Enjoy picking and other family-friendly activities at Linvilla Orchard. Photo courtesy of the orchard
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Build birthday memories brick by brick at LEGOLAND. Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND
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Task-tackling service Taskrabbit is able to take on tons of back-to-school projects you may not have even considered outsourcing.
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Put your skills to the test on the obstacle course at Urban Air.. Photo courtesy of Urban Air
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Ultimate Archery is a great experience for families looking to have some fun together!
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Franklin Square Features Center City's only miniature golf course. Photo courtesy of Historic Philadelphia
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Kids and parents will love the fresh ingredients and delicious flavors in the ice pops and pies and pies at Lil' Pop Shop..Photo courtesy of the shop
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Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest is one of the Philadelphia Waterfront's favorite summertime traditions Photo courtesy of the Delaware-River-Waterfront
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University City District presents free outdoor movies at Clark Park. Photo courtesy of University City District
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Bring the family to the first annual Rail Park Block Party where Noble Street will bustle with activities. Photo courtesy of the event
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Bass River State Forest. Photo courtesy NJ State Park Service
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Explore the Children's Discovery Garden at Sister Cities Park. Photo courtesy of Matt Stanley
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At Johnson's Corner Farm, it's all about the berries.
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Fishtown families flock to Penn Treaty Park for the waterfront views, special events, and open space. Photo by M. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
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In addition to Pay-What-You-Wish First Sundays, kids 18 and under are always free at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of the museum
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Join the Phillies Kids Club, just in time for the home opener!
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Ultimo Coffee serves up treats and pours hearts all day. Photo courtesy of the shop
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Turn your eye of the tiger into the eye of an artist at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
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Smith Memorial Playhouse is always free, with space for kids to make their own crafts. Photo courtesy of Smith
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Take a bikde ride through Doylestown. Photo by Rose Gordon Sala
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Six Flag Great Adventure brings big time thrills as one of our favorite amusement parks in New Jersey.
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Both babies and dogs love stroller walks for some fresh air. Photo courtesy of Gina Massaro for Mommy Poppins
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Parents eat while kids climb and slide at Craft Hall.
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Pony rides always bring out smiles at Linvilla Orchards. Photo courtesy of the orchard
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Try a whiz-wit at Tony Luke's, a reliable Philly cheesesteak spot with multiple locations. Photo courtesy of J. Varney for GPTMC
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Challenge the rope bridge and zip line at Elmwood Park Zoo. Photo courtesy of the zoo
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Blue Cross RiverRink is open for Summerfest in the warmer months and Winterfest in the colder months. Photo courtesy of J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
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Harriet's Bookshop is full of titles that represent Black kids and kids of color. Photo courtesy of the shop
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In addition to Pay-What-You-Wish First Sundays, kids 18 and under are always free at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of the museum
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Head to Bartram's Garden to honor Indigenous People's Day at this free, outdoor event. Photo courtesy of the gardens
Head to Bartram's Garden to honor Indigenous People's Day at this free, outdoor event. Photo courtesy of the gardens
9/30/22 - By Liz Baill

October in Philly means fall festivals, sweater weather, pumpkin patches, and lots of Halloween anticipation. 

There's a full month of Halloween festivities ahead this October, with tons of opportunities to get some extra mileage out of those costumes. Staples like Boo at the Zoo and Spooky Mini Golf are back, plus check out the new haunts on the block like Lincoln Mill Haunted House in Manayunk, opening its creaky doors for the first time this month. October 10th is Indigenous People's Day, so head to Bartram's Garden for a big family celebration that Sunday. Stage shows like Annie and Disney Jr. Live both arrive on Broad Street this month, and keep an eye on our calendar for neighborhood festivals like Roxtoberfest. 

For all the best Halloween happenings, check out our Guide to Halloween in Philly, where you'll find our top 50 event picks for Halloween. Our Fall in Philly Guide, featuring our fall bucket list, will have you ready for sweater weather in no time.

We’re adding more events to our family activity calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently. Get our picks for every weekend in your inbox—sign up for our newsletters.
 

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Come in costume to Franklin Fright every weekend in October. Photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute
Come in costume to Franklin Fright every weekend in October. Photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute

Fun Things to Do with Kids in Philly, October 2022

Franklin Fright

Center City - October 1-30, 2022
Put on a costume to trick-or-treat indoors at The Franklin Institute. Knock on decorated doors throughout the museum, enjoy spooky science experiments, and more, every weekend in October. READ MORE

Brick-or-Treat presents Monster Party!

Plymouth Meeting - October 1-31, 2022
Join the LEGO® Monsters at their Brick-or-Treat Monster Party this Halloween to celebrate the release of their brand new 4D Movie, ‘The Great Monster Chase!’ Exclusive to LEGOLAND® and packed with fun games and lots of LEGO® Halloween activities, you won’t want to miss The LEGO® party of the season.  READ MORE

The Great Philadelphia Comedy Magic Walk

Old City - October 1-29, 2022
Try Philly's newest attraction, a walking tour through Old City Philadelphia for comedy, magic, and mystery, inspired by history. READ MORE

Spooky Mini Golf

Old City - October 1-31, 2022
Franklin Square's mini golf gets a spooky makeover. Kids can putt along to eerie music, creepy lights, and fog on this Halloween-inspired course. READ MORE

Spooky Sundays at the Seaport

Penn's Landing - October 2-23, 2022
Spend a spooky Sunday at the Seaport throughout October, where guests explore ghoulish themes. Discover creatures that lurk beneath the Paddle Penn’s Landing Boat Basin at “River Invaders,” or listen to legends of “Mermaids and Monsters,” and more spooky surprises. READ MORE

Trick-or-Trolley

Manayunk - October 6-29, 2-22
Hop on the free Trick-or-Trolley to get around Main Street Manayunk. The trolley stops at several Manayunk restaurants and shops, and at Philadelphia’s newest haunted attraction, Lincoln Mill Haunted House.    READ MORE

Lincoln Mill Haunted House

Manayunk - October 6-November 5, 2022
Philly's newest haunted attraction is Lincoln Mill Haunted House, featuring more than 40 live actors, animatronics, special effects and more, for a highly scary experience. For those looking for less of a scare, the house offers Saturday day time scavenger hunts without scare actors. READ MORE

Lion Guard: The Exhibit at the Please Touch Museum

Fairmount Park - Opening October 7, 2022
Explore the African savanna through imaginative play in the first-ever children’s museum exhibit based on Disney Junior’s “The Lion Guard.” This exhibit takes children and their grown-ups on an adventure to defend the Circle of Life. READ MORE

Harvest Weekend at Dilworth Park

Center City - October 7-9, 2022
Right next to City Hall, Dilworth Park transforms into its own fall festival with Harvest Weekend. A full programming lineup includes pumpkin painting, live music, and circus arts,  as well as the hay maze that debuts earlier in the month. READ MORE

Slide-A-Thon at Smith Memorial Playground

Fairmount Park - October 8, 2022
Sign up for the annual Smith Slide-A-Thon, where participants enjoy private access to the historic Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide while competing for the highest number of slides during a designated time slot. READ MORE

Roxtoberfest

Roxborough - October 8, 2022
Ridge Avenue goes full fall at the 10th annual Roxtoberfest, featuring food trucks, craft brews, live music, German folk dancing, kids' activities. READ MORE

Elmwood Park Zoo's Boo at the Zoo

Norristown - October 8-30, 2022
Collect candy while admiring the wildlife throughout the Elmwood Park Zoo. A costume parade, treats, animal meet-and-greets, and much more are in store for revelers. As an added perk, various drink specials are on tap for the grown ups. READ MORE

Old City Fest

Old City - October 9, 2022
Old City Fest returns to celebrate art and design, fashion and food, creativity and culture, music, and family fun in the streets of America’s most historic square mile. Guests can expect a family fun zone, music, shopping, and food. READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration

West Philly - October 9, 2022
Head to Bartram's Garden to honor Indigenous heritage at this free, outdoor event featuring Aztec dancing and drumming performances, presentations by Indigenous activist movements, children’s activities, and more. READ MORE

Pumpkin Playground at Longwood

Kennett Square - October 7 - 31, 2022
Longwood's Pumpkin Playground is back this year! Children can see and touch the pumpkins, while grown-ups can take plenty of fall photos in the pumpkin patch. This experience is free with admission and is located in the Children's Corner of the Idea Garden. READ MORE

Annie Presented by the Kimmel Cultural Campus

Center City - October 11- 16, 2022
One of the best-loved musicals of all time comes to Philly, starring Little Orphan Annie who reminds us that when the life throws hard knocks, tomorrow is just a day away. READ MORE

Friends' Central Lower School Open House

Wynnewood - October 12, 2022
Discover Friends' Central at a fall Open House. A coeducational, college-preparatory Quaker school, Friends’ Central offers an outstanding independent school education to students in nursery through grade 12. Located on 41 acres across two campuses in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, Friends’ Central cultivates the intellectual, spiritual, and ethical promise of students. In every grade, students are encouraged to think for themselves and to find the courage to voice their opinions while understanding the importance of respectfully agreeing and disagreeing with one another in their... READ MORE

The Philadelphia Ballet's Cinderella

Center City - October 13- 23, 2022
The Philadelphia Ballet's performance season opens with Cinderella, with ten magical performances at the Academy of Music. Audiences of all ages will love watching the classic story unfold through enchanting choreography and a masterful musical score. READ MORE

Brick Fest Live

Oaks - October 15-16, 2022
Families are amazed by life-sized LEGO models and cities (including local landmarks!) built entirely of this timeless toy, as they play with mind-blowing attractions that set the imagination free, and build with millions of LEGO bricks at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat Train

New Hope- October 8-30, 2022
All aboard the train at New Hope Railroad for a 45-minute trick-or-treat train ride. Kids can dress up in their Halloween costumes and ride the rails, with stops for for candy and assorted toys. READ MORE

AIR PLAY - Where Science and Circus Collide

York, PA - October 15, 2022
AIR PLAY is part comedy, part sculpture, part circus, part theater, transforming ordinary objects into a wordless, magical adventure of two siblings journeying through a surreal land of air. In AIR PLAY umbrellas fly, fabrics soar over the audience, balloons swallow people, and snow swirls, filling the stage. READ MORE

Philadelphia Zoo's Boo at the Zoo

Fairmount Park - October 15 - 30, 2022
Dress up and head to Boo at the Zoo, where you can trick-or-treat among the animals. Over the course of three weekends, families can enjoy collecting candy, kid-friendly decorations, photo-ops, activities, and more. READ MORE

Halloween Weekends at the Please Touch Museum

Fairmount Park - October 22-29, 2022
Wear your costume to Please Touch during Halloween Weekends, featuring afternoon trick-or-treating, slime-making, Halloween puppet storytimes, and more. Themes change each weekend and range from creepy crawlers to magic. READ MORE

Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza at the Academy of Music

Center City - October 28, 2022
It's a live, new show from Disney Jr! Join your favorite characters and even Marvel Super Heroes performing together in this live, concert-style show, featuring songs from Disney Junior series.  READ MORE

Fall Fest and Spooky Saturday on East Passyunk Avenue

Philadelphia - October 28, 2022
Snap a pic in the costume photo booth, enjoy live music, trick or treating, and more at this kid-friendly event in South Philly. Businesses along Passyunk Avenue are opening their doors to the community to make the day a family-oriented must-do. READ MORE

CultureFest!: Día de los Muertos at Penn Museum

University City - October 29, 2022
The Penn Museum celebrates Día de los Muertos as part of its CultureFest! series, featuring an altar competition, art activities, performances, and a traditional Ofrenda installation by the Mexican Cultural Center. READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat Street in Franklin Square

Old City - October 29, 2022
Recommended for children 10 and younger, kids visiting Franklin Square can follow the map to collect goodies on Trick-or-Treat Street. READ MORE

Craft Hall-O-Ween and Not-So-Spooky Costumer Party and Parade

NoLibs - October 29, 2022
Come in costume to Craft Hall to spend a spooktacular Saturday. This event kicks off with a kid's costume parade, followed by a puppy parade. Pick a pumpkin to decorate, and enjoy more family-freindly activities. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
Appell Center for the Performing Arts
East Passyunk Avenue Business District