Courtesy Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

Market Square
Tuesdays through August 30
10— 11:30 a.m.

Where can you and your kids meet a penguin, practice your downward-facing dog, and buy a book for less than the price of a coffee?

Courtesy Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
Courtesy Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is calling all kids to Market Square for fun, adventure and learning with robots, radio, birds, Mister Rogers, and much more.

Back with a newly expanded lineup of KidsPlay programming, the initiative is turning the historic downtown hub into an exciting summer play space for children and families.

Running every Tuesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Market Square, KidsPlay is free to the public through August 30th. This summer, all participating children will even receive a free lunch provided by GrubUp Pittsburgh.

Courtesy Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
Courtesy Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

Lots of new offerings are on tap, such as fun fitness activities, a craft area presented by PA Cyber, visits by local personalities, and a variety of hands-on art, music, and recreation projects presented by new partners, performing arts groups and nonprofit organizations.

Following each KidsPlay event, children and families can book on over to the special “Reading Room @ Market Square” to pick up some great reads at bargain prices (only $1 or $2 per book). Families can also bring their e-readers to take advantage of the library’s free downloadable eBooks, music, movies, e-Magazines, and audiobooks.

Mark your summer calendar now for the entire KidsPlay series:

July 5: Sarah Heinz House Advanced Robotics Program, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, and Let’s Move Pittsburgh
July 12: The Saturday Light Brigade Radio, Find Some Flow, and Citiparks Roving Art Cart
July 19: Kids Plus Pediatrics, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and Tree Pittsburgh
July 26: Santa in the Square, Citiparks Roving Art Cart, and Pittsburgh Music Academy
August 2: Three Rivers Storytelling Festival and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
August 9: Animal Friends, Let’s Move Pittsburgh and Citiparks Roving Art Cart
August 16: Find Some Flow and Children’s Theater Festival
August 23: Penguin Encounter with the National Aviary, The Wheel Mill, and Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
August 30: Sunburst School of Music and Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative

Looking for more events? Read our 10 Pittsburgh events not to miss in August, Everything you need to know about Pittsburgh concerts in August and Top 10 things for families to do in August in Pittsburgh feature stories.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.