March begins with a packed schedule of terrific activities and events for kids and all ages. Inventive challenges, fresh air outings and super science experiences await the curious, the creative and the energetic. Make a plan with our top 10 picks for the month.
March 2-5: Disney on Ice presents “Into the Magic,” PPG Paints Arena
Your kid’s favorite Disney characters — Elsa, Moana, Mickey and Minnie — will take to the ice in a spectacular, colorful show. Kids will love rocking and bopping to the songs from their beloved movies. You’ll love their screams of laughter at the comic antics of the performers while admiring the artistry and physicality of these amazing figure skaters. Tickets start at $26.
March 3-12: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” New Hazlett Theater
On a rainy day in London, four children step through a magical wardrobe for an epic adventure. Prime Stage Theatre presents the beloved C.S. Lewis story that combines fantasy and suspense in a thoroughly entertaining show. A sensory-inclusive performance is planned for March 11, with an audio description show on March 12. Tickets start at $18 with a pay-what-you-wish price on March 3.
March 11-12: Rube Goldberg Challenge Weekend, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
We love those crazy contraptions Rube Goldberg built that turn a simple task into a complicated chain reaction. The Children’s Museum celebrates the hilarious inventor with a weekend of events, starting with the live Rube Goldberg 2023 Machine Contest on March 11. Student-led teams from western PA will be challenged to transform discarded household junk into a Rube Goldberg machine. This year’s task: Build, stack and/or serve a Lunchables. Throughout the weekend, kids can compete in the Rube Goldberg Cartoon Contest with ingenious machine drawings. Enjoy a storytime, participate in an inventive song and dance show, and meet inventors to learn how they were inspired. Kids can hit the Makeshop from March 7-13 to build their versions of those silly machines. Activities are included with museum admission.
March 9-11: Le Patin Libre, The UPMC Rink at PPG Plaza
Montreal-based Le Patin Libre — which translates from French to free skate — is a contemporary ice-skating company that creates a new kind of dance on ice. Made up of champion-level skaters, the program skips the spangle and sparkle we’re used to seeing in dancing on ice competitions. Instead, the focus is on creating artistic pieces that take advantage of the theatrical and choreographic potential of ice and glide. Le Patin Libre developed a new work, “Carte Blanche,” specifically for the Pittsburgh audience. Tickets start at $15.
March 11: Story Hike: Wonder Walkers, Frick Park
Micha Archer’s “Wonder Walkers” is the focus of this Story Walk program hosted by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Following a reading of the Caldecott Medal-winning book, kids will take a wonder walk through the Frick Park woodlands, where they will test their imagination and curiosity. The program is intended for families with kids ages 3-8. Expect a stroll of less than a mile along paved, stone and natural paths. Registration is free but required.
March 11: Super Science Saturday: Nature’s Palette, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
This month’s Super Science Saturday program investigates colors, patterns and shapes found in nature. Watch iridescent insects appear to change color as you get closer. Meet American striped skunks, Pepperjack and Gouda, and learn how they use their coloration to advertise their stinky defense. Accept the challenge in a camouflage game to find creatures hidden in plain sight. Activities run from noon to 4 p.m. and are included in museum admission.
March 11, 18 and 25: Maple Madness, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
When kids pour maple syrup over a pile of fluffy pancakes, they might only consider its sweet, sweet flavor. But these behind-the-scenes experiences will give them a new appreciation of that sticky indulgence. The Audubon Society’s annual Maple Madness series offers a look at the age-old practice of maple sugaring at three locations: Buffalo Creek Nature Park on March 11, Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve on March 18 and Succop Nature Park on March 25. Follow the maple demonstration trail to learn the science behind making maple syrup and maple sugar. Hit the Nature Shop to purchase maple syrup and maple candy to take home. Registration is $12. Choose a time slot between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
March 15-19: “Men on Boats, Highmark Theatre at Pittsburgh Playhouse
Expect chills, spills and death-defying thrills during “Men on Boats,” produced by Point Park University’s Conservatory Theatre Company. This Jacklyn Backhaus play tells the “mostly true” story of the 1869 expedition when a one-armed captain and a crew of crazy, yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River in the then-unknown Grand Canyon. John Wesley Powell and his ragtag band launched four wooden boats to defy whitewater action and brutal waterfalls. With some adult language, this production is best for ages 13 and older. The March 15 performance will be followed by a talkback discussion. The 7:30 p.m. show on March 18 will be ASL interpreted and audio described. Tickets start at $35.
March 18-19: Penguin-Palooza!, National Aviary
It’s all about penguins at Penguin-Palooza! Kids will meet the resident colony of African Penguins waddling and swimming in Penguin Point. They can watch a fun feeding and talk with experts to find out what makes penguins unique. Along the way, kids will learn how they can help penguins and other marine life every day. For hands-on fun, they will make a penguin craft, too. All activities are included with general admission. Add on a ticket for Brushes and Birds step-by-step painting class on March 18, and create a penguin portrait for your home art collection.
March 19-20: Big Bubble Bonanza, Byham Theater
Mixing comedy, music and interactive bubble magic, bubble wrangler Jeff Boyer engages and delights all ages in a sensory-friendly bubble extravaganza. At Big Bubble Bonanza, part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Children’s Theater Series, you will see giant bubbles that blow their own bubbles and be amazed as audience members make volcano bubbles. Boyer is world famous as the Guinness Book of World Records holder for making bubbles so big that they can fit people inside. You’ve got to see it to believe it. Best for ages 3 and older. Tickets are $12.
Bonus events:
March 4: Let’s Act! Creativity at Play, Trust Arts Education Center
March 4: Teen Sensory Friendly Silent Disco, Andy Warhol Museum
March 16: Teen Night: Artistry in Science, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Through May: Laser Symphony of the Stars, Carnegie Science Center
