easy paths for strollers. Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse: Built for kids 10 and under. Franklin Square, Delaware County Libraries and Camden County Library System are also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: The Franklin Institute (2 and under). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Philadelphia? Delaware County Libraries: Most weekdays. Chester County Library System: Weekday mornings. Camden County Library System: Weekday mornings. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Philadelphia weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/). ### How do you choose the places in the Philadelphia guide? Every one of the 14 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 4 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 26, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is the Elmwood Park Zoo for a toddler, and who gets in free? 0–2; kids 3–12: $15.95 online, $16.95 at the gate; adults: $18.95 online, $19.95 at the gate. We checked this on [its official site](https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/visit/hours-and-prices/) on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.