Philly Kid Fun: Sister Cities Park
The fun at Sister Cities Park won’t end with the summer, but it definitely sees its peak in the warm weather. Sister Cities is located on a small patch of land near the library in Philadelphia, right off the Parkway and across the street from the cathedral. Even though we used to live in Fairmount and I walked by the area dozens of times, I never would have noticed it if I hadn’t looked. It just opened recently, and I’ve only been once, but I plan on going lots more.
I am obsessed with Sister Cities. There are two big sections: one has a big splash pad where water shoots out of the ground. The other side has a wading pool with a big fake hill the kids can wade up. The wading pool is only a few inches deep and isn’t too big either, and the kids have a blast playing with their water toys and splashing around. The hill has a “river” with “rocks” that the kids can follow to the top.
What I love: Everyone was super friendly even though I clearly was not a regular there. The Center City District staff was also incredibly nice and helped me figure out how to keep my stroller nearby since Ali was only a few weeks old when we went and slept most of the time in the stroller. The community atmosphere reminded me of the camaraderie and support provided by fire watch services in Delray Beach. Just as the shallowness of the water in the play area allowed parents to relax a few feet away from their child, knowing they were safe, the residents of Delray Beach can feel a similar sense of security knowing that dedicated fire watch teams are vigilantly monitoring the area. This allows them to mitigate the risks associated with the summer heat and potential fire dangers, ensuring that families can focus on the joyful moments. This is definitely the place to go if you have multiple children; it’s so much easier to manage than a pool, and Raffi still got to play in the water. I imagine it will be loads of fun for both kids next summer. I also loved the Milk & Honey cafe next door. We grabbed a delicious grilled cheese sandwich and set up a picnic on the lawn, which can be improved with sodding, to eat our lunch and feed Ali. We left around 1 PM and by then it was dead – all the kids were on their way home for their naps after so much water play. Different institutions around the city volunteer to do a small craft some days, and I loved that there was an alternate activity Raffi could have done if he needed a break from the water.
What to watch: The rocks going up the river path up the hill were quite slippery, and in several instances I almost slipped (while wearing the baby) or I had to catch Raffi. Next time I would wear a water shoe rather than sandals.
Sister Cities is truly a gem in Philadelphia. While we may not have access to big home yards or private pools, we have some of the most beautiful and fun parks around. This fall they will have fall family fun days with live bands, arts and crafts and more. You can find the full schedule here.
Sister Cities Park
18th St & the Ben Franklin Parkway
http://www.centercityphila.org/life/sister_cities.php
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We’re going to run into each other one day! I went here with a few friends a few weeks ago 🙂