High Five! Philly Family-Friendly Weekend Events: February 2–3
Happy weekend! Plan the perfect weekend with our picks.
Plan the perfect weekend with our picks.
Click here for ongoing events that run through the weekend, like all the museum exhibits.
All Weekend
Philadelphia Auto Show
February 2—10
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St.
The Philly Auto Show returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center with dazzling cars, from exotic to classic and everything in between! Have you entered our giveaway for a family 4-pack to see the show?
R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium
February 2—10
Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St.
This spooky (and silly) musical is based on R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series. Like all WST for Kids shows, it’s only one hour!
Opening Weekend of ‘America to Zanzibar’ at Please Touch Museum
February 2—3
4231 Avenue of the Republic
The Please Touch Museum welcomes a new special exhibit, “America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far,” which allows families to learn about Muslim culture around the world through interactive displays, artifacts, and more. To celebrate, the museum will have live performances and activities on Saturday afternoon. Dance to the beat as Al-Bustan Percussion Director Hafez Kotain and his friends, Daryl Kwasi Burgee and Arturo Stable, play drums from around the world. See our preview here!
Swing @ The Kimmel
January 14–February 24 (excluding Tuesdays); weekdays beginning at 5 pm, weekends beginning at noon
Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St.
Part art installation, part virtual reality, Swing is a free and interactive experience that blends cutting-edge technology and imaginative designs. For ages 10 and up.
Final Weekend of ‘Charlotte’s Web‘
Through February 3
Arden Theatre, 40 N. Second St.
The heart-warming story of a special friendship between a lovable pig and everyone’s favorite spider comes to life at the Arden.
Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest
November 23—March 3, 2019
101 S. Columbus Blvd.
Come to skate, come to party in the cabins, come for the fun and food. This rink is a Philadelphia favorite for a reason. This year, it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary, and has lots of fun events planned throughout the season– read all about it in our preview!
Winter in Dilworth Park: Rothman Rink and Wintergarden
Through February
Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
Skate on the Rothman Rink in the shadow of City Hall and run through the fantastical Wintergarden Maze! Warm up in the Cabin with some snacks and cocoa after!
Saturday
Chestnut Hill on Ice
February 1 and 2
Germantown Avenue, Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill is transformed into a winter wonderland during this two-day festival featuring unique ice-themed attractions and cozy comforts including live ice sculpting and ice sculptures throughout Germantown Avenue, a yurt village for winter “glamping,” photo spots, chili specials, and even an iceless ice skating rink!
Sports Toddler Time at Sky Zone
February 2, 8:30—10 am
9490 Blue Grass Rd.
Sky Zone is hosting a special sports-themed Toddler Time for walkers up through 5-year-olds. There will be sports themed crafts, reading a sports story, listening to sports themed songs, and more. Reserve tickets online.
VIP Hours for Visiting Infants and Parents at ICA
February 2, 9—11 am
Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 S. 36th St.
Every first Saturday of each month, the Institute of Contemporary Art is open exclusively to parents, caregivers, and children 24 months old and under. Come be a part of a free child-friendly art experience where adults are free to engage with our exhibitions in a relaxed environment, and babies can take part in art-related activities designed especially for them. Strollers welcome for stroller tours, too. Admission is free, but register online.
Chinese New Year Celebration at Reading Terminal Market
February 2, 10 am–3 pm
51 N. 12th St.
Celebrate the Year of the Pig with cooking demos, dance performances, calligraphy, crafts, and of course the lion dance by Philadelphia Suns.
‘Groundhog Day’ Screening All Day at South Street Cinema
February 2, 10 am—midnight
327 South St.
South Street Cinema is celebrating Groundhog Day by showing the movie over and over again—very apropos.
Groundhog Day Festival
February 2, 10 am—1 pm
John Heinz at Tinicum, 8601 Lindbergh Blvd.
Celebrate Groundhog Day with live music, refreshments, games, crafts, and activities, and even a super-sized groundhog burrow for kids to explore! Throughout the day, three interactive presentations will feature beekeeping, live animals, and a Franklin Institute weather expert.
Philly Materials Day
February 2, 10 am—3 pm
Drexel University Bossone Research Enterprise Center, 3126 Market St.
Explore the materials that impact your world at a day of free hands-on science and engineering fun for all ages. In addition to demos, performance, and hands-on experiments, this year’s event also features special small group workshops geared to ages 10 and up where participants will work on teams exploring how specific materials impact their world.
Souper Bowls on the Wheel
February 2, 10 am—noon
The Clay Studio, 137-139 N. Second St.
Kids ages 4-12 (with a parent) will celebrate Super Bowl weekend by learning the basics of working on the pottery wheel, and create their very own “souper bowl!” Pre-registration required.
Arden Bookworms: ‘Where Bear?’
February 2, 10—10:45 am
Hamilton Family Arts Center, 62 N. Second Street
Kids ages 2-4 will hear Where Bear? by Sophie Henn, and then use theater games, music, and creative movement to bring the story to life. Pre-register online.
Arden Musical Theatre Dance Workshop
February 2, 10 am—noon (Grades K-2) and 2—5 pm (Grades 3-5)
Hamilton Family Arts Center, 62 N. Second St.
Students will be introduced to the world of musical theater dance using songs they know and love from Disney and Broadway scores. They’ll learn how to connect movement to lyrics and storyline, and perform for family and friends at the end of class. Pre-register online.
READ + MAKE: ‘Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing’
February 2, 10:30 am—noon
Center / Architecture + Design, 1218 Arch St.
Read April Jones Prince’s Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing, a book about how P.T. Barnum used circus elephants to show the public how safe and sturdy the Brooklyn Bridge was upon its completion. Afterwards, create your own paper structure and test how much weight it can hold! This workshop is best for kids ages 5-8 with a caregiver. Free, but pre-registration is required.
Nature Play Saturday
February 2, 10:30—11:30 am
The Schuylkill Center, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd.
Bring your family for a hike and unstructured nature play with representatives from NaturePHL. Climb, explore, and learn about the many health benefits of outdoor activity. All ages welcome, no registration required.
Independence Seaport Museum Lunar New Year
February 2, 11 am — 3 pm
Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Columbus Blvd.
Celebrate the Lunar New Year and learn about the heritages of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Japanese cultures. There will be lots of crafts for kids to do like creating dragon puppets, lanterns, and a Year of the Pig drum. Additionally, interactive live performances–including martial arts, drumming, and calligraphy– will be featured by local artists.
Storytime with Marty the Moose at Dilworth Park
February 2, 11 am—noon
1 S. 15th St.
The Academy of Natural Sciences will visit the Cabin at Dilworth Park for a free nature-themed storytime led by their silly puppet Marty the Moose. Stay after to skate and enjoy the cozy cabin!
Tacony LAB Art Club for Kids
February 2, 11 am—2 pm (Toddler Time from 11 am—noon; Ages 5 and up from noon—2 pm)
6918 Torresdale Avenue
On Saturdays, the Tacony LAB holds free art activities for kids. Stop in to draw, paint and create! Mural Arts Philadelphia teaching artists lead Art Club meetings, organizing projects and developing creative skills. 11 am to noon will be toddler time for ages 2-4; then noon to 2 pm will be for ages 5 and up.
Storytime at the Lodge
February 2, 11:30 am—12:30 pm
Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Listen, Learn and Play will lead interactive activities and music, along with some stories. Light snacks and hot chocolate will be provided for the kids.
Winterfest for Wildlife
February 2, noon—4 pm
The Schuylkill Center, 8480 Hagy’s Ford Rd.
To celebrate the reopening of their Wildlife Clinic, The Schuylkill Center is having a day of wildlife-themed fun, including crafts, animal face painting, nature walks, a bake sale, and a raffle for the clinic.
Wagner’s Winter Wonderland: Groundhog Day
February 2, noon—4 pm
Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 West Montgomery Ave.
Meteorologist Kelly Flanigan from PennEnvironment and other climate scientists will talk about Groundhog Day. There will also be fun, hands-on science activities—make a groundhog mask, join a shadowpuppet menagerie, and more—throughout the building focused on the holiday and weather folklore. Register online.
Valentine Craft Day at Momo’s Treehouse
February 2, noon—2 pm
2207 South St.
Local artist Dori Desautel Broudy will be hosting a Valentine’s Day event, creating beautiful cards with children and their families. Kids may share their cards with Philadelphia first responders. Recommended for children 3 and older. Space is limited, so register in advance.
DESIGN + BUILD: Team Building
February 2, 1—3 pm
Center / Architecture + Design, 1218 Arch St.
Kids can join a fun workshop to learn architecture and engineering. In teams, they’ll design, build, and test the strength and accuracy of their own structures in anticipation of National Engineers Week. Free, but pre-registration is required.
African American Children’s Book Fair
February 2, 1—4 pm
Community College of Philadelphia, 1700 Spring Garden St.
One of the oldest and largest single-day events for African-American children’s books in the country, this fun-filled afternoon is packed with activities that promote the power and joy of reading. Authors and illustrators will make presentations and sign their books, and there will be a wide selection of affordable literature available to purchase.
Musicopia String Orchestra Winter Concert
February 2, 4—5 pm
The Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square, 1904 Walnut St.
Come for a free winter concert by Musicopia. The Musicopia String Orchestra (MSO) serves students (ages 7-18) throughout the greater Philadelphia area who lack cultural opportunities and constructive, creative outlets.
Sunday
Free Adaptive Ice Skating at RiverRink
February 2, 9:30—10:30 am
Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Columbus Blvd.
Bring family and friends to enjoy free instructive skate lessons for those with mobility restrictions. Participants will work with rink staff to learn sled skating skills. All ages. First come, first served.
Lunar New Year Family Festival
February 3, 10 am—3 pm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Ring in the Year of the Pig with free family activities at the Art Museum. Create a lunar calendar, take a mini tour to hunt for images of the moon in the museum’s newly reinstalled Chinese art galleries, and enjoy dance performances (at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm) by the Nai-Ni Chen dance company. Free after pay-what-you-wish admission.
PECO Free First Sunday Family Day at the Barnes Foundation
February 3, 10 am—5 pm
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Visitors will have free access to the collection plus a day of family activities and entertainment including storytime with Baby WordPlay, performances by Hip Hop Fundamentals, art making, and more.
Getaway at the Greenhouse
February 3, 11 am—5 pm
Fairmount Park Horticulture Center, 100 North Horticultural Drive
From February 2—10, the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center is transforming itself into an oasis of free summer-inspired fun with a variety of family-friendly “rooms.” On Sunday, it’s especially family friendly with Jungle Rock Recess, face painters, a balloon artist, DJ, and giveaways. Activities are free, but reserve free tickets online, as space is limited.
Art and Storytelling at Woodmere Art Museum
February 3, 11 am—noon
9201 Germantown Ave.
Introduce your preschoolers to the enjoyment of art through stories and artmaking. Enjoy reading picture books in the galleries, followed by an art project.
PAFA Family Arts Academy: Game Day
February 3, 2—4 pm
118-128 N. Broad St.
PAFA is bringing back their annual free day of face-painting, pretzels, and art games for Super Bowl Sunday. Wear your favorite team jersey and come prepared to compete creatively!
Glow-in-the-Dark Screen Printing Workshop
February 3, 2—6 pm
University City Arts League, 4226 Spruce St.
Printers from Fabric Workshop and Museum will visit UCAL to lead a glow-in-the-dark screen printing workshop for all ages: “Explore your own memories and daydreams through the creation of art that helps us to remember the long-awaited promise of spring.”
Mommy and Me Frosty Cake Workshop
February 3, 2—3:30 pm
Ella Vanilla, 7922 Germantown Ave.
Kids ages 5-8 and a parent will learn to decorate a super sweet snowman cake with cake artist Noelle DeSantis, owner of Ella Vanilla. You’ll leave with a fully decorated, one layer 6-inch vanilla cake that serves about 6 people. Purchase class by email at Info@EllaVanilla.com or by phone at (215) 909-9392.
‘The Art of Audience’ Performance
February 3, 3 pm
Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St.
The Philomusica Chorale will present a choral program to celebrate their 40th anniversary, and this celebration focuses on the audience!
Puppy Bowl Viewing Party
February 3, 3 — 6 pm
Devil’s Den, 1148 S. 11th St.
Come watch the cutest game ever while you snuggle adoptable puppies from the Morris Animal Refuge. There will be food and drink specials, too.
Super Bowl LIII Viewing Party at the Lodge
February 3, 6—9:30 pm
Watch the big game on the big screens inside the Lodge at Winterfest. Chickie’s and Pete’s, a bar with plenty of craft beers, and much more good food will be available. Plus if some of your family isn’t into football, they can skate or visit the arcade!
Photograph by Laura Swartz.
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