Several Philadelphia’s cultural institutions and agencies, including the Academy of Natural Sciences, The Barnes Foundation and WHYY, are offering free summer learning opportunities for children ages 5 and under and their families.

A number of activities and programs have been scheduled at various locations in West Philadelphia through mid-August (for more locations, check out the Summer Pod Brochure 2022):

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Discover, Play, Share: Summer Family Fun

When: July 23 and August 6, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Where: Mt. Vernon Park, 37th and Mt. Vernon St.

What: Outdoor storytimes, puppet shows, STEAM experiments, music, and movement. Take-home learn-and-play kits and snacks. Continue Reading

This week has been rainy and gloomy in Philadelphia, but sunny weather is in the forecast for Saturday (May 7), just in time for the Spruce Hill May Fair, the annual community celebration.

The fair will take place from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. at Clark Park (43rd and Chester) and will feature attractions for everyone. For children, the fair will once again have a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce tent and a 40-foot obstacle course, all at family-friendly prices.

Book lovers will find one of the best assortments of $1 used books the fair has ever offered, and raffle players can shoot for an Apple watch offered by University Family Fun Center. Drawings will be held throughout the day for many gift certificates for dinner and services from local merchants, including Aksum, Renata’s Kitchen, Dock Street Brewery, Philly Homebrew Outlet, Dottie’s Donuts, City Food Tours, Pattaya Grill, VIX Emporium, Jinxed, Baltimore Pet Shoppe, Keswick Cycle, Studio 34 and many more!

Raffle tickets are just $1 a piece or 6 for $5 and will be available at the Fair, or you can stop by the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St) on Thursday, May 5 (6-9 p.m.). For the full list of the participating merchants, go here.  Continue Reading

The annual Spruce Hill May Fair will be held on Saturday, May 7 in Clark Park. In addition to live music, food, book and plant sales, a raffle, and activities for kids, local artisans and craftspeople will showcase their creations and offer the public an opportunity to purchase their unique handcrafted wares. There will also be booths set up with information about local groups and causes seeking public support.

The Spruce Hill Community Association is hosting the event and is offering vending spots for interested individuals or organizations. Especially welcome are artists and crafters from West Philadelphia who would like to offer their works for sale, as well as any group or organization wanting to promote itself or a cause, event, or activity.  Continue Reading

This Fall local kids will have more opportunities to try the world’s greatest game in an organized manner without leaving their neighborhood. Starting in September, Soccer Shots, a national program created under the guidance of childhood education specialists, professional soccer players, and experienced and licensed soccer coaches, will bring youth soccer to Cedar Park (49th & Baltimore). The program uses creative and age-appropriate curricula and structures activities through a mixture of play and learning basic soccer skills.

The Soccer Shots Fall season runs from September 14 through November 16 and serves kids ages 2-4 (there will be two age groups: 2 year olds and 3-to-4 year olds). Soccer Shots will run for two hours (participants can choose one of three 40-minute sessions) once a week on Saturday mornings on two small grass sections of the park. There is a registration fee of $90 to $108 and you can register your child online at: http://philly.ssreg.org

The new Soccer Shots program will supplement the neighborhood’s long established Clark Park Youth Soccer League, which runs from September 28 to November 23. This volunteer-run program enrolls children ages 5-11 and is held at Clark Park (43rd & Chester) on Saturdays, 10:30-Noon and Noon to 1:30. This is a lower cost program ($20 per season) and “soccership” funds are available where there is financial need.

More information about the program, and the registration forms are available here.