What are the best things to do with kids in Lancaster, PA?

Some of the top family experiences in Lancaster include Dutch Wonderland amusement park, the Strasburg Railroad, Old Windmill Farm, Amish buggy rides, and fun on the farm visits throughout the county. Lancaster offers a mix of family friendly activities, and hands on fun that’s a welcome change from screen time activities at home.

What are the best outdoor family activities in Lancaster, PA?

Lancaster has a variety of free parks, trails, and family-friendly playgrounds. Longs Park is centrally located and features a petting zoo, decorative pond, playgrounds, and walking trails. If you feel more adventurous, the trails at Columbia Crossing prove a safe, flat walk along the Susquehanna River. At the southern end of the county, your family can enjoy the overlooks and trails maintained by the Lancaster County Conservancy.

What free things are there to do with kids in Lancaster, PA?

In addition to the trails, playgrounds, and shopping in Lancaster, many local businesses provide free activities for families. There is no cost to watch the trains at Strasburg Railroad, and they have a great, free play area. You and your family can observe a variety of exotic animals and Fish at That Fish Place. For more local animals, check out one of the many free petting zoos! LancasterPA.com maintains a specific free things to do page for budget friendly families.

What are the best educational activities for children in Lancaster, PA?

You will find educational activities for kids of all ages in Lancaster County. The Lancaster Science Factory is continually adding new science experiments and activities that families can participate in. Or, your family can learn about the history and culture of the Amish at Amish Village. If your kids have a creative side, be sure to check out Painting with a Twist.

Is Dutch Wonderland worth visiting for families?

Dutch Wonderland is one of the most visited family attractions in Pennsylvania, designed uniquely for younger children and families. They offer rides, shows, and events that make it an all day destination, especially in the summer.

What is the Strasburg Railroad?

The Strasburg Railroad is a historic steam powered passenger train operating in Strasburg, PA since 1832, making it one of the oldest operating railroads in the country. The railroad offers scenic rides through Lancaster County farmland and is a favorite for children and railroad lovers as well.

Kids Attraction Autumn - Refreshing Mountain - Stevens, PA

Adventures kids will love

Lancaster County's Best Kids Attractions

What Fun Things Are There for Kids To Do in Lancaster?

Looking for unforgettable kids’ attractions in Lancaster, PA? Explore LancasterPA.com’s guide featuring family-friendly fun and educational adventures for all ages. Choose from interactive children’s museums, model train exhibitions, lively indoor/outdoor play centers, mini golf, farm attractions, and see how the Amish live, to petting zoos, scenic playgrounds, and immersive Pennsylvania Dutch cultural experiences.

Whether you’re planning a toddler outing or a tween’s weekend adventure, our listings highlight safe, engaging, and memorable venues along with helpful tips on making the most of your visit, offering plenty of activities for kids today. Perfect for families, grandparents, or visitors seeking unique and entertaining things to do in Lancaster County this guide connects you with local favorites that blend entertainment and learning.

Activities of all different kinds, Lancaster, PA, has it all. Here you will find the perfect outing to spark curiosity, build memories that you won’t forget, and enjoy quality time together in Amish country. Cruise Kids Attractions in Lancaster, PA today and plan your next family adventure with confidence and excitement.

Indoor Inflatable Park and Arcade

Bounce Kraze

Kids will enjoy hours of bouncing, sliding & playing in our 9 inflatable bounce attractions, with a Toddler Zone for smaller guests. Grab a bite at the snack bar or play in the arcade.

Come and Play

Bounce Kraze - Bounce House Rentals in Lancaster, PA

MORE FAMILY FUN NEARBY

Keep the Fun Going

Enjoy a Variety of Kids’ Opportunities in Lancaster

If you live here or are visiting Lancaster with kids, you’ll find a variety of indoor and outdoor attractions for kids, including farm adventures, train rides and displays, indoor play centers and amusement parks, theatres with kid-friendly plays and magic shows, mini-golf courses, places to ride a horse, playgrounds, children’s museums in Lancaster, and other Amish Country fun. Explore our expanding list of fun things to do with kids below.

Day Out With Thomas at Strasburg Rail Road

Make memories with Thomas the Tank Engine, Percy, Mavis, and Rusty during Day Out With Thomas, visiting in June and September. Enjoy a full 45-minute ride aboard the larger-than-life coal-burning steam train pulled by Thomas. Your ticket includes a variety of Thomas-themed activities and the Fun Extras. You can purchase tickets online. Advance purchase is recommended.

Day Out With Thomas at Strasburg Rail Road

at Strasburg Rail Road
301 Gap Road (Route 741 East)
Ronks (near Strasburg), PA 17572

See Details Visit Website

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

Enjoy family-friendly live theatre paired with a kid-approved brunch buffet featuring favorites like French toast sticks, hash browns, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, and desserts. After the show, stay for a cast Q&A and meet-and-greet in the lobby. Special rates available for school groups and parties of 16 or more.

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

510 Centerville Road
Lancaster, PA 17601

See Details Visit Website

Magic and Wonder Dinner Theater young performers holding lanterns on stage in Paradise PA

Magic & Wonder Dinner Theater

Kids, You Could Be the STAR of the show! Join Brett and his amazing cast on this 90-minute magic show that features grand illusions, comedy, audience participation, and live animals. This breathtaking experience for all ages will create memories to treasure for a lifetime.

Magic & Wonder Dinner Theater

3065 Lincoln Hwy. (U.S. Route 30)
Paradise, PA 17562

See Details Visit Website

Old Windmill Farm – Amish Farm Tours

Children will love experiencing life on an Amish farm! They can milk a cow, feed a calf, the pygmy goats, miniature bull, and miniature chickens. Gather eggs and feed the chickens. Pet a mule. Watch the little pot-bellied pigs perform and slide down a slide. Kids love this unique farm experience.

Old Windmill Farm – Amish Farm Tours

262 Paradise Lane
Ronks (near Strasburg), PA 17572

See Details Visit Website

Rawlings Lancaster

Rawlings is the official baseball, glove, helmet, face guard, and base of Major League Baseball^®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball^® and the official baseball and softball of the NCAA^® and the NAIA^®. Team USA Softball^® and USSSA^® Softball. Check out the Rawlings Brand Store in Lancaster, PA today!

Rawlings Lancaster

35 S. Willowdale Dr
Lancaster, PA 17602

See Details Visit Website

Refreshing Mountain - Stevens, PA (Lancaster County)

Refreshing Mountain Retreat & Adventure Center

Kids of all ages (and parents) love the variety of fun adventurous things to do at Refreshing Mountain. From zipline courses (guided tours for ages 5+), our Ascent and Basecamp packages, outdoor pool/mini-splash park, escape rooms, to learning about farm animals and wildlife in a hands-on, engaging experience.

Refreshing Mountain Retreat & Adventure Center

455 Camp Road
Stevens, PA 17578

See Details Visit Website

Strasburg Rail Road

A full steam adventure! All aboard a 45-minute ride on the larger-than-life coal-burning steam train to Paradise, PA and back. Dine aboard the train, featuring scratch-made food from Café 1832 and explore Fun Extras like the Pint-Sized Pufferbelly and Cranky Cars at the historic East Strasburg Station.

Strasburg Rail Road

301 Gap Road (Route 741 East)
Ronks (near Strasburg), PA 17572

See Details Visit Website

Tiny Town – Big Fun for Little People

Tiny Town is the original and largest indoor playtown in the area! Children can explore 12 luxury playhouses; slide down a firefighter pole, check an x-ray in our hospital, deliver mail, and more. Daily bubble dance parties, birthday parties, and so much more. Kids will go wild with imagination in 8,000 square feet of fun!

Tiny Town – Big Fun for Little People

533 Janet Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17601

See Details Visit Website

Turkey Hill Experience – Ice Cream Fun for the Family!

Interactive exhibits designed for kids and families. Learn how ice cream is made, then create your own ice cream flavor and taste it. Star in your own commercial to promote it on Facebook. Milk a mechanical cow. Sample other ice cream flavors. A fun learning experience for all.

Turkey Hill Experience – Ice Cream Fun for the Family!

301 Linden Street
Columbia, PA 17512

See Details Visit Website

Bounce Kraze – Fun Indoor Inflatable Park and Arcade

Lancaster’s Best Value, 3 hours of bounce time for under $14.95 per child! Kids will enjoy hours of bouncing, sliding & playing in our 9 inflatable bounce attractions, with a Toddler Zone for smaller guests. Grab a bite at the snack bar or play in the arcade.

Bounce Kraze – Fun Indoor Inflatable Park and Arcade

407 Granite Run Drive
Lancaster, PA 17601

See Details Visit Website

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm - Strasburg, PA

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm – Fun on the Farm

Visit Cherry Crest, Where Fun Grows! With 60+ Farm Fun activities it’s the perfect place to capture the magic of family fun. Let your kid’s imagination soar in Sproutsville, a mini town designed just for them. Other activities include slides, corn barn, farm animals and much more!

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm – Fun on the Farm

150 Cherry Hill Road
Ronks (near Strasburg), PA 17572

See Details Visit Website

Choo Choo Barn – Traintown U.S.A.

Kids love this model train display as they watch 22 operating model trains winding in and around the animated circus performers, the monorail at Dutch Wonderland, a ski lift, and a fire engine actually spraying water on a house fire. Over 150 animations in all! A fascinating display for all ages!

Choo Choo Barn – Traintown U.S.A.

226 Gap Road (Route 741 East)
Strasburg, PA 17579

See Details Visit Website

Kids riding cow-themed barrel train through covered tunnel at Corn Cob Acres, Lancaster PA

Corn Cob Acres: Field of Fun

Your kids will be entertained for hours!! One low admission price provides access to over 50 incredibly unique activities. Pedal Karts, Barrel Train Rides, Hayrides, Pumpkin Picking, Pig Races, Slides, and many many more! Open daytime hours Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, and select days in September and October. Free Parking

Corn Cob Acres: Field of Fun

191 College Avenue
Mountville, PA 17554

See Details Visit Website

Fox Meadows Creamery

Cow-to-Cone! Fox Meadows Creamery features hand-crafted ice cream made on-site with milk from our small dairy farm. Enjoy lunch, taste our 24 flavors of ice cream, try the Baked Fox, browse our Market featuring local foods, jewelry and apparel, play on our playground and watch ice cream being made!

Fox Meadows Creamery

2475 W. Main St., Ephrata, PA 17522
and
193 E. Main St., Leola, PA, 17540

See Details Visit Website

Red Caboose Motel exterior image: vintage red caboose railcar with "The Red Caboose Motel" painted on the side, parked on tracks in Lancaster, PA

The Red Caboose Motel at Paradise Station

Lancaster County’s most unique and iconic motel, restaurant and gift shop, serving our area for over 50 years! Sleep in a caboose, eat in a train car, shop and play and watch the Strasburg Rail Road’s steam engines go right by our front porch. The perfect stop for all ages!

The Red Caboose Motel at Paradise Station

312 Paradise Lane
Ronks (near Strasburg), PA 17572

See Details Visit Website

Waters Edge Mini Golf

Escape to Water’s Edge for a serene outing filled with cascading waterfalls, trickling streams, and lush greenery. Visit Annie the llama at the Bird-In-Hand Petting Zoo, take a stroll around the pond and feed the fish, and stop in for a scoop of hand-dipped Turkey Hill ice cream, all at Water’s Edge.

Waters Edge Mini Golf

230 North Ronks Road
Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505

See Details Visit Website

Big Fun for Little Ones in Lancaster

Where Little Explorers Come Alive

Family riding a mini train through the dairy barn on a farm tour at Oregon Dairy in Lancaster County PA

Family Attractions

Fun the whole family will love

Woman riding a scooter through Amish farmland with hot air balloons in the sky in Strasburg Lancaster County PA

Outdoor Things To Do

Get Outside and Explore

Golfer teeing off on a misty morning at Willow Valley Golf Course in Lancaster PA

Golf Courses

Tee Off Across Lancaster's Finest Greens

Mixed media guitar wall art on exposed brick at Lancaster Arts Hotel gallery in Lancaster City PA

Arcades

Games and thrils for all ages

Excited boy riding a giant slide at Dutch Wonderland amusement park in Lancaster PA

Amusement Parks

Where Lancaster Families Make Memories

Young girl smiling in front of a birthday cake with candles and colorful balloons at a kids birthday party venue in Lancaster PA

Birthday Parties

Make Your Lancaster Birthday Unforgettable

Mini Golf

Tee Up Some Family Fun

Adult on aerial ropes course and treetop adventure at Refreshing Mountain in Stevens Lancaster County PA

Sports & Rec

Fun and recreation in Lancaster

Reach thousands of travelers planning their next trip.

Promote your business – 1 million visits and over 1.7 million pageviews on this website in the last year, plus 800,000 clicks to our 350+ customers.

Advertise Now Read Success Stories

AAA Buggy Rides

Ride with Amish guides and learn about the Amish lifestyle.

Visit Website

Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides

Ride like the Amish with a Horse and Buggy. Visit working Amish farms. Several ride options available, including Private Rides!

Visit Website

Aimee & Daria’s Doll Outlet

Over 5,000 porcelain and vinyl dolls, clothing, furniture, and accessories.

Visit Website

American Music Theatre

Kids and families enjoy our annual Christmas show November – December.

Visit Website

Amish Country Homestead & One-Room School

Only officially designated “Heritage Site” Amish house tour and school.

Visit Website

Amish Country Homestead & One-Room School

Only officially designated “Heritage Site” Amish house tour and school.

Visit Website

Amish Experience Visit-in-Person Tour

Personally meet Amish at milking time, at work, at home.

Visit Website

Amish Farm and House

Offering fun and educational experiences for everyone to enjoy – family memories in the making since 1955!

Visit Website

Amish Farm and House Countryside Bus Tours

Tour the scenic back roads of Amish Country. Find out how the Amish live today on a guided bus tour!

Visit Website

Amish Village Backroads Bus Tours

Enjoy our popular Backroads Bus Tour past working Amish farms.

Visit Website

Amish Village: Tour an Amish House, School, and Village

Experience the Amish way of life with a tour of an authentic Amish homestead.

Visit Website

Back Nine Golf

Back Nine Golf: Lancaster PA’s 24/7 indoor golf simulator in Rockvale Outlets. Play world-class courses on Full Swing technology.

Visit Website

Candy*ology Lititz

Step into nostalgia at Candy*ology Lititz and enjoy retro soda and candy like a kid again.

Visit Website

Cherry Hill Orchards

Cherry Hill Orchards offers pick-your-own fruit, farm market, and garden center. Stop in for a taste of Lancaster County!

Visit Website

Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch @ Oregon Dairy Farmstead

Discover the fun at our Fall Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch! Escape room, wagon rides, kids’ corn maze, more. Fun for all!

Visit Website

Enigma Escape Room

Enigma Escape Rooms offer a fully immersive escape room experience designed for friends, families, and team building.

Visit Website

Hayloft Ice Cream / Soft Pretzels

Enjoy delicious hand-dipped ice cream or hand-made soft pretzels overlooking our pond where you can feed fish and ducks.

Visit Website

Inspire Pottery Studio

Get your hands messy and create something you’ll be proud of at Inspire Pottery Studio, a family-owned ceramics studio in Denver, PA.

Visit Website

FAQs About Things to Do With Kids in Lancaster, PA

: Some of the top family experiences in Lancaster include Dutch Wonderland amusement park, the Strasburg Railroad, Old Windmill Farm, Amish buggy rides, and fun on the farm visits throughout the county. Lancaster offers a mix of family friendly activities, and hands on fun that’s a welcome change from screen time activities at home.
: Lancaster has a variety of free parks, trails, and family-friendly playgrounds. Longs Park is centrally located and features a petting zoo, decorative pond, playgrounds, and walking trails. If you feel more adventurous, the trails at Columbia Crossing prove a safe, flat walk along the Susquehanna River. At the southern end of the county, your family can enjoy the overlooks and trails maintained by the Lancaster County Conservancy.
: In addition to the trails, playgrounds, and shopping in Lancaster, many local businesses provide free activities for families. There is no cost to watch the trains at Strasburg Railroad, and they have a great, free play area. You and your family can observe a variety of exotic animals and Fish at That Fish Place. For more local animals, check out one of the many free petting zoos!

LancasterPA.com maintains a specific free things to do page for budget friendly families.
: You will find educational activities for kids of all ages in Lancaster County. The Lancaster Science Factory is continually adding new science experiments and activities that families can participate in. Or, your family can learn about the history and culture of the Amish at Amish Village. If your kids have a creative side, be sure to check out Painting with a Twist.
: Dutch Wonderland is one of the most visited family attractions in Pennsylvania, designed uniquely for younger children and families. They offer rides, shows, and events that make it an all day destination, especially in the summer.
: The Strasburg Railroad is a historic steam powered passenger train operating in Strasburg, PA since 1832, making it one of the oldest operating railroads in the country. The railroad offers scenic rides through Lancaster County farmland and is a favorite for children and railroad lovers as well.