Philadelphia With Kids: History at Toddler Pace
The best things to do in Philadelphia with kids are the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, the Please Touch Museum for under-sevens, the Franklin Institute’s walk-through Giant Heart, the free Smith Memorial Playground and its giant wooden slide, the Philadelphia Zoo, and lunch at Reading Terminal Market. Philly is one of the easiest big-city trips in the US with small children. The historic core is compact and flat, the biggest history sights are free, and the city’s two best kids’ museums sit just outside downtown. The trick is to treat the history as a short morning, not a full day, and to spend the afternoons on things built for children.
Know before you go
The history district is walkable. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Independence Visitor Center are a few blocks apart in Old City. With a stroller, you can cover them in a morning without a car.
The kids’ museums are not in Old City. The Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo are in and near Fairmount Park, west of the Schuylkill River, and Smith Playground is in the park’s east side. Plan one “park day” with a car, a rideshare (with car seats), or a bus. Do not try to walk it from Old City with small children.
Security lines are real. Both Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center screen every visitor, and the Park Service notes that screening covers items in bags and underneath strollers. Pack light on history mornings.
History, at toddler pace
1. The Liberty Bell Center
The National Park Service says the Liberty Bell Center is free, with no tickets required. Entry is first come, first served, after security screening. Inside, exhibits about the bell’s story line one side of the hallway on the way to the bell itself, and rangers are on hand to tell it. It is a short visit, which is exactly right for under-fives. Two practical notes from the park:
- There are no restrooms inside the Liberty Bell Center. The nearest are in the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market Streets, so stop there first.
- The center is wheelchair accessible, so a stroller is fine.
2. Independence Hall
The tour takes you into the Assembly Room, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated. The Park Service says Independence Hall tickets are free, with a $1.00 administrative fee per ticket when you reserve on recreation.gov (fee as listed in October 2026). You can book up to 30 days ahead. Extra next-day tickets are released at 5 p.m. the day before. Arrive 30 minutes before your tour time for screening.
Who it’s for: kids from about seven, who have heard of the Declaration and can stand quietly through a ranger talk. With a toddler, one parent can do the tour while the other takes the little one to the lawn outside, then swap.
3. Elfreth’s Alley and Old City
A short walk from the bell, Elfreth’s Alley is a narrow cobbled lane of old houses that children enjoy because it looks like a storybook street. Pair it with a pretzel and a slow walk back. It’s a 15-minute stop, not an attraction, and that is its charm.
4. Reading Terminal Market for lunch
The answer to “where do we eat with picky kids?” Reading Terminal Market is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Every family member can choose a different lunch under one roof, from soft pretzels to sandwiches to ice cream. Go before noon on weekends, when the aisles are calmer for a stroller.
The museums built for kids
5. The Please Touch Museum (under 7s)
This is the reason to bring a toddler to Philadelphia. The Please Touch Museum, the city’s children’s museum, fills the grand Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park with hands-on play, plus a carousel. Plan around its hours, which surprise people:
- It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Wednesday to Saturday it opens 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday hours vary. On the 1st, 4th and 5th Sundays it opens at 9 a.m. On the 2nd and 3rd Sundays it opens at 11 a.m.
- It is closed on Thanksgiving Day (November 26) and has a few early closings for private events, so check the calendar before you go.
The museum’s PAW Patrol: Adventure Play exhibit runs from October 7, 2026 to January 3, 2027, which is worth knowing if you have a fan. Arrive at opening, do the carousel early, and expect a long morning. Most families stay longer than they planned.
6. The Franklin Institute
The science museum of the trip, and the best rainy-day pick. The Franklin Institute is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its famous Giant Heart is the one everybody remembers. It is a model of a human heart you can walk through, now set inside a new exhibit about the human body. The Fels Planetarium’s 60-foot dome is a good sit-down break for tired legs. Choose the Heart and one or two more areas rather than trying to see it all.
7. The Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo calls itself America’s first zoo, and it is home to more than 1,900 animals. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its newest area, Carey Bear Country, adds a Zoo360 trail that brings visitors closer to the bears. The zoo is compact enough to see in a morning. Pair it with the Please Touch Museum, which is nearby in the same part of the city, only if the kids are older; with toddlers, one is plenty for a day.
8. Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse
The best free thing in the city for kids. Smith Memorial Playground says it is always free to visit. It has a historic indoor Playhouse with three floors of play, a 6.5-acre outdoor playground, and the famous Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide, which has been a Philadelphia tradition for generations. The playground dates to 1899. It sometimes closes for private events or maintenance, so check its site the morning you go.
Where to stay in Philadelphia with kids
Old City, for history mornings on foot. You can walk to the Liberty Bell after breakfast and be back for a nap. The Wyndham Philadelphia-Historic District is in Old City, a short walk from the bell, and it has a seasonal rooftop pool, which is a big win in summer. Check that the pool is open for your dates.
Center City / Rittenhouse, for an all-round base. More restaurants and quieter evenings, with easy access to Reading Terminal and the museums. The Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square on Market Street has an outdoor pool and family rooms.
Either base works. Choose Old City if your kids are 6+ and the history is the point. Choose Center City if you have a toddler and the museums are the point.
A realistic three-day plan
- Day 1 (history): Visitor Center restrooms, the Liberty Bell at opening, an Independence Hall tour if your kids are old enough, Elfreth’s Alley, then lunch at Reading Terminal Market. Pool or nap in the afternoon.
- Day 2 (the park): The Please Touch Museum at opening (not on a Monday or Tuesday), lunch, and Smith Playground or the zoo if anyone has energy left.
- Day 3 (science): The Franklin Institute, with the Giant Heart first, and an early dinner.
Make it a northeast history trip
Philadelphia sits neatly between two other great history cities for kids. Head south and my Washington, DC with kids guide covers the free Smithsonian museums. Head north and my Boston with kids guide covers the Freedom Trail at kid pace. If you’re visiting over the holiday weekend, the city’s parade is in my Thanksgiving vacations with kids roundup.
FAQ: Philadelphia with kids
Is Philadelphia good for kids?
Yes. The history district is compact and flat, the Liberty Bell is free, and the Please Touch Museum, the Franklin Institute, the zoo and Smith Playground are all excellent with children.
What are the best things to do in Philadelphia with toddlers?
The Please Touch Museum, Smith Memorial Playground’s indoor Playhouse and giant wooden slide, and the Philadelphia Zoo. Keep the Liberty Bell to a short morning stop.
Do you need tickets for the Liberty Bell?
No. The Liberty Bell Center is free and first come, first served, after security screening. Independence Hall tours are free but need a timed ticket, with a $1.00 fee per ticket when reserved online.
Is the Please Touch Museum open every day?
No. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and its Sunday opening time depends on the week of the month. It is also closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Where should we stay in Philadelphia with kids?
Old City for walking to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, or Center City and Rittenhouse for more restaurants and a quieter evening. A hotel with a pool makes the afternoons easy.
