Free Fun in Philly: How I Keep 4 Kids Happy on $0 (Because That’s What’s Left After Bills)

Remember me? Keisha from Kensington with the $127 in my checking account and four kids who don’t understand why we can’t “just go somewhere fun” like their classmates? Well, guess what – we go EVERYWHERE fun. We just don’t pay for it. Because when you’re raising Jayden (14), Destiny (12), Malik (10), and Aisha (7) on a medical assistant salary in Philadelphia, you become an expert at finding every all free Things To Do In Philadelphia.

Last Saturday, we did three activities that would’ve cost a family with money about $150. We spent $8 on SEPTA day passes. That’s it. My kids had the best day, posted pics that made their friends jealous, and nobody knew we were operating on fumes. That’s the thing about being broke in Philly – this city actually wants kids to have fun, even poor kids. You just have to know where to look, when to go, and how to work the system.

I used to be embarrassed taking my kids to only free stuff. Thought they’d figure out we were struggling. Then I realized they don’t care if the zoo is free or $30 – they just want to see the gorillas. So here’s my master list of how to give your kids a childhood full of adventures when your bank account says you can’t afford one.

The Library System Is Basically Free Disney World

Y’all sleep on the Free Library of Philadelphia. It’s not just books. The Parkway Central Library has a children’s department that’s basically an indoor playground with books. Free programs every single day. Destiny learned to code there. Malik does chess club every Wednesday. Aisha lives for Saturday story time with Miss Patricia.

But here’s the real secret: Museum passes. The library lets you “borrow” passes to:

• The Academy of Natural Sciences (normally $23 per person)
• The Barnes Foundation ($25 per person)
• The African American Museum ($14 per person)
• The Please Touch Museum ($24 per kid)

You reserve online, pick up at your branch, and walk into museums like you own the place. We’ve been to the Please Touch Museum six times. Never paid once. The kids don’t know it’s supposed to cost money.

The Maker Jawn program: Free STEM activities at library branches. They brought a 3D printer to our branch. Jayden designed and printed a phone case. For free. That would’ve been a $40 camp anywhere else.

Parks That Are Better Than Amusement Parks

Smith Memorial Playground (33rd and Oxford): If you don’t know about Smith, you’re missing out. It’s a mansion turned into a giant playground. The Giant Wooden Slide inside is legendary – kids have been riding it for 100 years. Completely free, open year-round. Pack lunch, spend the whole day.

The trick: Go on weekday mornings during school year. We go on teacher in-service days. Empty. The kids feel like they own the place.

Sister Cities Park (18th and Vine): The fountain area in summer is basically a free water park. Kids can play in the water all day. There’s a café but we pack sandwiches. Aisha calls it “the fancy park” because it’s near Logan Square and she sees the rich kids there. She doesn’t know those kids’ parents paid $200 for the same experience we’re getting for free.

Franklin Square: Mini golf is $9 for adults but kids under 3 are free, and they have “Pay What You Wish” hours first Wednesday of every month from 4-6 PM. I put in $2 for all five of us. The carousel is $4 but we just watch it and eat our packed snacks on the benches. Still fun.

Bartram’s Garden: Free admission always. They have goats. GOATS. My kids spent three hours watching goats and exploring trails. There’s a community boat program where kids can kayak for free on Saturdays in summer. Malik learned to kayak here. Rich people pay hundreds for that at camp.

Museums on the Free

The Franklin Institute: Normally stupid expensive. But Community Access Days = free admission for families on Access cards (food stamps). We have Access. We go four times a year. The giant heart never gets old for Aisha.

Also, after 5 PM on Wednesdays, it’s Pay What You Wish. I wish to pay $5 for all of us.

Philadelphia Museum of Art: First Sunday of every month and every Wednesday after 5 PM is Pay What You Wish. We give $2. The kids run up the Rocky steps every time (that’s free always). Jayden actually likes art now because we go so often.

https://www.visitpham.org/

Independence Hall and Liberty Bell: Always free. My kids know more about American history than kids at private schools because we go whenever we’re bored. The rangers know us by name now.

The Mint: Free tours where they literally show you money being made. Malik is obsessed. We’ve been four times. He wants to work there. I support this dream.

Seasonal Scams (But Legal)

Summer:

• Parks & Rec pools: Free swim if you’re under 17. All four kids swim free all summer.
• Pop-up gardens at The Oval: Free programs all summer. Art, yoga (Destiny loves it), movies at night.
• Spruce Street Harbor Park: The hammocks are free. We bring hoagies from home, claim hammocks, spend the whole evening.

Fall:

• Terror Behind the Walls: Too expensive BUT they need volunteers to test the scares in September. Sign up, kids get to go through for free. Jayden did it last year, felt so cool.
• Every apple orchard charges admission except Shady Brook Farm on Community Days (check their Facebook).

Winter:

• Dilworth Park ice skating: $5 for admission, $10 for skate rental. BUT if you own skates (Goodwill, $5), admission for kids is only $5. We go once, they’re happy.
• The Comcast Holiday Spectacular: Free light show every 30 minutes. We watch it three times in a row with hot chocolate from home in a thermos.

Spring:

• Philadelphia Zoo: First family admission free on the first weekday of every month. Get there at opening or the line is crazy.
• Shofuso Japanese House: Free admission for Access card holders. Most peaceful place in Philly. Even Malik chills out here.

Transportation Hacks with Kids

SEPTA Family Independence Pass: $25 for up to 5 people on weekends. That’s $5 per person for unlimited travel all day. We ride every form of transit just for fun sometimes. The kids love the regional rail. We take it to random stops, explore, come back.

The LUCY Loop in University City: Free. Green bus, kids think it’s special. We ride it to different playgrounds in West Philly.

INDEGO bikes: If you have Access card, it’s $5 per MONTH. Jayden and Destiny are old enough. We bike the Schuylkill Trail. Cheaper than any family activity.

The Secret Spots Only Locals Know

The Navy Yard: Sounds boring, isn’t. Free concerts in summer, food trucks (we just look and eat our packed lunch), huge green spaces to run. Central Green has hammocks and games out for free.

The Rail Park: Phase 1 is small but free and never crowded. We bring sidewalk chalk. Nobody cares if the kids draw everywhere.

Wissahickon Valley Park: 50+ miles of trails. Free forever. We find new trails every time. The kids think we’re hiking in the mountains. We’re 20 minutes from home.

The Magic Gardens: Usually costs money BUT they have free community days for Philly residents. Check their website monthly. Also, just walking on South Street and looking at the mosaics on the outside is free and almost as good.

Food That’s Free (Or Close)

Rita’s first day of spring: Free water ice. We hit three locations. Kids don’t need to know that’s not normal.

Wawa Welcome America (July 4th week): Free food everywhere. We map it out, hit every location giving free samples. It’s like a free food tour.

Reading Terminal Market: Samples. So many samples. We do “lunch” there sometimes which is really just walking around getting samples. The Amish bakery ladies love Aisha and always give her extra.

Community Fridges: There are 20+ around Philly. No shame. Sometimes there’s good stuff. We contribute when we can too.

School Break Survival

Winter break: Museums do free programming. The Please Touch Museum has free craft days. The Franklin Institute has free science shows.

Spring break: Free camps through Parks & Rec. You have to register early but they’re completely free.

Summer:

• Free lunch programs at rec centers (breakfast too at some)
• Free camp through the library system
• Police Athletic League: Free sports all summer
• Free concerts at the Dell Music Center

Birthday Party Hacks

We can’t afford party venues. Here’s what we do:

Smith Playground: Free to reserve the pavilion if you’re a Philly resident. Looks fancy, costs nothing.

https://www.smithplayground.org/plan-your-visit

Libraries: Many branches let you reserve rooms for free. Had Aisha’s 7th birthday at our branch. They helped set up.

Parks pavilions: First come, first served. Get there early, claim it, free venue.

Last year for Malik’s birthday, we did a “museum hop.” Used library passes, made it a treasure hunt through three museums. His friends thought it was the coolest party ever. Cost: $15 for pizza afterward.

Entertainment That’s Actually Free

First Friday: Galleries open, free food at many. The kids think we’re fancy walking around Old City looking at art.

Movies Under the Stars: All summer, different parks. We bring blankets, snacks from home. Better than a theater.

Music festivals: Most charge admission but you can hear from outside. We set up on the grass nearby, kids dance, we save $100.

Mummers Museum: Free admission. Weird, but free. Kids can try on costumes. Destiny loves it.

https://www.mummersmuseum.org/

The Reality Check Moments

Sometimes the free option sucks. The zoo on free day is PACKED. The museums get crazy. The kids notice their friends doing things we can’t afford. Jayden’s friend went to Disney. We went to Franklin Square.

But you know what? My kids are cultured. They know every museum in Philly. They can navigate SEPTA better than adults. They know which food trucks give the biggest portions. They know how to find Philadelphia things to do. They’re street smart and book smart.

Destiny’s teacher asked the class about their summer. Kids talked about camps that cost thousands. Destiny talked about learning to code at the library, kayaking at Bartram’s, seeing Egyptian mummies at Penn Museum. The teacher was impressed. Destiny didn’t mention it was all free.

The Support System

Other broke parents share their favorite cheap things to do in Philadelphia:

• The Facebook group “Free Family Fun in Philadelphia” (30,000 members, all sharing free events)
• Instagram accounts that post daily free activities and things to do in Philadelphia
• The moms at school who whisper about free programs at pickup

We have a text group: “Broke But Making It Moms.” We share everything. Free coat drives, which churches are giving out school supplies, when stores mess up pricing (last week Giant had a glitch, buy one get one free became everything free accidentally. We all ate good).

What My Kids Have Learned

• Fun doesn’t require money
• The library is the best place on earth
• SEPTA can be an adventure
• Museums are their second home
• Pack snacks ALWAYS
• There’s always something free to do
• There is no limit to fun things to do in Philadelphia

They’re not missing out. They’re getting experiences. Different experiences than rich kids, but experiences nonetheless. They have things to do in Philadelphia.

This Weekend’s Agenda

Saturday:

• 9 AM: Library for Malik’s chess club (free)
• 11 AM: Smith Playground (free)
• 1 PM: Lunch from home at Sister Cities Park (free)
• 3 PM: Philadelphia Museum of Art pay what you wish ($2)

Sunday:

• 10 AM: Wissahickon hike (free)
• 12 PM: Picnic lunch (packed)
• 2 PM: Navy Yard concerts (free)

Total cost: $8 for SEPTA passes

Total memories: Priceless

The Truth

I’m tired. Planning free activities takes more work than just paying for stuff. But when Aisha says “This was the best day ever” after spending all day at a free festival, or when Malik’s friends think he’s lucky because he knows every museum, or when Destiny uses the coding she learned at the library to help with her homework, or when Jayden says “Thanks Mom” unprompted…

That’s when I know that being broke doesn’t mean they have a broke childhood. Philadelphia is our playground. We just play for free.

Next time you see a mom with four kids at the library on a Saturday, or packing sandwiches at the Please Touch Museum, or riding SEPTA all day on a family pass – that’s us. Living our best life on nothing.

Because Philly takes care of its kids. Even the broke ones. Especially the broke ones.

You just have to know where to look. And now you do.

P.S. – If you work at any of these places and you’ve ever let us slide when we were $1 short or given my kids extra samples or smiled instead of judging when I pulled out Access cards – thank you. You have no idea what that means.

If you are struggling to pay your bills, read my article on the steps you should be taking: frugalfinds.org/what-do-you-do-if-you-cant-pay-your-bills/