Ongoing
The Andy Warhol Museum, North Side. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org. Ongoing activities for kids include hands-on creative activity in the "Weekend Factory" and more.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, various locations. Branches of the library offer story-telling hours and other activities all summer long. Events range from a June 10 "Bug Patrol" at the Woods Run branch to origami crafting in East Liberty. Call your local branch, or check www.carnegielibrary.org for events in your neighborhood.
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side. 412-322-5058 or www.pittsburghkids.org. Attractions include a replica of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood; the outdoor "Backyard"; a garage/workshop with an actual automobile to examine; and a "Waterplay" exhibit. The museum offers a wide array of interactive hands-on exhibits and artwork, plus kid-friendly art classes.
Citiparks Recreation Centers, various locations. 412-255-2539 or www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parks. Nine city recreation centers are open, serving Arlington, Belthoover, Brookline, Carrick, Greenfield, Lincoln-Lemington, North Side, Polish Hill and South Side. Activities include sports, art-making, talent shows and other events. Most centers are open from 3-10 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m-3 p.m. on Saturdays.
Community College of Allegheny County, various locations, 412-369-3703 or www.ccac.edu. CCAC is offering a series of week-long instructional summer camps. Kids ages 7-15 can take a wide array of courses, from golf and game design to photography and culinary classes. Registration required.
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Highland Park. 412-665-3640. The Zoo includes Kids Kingdom, a hands-on experience for kids. Interactive exhibits allow kids to understand animal movement and behavior. Kids can also meet some animals -- like deer, kangaroos and goats -- up close.
Roving Art Cart, citywide, 412-665-3665. From late June through August, the Cart offers activities such as pottery and kite-flying at prescheduled stops throughout the city. A schedule of appearances is at www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parks/html/roving_art_cart.html. Groups of 10 or more can reserve an Art Cart visit by calling at least a week in advance.
Through May 18
Pittsburgh International Children's Festival, Schenley Plaza, Oakland. 412-321-5520 or www.pghkids.org. This year's festival offers cultural and educational activities including fully staged plays, roving artists, booths and exhibitors. Performers include international artists and regional groups.
June 2-Aug. 20
Zoo Camp, Pittsburgh Zoo, Highland Park. 412-665-3640. Kids aged 4-13 can visit the zoo for week-long half-day and full-day sessions. Age-appropriate programming covers topics like how animals rear their young, and the relationship between nature and indigenous people. Registration required.
June 2-Aug. 21
Phipps Conservatory, Schenley Park, Oakland, 412-441-4442, ext. 3925. Educational camps for kids ages 3-12. Learn how tea is made from plants, help harvest vegetables and find out about plants that eat bugs. Also, attend Phipps Story Club every Wednesday and hear storytellers tell tales about gardens, fruits and vegetables.
June 2-Aug. 22
Art Camps, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside. 412-361-0873 or www.pittsburgharts.org. The PCA hosts a series of weeklong camps for kids ages 2 (with adult) to 17. Programs range from basic drawing to T-shirt making to digital photography and video production. Registration required, and costs vary widely.
June 7
ArtKids – Family Matters, Frick Art & Historical Center, Point Breeze. 412-205-2022. Kids ages 4-8 can explore scenes of family life in works from the museum's permanent collection. The free program includes a take-home activity.
June 9-July 18
Kinder Camp, Frick Environmental Center, Squirrel Hill. 412-422-6538. A weeklong half-day camp for kids ages 3 through kindergarten. Events include nature walks, stories and other nature-themed events. Registration required.
June 9-Aug. 15
Camp Earth, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Oakland. 412-622-3288 or www.carnegiemnh.org. Half- and full-day camps for kids ages 4-12. Campers get to explore "Dinosaurs in Their Time" and learn how the world has changed in the past 250 million years. Registration required.
June 14-15
Dragon Renaissance Festival, Pittsburgh Zoo, Highland Park. 412-665-3640. Learn about real-life dragons like the Komodo ... while watching "knight events," fire-breathing and medieval-period entertainment.
June 16-Aug. 1
Powdermill Nature Reserve. 724-593-6105 or www.powdermill.org/camp/index.htm. Kids ages 5-12 can get to know the great outdoors through games, lessons and hands-on activities. Registration required.
June 16-Aug. 15
Art & Architecture Camps, Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland. 412-622-3131 or www.cmoa.org. Half- and full-day camps offer art instruction to kids ages 4-13. Courses teach a variety of art forms, including dance, textiles, drawing and architecture. Registration required.
June 16-Aug. 15
Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland, 412-622-3288 or www.cmoa.org. A series of week-long camps and workshops designed for children ages 4-13 engage kids in a variety of media and art forms, including, painting, drama and creative writing.
June 16-Aug. 22
Science Summer Campus, Carnegie Science Center, North Side. 412-237-1637 or www.carnegiesciencecenter.org. Half- and full-day camps for kids ages 4-12. Week-long sessions include old favorites like "Kennywood Science" as well as new programs like "Science Scrubs," which features animal dissection. Registration required.
June 23-27; Aug. 11-15
Mini Camp: Birthday Bash -- Pittsburgh 250! Frick Art & Historical Center, Point Breeze, 412-205-2022 or www.frickart.org. Campers ages 4-6 time-travel through Pittsburgh's 250 years, exploring our region's history through art, games and the collections of three museums plus a greenhouse.
July 8-11, 15-18; Aug. 5-8, 12-15
Teen Photography Workshops, Silver Eye Center for Photography, South Side. 412-431-1810 or www.silvereye.org. Intensive four-day workshops will teach 13-17 year olds basic and advanced digital photography techniques, including lighting and composition, as well as image-editing.
July 14-18
Survival Camp, Frick Environmental Center, Squirrel Hill. 412-422-6538. A week-long day-camp for kids who have completed sixth grade, this camp teaches wilderness skills like fire-building, first aid and map reading. Registration required.
July 21-25
Outdoor Expeditions, Frick Environmental Center, Squirrel Hill. 412-422-6538. A week-long day camp for students who have completed fourth or fifth grades. Hands-on exploration of local streams, night hikes and more. Registration required.
July 28-Aug. 1, 4-8, 11-15
Kids Nature Camp, Frick Environmental Center, Squirrel Hill. 412-422-6538. Week-long day-camps for kids who have finished the first, second or third grades. Activities include nature hikes, cooperative games and more. Registration required.
Aug. 8-9
Three Rivers Storytelling Festival, Northland Public Library, McCandless. 412-366-1800 or http://home.comcast.net/~3rstf/. Local and national storytellers ply their trade. Also featuring children's activities, storytelling workshops and food vendors.
Aug. 16-29
Summer Kids' Zoofari. Pittsburgh Zoo, Highland Park. 412-665-3640. Kids get a chance to see animals up close and personal.
Sept. 13
Storywalk, Frick Park, Squirrel Hill. 412-361-8560. Giant-sized story sets constructed throughout the park let families see books come to life. Readings, games and activities will be held throughout the day.
