A+ Entertainment provides a variety of entertainment for parties and special events throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Services include clowns, face painters, cartoon mascots, moon bounces, DJs, and more.

Abby the Children's Magician, also known as Abby London, is a skilled magician and children's entertainer who performs variety shows designed especially for little princesses, princes, knights, or pirates ages three to seven.

London, dressed in costume, offers real magic performed with themed music and puppet magician's assistants. Shows can be staged at your home or a location of your choice in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties.

About Face II is a face and body painting company that provides face painting services for parties and events throughout the Delaware Valley. The company also offers henna and airbrushed tattoos.

Face painting services are available for small, private parties or large, corporate events. About Face II brings everything needed to the site, including tables, chairs, and sample designs. Its professionally trained painters can design a minimum of 15-20 faces per hour.

About Face II has won international face painting competitions and has been featured on local television programs. The company has provided services at the events of the Camden River Sharks and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as those of many Philadelphia professional sports teams, including the Phillies, 76ers, Flyers, and Phantoms.

Puppeteer Jim Bowen of Bowen's Puppets presents quality marionette and hand puppet shows for any special event, including birthday parties. Each puppet is hand-crafted by Bowen himself, and the family-friendly shows are geared towards a multigenerational audience.

Residences and workshops in the ancient art of puppetry are also available. Visit the website for details.

Chaku's act includes juggling, music, magic, and silly antics. The birthday child receives a special Chaku T-shirt, and party guests get a balloon animals.

Messages on good listening and teamwork are intertwined within the pranks and dialog in the act. Chaku's energy is catching and the show is mesmerizing.

Character Performers provides character-themed entertainment for parties and events. Costumed characters, face painting, cakes, "Character Grams," and inflatable rentals are available for events throughout the Philadelphia region.

Parties should be booked at least four to six weeks in advance, particularly during the spring and summer months. For holiday-themed entertainment, check out Santa's Home Visits.

Crazy Faces Face Painting provides full-face face painting and specializes in detailed, theatrical designs. Crazy Faces also offers body painting, UV dayglow painting, nightclub painting, henna tattoos, cheek designs, temporary tattoos, and nail art.

All materials applied to the face or body are safe for use on the skin. All make-up meets FDA approval and is non-toxic; henna is PPD free.

Crazy Faces Face Painting services - available for birthdays, holidays, picnics, fairs, festivals, special events, and more - creates a colorful memory of each event by transforming guests into the theatrical creation of their choice.

Creative Fun/Chapter 2 Creations provides in-home craft parties at the location of your choice.

Parties include all materials, set-up, instruction and assistance with each project, and clean-up. Tableware, decorations, and handmade gift bags are also available. Craft activities can be customized to suit individual interests and abilities. Projects include decorated flip flops and visors, embellished purses, bracelets, trinket boxes, mobiles, corkboards, and more.

Delivering Fitness brings a host of fun physical activity to children's parties throughout the Delaware Valley. Aerobics, movement games, yoga, and pilates exercises that are specially adapted for young children are taught by a physical therapist and certified pilates instructor.

Express Yourself Body Art is a team of professional artists specializing in quality, airbrush temporary tattoos. Services are available for any event, including parties, fairs, festivals, and school functions.

Express Yourself representives travel to locations and events in and around the Philadelphia area.

Fred's Magic World produces family-friendly shows full of magic and comedy. Performances take place on the Second Stage at The Adrienne Theater.

Fred's Magic World can bring magic to any party or event with a customized show, held at either the theater or the host's location of choice. Pricing and additional information are available upon request.

Buzz like a bee, slither like a snake! Kids can explore yoga using songs, games, storytelling, and creative movement with Fun with Yoga for Children.

Fun with Yoga offers exhilarating yoga classes for kids, and also provides unique entertainment for children's parties. Parties and classes can be held at a yoga studio in Manayunk, or at a location of choice in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. All that is required is an open space - indoors or out!

Gaggles N Giggles specializes in creating all-inclusive, creatively themed party experiences for boys and girls in the Central Pennsylvania and Maryland. Events can be hosted in your own home, or at a designated venue.

Gaggles N Giggles takes care of all the details, including custom invitations, RSVP service, table decor, themed costumes, crafts, games, party favors, and Thank You notes.

Giggles the Clown has been keeping children giggling for more than 20 years. Giggles provides a variety of entertainment including face painting, balloon sculpture, magic shows, and more.

Giggles is available for birthday parties, school functions, corporate events, and other occasions throughout the Delaware Valley.

High Impact Events is a Philadelphia-based entertainment company that offers DJs, live music, interactive party dancers, karaoke, and more for birthday parties, Mitzvahs, and other special events in the Philadelphia and tri-state area.

High Impact keeps young party audiences to entertained with fun dance lessons, a unique selection of interactive party games, and other party essentials. The group's entertainment professionals are experienced, possess liability insurance certificates, and are trained to host high-quality special events with children of various ages.

High Impact Events is the exclusive provider of professional entertainment services for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as several Philadelphia area schools and private organizations that sponsor youth activities. Photo and video production services are also available. Call 888.525.3535 for availability and pricing.

Hop, Skip & Jump Party Rentals has a variety of party entertainment equipment available to rent and will deliver the items to any event in Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties.

The company can provide a Spin Art Station, Popcorn Cart, a Sand Candy Art Station, a Stuff-N-Station (with different animals "skins" to stuff, a stuffing machine, outfits, birth certificates, etc.), Belly Bumpers (think bumper cars but with giant, inflatable donuts that kids wear around their waists), and Parachutes in three sizes. Other items include temporary tattoos, punch balloons, and goody bags. Party packages that combine various party items - and offer a savings over renting pieces individually - are available upon request.

Hop, Skip & Jump supplies all the equipment and related materials, delivers it, completes its set-up, and then runs each activity for the duration of the event - leaving parents free to enjoy the festivities. The company also provides (upon request) interactive background music free of charge, with children's favorites by The Wiggles, Laurie Berkner, Barney, and Sharon, Lois & Bram.

Imagine It...Kidz provides personalized themes and party planning for all ages and functions.

Parties, which run approximately one-and-a-half hours, can be scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays at any location. Available themes include Dance Diva Party, Princess, Pirate/Mermaid, sports, and much more.

Jinkies Parties and Events is a mobile children's event company that specializes in themed parties and events for boys and girls.

Jinkies, headquartered in South Philadelphia, can travel to locations throughout the metropolitan area.

The Little Star Party Company is a traveling party entertainment company offering unique theme parties for children. Events include invitations, a dress-up trunk, games, crafts, music and even a tea party menu.

Various party themes include Princess, Pirate, Fairy, Tea Party, Glamour-Diva, Spa, Wizard, Safari, Ooh LaLa Paris, and Holiday with Santa - or Little Star will customize a theme. Packages to fit every budget are available.

The Living Loft Puppet Museum is operated by Spiral Q Puppet Theater, producers of full-scale giant puppet parades, toy theater, and neighborhood pageantry.

A mobile version of the museum is available for any event, including birthday parties, clubs, camps, or schools. Spiral Q can orchestrate puppet show-and-tell sessions, shadow puppet shows (for a spooky Halloween party, Spiral Q offers an award-winning Dracula shadow puppet show), a storybook hour with puppets, or even puppet-making workshops. Giant puppets are available for larger events.

Call 215.222.6979 for details or to arrange a visit from the Living Loft's mobile museum.

Mad Science is on a mission to stimulate scientific learning through hands-on fun and activities that will get kids excited about science.

Mad Science offers birthday parties for groups of any size, ideal for children ages five to 12. A Mad Scientist comes to your house and presents a 45-minute show, adapted to the ages of the kids in your group, combining high-energy, interactive fun with entertaining science experiments that appeal to kids' penchant for goo, pop, and fizz. A variety of 15-minute "finales" are available for an extra charge, featuring dry ice, a laser show, a sound machine, or a rocket launch.

Other options, for an additional charge, include a cotton candy machine, goody bags, party favors, t-shirts, invitations, and decorations.

Mad Science also offers summer camps in the Delaware Valley area. Camps run weekly from Jun through Aug, including full-day camps for children ages six to 12, and half-day camps for ages three to five. Registration and other information are available online.

Miss (Lori) Scherling, music educator, singer-songwriter, and family entertainer, performs lively children's concerts at venues throughout the suburban Philadelphia area. Her shows incorporate song, dance, play, creativity, and imagination.

Miss Scherling has been a featured entertainer at events in and around Center City, and serves as host and creator of the Milk & Cookies Show, a community-building variety show for children and families at MilkBoy Coffee locations in Ardmore and Bryn Mawr, PA, as well as creator and performer of Burlap and Bean's Beanie Bopper Show in Newtown Square, PA and Saxby's Sing-Along Show in Lansdale and Abington, PA. Her CDs - great for both the classroom and home - are available online at www.cdbaby.com.

Miss Scherling is also available to perform at children's parties, play groups, library shows, camp programs, or any family-oriented event. Contact her for details, rates, and availability.

Noah's Ark Animal Workshop travels to your location for birthdays, scout meetings, or parties of any kind. Friendly crew members help guests choose their very own stuffed animal friends, stuff them by hand, and make birth certificates for the little critters. Make-your-own stuffed animal kits are also available to give as gifts.

During Bella Bee Glamour parties, crew members create a Glamour Gallery at your location. Party guests get fun makeovers with shimmer and shine make-up and hip accessories, but also learn that beauty comes from within. You only pay for the cost of the products used during the workshop.

Noah's Ark and Bella Bee Glamour events are can be provided at locations throughout Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Call 215.723.6080 for details on pricing and availability.

Noah's Ark Traveling Fluff & Stuff travels to your location for birthdays, scout meetings, or parties of any kind. Friendly crew members help guests choose their very own stuffed animal friends, stuff them by hand, and make birth certificates for the little critters. Make-your-own stuffed animal kits are also available to give as gifts.

During Bella Bee Glamour parties, crew members create a Glamour Gallery at your location. Party guests get fun makeovers with shimmer and shine make-up and hip accessories, but also learn that beauty comes from within. You only pay for the cost of the products used during the workshop. Call 215.393.5125 for details on Bella Bee party pricing and availability.

The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts - the only full-on circus arts school in the Mid-Atlantic region - provides aerial skills training programs for children and adults. Group classes and private lessons are offered trapeze, juggling, tightwire, and other related arts. Classes are taught by Shana Kennedy, a professional aerialist who has performed all over the world and has been teaching circus skills since 1994.

Two-week sessions Summer Circus Camp offers are available for kids ages eight to 15. Circus acrobatics parties at the school feature rope climbing, static trapeze, tumbling, juggling, balancing, and more for kids ages six and up.

Shana and her students, a troupe of performing aerialists known as Air Play, are available to perform at corporate events, festivals, theaters, and other venues. Visit www.airplaytrapeze.com for details and booking information.

The Philadelphia Zoo, winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the Best Place for Family Bonding in Philadelphia, is home to more than 1,300 rare and exotic animals from around the world and despite its size - 42 acres of gardens and historical architecture - the zoo can easily be seen in a single visit.

Some of the zoo's most popular African species include warthogs, sable antelope, Mhorr's gazelle, reticulated giraffes, hippos, and zebras. Exotic South American animals, such as giant anteaters, capybaras (the largest rodents in the world) and giant bearded pigs, are also on exhibit.

The Primate Reserve houses ten species of primates including Sumatran orangutans, lowland gorillas, lemurs, langurs and gibbons. Giant Rodrigues fruit bats, naked mole rats, blue-eyed lemurs, tree kangaroos, and other rare animals can be found in the zoo's Rare Animal Conservation Center.

The Reptile and Amphibian House features an interactive adventure path - where guests can see giant tortoises up close - and more than 125 species of amphibians and reptiles. A family of playful giant otters frolic in the Carnivore Kingdom, along with snow leopards, red pandas, and clouded leopards in unique, naturalistic environments.

The Children's Zoo, a wildly popular family favorite, includes domestic animals, live animal shows, and a petting yard where kids can feed and brush sheep and goats. The zoo's newest exhibit, Big Cat Falls, features African lions, a Amur tiger, a jaguar, and pumas.

Interactive attractions are available throughout the zoo (for additional fees), including the Zooballoon, Dodge Wild Earth, Talking Storybooks, Swan Boat rides, and camel, pony, and draft horse rides. Hundreds of educational programs, family workshops, special public events, ecotourism travel opportunities, and children's shows and concerts are ongoing at the zoo year-round.

The zoo rents strollers and wheelchairs at the main gate. Indoor and outdoor food concessions provide a variety of eating options, and guests are permitted to bring food and drinks in from outside. Several picnic areas are available. The zoo's gift shops feature an array of gifts and unusual souvenirs for kids of all ages.

The Philadelphia Zoo also offers full-, half-, and extended-day Summer Zoo Camp for children ages three to 15. Campers learn about the world of animals in an exciting, hands-on way, all in the company of the zoo's animals. Sessions run from one to three weeks in June, July, and August. For more information or to register for Summer Zoo Camp, call 215.243.5311. Winter Zoo Camp is offered - with before- and after-camp programs - for kids ages five to eight after Christmas and before New Year's. Call 215.243.5254 for details.

The Philadelphia Zoo on Wheels, a traveling program designed exclusively for kids four to 12 years old, can bring a little bit of Philadelphia Zoo to birthday parties and other special events throughout the Philadelphia area. Call 215.243.5314 for details and reservations.

Primp & Party is a full-service interactive party entertainment provider offering themed children's parties that allow kids ages three to 10 to explore and imagine through dress up, pretend play, and party fun.

Award-winning Puppets Pizzazz has provided puppet shows as entertainment at schools, camps, daycare centers, festivals, and parties of all kinds for nearly 20 years.

A 45-minute Puppets Pizzazz show consists of more than 25 colorful hand puppets performing funny songs and skits, incorporating audience participation to delight children of all ages.

The charismatic Randy Shine of Randy's Magic & Comedy performs magic and mind reading shows that are packed with laughter, fun, and excitement.

Shows can be tailored for audiences of adults or children, and are available to travel to any location in the Philadelphia region.

Santa's Home Visits provides Christmas-themed entertainment for the holidays.

A live Santa and/or Christmas Mouse can make on-site visits at locations throughout the Philadelphia region. Letters from Santa can be sent anywhere; toys from Santa are also available. One-hour bookings with Santa include five free letters; additional letters are $3 each.

For non-holiday costumed characters, face painting, cakes, "Character Grams," and inflatable rentals, check out Character Performers.

Sleepy Hollow Horse Farm can bring pony rides and petting zoos to any party or event within 60 miles of Quakertown, PA, including parts of Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs.

Three different sizes of ponies are available for Pony Parties; saddles and safety helmets are provided. The Friendly Farm Animal Petting Zoo includes a miniature llama, a miniature donkey, sheep, goats, chickens, bunnies, and ducks.

Sleepy Hollow also offers horseback riding lessons for children ages three and up.

Space Walk of Montgomery County rents inflatable party rides/equipment and concessions for parties and other special events.

Discounts are available for schools, daycares, camps, and nonprofit organizations.

Spiral Q Puppet Theater, headquarted in the Living Loft Puppet Museum, aims to mobilize communities and illuminate the victories, frustrations, and possibilities of living in urban neighborhoods through the construction of full-scale giant puppet parades, toy theater, and neighborhood pageantry. Spiral Q's giant puppets have been seen all over the Philadelphia region, from rural harvest celebrations to urban neighborhood celebrations, and even corporate events.

Spiral Q toy theater performances can travel to private events - bringing beautiful giant puppets, humongous flags, noisemakers, stilt-walkers, and masks to infuse the celebration - and offer students a great introduction to constructing puppets. Spiral Q specializes in audience participation, and loves to involve as many folks as possible in the creation of Spiral Q spectacles. The company also performs original and imaginative small shows that are ready to travel to a schools, camps, or neighborhoods.

Steve Black performs an entertaining comedy magic act that can be tailored for young audiences. Steve's fun, interactive shows are available for birthday parties, holiday parties, and other events throughout the Philadelphia Metro area and surrounding counties.

The Give & Take Jugglers are a family-oriented new vaudeville troupe that incorporates juggling, comedy, and lots of audience