I went to a “living farm” near Philly years ago on school trip with Miss Greenjeans’ 3rd grade class. It was the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation.
Another interesting place for kids is the Franklin Institute science museum. They will enjoy (or perhaps be terrified by) their trip through the giant heart. It’s just off the Ben Franklin Parkway, so on the way to the “Rocky Steps” (which we call the Art Museum steps).
If you are going up there, you might want to stop at the Crayola Factory in Easton. They seemed to have spiffed it up some since we took our kids, when you actually went on the factory floor. Besides that, there isn’t a lot there.
BTW, downtown Philly is a pain to drive in and is pretty crowded, so if you can use a train to get into Center City you might do better.
When you go to Reading Terminal, sample some Lebanon baloney. Good stuff.
Oh, the Franklin Institute is great. It is both my wife and my 6 year old daughters’s favorite museum/destination.
I don’t know how your 7- and 11-year olds would react to going to the Mutter Museum with their bizarre anatomy displays. They’ll either be fascinated, or you’ll be cradling them in your arms at night trying to relieve their nightmares. I recall it’s within walking distance of the other downtown Philadelphia stuff.
That’s an oops, yeah. I live pretty much equidistant from Philly and NYC.
If Knoebels is in the plan you’ll still want to make your way north to I80, which you can get on or off in the very scenic Delaware Water Gap. There are several routes from Philly; I usually just drive 611 all the way – runs along the Delaware River, very scenic, but not the fastest route.
The only advice I’d give is watch out for deer on the interstates. Based on the number of dead deer I’ve seen on the side of the road, it’s a wonder anyone makes it through the state unscathed.
Yeah, the next county over had to hire a full time guy to clean up the dead deer.
And forget my directions, I’ve been known on multiple occasions to get lost on my way home from work.
But do strongly consider Knoebels – just because I can’t tell you precisely how to get there doesn’t mean I can’t tell you where to go. 
Jeeze,
You need to take roads through Southern Chester County to Lancaster County… and the ride will be incredible, as you seem to long for buggies, covered bridges, etc.
From King of Prussia, you have to head south as major detour just to head West-NorthWest for the best scenery and most amazing country roads.
Feel free to PM me. I am as Philly as it gets here. Born, raised and well versed in everything from PA/DE/MD/NJ. From the Rocky cool-and-born-in-South-Philly, to the history, to the reality tours (non tourist crap), but I am geeky enough to get you behind an Amish buggy with the kids staring at you.
I wake up and take two hours rides to Amish country on a whim… just for breakfast.
PM me.
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We visited Philly last December, with kids ages 9 and 11. I agree with the other Dopers, the Franklin Institute is terrific.
One of our stops was to see the famous LOVE statue. If you go, be forewarned, it’s tiny! I was expecting something much larger. On the other hand, I have never seen a city with more public sculptures than Philadelphia. There’s one like every block, I loved it.
There are some multi-use paths and public parking behind the Art Museum, also street parking. It was about a 10-minute walk to get to the Rocky steps from where we found street parking on a side street off of Pennsylvania Avenue. After doing the Rocky steps we walked down to the Rodin Museum. The outdoor sculpture garden is free.
I’d say your Philadelphia walking route sounds reasonable.
Another vote for Knoebels.
Somewhere in that region is Roadside America. It’s HUGE, it’s TRAINS, it’s Kate Smith singing “God Bless America” every half hour. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss $8 good-bye!
First of all, thanks for Knoebels. You know, I knew that area was heavy with amusement parks. I remember watching commercials for Dutch Wonderland, Dorney Park, and Hershey Park when I was little in S Jersey. But I now like your picks of Knoebels with it’s free admission: the kids can pick the rides they like, and us non-riding parents & grandparents aren’t paying the admission, too. The Pheonix one looks like a blast.
Knoebels will be on our way back to NYC.
Upon reading, we’re doing a bit of a change-up: morning exploring Valley Forge. We’ll still see the Amish scenery, but it need not take up our day. After Valley Forge until say lunch time, drive through Amish country on the way to dinner. Perhaps one of those Amish family restaurants like Good and Plenty or Plain and Fancy? I see the latter has a farm/school on premises. Remember, being touristy does not shame me with the little ones.
Franklin Institute? I liked it when I was little, but we planned for only a day in Philly. Don’t want to rush through Independence Natl Park… how much time to allow? We got other museums planned for our itinerary, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
And I didn’t even bother giving my usual commercial. Oh well – we’ll be out there this weekend helping the park wake up so that’s something. 
Both museums in the park are cool and you will love the band-organs at both the carousel and Phoenix. And do NOT miss the bumper cars, the haunted house and the mine ride; seriously. People have come there from other countries for the bumper cars and haunted house. The mine ride is a little coaster-ish but it came from Jersey as well (Morey’s Piers I believe) so you may want to make that a must-ride as well.
The anthracite museum tour in Scranton is fun. You ride down into a mineshaft in a coal mining car, tour the mines, then come back up. Good way to spend a couple hours, and the tour guide was funny. Bought a ring with a polished rock in it while we were there.
Knoebels is awesome, we went on a sporadic-rainy day and there were no lines for anything. Lightning might close the park, though. Their ride pictures are very inexpensive, the food is good and affordable. And they have an app that will tell you how far you are from any given attraction.
Knoebels opens this weekend. We’re going to a wedding there on Saturday. The ceremony be held aboard the Phoenix. I asked how that was going to work and here’s what I was told: The couple will ride up front, right behind the minister. When the train gets to the top of the first hill, they’ll stop the ride and perform the ceremony. Then over they go!
In Philadelphia, consider the Barnes Collection a simply stunning bunch of art in an impressive building. From the website:
West of Philly, you really ought to check out Longwood Gardens, a truly world-class botanical garden. Lots of other DuPont-related attractions in that area.
I’ll be there for the ACE event and for a birthday party for a little cousin. Look for the straw hat although I will be dressed “English”.
http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/68402.html
The teaberry milkshake will be my treat!
(If you want PM me. We leave earl;y Friday but have to make a stop at a funeral on the way.)
the US Mint is just on the other side of the big Liberty Bell plaza from Independence Hall, and it doesn’t take long to walk through the tour of it. Sounds like you have a pretty packed day, but I’d recommend throwing that in there, since you’ll be in the immediate area.
Garryowen
Dobbin House, I recommend the tavern downstairs, more casual and less expensive than the main restaurant (which is also great).
Lincoln Diner, no alcohol but a good palace to bring kids.
Amish Country: Good and Plenty or Plain and Fancy are touristy beyond normal levels of touristy to the point that the charm is gone. Huge parking areas with tourist buses dropping off people who care about outlet malls and eating, then go home and act like they had a day in Amish Country.
I usually just poke around Strasburg or similar towns in the Lancaster are and pick a little Amish/Menonite/Dutch/Country/Whatever joint.
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We have Amish in Western PA/Ohio, too. I’m not seeing the draw as a tourist attraction. Our area Amish farm, do construction work, and sell their quilts and stuff at flea markets or farmer’s markets. They really like getting hot dogs and subs and stuff at Sheetz. They’re pretty low key people. Other than not driving motor vehicles and wearing the plain clothing, they aren’t a whole lot different from anybody else.
This might be what revitalizes the Beaver Valley/Tri-State area. If people think Amish are a tourist attraction, why, they’d be absolutely coo-coo over Hoopies! Hoopies have a distinct culture and all manner of customs that white city folk would find fascinating.
