If you’ve been following this page at all, you KNOW that we love playgrounds and being outside whenever possible, BUT obviously the weather doesn’t always cooperate for that. So I put together this list of places to go with your kids even when it’s rainy (or too cold, too hot, you get the point.) These are all either in Bucks County or nearby. And at the bottom, I included some ideas and links to some toys/activities that I kind of keep in my back pocket for days where we’re not leaving the house, but I don’t want the kids to just dump out every toy they own/stare at YouTube all day.
Rainy days can be fun, too!
Indoor Destinations
Movies
With how many ways we can watch movies from home these days, we sometimes forget how exciting it can be to see them on the big screen. TIP: During the summer, Regal shows discounted movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Summer Movie Express. The movies aren’t new, but it’s still a fun, cheap activity.
And if you want to see something new (or it’s not summer yet), Regal also offers discounted $6.50 tickets and half price popcorn on Tuesdays if you sign up for their Regal Crown Club. (It’s free.)
Bowling
We’re still in the bumper/ramp stage of bowling, but my kids think it’s great for a change of pace. During the summer, you can sign up for Kids Bowl Free and your children can bowl two free games every day! Sign up HERE! We like to do the Penndel bowling because it usually has the longest season out of the nearby locations to us, AND it’s close to the McDonald’s with the indoor play area.
We love visiting our local libraries! Obviously, you’ll want to pick out some books, but there’s even more to do than that! Last April, Penn’s Little Village (Langhorne) and Career Corner (Yardley) reopened! Read THIS post for more details on the children’s areas in several Bucks County libraries, including photos of the activities that are typically available. There are also usually grab n’ go crafts to take home, and some libraries even have games that you can borrow. We usually also pick out a DVD or video game. So between our time spent there, a craft, new movie to watch, and books to read, it can really fill up the day!
Be sure to check the Bucks County Free Library calendar for events like storytimes!
Note: All of the Bucks County libraries are closed on Sundays.
Indoor Play Spaces at Local Fast Food Restaurants
This spring, we finally have some options for indoor playgrounds at local fast food spots! So far, the ones I know of that are open include:
McDonald’s in Penndel (shown above)
Burger King in Feasterville
Burger King in Langhorne
Burger King in Souderton
Chick-fil-A in Bensalem (Street Road)
Chick-fil-A in Warrington
Chick-fil-A in Warminster
I’ve heard that some restaurants are only opening the play areas for limited hours (typically lunch), so you might want to call to confirm.
Bucks County Children’s Museum
500 Union Square Drive, New Hope
We have a family membership to the children’s museum, so it’s a regular destination for us. This cute interactive museum is perfect for children ages 1-8. For the little ones, there’s lots of hands-on imaginative play. For the older kids, there are plenty of lessons built into the play that they’ll understand better than the little ones. Click the link above to read my full blog post detailing the different rooms of the museum.
Note: Bucks County Children’s Museum is closed on Mondays. Reservations are required on weekends.
860 Town Center Drive, Langhorne
Playpad Bucks is an indoor play space that’s located in the office spaces behind Oxford Valley Mall. It’s probably best for kids 8 and under, and there’s even a gated off toddler area for those 3 and under. There’s a “little village” area, small climbing/slide zone, puppets, blocks, trains, and more. Click the link above to read my full blog post that I wrote after attending the Open House in May 2021.
Note: Playpad has Open Play Hours Mon. – Fri. 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Mr B’s at Calvary Church
820 Souderton Road, Souderton
Mr B’s is a great place to meet for a playdate! There’s a 2-story PlayZone that’s designed for kids up to 54″. Socks are required. There are a variety of vending machines, and you’re also free to bring in outside food.
Slime Lounge at Oxford Valley Mall
2300 Lincoln Highway, Langhorne
If your kids love slime but you don’t want them making it at home, Slime Lounge is the answer! Slime Lounge in Oxford Valley Mall is a great spot for birthday parties, but you can also come in just to make and play with slime! There are two options – a DIY slime experience for $25 or pre-made slime experience for $19. Both options are 1 hour and you can customize the slime (even the premade) with add-ins such as color, scents and charms. Reservations are at 3 p.m., 4 pm., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. and can be booked online.
Altitude Feasterville
1045 Bustleton Pike, Feasterville
Let the kids burn off some energy with lots of jumping!
Altitude offers special Junior Jump discounts for children 6 and under. You get 3 hours of jump time Monday – Friday and 2 hours of jump time on Saturday for just $10. Parents can join for $2. Junior Jump starts at 10 a.m. These times are open to all ages, but it’s a little bonus for the little ones.
Funzilla
500 Lincoln Highway, Fairless Hills
Go-karts, trampolines, climbing walls, an arcade, indoor playground, ninja obstacles and more! There’s so much to do for all ages at Funzilla.
Note: There’s a variety of different passes available based on age, amount of time and attractions.
Game Gallery
140 N. Pine Street, Langhorne
Game Gallery is a family-friendly spot right by Brothers Pizza (so pair it with some lunch!) offering pinball and other arcade games. All of the machines are set to free play (except a few claw machines in the front that I would skip), so you don’t need to worry about how many “tokens” or points things are. You don’t even need to swipe a card. Just pay at the front and have fun. Admission starts at $15 for one hour. All minors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult over age 25. You don’t play for prizes, but if your kid just loves to play, this is a very cost-effective option.
Adventure Aquarium
1 Riverside Drive, Camden
Pet the stingray, walk over sharks, and learn all about your favorite sea creatures!
Giggleberry Fair
167 Carousel Lane, New Hope (Peddler’s Village)
Okay, so I ordinarily wouldn’t think of Peddler’s Village as being a rainy day spot, but Giggleberry Fair is actually completely inside! There’s a carousel, toddler area, arcade, climbing area, and more.
Mercer Museum
84 S. Pine Street, Doylestown
Visit a 6-story concrete castle where there’s truly something to discover in every book and cranny.
Note: Mercer Museum is closed on Mondays.
The Little Pod
1218 Welsh Road, North Wales
In addition to being a popular birthday party location, The Little Pod also offers open play 6 days/week for children 7 years old and under. There’s an indoor playground and other interactive play stations, including a toddler area.
Note: The Little Pod is closed on Mondays.
Superior Play Systems
2554 Industry Lane, Norristown
I just heard about this one and think it’s a great idea! Superior Play Systems makes playsets, trampolines, basketball hoops, and more. And at the Norristown indoor showroom, you can drop in and play on the equipment on any weekday! Open play is offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It costs $10 per child or $12 on a school holiday.
We Rock the Spectrum
12357 Academy Road, Philadelphia (Parkwood Shopping Center)
We Rock the Spectrum is an indoor gym that offers open play daily for $14 per child. (Siblings are discounted to $12.) There’s a zipline, trampoline, tunnels, swings, climbing structures, and more. Plus an area for imaginary play.
Chuck E. Cheese
1661 Easton Road, Warrington
The Chuck E. Cheese in Langhorne closed down during the pandemic (sob!), but we recently went to the one in Warrington to redeem a gift card my daughter received in early 2020! We had so much fun. I highly recommend going with the option where you pay for minutes instead of credits. We played everything so many times and didn’t worry about how many credits we were using.
Franklin Institute
222 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia
There’s always something cool going on at the Franklin Institute! Currently, there’s the Harry Potter exhibit.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Plymouth Meeting Mall, 500 Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting
My son has a Season Pass to Legoland Discovery Center, so we’ve been there often over the past 6 months. Read more about our experiences there HERE.
Please Touch Museum
4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia
A Philly favorite for interactive play for children 7 and younger.
Kids Empire
2385 W. Cheltenham Avenue, Cheltenham
1590 Nixon Drive, Moorestown
This spot has been on my radar for a while now, and we finally checked it out in February. We absolutely LOVED it, and it might just be our favorite indoor play space! It’s bright, clean, has so many fun things to do, and I found it much less overwhelming and easier to keep an eye on the kids (or at least know they’re contained) than some of the other similar places. I’ve recommended it a bunch of times since we went, and everyone that goes says they loved it, too. I’m hoping to get a more detailed blog post up about it this spring. It’s an indoor playground with climbing walls, play structures, ball pits, slides, ride-on toys, and more. There’s also an area that’s just for toddlers. Open play is $19.99 per child and includes entry for 2 adults. If you’ll be going often, there’s a punchcard option too. One of the other features we LOVED was that you can come and go throughout the day. So we played for a while, took a break to go out to lunch, and then went back afterwards.
History of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Perfect for your dinosaur lover!
Crayola Experience
We went to Crayola Experience for the first time this past summer and loved it so much that we got season passes during Black Friday sales. (Keep your eye out for this next year – it was GREAT!) Creative kids will have so much fun with hands-on activities such as naming and wrapping your very own crayon, climbing through a Crayola themed playground, making wax molds, playing with Scribble Scrubbies, and much more. Currently working on a blog post with more details and tips!
Franklin Institute
222 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia
There’s always something cool going on at the Franklin Institute! Currently, there’s a Disney exhibit!
Ship to Fun
Willow Grove Mall (third floor next to Bloomingdales), Willow Grove
An indoor playground located inside the mall. Daily passes are $14 per child. You can also buy discounted 10 and 5-visit memberships for $99 and $59.
Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
1150 Easton Road, Willow Grove
Urban Air is a trampoline park and so much more. There are also climbing walls, a giant tube playground, battle beans, obstacle courses, a ropes course, and more. The only downside to this one is that it doesn’t open until 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Fun at Home
Sometimes, you just don’t feel like leaving the house. Here are some links to toys/activities that I know will occupy the kids for a while, and I don’t mind if they take a while to set/clean up because we have all day!
Build a Fort
My kids are constantly making forts/tents using every blanket and pillow they can find. But when we want to go all out, we get out the fort building kit. To make it even cooler, string up some fairy lights for the perfect movie watching ambiance.
Popcorn & Movie
When we make a fort, we almost always watch a movie inside it. And that means … popcorn! Sure, you can just microwave it or make it stovetop. But we love our popcorn maker because the kids get to watch the kernels POP POP POP POP!
Bake
I love to bake, and my kids have been helping me since I would babywear while mixing up cupcakes in the kitchen. If you’re looking for something super simple, grab a cake mix and then follow my favorite way to “doctor” it, which I talked about in THIS post.
Fun Bath
On busy days, baths are just to get clean. But when we have a day at home, baths can be a great way to pass some time in a contained space. Crayola Bathtub Finger Paint is always a big hit here. I’m linking to Amazon, but the best place to get it is in the front of Target. When they have it, I’ll buy 10 tubes at $1 each! The kids also think I’m the coolest if I let them have popsicles in the bathtub. Or make bubble foam a la Busy Toddler.
Craft
Rainy days are great for crafts! I pretty much always have a big stock of all sorts of papers and stretched canvas packs. But I just got a few of these to have on hand, and I was so happy to pull them out and surprise the kids. You could also take the kids to Dollar Tree, and they usually have a pretty nice selection of things to paint/decorate in the craft aisle.
Decorate Your Own Wooden Plane, Train and Race Car
Paint with Water Activity Books
Klutz Sew Mini Treats Craft Kit
Toys
Of course, any toy can be a rainy day toy, but here are a few that we tend to get out more often when we’re stuck inside all day.
Hopefully this post gave you some fun ideas so you don’t dread the next rainy day at home with the kids!
*Links above are Amazon Associate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small amount from qualifying Amazon purchases.
Sweet Mini Moments 