Kidsburgh’s guide to baby-friendly places that are also fun for adults

Photo above by 东旭 王 via Unsplash.

The infant and toddler months are fleeting. But there are some days – in the midst of frequent diaper changes and feedings – that moms, dads and caregivers need to get out of the house. So where can you go with a baby that is fun, safe and inexpensive (preferably free!) so you can spend time with your baby outside of the house? 

Here are some of the Pittsburgh area’s best baby-friendly options:

The Carnegie Libraries

Check out these free programs that welcome drop-in visitors.

Baby and Toddler Snugglebugs is a year-round early literacy program for children ages birth to 36 months that includes 30-minute sessions of stories and songs. Check the website for individual branch times. At Squirrel Hill’s branch there are weekly sessions. Also, information about the importance of reading to your baby and tips on how to foster early literacy in your home us available for caregivers.

The Family Fun program is for families with kids of various ages, including babies and toddlers. 

To keep the literacy learning going at home, the CLP website also has early learning activities, like singing and speaking, that you can do at home with babies, as well as Pittsburgh Literacy Workshop information and their annual Best Books for Babies list.

“We try very hard to facilitate the place where you can build relationships with other families, other caregivers, where you can feel safe and find some kind of activity, and everything is free,” says Rachel Moore, library services supervisor for children and teens.

Also check out the RAD (Regional Asset District) Pass that will get you discounts to attractions, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center and Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, with your Allegheny County library card.

Community Libraries in Allegheny County

The Allegheny County Library Association’s individual community libraries also have their own early literacy activities.

For example, Mt. Lebanon Community Library offers eight-week Book Babies sessions for 0- to 2-year-olds on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 10 a.m. and 10:30 to 11 a.m. They also offer story time for 2- and 3-year-olds on Thursdays at the same times. Register online — sessions do get booked up, so it helps to plan in advance. They are free, and you don’t have to be a Mt. Lebanon resident to attend.

Go to aclalibraries.org for a list of additional community libraries in the Pittsburgh area. And check out this master calendar of events and programs.

Local Walking Trails

Walking with a baby is a great way to get out into the fresh air. It can also be a good way to meet up with other pram-pushing parents. Any time of year, you can bundle up (or liberally use sunscreen) and explore the region’s stroller-friendly limestone or paved trails, including some of these:

The Montour Trail: This 63-mile trail system goes from Moon Township to Clairton with many access points, including Jefferson Hills, Peters Township and Bethel Park.

The North Shore River Trail: Walk along the Allegheny River for terrific views of the Three Sisters Bridges, PNC Park and the Mr. Rogers Statue.

The Westmoreland Heritage Trail: This path runs 17 miles through Delmont, Export, Murrysville and Trafford.

Allegheny County Parks trails: There are many, including North Park’s five miles of paved trail around the park’s 75-acre lake.

You also have plenty of indoor options for walking with a baby: If the weather is frightful, throw on some walking shoes and take baby and stroller to a nearby mall. Three laps around Ross Park Mall equals one mile!

Baby-Friendly Play Places

At Shadyside’s volunteer-run Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library, children from birth through kindergarten can enjoy drop-in play sessions and “check out” a toy for a few weeks before making the decision to purchase it. There are hundreds of toys available, including those specifically for infants and gross motor, cognitive and imaginative play.

The Toy Lending Library is also a great place to hang out and play in a baby-safe space. Visits are $5 per child or $10 per family for non-members. Volunteer members pay $50 per year and have exclusive access to the play space. Lending-only membership costs $30 per year and non-volunteer membership is $150 per year.

Located in Castle Shannon, the Seesaw Center is a safe, indoor place that encourages imaginative play, helps with gross motor skills, sensory exploration and reading, and even has an area of mats for pre-walkers. The Center is open September through May for infants up through kindergarten age, and welcomes children of all abilities.

Daily passes are $6/child, five-day passes for $25 or there is unlimited access for $85/family. Scholarships are available. Check here for hours.

Another option: Babies and children ages 0 to 8 (accompanied by a parent) can play in their socks at the 424 Play Factory open gym in Oakland. Costs are $10 for 30 minutes, $12 for 60 minutes and $15 for 90-minute sessions. The Play Factory also offers age-appropriate interactive and creative classes.

Indoor Swim Lessons

You can make a splash with your child and float, blow bubbles and learn infant swim safety at various area swim centers with lessons taught by nationally certified instructors.      

YMCA: YMCA locations offer lessons for 6 to 36 months. Check the website for six-week class schedules for different skill levels at various locations. Classes last 30 minutes. 

Big Blue Swim School: This school in Cranberry Township offers a free 30-minute introductory lesson. Weekly lessons are $35.

Goldfish Swim School: Located in Fox Chapel, Wexford and Peters Township, this chain of schools offers 30-minute group lessons for ages 4 months up to 12 years at $38 per lesson. Individual lessons for babies are $45 per lesson.

Museums and More 

Get on the floor with your child at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s Nursery exhibit to explore light, texture and movement with a seesaw spinner, a twisting nine-foot maze for balls, a wooden train system and more. There is even a padded play zone for “tummy time” and a quiet area for nursing moms. General admission at the Children’s Museum is free for children under 2, $17 per child age 2 and over, and $19 per adult.

You can look into various Children’s Museum memberships, including Play for Three, which costs $150 for a full year. The Museum for All access cost for those who are PA ACCESS or SNAP EBT card holders is just $20 per year.

No musical experience is necessary at Sunburst School of Music’s Music Together classes in Squirrel Hill. Mixed age classes for ages 0 through 5 explore music skills and ear recognition. There are 12-week sessions in fall, winter and spring for $255 per session and an eight-week summer session for $195.

At the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium’s Zoo Camp Story Time for infants through age 3, children can meet animals and sing songs during 30-minute classes that start at 10 a.m. The next session is on Sept.13. The cost is $6 for members and $21 for non-members.

Also, at the zoo’s Wildlife Academy: Zoo Tots programs, 2- and 3-year-olds with accompanying adults will meet animals, including forest friends. There are also wildlife-themed crafts, songs and stories. Look for an updated fall schedule in early August. The cost is $15 for members and $50 for non-members, and it includes zoo admission.