5 Reasons to Raise Your Children in Philadelphia

We’ve all grown up hearing the virtues of setting up home in the burbs where family-friendly amenities are plentiful including good school systems, houses with lawns and backyards, low crime rates and safety, and peace and quiet. On the other hand, raising children in a vibrant metropolis, like Philadelphia, has some real advantages. Not only are there a wide range of private and charter schools, but Philly boasts an impressive number of family-friendly attractions such as the zoo and the Liberty Bell, and in the city you are always close to some of the very best doctors and hospitals in the nation.

Not convinced the city is for you? Check out these five reasons to consider raising your children in Philadelphia.

1. Culture is all around

Want to visit the Liberty Bell, the hall where the Constitution was debated, or the site where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence? Philly’s got you covered. Perhaps you’d like to take your children to the nation’s oldest art museum or take in a Broadway show at the Kimmel Center. The sky is the limit when it comes to finding culture in Philadelphia.

2. Get out of the carpool lane

In Philly, there’s no need to find yourself stuck behind the wheel for hours on end as you chauffer the kids off to school, piano lessons, karate classes, etc. Take advantage of public transportation and start using the bus and train while your children are young. Don’t forget to show them how to use bike lanes and take advantage of this walkable city. Once your kids are older, around 11 or 12, they will feel confident traveling on their own and gain a great sense of independence and self-reliance.

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3. Raise your children in Philadelphia, raise citizens of the world

Philadelphia is a true melting pot of cultures, where children have an opportunity to meet people from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Within a day, your child could boast having eaten authentic African food, sketched Rodin’s iconic “The Thinker” statue in front of the Rodin Museum, see Buddhist monks walk down Walnut Street in colorful robes, witness people speaking a multitude of languages on the train, and hear violinists play Radiohead from the street corner. One can only imagine how worldly their child could become growing up in Philly.

4. Provide important life lessons

It isn’t easy explaining to children why a homeless person is sleeping on the street, why stray animals beg for food, or why a mentally ill person acts erratically in public. However, these are very real happenings that you can only shelter a child from for so long. Growing up in an urban environment will give your children a raw glimpse of the world, but at a time while you are around to discuss it. Take these experiences as an opportunity for learning and growth, as well as a chance to volunteer and offer real help. In the long run, seeing how others live will deepen your child’s understanding of the world, their place in it, and how they can change it for the better.

5. Amazing amenities

Who needs a gigantic backyard when you have access to the entire city, including free public pools and sprinkler parks, playgrounds within walking distance, Indego bike share and bike lanes, flourishing urban gardens like Fishtown’s Greensgrow, and amazing summer camps? Not sure what to do this weekend? Take the kids to the one of many festivals that occur each weekend year-round. Looking for a truly unique experience that the kids will brag about at school on Monday? Check out Philly’s Mütter Museum and have a glance at some of the world’s most intriguing medical oddities or challenge them to ride the Franklin Institute’s Sky Bike, which sits 28-feet high on a wire that is only one-inch in diameter.

Time to ditch the burbs?

It is definitely a personal decision, but maybe it’s time to question conventional wisdom that tells us that children are best suited for the burbs. After all, Philadelphia’s urban living environment has so much to offer in terms of their development and your family’s quality of life, even compared to the most raved about suburbs.

Are you ready to raise your children in Philadelphia? Contact me today so I can help lead you through the home-buying process in the right neighborhood for you. And remember, friends don’t let friends buy a home without Agent Lady!

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About Agent Lady: Cherise Wynne is a leading real estate agent in Philadelphia, helping home buyers and sellers navigate the City of Brotherly Love, with a special focus on first time home buyers. To chat about getting started with your first time home buying experience, click here.