Kids To Do: Hang with 'Frozen's' Elsa, Anna, & Olaf on ice
If you think the best way to be Frozen is on ice, indoors, and on days more closely resembling May than December, your Christmas dream has come true.
Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic puts Anna, Elsa, and Olaf on skates, along with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Aladdin and his Genie, Ariel the Little Mermaid, and all the princesses including Cinderella, Snow White, and Tiana. Add in the big hits such as "You've Got A Friend in Me," "Hakuna Matata," and, of course, "Let It Go," and you've got a way to let the holiday break go by a little happier.
At Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., at 2 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday; 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. Wednesday; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday; 2 p.m. Jan. 1; 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. Jan. 2 and 3. Tickets: $15 to $100. Information: 800-298-4200.
North Pole confidential
Everybody's favorite Yuletide gumshoe returns for a new adventure in Murray the Elf and the Case of the Gruesome Gumdrop, the fourth effort from author Bill D'Agostino. The two-man show, starring Will Dennis as the pointy-hatted detective and Andy Shaw as everybody else, is an interactive comedy mystery in which Mrs. Claus hires Murray to investigate a a gumdrop ghost.
All in good fun, but it's probably best for those ages five and older.
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday at Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler. Tickets: $14; $12 seniors; $10 ages 5 to 12. Information: 215-654-0200.
Science fun
No matter the season, there's no place better to spend a break than the the Academy of Natural Sciences. For this one, the venerable, entertaining, and edifying institution presents five All-Star Days to augment the butterflies, fossils, and dioramas that make it such a great spot to bring the kids, and yourself.
The stellar lineup: Dinosaur Day (Saturday), Bug Day (Sunday), "Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly" Day (Monday), "Fur, Feathers, and Scales" Day featuring the Academy's live denizens (Tuesday), and -- our favorite -- Weird-Things-In-Jars Day, a close up look at the collection's specimens (Wednesday). Each day features shows, stories, hands-on activities, and crafts.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday at the Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Tickets: $17.95; $14.95 seniors and students; $13.95 ages 3 to 12; under 3 free. Information: 215-299-1000.