Make videos, climb a concrete jungle, sip bubble tea: 11 activities for teens and kids in Philly

After a disputed incident involving teens and police at the Fashion District in April, it’s hard to say with authority where a Philadelphia teenager can safely hang out in the city.

As previously reported in The Inquirer, the problem of finding “third spaces” (social environments that aren’t home or work) have diminished citywide, even for adults. (They have restaurants and bars, at least.)

But little public investment in viable spaces; a lack of trust in youth; and unfriendly businesses that discourage gathering all contribute to a decline of third spaces for kids and teenagers to just hang out and act their age.

To that end, we’ve put together this non-exhaustive list of fun, affordable activities local businesses and venues offer for Philly kids of all ages. Whether you’re into painting, pottery, or ziplining, here are a handful of things to do around town.

But we also want to hear from more Philly teens, themselves. Have a go-to hangout spot or activity? Email us and let us know where you like to hang out and have fun.

(Arts) Ever wondered how videos and shows are produced? Local nonprofit PhillyCAM hosts workshops to help you create your own content. From animation classes and video editing, to how to start your own podcast, there are tons of classes you can take year-round.

Take a workshop on how to organize your virtual material for free, learn about the streaming process on StreamYard for $25, or get an introductory class on Adobe Premier for $75. If you don’t have recording equipment, don’t worry, they can help with that too. (Some classes are free, while others go up to $75, dates and times vary depending on the class, 699 Ranstead St., phillycam.org)

(Outdoors) Living in a concrete jungle has its perks, but sometimes a bit of a nature-induced adrenaline rush is needed. At TreetopQuest in Fairmount Park, you can run obstacle courses and zipline through the trees without ever leaving Philly. Pro tip: Get your ticket online to avoid paying more onsite. ($48 online or $51 onsite for ages 12 to 17, $55/$58 for folks over 18, schedule a time and day, 51 Chamounix Dr., treetopquest.com)

(Arts, Free) Run by a local screenwriter, this film club streams a different movie each Thursday at the Bok Building. Learn more about different Latino cultures, enjoy free food, and improve your Spanish skills. Keep an eye on their Instagram for the movie lineup. (6 p.m. Thursdays, 1901 S. Ninth St., instagram.com/elconejoenelfaro)

(Outdoors, Free) Head up to Cira Green rooftop park for free movies on Saturday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. With city and river views, the park is a great spot to hang with friends any day of the week, but on movie days, watch Disney favorites and more on a 60-foot screen. Chicken tenders, hot dogs, and veggie burgers are available for purchase. Can’t make it? There are plenty of summer movies still screening around town. (Monday to Thursday, 3 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 3 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.; 129 S. 30th St., sunsetsocialphl.com)

(Food) Why not sip on bubble tea with friends when the weather is nice? Philly has plenty of boba shops to choose from, including Tiger Sugar’s colored with streaks of black sugar (unrefined cane sugar) and topped with cream mousse. Find your new favorite shop with our bubble tea guide throughout the city. (Multiple locations, tigersugar.co)

(Hobby classes, Arts) Spend the day painting pottery at this Ardmore studio. Choose from small bowls to large dinosaur figurines and get to work with all the brushes, paints, stencils at your disposal. It’s $7 to paint, plus the cost of your pottery piece ($5 to $35). Summer camps are offered for 5 to 8 year olds. (Tuesday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; 11 Station Rd., Ardmore, mudroomstudioardmore.com)

(Outdoors) Disney kids, there’s a Pixar-inspired course at Penn’s Landing for you. Pixar Putt Philly is an 18-hole pop-up mini-golf course open till Oct. 1 to play in Ratatouille and Toy Story set-ups. You can also head to Burholme Golf & Family Entertainment Center on Cottman Avenue for an 18-hole course with sculpted rock formations and a walk-through cave. Putt away with our guide to mini-golfing in Philly and down the Shore. ($24.75 to $26.75 for children 3-12, $29.75 to $31.75 for adults; Monday to Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.; 101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., pixarputt.com)

(Gaming) Localhost in Center City, an e-sports center by Nerd Street, offers affordable opportunities to play with PCs and consoles and to attend events with cash prizes. The venue hosts e-sports and gaming competitions, bootcamps, training sessions, summer camps, and a wide variety of casual play video games, and features over 100 PC stations and 20 next-gen consoles.

Fridays are bi-weekly Splatoon Community Meetups to meet new people and improve your play on the Splatoon 3 game on Nintendo Switch; Sundays are for playing Overwatch 2. (Hourly rates range from $5 for one hour to $39 for 12 hours; Monday to Thursday, noon to 10 p.m.; Friday to Saturday, noon to midnight; Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.; 401 N. Broad St., nerdstreet.com/venues/localhost-in-philly)

(Outdoors) Invite six of your friends to hop on the raft ride at Sesame Place amusement park. Elmo’s Surf ‘n’ Slide takes you swirling, swishing, and splashing adventure down accelerator slides to the final splashdown. The waterpark ride isn’t the only attraction to see at this park. Check out the Vapor Trail roller coaster or the Blast Off lift ride that shoots you into the air and back down. (Pricing depends on day, check online for specifics — tickets include all rides and most shows; view the operating calendar for hours — water attractions are open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. till Sept. 10; 100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne, sesameplace.com/philadelphia)

(Outdoors, Free) Get your skate on underneath the I-95 overpass. FDR Skate Park was created by skaters for skaters and is open to all ages. Skate in the pool section or practice impressive tricks with the mini ramp and vert ramp. Colorful art decorates the stake park located toward the south side of FDR. It’s open during park hours. (April to October, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; November to March, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 1500 Pattison Ave., fdrparkphilly.org/skatepark)

(Skating) For $5, spend the day roller skating with your friends. The outdoor roller rink at Summerfest is open till Sept. 24. Rent skating shoes for $10. Summerfest also offers a boardwalk, games, a 60-foot Ferris wheel, a double-decker carousel, and more. Reserve tickets online. (Monday to Thursday, 1 to 10 p.m. until Sept. 4, 5 to 10 p.m. until Sept. 24; Friday 1 to 11 p.m. until Sept. 4, 5 to 11 p.m. until Sept. 24; Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. through Sept. 24; Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Sept. 24 — all activities, including the RiverRink, close 30 minutes before the park closes, 101 S. Columbus Blvd., delawareriverwaterfront.com)