13 things to do with your kids Labor Day weekend in Philly

One last long weekend. That’s all that’s left before summer gives way to homework, soccer practice, and school-night bedtime.

Luckily, Labor Day weekend is packed with ways to squeeze in one more family adventure. Roller-skate along the waterfront, watch fireworks with Elmo, catch the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, explore a blockbuster museum exhibit, or wander through hundreds of whimsical scarecrows.

Here are the best family-friendly things to do around Philadelphia this Labor Day weekend.

Celebrate one last weekend of summer at Penn’s Landing before Summerfest closes for the season. Families can roller-skate, play mini golf, ride the Ferris wheel, visit the retro arcade, and grab classic boardwalk treats along the waterfront.

📆 Through Sept. 7, 📍101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, 🌐 delawareriverwaterfront.com, 💵 Free entry; attractions ticketed

Kick back in colorful hammocks, enjoy waterfront views, or hop aboard a swan boat or Chiliboat adventure at Penn’s Landing. Grab an ice cream, play lawn games, and soak up one more summer day along the Delaware River.

📆 Daily, 📍301 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, 🌐 delawareriverwaterfront.com, 💵 Free entry; activities pay as you go

The 154th annual Cannstatter Volksfest celebrates German heritage with live music, folk dancing, amusement rides, games, and plenty of traditional food and drink. It’s one of Philadelphia’s longest-running Labor Day weekend traditions.

📆 Sept. 5-7, 📍9130 Academy Rd., Philadelphia, 🌐 cannstatter.org, 💵 Ticketed

Head to Doylestown for a weekend of Polish food, folk dancing, carnival rides, live entertainment, and cultural exhibits celebrating Polish heritage. Be sure to save room for pierogi and potato pancakes.

📆 Sept. 5-7 (also Sept. 12—13), 📍654 Ferry Rd., Doylestown, Pa., 🌐 polishamericanfestival.org, 💵 $15

Spend Labor Day weekend at Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies host the Atlanta Braves for a four-game series. Choose from evening games Friday and Saturday or afternoon first pitches Sunday and Labor Day.

📆 Sept. 4-7, 📍1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, 🌐 mlb.com/phillies, 💵 Ticketed

Philadelphia’s immersive art experience invites visitors to explore six floors of interactive installations, puzzles, secret passageways, and surreal works by more than 100 local artists inside a restored Old City bank. Older kids and teens will especially enjoy uncovering the venue’s hidden mysteries.

📆 Labor Day weekend (times vary), 📍27 N. Third St., Philadelphia, 🌐 moaphilly.org, 💵 Ticketed

Kids 12 and under receive free admission all Labor Day weekend. Families can explore the hands-on Revolution Place discovery center, meet living historians, enjoy crafts and gallery talks, and experience “The Declaration’s Journey,” the museum’s newest exhibition tracing the global impact of the Declaration of Independence.

📆 Sept. 5-7, 📍101 S. Third St., Philadelphia, 🌐 amrevmuseum.org, 💵 Adults $24, Youth 6-17 $13, Free ages 12 and under (in-museum purchase only)

Catch the final weekend of this world-premiere exhibition before it closes Sept. 7. Families can explore more than 100 artifacts and 20 hands-on interactives that reveal the storytelling, engineering, and technology behind Universal’s iconic theme parks.

📆 Through Sept. 7, 📍The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St., Philadelphia, 🌐 fi.edu, 💵 Included with museum admission

Celebrate Labor Day weekend with Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and friends dressed in their patriotic best for America’s 250th birthday. Stick around Sunday night for the park’s “C Is for Celebrate” fireworks spectacular.

📆 Sept. 5-6 (fireworks Sept. 6 at 8 p.m.), 📍100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne, Pa., 🌐 sesameplace.com, 💵 Ticketed

Be among the first to stroll through Peddler’s Village as more than 100 handmade scarecrows go on display for the season. Vote for your favorite creations while exploring the shops, restaurants, and brick pathways throughout the Bucks County destination.

📆 Sept. 7 — Oct. 26, 📍2400 Street Rd., New Hope, Pa., 🌐 peddlersvillage.com, 💵 Free

Make signs and cheer on runners as they race along closed streets through the heart of Philadelphia, starting and finishing at the Rocky Steps. Even if your family isn’t participating, the lively finish-line atmosphere makes this an easy outing to pair with breakfast or lunch nearby.

📆 Sept. 7, 📍Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, 🌐 phillylabordayrun.com, 💵 Free to watch; registration required to race

Visit Cherry Street Pier to see — and hear — Paul Ramírez Jonas’ monumental interactive installation. After a bell tower plays “My Country ’Tis of Thee” without its final note, visitors can ring the 600-pound bell themselves and share what freedom means to them.

📆 Through Sept. 27 during pier hours, 📍Cherry Street Pier, 121 N. Christopher Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, 🌐 delawareriverwaterfront.com, 💵 Free

Travel through 250 years of history in this multimedia exhibition exploring how the Declaration of Independence influenced more than 100 independence movements worldwide. Families can collect passport stamps, complete a scavenger hunt, handle replica objects, and try on clothing inspired by suffragists and civil rights demonstrators.

📆 Through Jan. 3, 2027, 📍Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. Third St., Philadelphia, 🌐 amrevmuseum.org, 💵 Included with museum admission