The Flower Show is back and it's actually great with kids (there's a whole kids zone we'll tell you about). We've also got a free Chinatown market, a $10 design studio drop-in to kick off the weekend, and a hidden gem music class in Bella Vista that most people don't know about yet.

Saturday · 10 AM – 8 PM
Pennsylvania Convention Center · Center City · · All ages (under 5 free)
🟡Budget 2-3 hours, Convention Center parking or take the subway to Jefferson Station
The nation's biggest flower show is back at the Convention Center, and it's genuinely good with kids. The Kids Cocoon is free with your ticket — a reading nook, brick building table, digging station, and hourly programs running 10am to 7pm. Saturday's lineup includes plant pigment crafts, flower coloring, and Planet Bee Create-a-Seedball. Artisan Row has hands-on workshops too — floral crowns, candle making, terrariums, tote bag stamping — though those run $18–$37 on top of admission. Tickets are $54 for adults and $25 for kids 5–17 (under 5 get in free). Budget 2–3 hours minimum.
View details →
Get picks like these every Thursday. Join 1,000+ Philly parents.
Friday · 2–5 PM
Design Gym @ Colorspace Labs · North Philadelphia · · All ages
🟢$10, walk-ins welcome, no registration
Start your weekend at Design Gym's community studio in Norris Square. This week's featured DIY activity is flower-themed (fitting, right?). It's $10, walk-ins welcome, no registration needed. Kids can design, build, play with design toys, flip through the book library — or just hang while you co-work. The vibe is chill and creative.

Friday · 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM
Mister John's Music · Bella Vista · · Ages 0–3
🟢Free, three session times (9am/10am/11am), registration required
Mister John's Music is introducing two new teachers — Mister Leslie and Miss Amhara — with free early childhood classes on Friday. Three session times: 9am, 10am, and 11am at their studio on 9th Street. If you've got a baby or toddler and you've never been, this is the perfect excuse to try it. The space is small and warm and the kids go nuts for it. Heads up: you do need to register ahead of time — spots fill fast.
View details →Saturday · 2–6 PM
Crane Community Center · Chinatown · · All ages
🟢Free, just show up, indoor market, 2–6 PM
AAPI small businesses, local artists, and food — all under one roof in Chinatown. It's free, it's indoors, and it's the kind of low-key cultural afternoon where your kid might try something new and you might find a gift for someone. Hosted by the Chinatown PCDC at Crane Community Center.
View details →Local Spotlight

Kids' thrift store (playspace coming soon) · Ages 0–12 · Mon 10-2, Tue 10-2, Thu 12-6, Fri 10-2, Sat 10-2
Lilypad just opened a thrift shop on East Passyunk and it's exactly what you want it to be — affordable kids' clothes, toys, and gear up to age 12, all donated by local families. It's volunteer-run, nonprofit, and they're also opening a playspace soon for families with little ones. If you're drowning in outgrown onesies, they take donations during store hours too.
Learn more →That's the rundown. The Flower Show alone could eat your whole Saturday — or keep it light with the market and the music class. Hit reply and tell us what you end up doing. We read every single one. See you next Thursday. — Tinyjawns