Now that the holiday season is over, the months of January, February and even March tend to drag on, especially when you have young kids to entertain. I’ve put together a list of places and activities to consider when you just can’t take another day of hearing, “I’m bored!” Grab your coats and chase away those winter blues by exploring these destinations in Bucks County or in the general Philadelphia region.
Indoor Destinations
My Gym Yardley
734 Stony Hill Road, Yardley
If you follow my social pages, you know that we love My Gym. My kids started going to classes there last February, shortly after we moved to Yardley and we’ve been going at least twice a week ever since. (Usually more like 4 times!) While this spot is different than the others on this list because you can’t just drop in without signing up, it’s worth including because it has been such a life saver, especially during the cold weather months when it’s not as easy to run around outside to get that energy out. When you sign up your kids up for a My Gym Membership, they can take unlimited classes (for their age) PLUS attend “drop in and play” sessions. There are Mommy & Me Classes, Gymnastics, Ninja, and more. Drop In and Play is currently offered 3 times a week. If you don’t think your child would go often enough that a Membership makes sense, My Gym also offers 10-class passes that you can use as your schedule allows.
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. Regal offers discounted $6.50 tickets and half price popcorn on Tuesdays if you sign up for their Regal Crown Club. (It’s free.) AMC Neshaminy offers $5 Tuesday tickets and $5 fountain drink and small popcorn combo if you’re an AMC Stubs member. (Also free.)
Bowling
We’re still in the bumper/ramp stage of bowling, but my kids think it’s great for a change of pace. We usually go the most during Kids Bowl Free in the summer, but this is a great winter activity, too.
Note: During the summer, you can sign up for Kids Bowl Free and your children can bowl two free games every day! Sign up HERE! In 2022, the Kids Bowl Free ran from mid April until September at Penndel! (Just pay for shoe rental.) It’s at other lanes too, but Penndel seems to have the longest “season.”
We love visiting our local libraries! Obviously, you’ll want to pick out some books, but there’s even more to do than that! Penn’s Little Village (Langhorne) and Career Corner (Yardley) are have the biggest play areas, but all of the Bucks County Free Libraries have a children’s area. 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, crafts, and more!
Note: All of the Bucks County libraries are closed on Sundays.
Indoor Play Spaces at Local Fast Food Restaurants
My kids LOVE to get to eat some nuggets and fries and then run around a play area. The ones I know of that are open include:
McDonald’s in Penndel (shown above)
Burger King in Feasterville
Burger King in Souderton
Chick-fil-A in Bensalem (Street Road)
Chick-fil-A in Warrington
Chick-fil-A in Warminster
Bucks County Children’s Museum
500 Union Square Drive, New Hope
We had a family membership to the children’s museum, so it was a regular destination for us for a while. We still tend to go at least once a year. 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.
If you’ve been there in the past, you’ll be interested to know that the water table/Waterways area is under construction. The water table has been removed as they’re preparing for a brand new one to be installed this spring! In the meantime, there will be a few other activities set up in the space.
Note: Bucks County Children’s Museum is closed on Mondays. Reservations are required on weekends.
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.
860 Town Center Drive, Langhorne
Playpad Bucks is 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.
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.
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)
Depending on how cold it is, you may or may not want to walk around Peddler’s Village, but Giggleberry Fair is 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 $15 per child. (Siblings are discounted to $13.) There’s a zipline, trampoline, tunnels, swings, climbing structures, and more. Plus an area for imaginary play. You can also purchase packages of 6 visits for $72 or 12 visits for $138 to save money if you know you’ll go a lot.
Chuck E. Cheese
1661 Easton Road, Warrington
The Chuck E. Cheese in Langhorne closed down during the pandemic (sob!), but we’ve made the drive out to the one in Warrington a few times. 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.
Kids Empire
2385 W. Cheltenham Avenue, Cheltenham
This spot has been on my radar for a while now, and I hope to check it out in 2023. 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.
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.
Franklin Institute
222 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia
There’s always something cool going on at the Franklin Institute! This winter, there’s a Disney exhibit coming that looks awesome.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Plymouth Meeting Mall, 500 Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting
My kids love LEGO, and my son had a season pass to the Discover Center when he was 5. 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.
History of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Perfect for your dinosaur lover!
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.
Outdoor Destinations
Farms
Local farms are always popular from spring through fall because of the pick-your-own activities and festivals. Some however offer winter activities too!
Shady Brook Farm in Yardley has their drive-thru holiday light show on Fridays and Saturdays through the end of January. Plus, live music will be in the Greenhouse during their Winer UnWined Series on Friday and Saturday night from January 27 to March 4 from 6:30 to 9:30. It’s free and kid-friendly.
Snipes Farm and Education Center in Morrisville has a great Little Sprouts program, which is a Parent/Child class for kids ages 2-5 where kids explore and learn about nature. The classes are mostly outside but there’s also an indoor component to warm up a bit.
Howell Living History Farm in Lambertville reopens on January 28 with their Annual Ice Harvest! (A Facebook post mentioned educational programming beginning January 18 though.) This is a real working farm that offers events such as Preschool Fridays.
Terhune Orchards near Princeton is open 7 days a week, even in the winter. You can visit any day to shop in the market, see the farm animals, and let the kids play on the tractor playground and ride trikes. Plus, there are Read & Explore events on select days with the first one coming up being Gingerbread Man themed on January 17 and 21. On the weekends, there’s live music at the winery! Relax in the winery or outside by the firepits.
Head Over Hooves Farm in Coopersburg allows you to make an appointment for a small group 1-hour farm visit where you can meet ponies, cows, pigs, goats, sheep and chickens.
Ryerss Farm in Pottstown is a spot for aged/retired horses over 20 years old. They’re open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and free to visit. (Donations are appreciated though!)
Flight On Ice Neshaminy Mall
707 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem (outside the AMC Movie Parking Lot)
There’s a new pop-up ice skating rink at Neshaminy Mall! The 60 x 100 outdoor “real” ice skating rink is located in the parking lot connected to the former Sears Automotive Center and right outside the movie theater. The rink will be there until February 26. Skating sessions are 90 minutes and tickets are $15.08 (with tax) and skate rental is $12.02.
Sesame Place
The rides at Sesame Place are closed until mid February, but you can still visit the park for a special dine event if you make a reservation. Otherwise, the park reopens on February 17 for the monthlong Mardi Gras celebration.
Grounds for Sculpture
We LOVE Grounds for Sculpture and have had a Membership since before our kids were born. The grounds are closed during the day for Winter Break from January 2 through January 15. They then will reopen daily at 10 a.m. (Closed on Tuesdays) Click HERE for my post all about visiting Grounds for Sculpture with kids, including a free printable scavenger hunt.
If you want to see GFS in a whole new light, purchase tickets to Night Forms. Night Forms is a mesmerizing light show that both adults and can enjoy. These aren’t your typical “Christmas lights.” Instead, it’s a multi-sensory light and sound experience with video projection, colorful lights, and music. Night Forms is open Thursdays through Sundays through April 2 from sunset to 11 p.m.
Children 5 and under are free both during the day and during Night Forms!
Morris Arboretum
100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia
I wrote about Morris Arboretum during the summer HERE, but the grounds are actually open year-round! It’s a beautiful place to take a long walk, and kids will enjoy spots like the giant nets, log cabin and fairy woods.
Peddler’s Village
Routes 202 & 203, Lahaska
Take the kids to Giggleberry Fair, or dodge in and out of the cold visiting the shops at Peddler’s Village. Our favorite place to eat lunch with the kids is Buttonwood Grill, and then we like to get ice cream at Nina’s Waffles, cookies from Mama Hawk’s or popcorn from Clusters. Be sure to check their website for festivals and other events. In January, there’s Fire & Frost Festival January 6 & 7 and 13 & 14.
Franklin Square
200 N. 6th St., Philadelphia
Winter in Franklin Square runs through February 26. Now in its 10th year, the Electrical Spectacle Light Show at Franklin Square is a show with music and more than 200,000 lights. The show is centered around the Franklin Square Fountain and runs every 30 minutes starting at 5 p.m. Play a round of Chilly Philly Mini Golf, take a spin on the carousel, and grab a bite to eat and sit by the fire pits. January 20 and 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. is Ice Princess Weekend with Elsa and Anna from Frozen, Isabella from Encanto and Tiana from Princess and the Frog.
Chestnut Hill On Ice
Germantown Avenue, Chestnut Hill
Head to Chestnut Hill on January 27 and 28 for unique ice-themed attractions, including an ice bar, live ice carvings, and an ice bonfire! Chestnut Hill on Ice is free to attend, with pay-as-you-go activities. There will be plenty of restaurant and retail specials throughout the weekend, including chili, hot drinks, and adult beverages. There will also be live music and other pop-up activities. The two-day event will take place along Germantown Avenue between Rex Avenue and Willow Grove Avenue on Friday, January 27, from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, January 28, from noon to 5 p.m.
Sweet Mini Moments 