Liz Baill

Latest posts by Liz

Best of November: LumiNature, Thanksgiving Cruise, and More Fun Things to Do in Philly

Submitted by Liz Baill on Sun, 10/27/2024 - 7:31am

Photo ops abound at the gorgeous light displays at LumiNature. Photo by Winnie Chung for the Philadelphia Zoo

November brings plenty of things to do, as Philadelphia gears up for the holidays, from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in Philadelphia this month.

November begins the holiday season with bright lights as LumiNature opens at the Philadelphia Zoo. Not long after Election Day (don't forget to vote!) is Veteran's Day, so head to the Museum of the American Revolution where families can honor those who have served our country during a weekend of special programs. The month rounds out with Philly's beloved 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade, so tune in or bundle up and hit the Parkway before you stuff yourself with all the trimmings.

Before the falling leaves turn to snowflakes, make sure to check our Fall Bucket List and browse our Fall Activities Guide. And don't forget to book tickets now for these Polar Express and Holiday Train Rides!

We’re adding more events to our family activity calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently. Get our picks for every weekend in your inbox—sign up for our newsletters.

Best of October: 29 Top Things To Do in Philly with Kids

Submitted by Liz Baill on Sun, 09/29/2024 - 8:40am

Have you ever visited a witch's house? Families can take a hayride to see Linvilla Orchard's friendly witch. Photo courtesy of Linvilla Orchard's

October in Philly means fall festivals, sweater weather, pumpkin patches, and lots of Halloween anticipation.

There's a full month of Halloween festivities ahead this October, with tons of opportunities to get some extra mileage out of those costumes. Staples like Boo at the Zoo and Spooky Mini Golf are back, plus check out the new haunts on the block like B rick or Treat Monster Bash at LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Check out Brick Fest Live this month in Oaks, and keep an eye on our calendar for neighborhood festivals like Roxtoberfest.

For all the best Halloween happenings, check out our Guide to Halloween in Philly, where you'll find our top 41 event picks for Halloween.

Easy-to-Make Mother’s Day Cards and Mother’s Day Card Ideas

Submitted by Liz Baill on Tue, 04/23/2024 - 12:00pm

Use watercolors and painter's tape to make beautiful DIY Mother's Day cards at home.

Browse our Mother’s Day card ideas for lots of creative ways to make Mom’s day a memorable one.

What’s cuter than homemade Mother’s Day cards? Those tiny handprints, adorable spelling mistakes, and well-intentioned portraits that totally look JUST like Mom are made with so much love. Find some inspiration for this year’s Mother’s Day cards with our list of sweet and simple Mother’s Day card ideas that will make the kids beam with pride as Mom wipes her eyes.

For more ways to make Mom’s day, check out our top 50 Mother’s Day gifts that moms actually want, or make her something delish from our favorite kid-friendly Mother’s Day brunch recipes. Don’t forget to check your local Mommy Poppins site for all the awesome Mother’s Day things to do.

38 Best Indoor Play Spaces and Indoor Playgrounds in Philadelphia

Submitted by Liz Baill on Sun, 01/28/2024 - 7:05am

Kids can zoom down the slide and, of course, launch scarves at Kith + Kin. Photo courtesy of Kith + Kin

When the temperatures outside keep active children inside, it's important to have a list of the best indoor activities for kids in Philadelphia. To that end, we've compiled the best indoor playgrounds near Philadelphia and spots with indoor play spaces near Philly for kids to let off steam. From the most energetic trampoline parks to the calming nooks of Montessori-style hang-outs, Philly's got something for your family.

Need more ideas for great times indoors? Be sure and check out Free Indoor Play Spaces for Philly Kids and our Indoor Play Spaces & Fun Zones Guide.

15 Creative Ways for Holiday Cards Recycling, Plus Wrapping Paper and Calendars, Too!

Submitted by Liz Baill on Tue, 12/19/2023 - 12:00pm

Making paper snowflakes from recycled wrapping paper is easy and fun for kids. Photo by the author

Give holiday cards, wrapping paper, and calendars new life with these fun and creative ideas.

How To Play Dreidel and Other Dreidel Games

Submitted by Liz Baill on Thu, 11/30/2023 - 12:00pm

There are so many fun ways to incorporate dreidels into your Hanukkah festivities.

Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel! Whether you make it out of clay or buy it online, a dreidel is more than just a spinning top with a catchy song. Get some more mileage out of this classic Hanukkah toy by making dreidel decor, dreidel desserts, dreidel spin art, and of course learning how to play the game that children have enjoyed for thousands of years (really!).

We've got the rundown on the rules for dreidel, plus more ideas on how to put a fresh “spin” on your holiday season.

For more Hanukkah fun, check our our list of eight ways to celebrate Hanukkah with kids, which includes a kid-friendly history of the holiday plus gift ideas, children's books, festive crafts, and more. All of our favorite ways to make this holiday season a memorable one can be found in our Guide to Holiday Fun for Kids.

Fall Leaf Craft for Preschoolers: How to Leaf Press and Make Cool Leaf Art

Submitted by Liz Baill on Tue, 10/24/2023 - 5:41am

Leaf pressing is an easy and fun fall craft that results in some colorful autumn decor.

It’s fall y'all, and those leaves outside aren’t just fun for a frolic. One of our favorite fall crafts for preschoolers is to leaf press with tempera paint sticks, and it’s not nearly as messy as you might imagine.

Don’t be fooled by the “paint” in tempera paint sticks, which have the consistency of lipstick and make bright, satisfying marks with virtually no mess. They also happen to be the perfect material for making leaf prints, as we discovered by accident when my toddler colored on a leaf and smacked it on a piece of paper in a fit of rage. His oncoming tantrum was thankfully deflected when we noticed the print left behind.

After experimenting a bit, we found that parchment paper was the perfect match for our leaf pressings, with a slippery surface that grabs right on to the tempera. A big bonus is that it dries super fast, plus the transparent quality of the paper allows the prints to double as simple sun catchers when hung in a window.

Read on for instructions on how to leaf press with tempera sticks and make your autumn an artsy one. Check out our Boredom Busters for Kids Guide for more crafts like this, including our list of 100 awesome art projects for kids. Or, bring some royal flair to your fall with our leaf crown craft.

Fizzy Chalk Fireworks: The Science of Homemade Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Submitted by Liz Baill on Thu, 06/29/2023 - 12:48pm

Bring an explosion of color to your driveway with this homemade fizzy sidewalk chalk paint. Photo by author Liz Baill

Bring some snap, crackle, and fizz to your 4th of July festivities—without the fire hazard—by making colorful, homemade fizzy chalk fireworks. This STEM activity adds some sizzle to your summertime sidewalk chalk using just a few basic ingredients: baking soda, cornstarch, food coloring, and vinegar. And if being festive and educational isn’t enough, note that this project kept my kids busy for a solid 45 minutes. So occupy the littles while you fire up the barbecue and watch them delight in their bubbly explosions that are fit for the 4th.

For more science fun, check out our 64 favorite science experiments for kids or these super simple science activities for preschoolers. All this and more can be found in our Guide to Science Experiments for Kids.