If you decide to make a day of it at Wizard World, you'll take in attractions that will fill up the more than 500,00 square feet of exhibit space at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The nationwide event will run in Center City May 17-20, 2018. Parents, get yourselves and your kids ready! Here are a few of the top activities your family can explore. 

1. There are kid-friendly demonstrations. Have a Star Wars fan in the house? You don't have to head to Disney World for your kids take part in Jedi training sessions. Got a young naturalist in the family? Butterfly and insect performances will be held on the main stage. Older kids might enjoy a sculpting and clay modeling workshop (additional tickets required).

2. Who doesn't love a costume contest? On Saturday and Sunday, have your kids dress as their favorite wizard or superhero (or any other character they'd like) and head on in. When the 2pm costume contest rolls around on each of those days, lots of winners are named and everyone gets a prize. 

3. Check out exhibitors and vendors you might not otherwise get a chance to see. Experience a free virtual reality thrill ride with State Farm's 360-degree photo booth and VR roller coaster. Watch artists as they create kid-friendly cartoon drawings, or stop by a video game or board game display and play. Plus, toys, action figures, and comic books galore will be available for sale if you're interested in leaving with a souvenir or collectible.

Photo courtesy of Wizard World Comic Con

4. Two words: Kids Zone. Young children will enjoy watching a puppet show, listening to a storyteller, and boarding a replica pirate ship complete with props. Balloon artists and face painters will also be nearby for added entertainment. For the artists in your family, coloring and craft tables are set up as well.

5. Dive deeper into the "how's" behind favorite comics and movies with family-friendly panels. Learn about various aspects of the pop culture world directly from industry professionals, including Emmy award winning artist, Mark Kistler. Renowned illustrators will demonstrate their artistic techniques and sketch popular comic and cartoon characters for their audiences. There's even a "Learn To Draw In 30 Minutes!" workshop. Other educational panels, good for all ages, include a history of animation feature, with animator and director Tom Cook. 

6. Get up close to favorite characters in the Professional Cosplayers Area. Cosplayers (costume players) will be around to provide photo ops and offer attendees tips for getting the most out of costume play. The event will feature the local organization Cosplay Philadelphia, which hosts events at area schools.

7. Hang out with celebrity guests.  Your tweens and teens (and you!) can have a chance to see some of their favorite characters in person. Around 20 actors from many popular TV shows and movies will be signing autographs and providing fans with photo ops. Stars from Justice League, Aquaman, Lord of the Rings, and Guardians of the Galaxy will be present. And parents who are Game of Thrones aficionados will have a chance to see the actors who play Khal Drogo (Aquaman'​s Jason Momoa) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) in person. 

Things to Know Before You Go:

• Ticket prices range from $35-$55 for a single-day ticket.
• Kids 10 and under are free!
• Additional fees apply for certain activities, including celebrity autographs and photo ops. 
• Need to use public transit? SEPTA's Jefferson Station is located right at the convention center.
• Grabbing a bite to eat will be easy: The Hard Rock Café is accessible without leaving the convention center and directly across the street, Reading Terminal Market has food options for everyone in the family.

For those of you who still might be hesitant about taking your kids to Comic Con, consider that exhibitors are asked to keep any questionable materials covered. Additionally, Wizard World does its best to contain exhibits that are not child-friendly to one general region. As for adult panels, these are housed in separate rooms within the convention center, so it's easy to avoid these altogether. Ready to give Wizard World a try? Head over to our Facebook page and let us know if you do and what you liked best about the event.