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Top Places For Toddler Story Time

Younger kids love storytimes, and moms know what a godsend they are to get you and your little one out of the house. You can't beat these local storytimes for easy, accessible, and (more often than not) free fun for kids.

Free Library of Philadelphia

1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-686-5322
libwww.freelibrary.org/calendar/calbydate.cfm?SeriesID=Storytimes

The Free Library of Philadelphia offers various storytimes for toddlers all the way up to teens, which are usually great places for free fun for the kids and networking with other parents. Suburban public libraries also almost always offer some sort of storytimes. And don't discount storytimes if you have a newborn either. Many a mom shies away from storytimes thinking their new babe is too little, but often, there are infant storytimes that incorporate songs and music with books and free play for the newborns, too. Often local playgroup networks are formed from library storytimes, so you might make some lasting friendships that will get you out of the house on those non-story time days as well. Check your local library branch for storytime age appropriateness and date/time listings. Free.

Please Touch Museum

4231 Avenue of the Republic
Philadelphia, PA 19131
(215) 581-3181
www.pleasetouchmuseum.org

Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum, now housed in Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, offers fantastic story times daily (yes, daily!) in their Story Castle. Storytimes run twice daily at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (to accommodate different nap schedules) Monday through Friday and Sundays at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Storytimes in the Story Castle are often accompanied by special appearances by famous children's book characters (such as Curious George or Angelina Ballerina), making story times at the Please Touch Museum extra fun. Free with paid admission to the museum.

smithkidsplayplace.org
credit: smithkidsplayplace.org

Smith Playplace in the Park

215-765-4325
smithkidsplayplace.org

The amazing Smith Playplace in the Park hosts a storytime for kids ages 5 and under the first Wednesday of the month from September - April at 10:30 a.m. Storytime at Smith features stories and songs and of course, kids can play in any of the indoor play areas after the storytime is over. Free.

Barnes & Noble

Rittenhouse Square
1805 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-665-0716
www.barnesandnoble.com

Barnes & Noble bookstores are a fabulous place for kids storytimes, with lots of books and great play areas for the little ones. Rittenhouse Square holds their weekly storytimes at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays through October, and then switches to Thursdays at 4 p.m. for Storytime and Arts and Crafts! Of course, before or after you take the wee ones in for storytime, you can make a longer afternoon of it by heading across the street to Rittenhouse Square for some prime people-watching while you let your little one burn off some steam in the park. Bonus: Now at Barnes&Noble.com, you can have your own in-house storytime online with children's classics read by famous authors and celebs (www.barnesandnoble.com/storytime). Free.

Pottery Barn

500 Route 73 South
Marlton, NJ 08053
(856) 983-7916

Court at King of Prussia
690 West Dekalb Pike
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 491-8180
ubwww.potterybarnkids.com/customer-service/store-events.html#book-club

Kids of all ages can enjoy storytime at Pottery Barn Kids store during PBKids "Book Club" on Tuesdays from 11-11:30 a.m. Book Club members receive an official passport on their first visit and a special gift after attending five storytimes. Pottery Barn Kids has two locations in the Philadelphia area (King of Prussia Mall and the Promenade at Sagemore in Marlton, NJ). Free.

Jennifer Oxenford is the founder of phillyfun4kids (www.phillyfun4kids.com), your place to find free and mostly free things to do with your kids in and around this great city of motherly love.

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