Fun places for kids in Pittsburgh

Just in time for the cold weather headed our way, here are some fun places for kids to explore and burn energy indoors and out.

SkyZone sends kids flying

What active child doesn’t want to fly through the air with the greatest of ease, powered by their own exuberance?

SkyZone, a nationwide operation, opened a massive indoor trampoline park in May in Leetsdale, an easy drive from the city – the first of three planned jumping facilities in the region.

Imagine a sea of trampolines interconnected to form one massive launch pad inside a large former industrial warehouse. Vaulting isn’t limited to vertically; angled trampolines allow bouncers to ricochet off the walls too.  The facility has 34 9-foot by 9-foot jumping pads, large enough to accommodate 95 jumpers at one time; each holds up to 400 pounds.

SkyZone offers public jump fests, parties and special events, says Desiree Dulski, assistant events manager. Five courts are available on any given day, including a dodge ball and basketball courts and a foam zone where jumpers can swan dive into a pit of soft foam blocks. Reservations for these activities are advised.

For any kid who has ever dreamed of executing a slam-dunk on the basketball court, two long trampolines give ball handlers a runway from which they may leap toward the hoop.

Safety is strictly enforced, says Dulski. Only one jumper is allowed per square, and parents may hold the hand of younger jumpers, although those who enter the trampoline area must pay a fee. Prices range from $10 for a 3-minute jump to $20 for a120-minute open jump. Special jumping shoes are supplied.

Take a trolley ride

Want more timeless fun? Vintage transportation is the draw at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.

This darling gem of a museum in Washington County has been a local favorite for locomotive-living tykes and their older children since it opened in 1946 as part of the Pittsburgh Electric Railway Club.

No wonder. Name the season and the trolley offers a trip, from pumpkin patch to Santa and Easter Bunny trolley rides. Families board one of several wooden street railway cars that have been painstakingly preserved for an entertaining four-mile ride through the neighborhood.

The beauty of the Trolley Museum is its preservation of the story of public transportation in Pittsburgh and the role it has played in the emergence of modern-day suburbs. Inside, the museum houses more than 50 wooden street railway cars; guided tours are available by appointment.

“Kids love most the chance to ride on an historic trolley car,” says Scott Becker, executive director. “Sometimes they even get to ring the bell.”

The collection includes historic streetcars from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and even the famous “Streetcar Named Desire” from New Orleans.

One of the best times to go is from Thanksgiving through December, when the room-sized train and village display, including an original Lionel train collection circa 1930s, are on view. Avid train collector Lou Redman created the tiny town of Plasticville and collected the Lionel trains with the help of several local collectors.

Bowl a few frames at Arsenal Lanes

On a retro note, there’s nothing like old-school bowling to bring out the competitive edge in a family. Arsenal Lanes in Lawrenceville offers 10-pin bowling 1960s-style, down to the antique wooden pins and vintage décor.

Family bowling hours run from noon to 9 p.m. each day, offering plenty of time for kid parties and group events. Once the clock strikes nine, however, Aresenal turns into a night club for the 21-and-older crowd with live bands, deejays and karaoke right on the lanes.

“Winter is a big season for bowling and we get tons of people every night of the week,” says Matt Mihalko, assistant manager. “Is bowling making a comeback? I don’t think it ever went away.”

Bowling prices depend on the time of day, he says, with the earlier shift costing $3.75 per person. Bumper lanes and shoes are extra. The weekends attract mostly families and Friday nights from 6-8 p.m. are the real deal: $8 a person for all you can bowl, including shoes, a soda and a slice of pizza.

“The atmosphere here is what sets it apart from other lanes,” says Mihalko. “Arsenal is not big and showy with lots of bright lights. It’s very calm, for bowling.”

Take a walk with TourAnytime

On days when an educational walk in the brisk outdoors beckons, try one of the free regional tours offered by TourAnytime, hosted by the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.

TourAnytime offers a dozen walking tours that can be taken with children who are interested in local history and art. It’s also free, requiring only a cellphone, comfortable shoes and tour instructions, which can be found online.

Families can walk along the Monongahela River for three miles, the site of the 1892 Battle of Homestead on East Waterfront Drive in Munhall, near the Waterfront complex, one of the most famous battles in American labor history. This is the setting for the story of the Homestead Steel Strike that led to a historic battle between the locked-out steelworkers of the Carnegie Steel Works, together with citizens in the town, and an army of Pinkertons hired by Henry Clay Frick.

Explore Carrie Furnace

Across the river, another tour tells the story of the Carrie Furnace, the National Historic Landmark that towers 92-feet above the ground. The Carrie Furnaces are rare examples of pre-World War II iron-making technology. Since the collapse of the region’s steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s, these structures are the only non-operative blast furnaces in the Pittsburgh area that remain standing.

Bike along the Great Allegheny Passage

The tour can be combined with a bike ride too. The Great Allegheny Passage trail winds by both sites and continues past the historic Pump House in Homestead where the clash raged. The site today offers parking, benches and tables and is home to the Rivers of Steel Heritage Market open to the public during the warmer months.

Once the weather begins calling for snow, an outing to the snowy hillsides of parks in Allegheny County is a great place for family fun. Snow-tubing season begins in mid-December and runs through mid-March, weather permitting.

Grab your hat and gloves for a ski and snow-tubing trip

Riding a rubber doughnut down a big hill is fun when you don’t have to lug it back up at the end of the ride. William D. Boyce Park ski area near Monroeville, with its 160-foot vertical drop, is a great spot to snow tube or to learn to ski for beginners who want to avoid paying the high cost of ski resort. Check the 24-hour snow conditions hotline before you leave home: 724-733-4665.

To the north, Wildwood Mountain Snow Tubing offers action in North Park and makes its own snow, weather permitting. The slope opens as soon as the weather cooperates, says MaryBeth Rutledge, co-owner. Check Facebook or Twitter for updates.

The park opens at 11 a.m. and runs 250 snow tubes up two tow ropes all day for two-hour sessions. Prices are $19.95 for adults and $17.95 for children nine and younger. Children must be at least 42-inches tall to ride, and those under nine years old must be accompanied by an adult.

“We get everyone from young children to grandparents,” says Rutledge. “And we have a fire pit where people can watch or just warm up. It’s a great family activity.”