Summer's End...

This week definitely marks some lasts.  Last few days of August, last week before schools start up again, and the last week of a few favorite GAP activities:

Tuesday August 31 at 11am is the final Rock and Roar concert at the Philadelphia Zoo.  Concert is free with zoo admission or membership.  This week, the uber-popular, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo will be performing live on the Impala Lawn. Bring a blanket and come ready to dance!
http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/zoo/Visit-The-Zoo/Calendar-of-Events/Rock-n-Roar-Concert-Series-Presents-23-Skidoo.htm

Friday Sepember 3 is the last Explosion of the New Hope/Lambertville weekly Fireworks display. Show starts at 9:30pm and runs for ten minutes, so don't be late.  Here's a sneak peek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_U7azOjSm8

And though it isn't an official last, it's the last one of summer... this Wednesday Night is Target's First Wednesday at the Please Touch Museum.  Admission is only $2 from 5-7pm thanks to Target's sponsorship of this monthly event!

One for the Grownups and One for the Kids...

For the Grown-ups: Friday Night is the Lawn Chair Drive-In at the Chestnut Hill Water Tower.  The showing will begin at dusk, so set those chairs up round 7:15-7:30 for a good view. "A New Leaf" with Walter Matthau and Elaine May will be shown.

"This is a delightful and undeservedly obscure gem of a black comedy, with the lovely Ms. May as an heiress considerably lacking in the social graces, and a young and dapper Walter Matthau as the world's most pathetically inept murderer.  A love story?  You'll have to come out and see!"

Location: Chestnut Hill Water Tower Rec Center, Ardleigh Street
Time: dusk
http://www.lawnchairdrivein.com/Site/Home.html

For the Kids: To give locals a taste of her upcoming music classes this fall, Amy Pickard will be doing a FREE children's music event at Weavers Way in Mt. Airy on Sunday, August 29 at 4 p.m. "We'll sing songs from Africa! Asia! and - to celebrate our upcoming fall session - Latin America! with you and your children (ages 0-7ish).  If interested, please RSVP to amy@allaroundthisworld.com."

Fall Opportunity for Children with Autism

WEEKLY SOCIAL SKILLS GROUP FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM: 
Building on the success of the camp (photo above) earlier this summer, the FANS social skills group uses fun and exciting topics to motivate children to increase their social skills and ultimately increase self-esteem by applying the following skills in the natural environment:

• Eye contact
• Spatial Awareness
• Appropriate interactions with peers
• Conversations
• Following instructions
• Turn taking
• Dealing with frustration
• Expressing emotions
• Problem Solving 

TSS/Aids and siblings are welcome!

SIX-WEEK SESSION

Every Thursday*
September 16th-21st
4:30-5:30pm OR 5:45-6:45pm
$150 for the entire session
Plus a $25.00 non-refundable registration fee.
*Thursdays don’t fit your schedule?  Let us know and we can discuss alternate days.

OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, September 9th 4:30-5:30pm
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
3025 Church Road
Lafayette Hill, PA  19444

Language Classes coming to CH and Mt. Airy this fall...

There's a new Language program in  Philadelphia and Jenkintown, with classes starting in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill this fall.  Lango provides opportunities for children from eighteen months old through the early elementary years to learn a new language, make developmental strides, and explore other cultures and make friends.  The highly engaging language classes use music, games, art, and stories to teach kids new languages.  Lango classes will be held locally at The Little Gym, O'Doodles Toy Store and  Big Blue Marble.  Classes are offered in Spanish, Mandarin, and French. 

You can review the website at: http://www.langokids.com/

An informational video from our parent company Langokids can be accessed on youtube at www.youtube.com/langokids

This Weekend... Pirates or Cookout?

Pirates are invading Fort Mifflin!  It's the annual pirate day at Fort Mifflin on Saturday August 21 from 10am to 4pm.  An entire day of pirate treasures... including a scavenger hunt, musical group, pirate demonstrations, and a buried treasure!

General Admission Fees:
Adults $6
Seniors $5
Children (6 to 12) and Veterans $3
Children 5 years and younger Free

Address: Fort Mifflin Fort Mifflin & Hog Island Roads, Philadelphia
website:  http://www.fortmifflin.us/

And Closer to Home, the new Chestnut Hill location of Weavers Way is hosting Grill Fest!  Saturday August 21, from 1 to 3pm, the grill will be heating up outside the back of the store, with sausages, mini slide burgers, and hot dogs.  For those of us with a sweeter tooth, there will also be samples from Depalma Bakery.  

Rescheduled: XPN Kids Concert at Morris Arboretum this Thursday 8/19 at 6:30pm

From the Arboretum Website:

Miss Amy® is on a mission to teach children about being fit! As a mom, a certified fitness instructor and an acclaimed singer/songwriter with a collection of four Grammy® cataloged children’s CDs, her programs appeal to youngsters by engaging imagination to teach basic fitness. The interactive musical Fitness Rock & Roll™programs focus on the ABC’s of fitness skills: agility, balance and coordination. In addition, they encourage repetitive cardiovascular movement throughout the duration of a song. By practicing these skills in a fun supportive environment, the program supports development of a child’s positive athletic identity and promotes a vision for the child to remain physically active into adulthood. 
www.MissAmyKids.com or www.FitnessRocknRoll.com

Concert fees are $30 per car for non-members, so as always, it pays to carpool.  If you carpool with a member, the car fee is only $10 per car.  The Little Treehouse Play Cafe will be there before the concert leading sing-alongs and passing out discount cards for the Treehouse.  You can also plan ahead with dinner from Bruno's Cafe:  "Bruno's Cafe will be have specials available for the summer concert nights (hot and cold dinners).  Email the cafebrunoscafe@morrisarboretum.org to preorder dinners for your visit or call 215.247.5777 ext. 160 for more information."

Parking Details here:

http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/events_concert_rates_parking.shtml

Concert Details here:

http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/events_summerconcerts.shtml 

Fall Classes at the Little Treehouse Plus Free Ten Visit Card!

Fall is coming (really, it is), and that means back to class at the Little Treehouse Play Cafe.  As we discussed in a previous post here, the downstairs space was renovated with wonderful rooms for group time and class space, including a full mini gym.  The fall lineup includes a whole host of classes, including many new ones, some even for adults!  (Class names are clickable links)

• Little Treehouse Tumbling

• My First Yoga

• Signing With A Smile

• Sally's Music & Movement

• Little Treehouse Dance School

• Fine Art at the Little Treehouse

• Crafts at The Little Treehouse

• Waldorf Crafts

• Beginning Knitting

• Adult Knitting

• Pre-School at The Little Treehouse

My kids and I enjoyed our classes last spring, and are looking forward to selecting one or two for fall.  Plus, if you sign up before Labor Day and receive a free 10 visit card for admission to the Treehouse.  Also, on class days, enrolled children are allowed to play free before and after their classes... that got us through many a dreary day!  

Feeling Buggy? Bug Fest this weekend!

With a focus on bee keeping this year (due to Philly's historic place in the beekeeping world), Bug Fest 2010 at the Academy of Natural Sciences will feature a man with a "bee beard", bug cuisine, bee dancing, live insects, a bug walk, hands-on demonstrations and activities.  Talk to entomologists and even play Bug Ball!  If the bugs start to get to you, there's also dinosaurs, dioramas and live animals to entertain and inform.  Or just swap the creepier insects for the butterfly exhibit.  Bug Fest runs Saturday Aug. 14th and Sun. Aug 15th from 10am-5pm, free with regular admission or membership.

Check out the link for more information:

http://www.ansp.org/bugfest/

Note: Active military and family members are admitted free through the Blue Star Museums program:

http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/faq.html

Admission

Adults (age 13 and above): $12.00

Children (age 3 through 12): $10.00

Children (under age 3): free

Seniors (age 65+): $10.00

Students (with ID): $10.00

Calling All Thomas Fans!

Morris Arboretum Garden Railway

As GAP readers will know, the Morris Arboretum is a big favorite of my family, and we’ve been to see the Garden Railway many times this summer.  Next weekend, 14^th to 15th August, will see the railway transformed for Thomas fans for the last time this summer.  The Railway is free with regular admission ($14 per adult), and those under 3 are FREE. See their website for further details on admission prices, memberships and hours: 

http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/index.shtml 

Worth the Drive: A Day Out with Thomas!  Strasburg Railroad

For a Day out with Thomas, visit the Strasburg Railroad, September 11-19 or  November 19-21. Strasburg Railroad is near Lanaster, PA... a 90 minute drive from the GAP area.  Ride a train pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine, see a full-sized operating steam locomotive, and meet Sir Topham Hatt!

Day Out With Thomas is a family event that offers children and their grownups the opportunity to ride with classic storybook friend Thomas the Tank Engine. Parents, grandparents and siblings join their aspiring engineers in the fun. The Day Out With Thomas experience will engineer miles of smiles for the whole family and introduce a new generation to the timeless excitement of railroading.

A ticket for Day Out With Thomas includes the train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as a variety of Thomas & Friends themed entertainment, including Storytelling and Video Viewing, Temporary Tattoos of Island of Sodor friends, an Imagination Station and more. 

Day Out With Thomas Train rides depart every half hour during the times below:

M-F: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
SAT: 9 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
SUN: 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• September 11 — 9:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
• September 12 — 9:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
• September 13 - 17 — 10:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.
• September 18 — 9:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
• September 19 — 9:45 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Ticket prices are $18.00 for ages 2 and up, or combo tickets are $25.00 (includes one ride behind Thomas and one Coach ride aboard the Strasburg Rail Road). Advance purchase is highly recommended. The Thomas train ride is approximately 22 minutes in length. For more information go to: Strasburg Railroad Website 

This Weekend...

Cruizin' Glenside!  5-9pm on Saturday August 7, with over 400 cars & trucks, 125 motorcycles and more.... food, music, drinks & entertainment, vendors.  Sponsored by the Greater Glenside Chamber of Commerce.  Have any car/truck/bike fans in your family?  Not to miss!  Show location is on Eaton Rd. between Glenside Train Station and Arcadia University.

Looking for an even edgier time?  It's Prison Break Weekend at Eastern State Penitentiary all weekend long.  Learn all about the escape attempts and even try to pull off a breakout of your own.  For more information, visit the 
Eastern State Penitentiary Website.

Also this weekend, the Peanut Butter & Jams Kids Concert Series at WXPN's World Cafe Live... this Saturday is Billy Jonas, a master in sing-alongs and audience participation.  

Tickets: $15 for adults

$12 for children ages 1-12

Doors open at 11, concert starts at 11:30

Kids Haircuts... where do you go?

A mom who is new to the area contacted GAP to ask about haircut recommendations.  I was stumped, as we generally wait too long and use different stylists and locations, but we  also have some very helpful people who come to our house.  So readers, please share where you take your children to get their new 'dos, styles, cuts, etc.!  (Please click to "post a comment" below, sharing your experiences and recommendations).

This Week: First Wednesday means $2 admission at the Please Touch Museum!

Target sponsors first Wednesdays at the Please Touch Museum.  This is a great deal... admission from 5-7pm is only $2... that's quite a savings from the regular $15 admission fee!  The museum is a local treasure... with incredible exhibits, shows, a gorgeous carousel, cafe and gift shop.

The Please Touch Museum is located in the historic Memorial Hall at Fairmount Park 4231 Avenue of the Republic Philadelphia, PA 19131.