10 free or low cost Philly area outdoor activities for kids

Gas prices are sky-high. Air travel can be a nightmare — if you can even find a flight with tickets for the whole family. So what better time for a staycation?

For children, vacations and summer camps are a lot of fun, but they usually come with a price tag. You can try to find alternatives like museums with discounted rates, but part of the fun of spring and summer is hanging out outdoors.

So what can you do to entertain kids outdoors without breaking the bank? Philly has an array of low-cost or free activities this summer. (For more family-friendly activities, check out our weekly events calendar.)

Located in Southwest Philly along the Schuylkill, Bartram’s Garden is a public park and garden that hosts a number of family-friendly programs. For parents with children 2 to 4 years old, Bartram’s Little Explorers program helps little ones understand the world around them. Every Wednesday, a new nature-themed education lesson is offered to toddlers and preschoolers. For an upcoming May 3 event, children will learn about nests and eggs.

The garden also hosts free bike programs. Learning to ride a bike is a monumental milestone for children, but only some have access to lessons, a space to practice, or even a bike. Between March and November, kids 4 to 16 can learn to ride a bike every second Saturday of the month between 10 a.m.-noon. On Fridays between 3-6 p.m., kids can learn to do simple bike repairs with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. Free bike rentals are available.

Dates: Little Explorers: Every second Wednesday of the month March through November from 10 a.m. -11:30 a.m. Free bike programming: March to November, second Saturday of the month, 10 a.m.-noon; Fridays, 3-6 p.m.

Cost: Little Explorers: $12 (Southwest Philly residents pay $2).

Requirements: One adult chaperone for every two children.

How to register: Online at bartramsgarden.org

📍5400 Lindbergh Boulevard, 🌐bartramsgarden.org

For children who like the woods — and parents who want to let them explore in a controlled environment — Awbury’s playscape is free on weekends. Playscapes are playgrounds created from natural materials like wood, where children can exercise imagination, discover new ways of playing, and self-entertain. Fairy tables, willow huts, and logs made from fallen trees are part of the entertainment.

Dates: April 8 to Oct. 31 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

How to register: Register online at awbury.org

📍6060 Ardleigh St., 🌐awbury.org

For a limited time, Sesame Place is selling discounted tickets between 10%-50% off. Besides rides and attractions, your children can take part in Elmo’s Springtacular event. From April 15 to June 18, kids can hang out with their favorite TV characters, including Arthur, PJ Masks, the Power Rangers, and Blippi.

Dates: April 15 to June 18.

Cost: Children under 2 enter for free. Single-day admission is usually $99.99, but for a limited time, tickets are $49.99.

Requirements: For Elmo’s Springtacular, meet-and-greets require registration.

How to register: Online at sesameplace.com

📅April 15 to June 18, 📍100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne

Looking for a summer activity for kids 12 to 18? The Parkway Central Library shows movies on Mondays at the Field Teen Center. Email TeenCenter@freelibrary.org or call 215-686-5395 for more information on the movie schedule.

Dates: Mondays at 2:30 p.m., between April 17 to May 22.

Cost: Free

How to register: No registration is required.

📍1901 Vine St., 🌐www.freelibrary.org

For Germantown residents, Lovett Memorial Library offers free yoga classes for all ages. The lessons, by Surya Moon Yoga instructors, include songs and storytelling for children 2 to 5. Parents will practice breathing and relaxation, and kids will learn confidence, creativity, and how to keep their bodies healthy.

Dates: Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., between April 18 to May 23.

Requirements: Bring your own yoga mats or beach towels.

📍6945 Germantown Ave., 🌐freelibrary.org

Roller-skate with your child at the Dilworth Park roller rink at City Hall. Kids under 10 skate for $8; everyone else pays $10.(There is a $6 fee for skate rental.) The rink is open seven days a week, but get $5 off admission through July 11, on Mondays and Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dates: Through July 16, the rink opens at 11 a.m., but closing times vary. Sundays to Thursdays, closing time is 8:45 p.m., and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Cost: Including skate rental, kids pay $14 and adults $16.

📍1 S. 15th St., 🌐centercityphila.org

With more than 9,000 species of plants spread across 1,000 acres, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square is an ideal escape for curious little ones. Deepen your connection to the grounds with the Voices in the Landscape experience. At over 10 stops throughout the gardens, storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston relays stories honoring the contributions of Black people in horticulture. As you walk through the gardens, both children and parents will need a phone and headphones to immerse themselves in the hour and a half journey.

Dates: April 22-30 (except 23 and 25), and May 1-20 (except 2, 9, and 16)

Cost: Included in general admission. Children under 4 enter for free, kids 18 and younger are $13, and adults, $25.

Requirements: Bring a phone and headphones.

📍1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, 🌐longwoodgardens.org

Discover what happens at the zoo after dark at ZooSnooze. From May to October, Elmwood Park Zoo hosts the overnight event complete with a flashlight tour, campfire, educational programs, and more. Dinner and breakfast are included, but you need to bring camping equipment.

Dates: May 20 and 27; June 23; July 7 and 21; Aug. 11, 18, and 26; and Oct. 20.

Cost: $79.95

Requirements: Tent, sleeping bag, pillow, blanket, flashlight, bug spray, toiletries, and jackets.

📍1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown, 🌐elmwoodparkzoo.org

This bustling park has plenty of free options for entertaining children. Don’t skip the Children’s Discovery Garden, which features a play net and platform, water jets, a stream dam, and a sensory-friendly twig nest. Keep an eye on the summer calendar for everything from storytime and crafts with the Free Library to visits by experts from the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Philadelphia Ballet, and more.

📍18th St. & the Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

Sign up your 2- to 5-year-old child for an aquarium Pre-K pass between September and November. This will grant them free, unlimited visits year-round. Applications for the 2023 summer season are closed but apply in the fall for 2024.

Cost: General admission tickets vary depending on the day; admission is free on birthdays. Tickets start at $19.99 for kids 2 to 12, adults pay a minimum of $27.99, and seniors $25.99. Register for the Pre-K pass online at adventureaquarium.com.

📅 September-November, 📍1 Riverside Dr., Camden