7 family-friendly events in Pittsburgh this weekend, including puppet-making, candy cane hunting and the Cookie Tour!

Photo above by Yulian Karadzhov used by permission via Unsplash.

This weekend’s calendar is full of family-friendly events in Pittsburgh.  From virtual ballet dancing at home to helping build massive puppets for the city’s First Night celebration (and plenty of ice skating and hot cocoa sipping in between), Kidsburgh has you covered. Check out some of the options:

Saturday, Dec. 11, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Lawrenceville Cookie Tour

This popular annual event lets you indulge in delicious cookies while helping Lawrenceville’s small business community. Finish your holiday shopping, sample fabulous cookies and pick up recipes along the way at 37 Cookie Stops and Take-A-Break sites in the neighborhood. New this year: Collect Rewards Card stickers to be entered inro a raffle. Find more details and a tour map here.

Sat. Dec. 11, noon to 2 p.m.: Cookies and Crafts with Santa at Boyce Park

Allegheny County is hosting a day with Santa that includes hot cocoa and hands-on crafts. Click here for free registration.

Sat., Dec. 11, 1-4 p.m.: First Night Parade Workshop

One of the coolest and most creative holiday things to do in Pittsburgh is helping build puppets for the First Night Parade that will close out 2021. A hands-on creative workshop welcomes the whole family to pitch in this Saturday at the Braddock Battlefield History Center. Registration is free but required to save your space. (And to see the puppets in action, check out our guide to First Night.)

Sat. Dec. 11, 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.: “Gift of the Ice Queen,” Gemini Theater Company

The creative team at Gemini Theater is excited to offer its first in-person show in a long, long time. With extra precaution in mind, “Gift of the Ice Queen” features a smaller cast and a special production without an intermission to allow time to clean the theater between shows. The story begins when Lumi, Queen of the Ice Fairies, discovers that a villager is stealing her snow. She turns to her goblin pals and fairy friends for help. Tickets are $10 (also running Dec. 18 and 19).

Sun., Dec. 12, 1:30-3 p.m.: Skate with Santa at Schenley Ice Rink

Meet Santa on the ice at Schenley Park Ice Rink. Admission is $4 for kids, seniors and veterans; $5 for grownups. Skate rental is extra. (Can’t make it to Skate with Santa this weekend? The rink will be open for Family Skate every Thursday night over the holidays. Kids are free during Family Skate with paying adults.

Sat., Dec. 11, 2-4 p.m.: Candy Cane Walk

Kids can search for candy canes along the trail of this 2- to 3-mile scavenger hunt through Frick Park. Venture Outdoors hosts the outing through wooded trails that ends with warming cups of hot cocoa. Registration is $5 for kids, $8 for grownups.

Sun., Dec. 12, noon – 1 p.m., “The Nutcracker” Botanical Virtual Ballet Class

You can add a bit of learning to your list of holiday things to do in Pittsburgh. Let’s Move Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre teamed with Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens for a virtual class of movement and dances from “The Nutcracker.” Kids will learn ballet basics, see how poinsettias are grown at Phipps and enjoy a storytime reading of “The Nutcracker.” Registration is $12 per household.

Want more family-friendly events in Pittsburgh? Check out our guides to the coolest holiday light displays in Pittsburgh, all the holiday events for families, beautiful miniature railroads and more cool things happening throughout December.