Family fun in Philly this spring: Make art, see the circus, hang out with a sloth

Spring is a great time for family adventure. On the calendar this year, there are lots of trusty standbys: great kids’ theater at the Walnut and Arden, an epic Children’s Festival at the Annenberg. But there’s also a lot of new traditions: enjoying warmer weather at the Getaway at the Greenhouse, taking art lessons at Taller Puertorriqueño, dancing hip hop among ancient armor at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and more.

Getaway at the Greenhouse (through Feb. 17, Fairmount Park Horticultural Center). Short sleeves are weather-appropriate at Fairmount Park’s tropical pop-up, replete with an indoor beach, picnic tables, food trucks on weekends, live music, a giant globe, and balmy temps. (215-988-9361, fairmountpark.ticketleap.com)

Philadelphia Auto Show (through Feb. 17, Pennsylvania Convention Center). The hundreds of new model vehicles on display at the annual show are just waiting for the smudges of tiny fingerprints. Plus, there are diggers to climb into, puppies to pet, and, this year, vehicle celebs they will know (like the Pizza Planet Truck from Toy Story). (610-279-5229, phillyautoshow.com)

Taller Puertorriqueño Open House (Feb. 13, Taller Puertorriqueño). The esteemed Fairhill cultural center opens its doors and its registry for art classes, allowing a peek at the center’s artists and creative goings-on. (215-423-6320, tallerpr.org)

Jurassic World Live Tour (Feb. 14-17, Wells Fargo Center). If the multiplex version of Triceratops, Pteranodons, T-Rexes left your kids like, “meh,” maybe they’ll be impressed by the beasts in an arena show. Maybe. (215-336-3600, wellsfargocenterphilly.com)

Culturefest: African & Diasporic Cultures (Feb. 15, Penn Museum). The sphinx is back. It’s high time to celebrate its continent-of-origin by making masks, telling stories, playing drums, singing and dancing, and begging mom and dad for a treasure from the African marketplace. (215-898-4000, penn.museum)

Survival of the Slowest (Feb. 15-Sept. 20, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University). Hedgehogs, sloths, tortoises — animals known for their careful plodding — star in an exhibit that shows why faster isn’t always better. (215-299-1000, ansp.org)

Fairy Rhymes (Feb. 29, Esperanza Arts Center; March 21 & 22, Haverford School). Pennsylvania Ballet’s delightful second company presents the Three Little Kittens, who meet up with Cinderella, Snow White, Peter Pan, and more fairy-tale stars in a sublimely kid-friendly introduction to ballet. Spoiler alert: The mittens get found. (215-893-1999, paballet.org)

First Sunday: Art of the Vote (March 1, Brandywine Museum of Art). The exhibit “Votes for Women” shows how clothes and accessories sent suffrage messages. Storyteller Tahira tells folktales about strong African women, at 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. (610-388-2700, brandywine.org)

MasterChef Junior Live (March 11, Merriam Theater). Neither chef Sanchez nor chef Ramsay will be there, but some as-seen-on-TV junior sous will show off their quick-fire skills onstage to impress an audience of future James Beard Award winners. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Drawing from the Magic of Nature with Kim Kurki (March 22, Michener Art Museum). The National Wildlife Federation’s World of Birds illustrator shows kids how to let their own surroundings inspire their art. (215-340-9800, michenerartmuseum.org)

Family Circus Festival (March 22, Woodmere Art Museum). The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts and the Little Circus head up the hill for a day of puppet-making, stilt-walking, tightrope-walking, and juggling. (215-247-0476, woodmereartmuseum.org)

Junie B. Jones: The Musical (March 27-April 11, Walnut Street Theatre). Her front teeth may be falling out and new glasses may be uncomfortable, but the brash — bratty? — singing-and-dancing version of our first-grade hero still wins the hearts of early-reader fans. (215-574-3550, walnutstreettheatre.org)

Culturefest: Nowruz (March 28, Penn Museum). Iranian families celebrate the New Year in the spring. Celebrate Persian New Year — with all the song, dance, art-making, and storytelling that comes with a family day at the Penn Museum. (215-898-4000, penn.museum)

Play-A-Palooza (March 28, Smith Memorial Playground). Buds, blossoms, baby birds: Sure, they herald the season. But you know it’s really spring when Smith extends its hours, and throws a party to prove it. (215-765-4325, smithplayground.org)

Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat (April 8-June 7, Arden Theatre). You know the story. By heart. But you need to see how the actor at the Arden is going to balance all those household objects while standing on a ball. (215-922-1122, ardentheatre.org)

All that Jazz: An Afrocentric Musical Journey (April 18, Woodmere Art Museum). Jazz Appreciation Month isn’t just for grown-ups. This afternoon concert takes young ears on a journey from the art form’s African roots through Miles Davis’ experimental stylings. (215-247-0476, woodmereartmuseum.org)

Snow White (April 18, Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, Drexel Hill). Samantha Dunster, assistant artistic director at Pennsylvania Ballet, choreographed the fairy tale for one-hour attention spans. Kermit Poling wrote the original score. The morning performance is sensory-friendly. (610-622-1189, udpad.org)

Wild Kratts Live 2.0 (April 18, Merriam Theater). Martin and Chris Kratt, the real live Jersey-born zoologist bros behind the educational cartoon, get onstage in their creature power suits to rescue animals and befuddle the bad guy. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Southwest Spring Fest (April 25, Bartram’s Garden, Cobbs Creek & John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum). A trio of Philly’s favorite outdoor spaces spring cleanups and BioBlitzing (documenting plants and animals), with other hands-on family activities about the environment and how to care for it. (215-729-5281, bartramsgarden.org)

Family Day at the Philadelphia Show (April 26, Navy Yard). The final day is family day at the esteemed museum benefit formerly known as the Philadelphia Art & Antiques Show. Kids can color and hunt for animals on the antiques and the art — chaperoned, naturally. (215-763-8100, thephiladelphiashow.com)

Chinese Lantern Festival (May 1 — July 5, Franklin Square). Wandering through this display of silk lanterns in fantastical shapes has become a Philly springtime must-do. (215-629-5801, historicphiladelphia.org)

Bricklive (May 2 — June 5, Franklin Institute). You say LEGO. Kids say: Now! The world’s most popular toy returns to the Ben Franklin Parkway in a display that’s both don’t-touch — hands off the 1.5-ton brick elephant — and totally hands-on — with a 250,000-brick DUPLO pit. (215-448-1200, fi.edu)

Children’s Day Weekend at Shofuso (May 2-3, West Fairmount Park). The Japanese house and garden celebrates Japan’s National Children’s Day. (Isn’t that every day in the U.S.?) Check out carp-shaped windsocks, folk hero dolls, mini samurai armor, storytelling, and very cute crafts. (267-237-3550, japanphilly.org)

Dance All Knight (May 3, Philadelphia Museum of Art). Street dancers from It’s Showtime NYC perform among — and possibly in — armor in that coolest of galleries as part of the museum’s daytime pay-what-you-wish family festival. (philamuseum.org, 215-763-8100)

Children’s Festival (May 7-9, Annenberg Center). Among the festival’s delights: Catapult turns bodies into epic shadow puppets, Aussie act Circa mixes circus tricks with Mozart, Charlotte Blake Aston tells stories, Story Pirates improv, and an everybody-dance-now workshop with Pilobolus. (215-898-3900, annenbergcenter.org)

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (May 9, Merriam Theater). Mr. Rogers invented him. Parents quote him. Two-year-olds adore him. Dreams do come true. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Olympia’s Waterfront Splash (May 9, Independence Seaport Museum). The swan boats are out, and so is the cake. It’s the 125th birthday of Penn’s Landing’s clangy cruiser, and the Seaport Museum is throwing a party. (215-413-8655, phillyseaport.org)

Strawberry Festival (May 16 & 17, Peddler’s Village). Nibble and sip on smoothies, muffins, jams, and baskets of spring’s first fruit while you enjoy live music, kids’ activities, artisan vendors, and, best of all, a pie-eating contest. (215-794-4000, peddlersvillage.com)