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Ways to Keep
Your Kids Busy
This Summer
RACHEL KURLAND | JE STAFF
E ntertaining young children can be daunting, especially with the disconnect between young ’uns glued to their cellphones and
parents and grandparents just discovering the wonders of emojis (the winky face with the tongue sticking out is a favorite
among my parental textual exchanges).

But when day camp ends and those summer nights drag late into the evening, it’s important to keep kids busy and active.

Fortunately, the Greater Philadelphia area has tons to offer (and some things are free!).

This list — which isn’t designed to be exhaustive — gives plenty of options on any given day without sweltering in the summer
sun. Sesame Place
If you’re questioning how to get to Sesame Street, the commute isn’t
too bad. Over in Langhorne, the beloved children’s show comes to
life with roller coasters, water rides, shows and parades. Don’t miss
out on a photo op with some of your favorite furry characters, either.

swim club — it’s not too late to sign your kid up — or you can just
lounge by the pool.

IF YOU GO:
Longwood Gardens
If you and your little one are willing to cover more ground,
Longwood Gardens has more than 1,000 acres of gardens and
woodlands to see. Numerous performances and concerts — some
free — take place throughout the summer. And through Sept. 30,
the Summer of Spectacle fountain show will dazzle daily.

100 Sesame Road, Langhorne • 215-702-3566 • sesameplace.com
(One-day tickets or season passes range from $50 to $155 per person.)
Dutch Wonderland
For slightly older kids, you can’t go wrong with an amusement
park. Just east of Lancaster, the park’s theme is “Kingdom for
Kids” — and the name says it all. There are rides for very little
ones, too, and Duke’s Lagoon provides a way to beat the heat.

IF YOU GO:
2249 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster • 1-866-386-2839
dutchwonderland.com (A one-day pass is $41.99. Two-day passes
and season packages are available. Ages 2 and under are free.)
Camden Children’s Garden
The Camden City Garden Club’s Children’s Garden
offers a 4-acre garden across the Delaware River. It’s also
near Adventure Aquarium and BB&T Pavilion, if you
extend the day for another activity. The garden includes the
Philadelphia Eagles Four Seasons Butterfly House, the Plaza de
Aibonito, Ben Franklin’s Secret Workshop, as well as a dinosaur
garden, maze and treehouse.

IF YOU GO:
3 Riverside Drive, Camden, N.J. • 856-365-8733
camdenchildrensgarden.org (General admission is $9. Ages 1 and
under are free.)
Linvilla Orchards
A short drive outside of Philadelphia, Linvilla is the go-to place
for pumpkin-picking in the fall, but in the summer, there are
opportunities for fishing on the lake, hayrides, petting zoos, a
farmers market, playground and indoor mini golf. There’s also a
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM IF YOU GO:
137 Knowlton Road, Media • 610-876-7116 • linvilla.com (Free.)
IF YOU GO:
1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square • 610-388-1000
longwoodgardens.org (General admission: Adults 18 and up are
$23; seniors 62 and up are $20; kids 5-18 are $12; 4 and younger
are free.)
Outdoor movies
There’s nothing I love more than going to movies — especially
when the movie is completely free! Enjoy the fresh air with free
outdoor movie nights, located at different venues across the city,
including Clark Park, Penn’s Landing, Franklin Square, Schuylkill
Banks, Fringe Arts and The Schmidt’s Commons. It’s not too late
to see Oscar-winning films — or Moana for the thousandth time.

Pizza Brain
When you’re a kid, nothing is more delicious than a saucy slice of
gooey, cheesy pizza — actually, that holds true for adults, too. But
Pizza Brain in Fishtown also includes a museum with the world’s
largest collection of pizza-related items, per the Guinness Book of
Records. (You might be tired of this go-to kid food, but it’s better
than Chuck E. Cheese, right?)
IF YOU GO:
2313 Frankford Ave. • 215-291-2965
pizzabrain.org THIS SUMMER
See Kids, Page 16
AQUARIUM: GPOINTSTUDIO;
FISH: CYNOCLUB; BUTTERFLY: NEXTSER;
PIZZA: NICKPO/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK.COM
JUNE 8, 2017
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