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Kid-Friendly Activities for your Pittsburgh Summer

Posted on July 10, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025

Meg St-Esprit

Water shooting from a fountain surrounded by a rainbow at Point State Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The fountain at Point State Park in Pittsburgh. (BackyardProduction/Getty Images)

It’s no secret Pittsburgh is packed with year-round kid-friendly activities. After all, it’s Mister Rogers’ neighborhood! And summer is no exception. We chose a few of our favorite picks to make the most out of our city’s sunny months.

🤽 Water Play

Between the city’s eight spray parks and 12 pools, there’s no reason to swelter in the summer heat. Beyond the city, there are some destination spots like Sandcastle Waterpark, Cranberry Township Waterpark, and Settlers Cabin Wave Pool. State parks like Raccoon Creek, Keystone, and Moraine also have free public beaches.

🛝 Playgrounds

Our favorite play spots are scattered throughout the city and the ‘burbs.

Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall has sculptural slides, swings over the river (don’t worry, there’s a net), Farmer x Baker Cafe, and plenty of trails — plus kayak rentals through 3ROC.

Bayne Park in Bellevue has toddler areas, adventurous climbers for big kids, and a skate park. There’s also Andrew Bayne Memorial Library and the Bellevue Farmers Market Wednesday evenings. Borrow some chalk or bubbles from the toy lending table and plop your kids at outdoor story time.

Liberty Green Park in Larimer and East Liberty contains over three acres of creative climbing space that will wow kids the moment they see it. It’s also within walking distance of a McDonald’s and a Target — what more could parents ask for?

🎧 And that’s not all! Meg’s got more kid-friendly ideas on the City Cast Pittsburgh podcast. It’s going to be a great summer for tiny ‘Burghers!

Gimme that summatime fun!

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