Rita's First Day of Spring... FREE water ice!

How cool to actually have this fall on a weekend!  Sunday is the first day of spring!!!  And with that first day, a new rite... free water ice at ALL Rita's locations.  The lines will be long, but the water ice is yummy!

A Weekend of Local Festivals! How to choose?

Three kid-friendly opportunities to enjoy the weather and the Germantown Avenue community this weekend!

5pm TONIGHT! (Friday 9/24) The Wyck's Annual Harvest Festival! Enjoy live music with the Three Stories Jazz Trio, cider pressing, family activities, and picnic dinners from Under the Oak Cafe. Event is free, but dinners are available for purchase.
http://www.wyck.org/CalendarofEvents.htm


From 9am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday, don't miss the Philadelphia Children's Interfaith Festival on the grounds of the New Covenant Campus in Mt. Airy.  This two-day event features music, games, international foods, sports, dancing, and many more exciting activities and opportunities. Free.
http://interfaithchildrensfestival.com/


And Sunday also marks the big ol' block party: the Mt. Airy Village Fair from 12-4pm at Carpenter Lane and Green Street.    Games, music, pet parade, food and exhibits.  Free.
http://www.mtairyvillage.com/

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."

Hot enough yet? Think Sprayground!

See, it's not just a playground... it's a SPRAYground.  Spraygrounds are playgrounds with water play... perfect for blistering hot days.  There are four official spraygrounds in Philly...

Waterview Recreation Center at Rittenhouse and McMahon Streets

Smith playground at 2100 S. 24th Street

Ferko Playground at "J" & Cayuga


48th & Woodland

Spraygrounds are supposed to be operational from 11am-7pm during the hot summer months.  If you arrive and the sprays are silent, ask around about getting them turned on, but it shouldn't be a problem in our current heat wave!

Chestnut Hill Book Festival Events for the Kidlings....

Meet Cat in the Hat at O'Doodle's & Roller's

Saturday 10 to 12

Sunday 10 to 11

Bring your Camera!!!

Special Roller's Menu Item

Green Eggs & Ham Special

Free Coloring Pages and

Make a Bookmark Craft at O'Doodle's

Both Days!!!

KIDS AUTHOR EVENTS!

Meet  Jennifer Grocki

From A to Zamboni

Saturday 12 to 1

Meet Lee Downing

Organ Buddies

Saturday 1 to 3

Meet Mary Marino

Freshman Season: How I dodged and tackled High School

Saturday 3 to 4

Meet Becky Birtha

Lucky Beans

Sunday 12 to 1

Meet J. D. Shaw

The Secrets of Loon Lake

Sunday 1 to 3

This Weekend...

The Chestnut Hill Book Festival starts Friday night and runs through the weekend, with a lineup that touts over 50 local and nationally celebrated authors, chess games, kids activities, workshops and entertainment.  For a full list of events and a video from last year’s festival, please visit the website.  

This weekend also starts the Trolley Car Diner’s Movie Night Series!  Starting at 9pm on Saturdays through the month of July, the diner sports some classic flicks.  This week, Saturday July 10, the move is Grease. See you there, 9pm!

http://www.trolleycardiner.com/

Also, another one for the older kids (ages 7-12)... Eastern State Penitentiary is holding a free French-themed block party and playful reenactment of the Storming of the Bastille (listed as more influenced by Monty Python than French history).  Festival is 2:30-5:30pm, the storming commences at 5:30!

http://www.easternstate.org/specialevents/bastille.php

Stick Close to Home or Venture Downtown this Weekend....

Whether you want to celebrate locally in the Germantown Avenue Parents neighborhoods or head downtown for the big festivities, there’s PLENTY to do this weekend!  We’ve outlined the greatest hits ideas for you by day, with local activities first.  If you have any to add (particularly good local places to see fireworks) please leave a comment.  HAPPY 4th!  

Friday July 2 

Local:

Mt. Airy First Friday

Come out Friday July 2nd, from 6pm to 9pm as we celebrate First Friday!

Stop by any of over 30 participating shops, restaurants & galleries to experience

a taste of what Mt. Airy has to offer!  We are located throughout the Germantown Ave. corridor in the historic Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.

http://www.mtairyfirstfriday.com/

Downtown:

Independence Picnic
12:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Historic Philadelphia
Come and celebrate Dietz and Watson Hot Dog Day in Historic Philadelphia and meet Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross and a host of other historic characters. While you’re here, visit other uniquely Philadelphia attractions like the Independence Visitor Center and the National Constitution Center, all located in this remarkably historic area. Enjoy great food and history free of charge.

POPS on Independence at 8:30 p.m.
Independence Hall : Independence National Historical Park
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops® will return to celebrate America’s birthday in a special “POPS on Independence” performance that commemorates the birth of our nation with a free performance of great American music including stirring patriotic anthems, rousing marches, and holiday favorites, set against the fitting backdrop of Independence Hall.

July 3:

Local:

Morris Arboretum: Out on a Limb’s First Birthday

You’re invited to “Out on a Limb’s” first birthday party! Enjoy free birthday cake starting at 12:00 pm, while supplies last, and visit from Judy Tudy, the “mommy clown” who will combine magic and storytelling into one enchanting show. These interactive presentations allow children to reach into their imaginations and explore. Judy Tudy will also have balloon animals and flowers for all the kids. The 450 foot long canopy walks lead you Out on a Limb and up into the tree tops, 50 feet above the ground.  (There are also circus trains at the Garden Railway through July 5)

Saturday, July 3, 2010, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. 

www.business-services.upenn.edu.

Downtown:

Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival $
12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (break from 5p to 6p)
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Walnut Street and Columbus Boulevard at Penn's Landing
Nothing beats ice cream on a hot summer day! Make a $5 donation to the Joshua Kahan Fund and help find a cure for Pediatric Leukemia while enjoying all of the cold stuff you can eat.

Penn’s landing Fireworks!
Columbus Boulevard at Chestnut
Approx. 9:30 p.m, following the Philadelphia Orchestra (time is subject to change)

Wawa Welcome America! Block Party in Chinatown
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Enjoy cooking demonstrations, a festive open air market and a multitude of exciting dance and musical performances as we celebrate Asian culture in Philadelphia’s own Chinatown, an urban village just north of the Center City district. 

Two Cities, One Waterfront: Free Fireworks!
Following 8:00 p.m. Philadelphia Orchestra Free Concert
Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing and Camden Waterfront
Come experience unique, choreographed and synchronized soundtracks to the fireworks on the Delaware River. Watch from Penn’s Landing or enjoy along the Camden Waterfront, as music will be amplified on both sides of the river. The spectacular fireworks display is presented by Delaware River Waterfront Corporation.

July 4

Local:

Chestnut Hill 4th of July Celebration

Next week marks the 94th annual Fourth of July parade and Celebration that has attracted parents and their kids to the intersection of Devon Street and Hartwell Lane for food, fun and games. The event will begin as it always does with a recitation and flag raising at 9:00 a.m., after which children will parade down Hartwell Lane in their costumes and floats (decorated bicycles, tricycles and wagons) to the Water Tower Recreation Center. Numerous prizes will be awarded to the best decorations in a number of categories.  Following the parade, the Water Tower’s ball fields will host a number of games and contests for children. In addition to the games, children can enjoy pony rides, face painting a giant moon bounce and a magician.  

Celebrate July 4th in Germantown – July 4, 11A.M. – 2 P.M. Help us celebrate America's birthday with an old fashioned Fourth of July at Historic Stenton! Bring a picnic lunch and make your own ice cream for dessert, make your own "flag fan" to keep cool, and listen to Deborah Logan, Mistress of Stenton House from 1784 –1839, recount her story of hearing the Declaration of Independence being read for the first time in 1776! For more information or to make a reservation, call 215-329-7312 or email programs@stenton.org 

Downtown:

The Philadelphia Independence Day Parade: Life, Liberty & You
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Historic Philadelphia
Bring your flags, patriotic spirit and plenty of energy to America’s best 4th of July parade and revel in the pageantry that has made this march through Historic Philadelphia a new local tradition. 

Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival $
12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Walnut Street and Columbus Boulevard
Celebrate the holiday with right way with all-you-can eat treats! Make a $5 donation to the Joshua Kahan Fund and take advantage of all the free ice cream you can eat.

Party on the Parkway, with Green River Ordinance Concert
12:00 noon – 8:00 p.m.
Concert at 3 p.m.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 20th Street to Eakins Oval
The whole family will enjoy this day-long festival that features more than a mile of fun, free entertainment, activities, games and of course, lots of food! Highlights include pop-rock band Green River Ordinance’s performance at 3 p.m., and “strong men” show incredible feats of strength at the MHP Liberty Strongman classic from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

The highly anticipated, huge Birthday Party also offers Three Music Stages, each showcasing a variety of talented artists and musicians. The Philly Sound Stage showcases premier rock, pop and R&B groups from 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.; the Kid’s Music Stage features visitors from the Philadelphia Zoo, dance ensembles and the latest music from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.; and Flamenco and Salsa Dance, the Chinese Lion’s Dance, African Drum and Dance Ensembles and more will take place on the Multicultural Music Stage from 12:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Additionally, the Go 4th & Learn Kid’s Fun Zone from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. brings education to life for children through games, crafts, inflatable obstacle courses and moon bounces and face-painting, and the Multicultural Arts Pavilion highlights colorful artwork and crafts from a wide variety of cultures from 12 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Life, Liberty & You Concert Followed By Fireworks
8:00 p.m: Concert
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Eakins Oval
Get ready to rock out to the latest music from the Goo Goo Dolls, The Roots, Chrisette Michele and Chuck Brown as a part of the largest free concert in America. But come early, because you won’t want to miss hearing the other great main stage acts. Directly after the concert, make sure to catch the most spectacular fireworks in the city! 

Too Hot Outdoors? Free Bowling for kids EVERY day ALL summer!

For kids 15 and under, the best way to beat the heat may be to hone their bowling skills.  Kids can register for two free games every day all summer (or you know,  they can just go whenever they actually want to bowl).  The closest participating location to the NW area is Center Lanes on City Line Ave.  You do have to pay for shoe rental, but the games are free.  You must register in advance and will be offered a family pass ($24.95 for up to 4 adults all summer long... a good deal if you're going to go often), but you do NOT have to purchase the pass to obtain the free coupons for kids bowling.

Set 'em up!

Center Lanes

7550 City Ave.

Philadelphia, PA, 19151

(215) 878-5050

https://www.kidsbowlfree.com/center.php?alley_id=3977

Free Movies Each Week this summer in Manayunk!

Regal Cinemas offers free G and PG movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the summer.  Tickets are available the day of the show at the theater box office. These movies are often visited by camps and other groups, so picking up tickets early and coming back for the movie might be your best option.  (Dates will be added to GAP's calendar).
Main Street 6 3720-40 Main Street Manayunk ,PA 19127 215-482-6138
06/22/2010-06/23/2010	Charlotte's Web (G)
	Dr. Suess' Cat In The Hat (PG)
06/29/2010-06/30/2010	Mr. Bean's Holiday (G)
	Barnyard (PG)
07/06/2010-07/07/2010	Wallace and Gromit (G)
	Evan Almighty (PG)
07/13/2010-07/14/2010	Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G)
	Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)
07/20/2010-07/21/2010	Rugrats In Paris (G)
	E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (PG)
07/27/2010-07/28/2010	Rugrats The Movie (G)
	Surf's Up (PG)
08/03/2010-08/04/2010	Adventure Of Pipi Longstocking (G)
	Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
08/10/2010-08/11/2010	Muppets Take Manhattan (G)
	Open Season (PG)
08/17/2010-08/18/2010	Muppets From Space (G)
	Planet 51 (PG)

Did you know?

That the events calendar is now back up, running, and current?  (see above)  If you have a local event you would like added, please use the "contact us" button on the right, and we'll be happy to add it.  There are many events on there not written about as posts on GAP, so if you are looking for something to do, check out our calendar for possibilities (events are clickable, often with URL information).

Also, please consider becoming a writer for GAP... we could use local caregivers to help fill out the team and keep posts current, varied, and interesting.  No prior or technical experience necessary... we'll even take posts submitted by smoke signals if that's more your style.


Also, if you have ideas for what you'd like to see on GAP, please leave a comment below.

Speaking of events, if you're looking for something to do tomorrow (Sunday), there is free admission for Dads at the Please Touch Museum... a nice way to stay cool on what we hope will be a very HAPPY FATHER's DAY!

Summer Concert Series in Park Starts this Week: Wed. evenings 7:30pm

One of the long anticipated signs of summer is here: the Pastorius Park Concert Series.  These concerts are kid-friendly, held outside in a gorgeous natural amphitheater in Chestnut Hill, and free.  Though not designated as "kids concerts" (thank goodness?), the lineup offers something for everyone, and even the noisiest kids are no competition for this musical experience (I should know... I have the noisiest kids).  Pack a picnic dinner, bring a blanket and/or chairs and enjoy!

(No rain date, check the Chestnut Hill Community Association in case of iffy weather.)

June 16
Sharon Little
Soulful Passionate Songstress
SHARON LITTLE

June 23
Graham Parker
Rock and Roll Icon
GRAHAM PARKER

June 30
Hot Club of Philadelphia
Potent Gypsy Jazz
HOT CLUB PHILLY

July 7
FiddleKicks
Appalachian Dance and Music
FIDDLEKICKS

July 14
Joanna Pascale
Stunning Sophisticated Jazz
JOANNA PASCALE

July 21
McPeake
Traditional Sounds Direct from Ireland
MCPEAKE

July 28
Dukes of Destiny
Philly’s Best Loved Blues Band
DUKES OF DESTINY

Map: Abington & Lincoln Drive

http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/profile/11352915/philadelphia_
pa/pastorius_park.html#profileTab-maps

Targeted Summer Opportunities for: Teachers, Military, Autism & Bank of America Customers

The Autism Society of America and AMC Theaters is hosting “sensory friendly” films again this summer.  These film showings are designed to be a less overwhelming and hopefully more enjoyable experience for children with autism.  The lights will remain on low, no previews are shown, and the sound is turned down.  Families are also allowed to bring their own appropriate snacks and viewers are welcome to get up and move and vocalize during the movie.  

June 26 will be Toy Story 3 at 10am at participating theaters.

July 17 will be Despicable Me.

Link to informational website and theater listing:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sensoryfilms

Museums on Us.  Bank of America cardholders are eligible for FREE passes to museums and more around the country during the following weekends:

- July 3 & 4, 2010

- August  7 & 8, 201

- September 4 & 5, 2010

Locally, cardholders can get free passes to the following sites:

Please Touch Museum    www.pleasetouchmuseum.org 215-581-3181

Philadelphia Museum of Art – www.philamuseum.org 215-763-8100

National Constitution center–  www.constitutioncenter.org 215-409-6600

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts – www.pafa.org 215-972-7600

African American Museum in Philadelphia -  www.aampmuseum.org 215.574-0380

But click the link below to see the listings for other states, including zoos, science centers and more...

http://museums.bankofamerica.com/

The Blue Star Families program is a free admission program available to active duty military and up to five immediate family members.  This partnership with the NAtional Endowment for the Arts offers free admission to over 750 museums nationwide.  Eligibility is for any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card, or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard), National Guard and Reserve members and up to five immediate family members.  

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

Are you a K-12 classroom teacher, principal or assistant principal?  Then you are eligible for the Philadelphia Zoo’s Summer Break Teacher pass!  This pass allows you free admission Monday through Fridays from June 15 to August 31, 2010, but you must register by July 11, 2010.

http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/Summer-Break-Teachers-Pass.htm

The Hidden Park

Tucked behind a large mansion and beside the Germantown Post Office is a "secret" park- the Howell Park, open to the public and part of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance! This park really is a hidden treat. Walk down the driveway of what may look like private property (at 5215 Greene Street) and find a little parking area and an open field perfect for playing football, kickball, or any other sports that your backyard/small strip of grass may not be big enough for. Surrounding the open field are trees, shrubs, and all kinds of little flowers and plants that kids will have fun identifying or playing in. Bird-watching seems to be a good activity here too- the last time I took my little two-year-old son here we spent the whole time looking for birds calling to each other in various trees. This place is nice to have a picnic, relax in the sun, or just pretend that you're not smack dab in the middle of the city.


Find a nice neighbor that will be able to tell you the entire history of the park and how it ended up staying a public space in the neighborhood. Check out the mural next to the log bench. Sit daydreaming of what Philadelphia was like before the urban landscape took hold. Oh, and these beautiful pictures of the park were taken by Dana Scherer, of Bamboo Photography. She specializes in gorgeous portraits of children and families, and has taken several photo shoots in this park!

Summertime Homemade Fun

This is the first post in GAP's "Homemade Fun" series.  If you would like to write an entry for this series, please use the contact button to let us know.  Homemade Fun will be GAP's storage spot for ideas that are low cost, enjoyable, and easily done close to home.

Here's our list of ideas the fab four (my nickname for the kids) like to do on a HOT day.  You'll notice sidewalk chalk plays only a minor role... my kids love it, but it is one of the messy play things I can't quite embrace.  

1. Sprinklers... if you have a hose and can get a sprinkler attachment, the simple change in how the water is distributed brings about riotous laughter.  (and it's not bad for the plants either)

2. Homemade popsicles... the dollar store and Target both have those popsicle trays for the freezer... you can make popsicles out of yogurt, juice, smoothies, etc.  If you're really feeling mean, you can throw some veggies in.

3. Neighborhood parade... break out the instruments (either real or pots n pans style) and march around the block waking up the late risers.  If you're feeling really festive, decorate the bikes and trikes to add to the procession.  

4. Painting the house... ok, maybe not really painting it, but a few dollar store paint brushes and a bucket o' water can make for a clean facade and happy kids.

5. Birdwatching... my four year old added this one to our list.  He decided to have a "bird-watching" party one day.  He and a friend taped together high powered binoculars (using toilet paper tubes) and ventured out with a real camera to capture local wildlife.  We found a robin's nest!

6. Shadow Tracings... my nemesis, sidewalk chalk, is useful here.  Who says you can't catch a shadow?  

7. Forts...  forts are the best!  Make them inside or outside... got some chairs and blankets or towels?  Then you have the makings of the perfect secret fort!

8. Water balloons... need I say more?  

9. The library... not exactly home, but close to home, air conditioned, and free!

10. Bubbles... make it scientific fun: mix up your own solution and try different household objects as bubble blowers.

Your Turn: What do you and your kids like to do to stay cool on a hot summer day?

Remembrance and Fun on Memorial Day

Though it can feel like just another well-earned day off, Memorial Day is ultimately about fun and remembrance.  Here are some family-friendly activities around the city that will allow you to do both:

Port Richmond Memorial Day Parade: 9:45am.  Starts at Thompson St. and Allegheny Ave... people start lining up along the route before 9am.

Lawn Games in Franklin Square: 12pm-3pm.  Free!  Located on Old City at 200 N. 6th St. on the grounds of one of the best playgrounds in the entire city and right across from the rich history of the Betsy Ross House.
http://historicphiladelphia.org/day/franklin-square/

Memorial Day at the National Constitution Center: 10am-3pm.  Free with regular admission.  A day filled with events to help children understand the importance of remembering.
http://constitutioncenter.org/

And if you're staying close to home or celebrating with friends, consider making flags, having your own parade, or using the holiday as an opportunity to talk with your child about the true cost of war.

Healthy Kids Day and Free Laurie Berkner Concert at the Mann on Saturday May 22

You might not know who Laurie Berkner, but chances are, your kids do!  She's the kindie music sensation behind Noggin favorites like "We are the Dinosaurs", and she also the mastermind for the music for "Jack's Big Music Show".  Kids are drawn to her, but so are parents... happy that the music is good AND enjoyable to people over the age of 5.  But while Berkner may be the main draw, the main event is Healthy Kids Day, sponsored by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.



Healthy Kids Day starts with a Kids walk/run at 9am.  From 12-4pm, there will be games, rides, education for families, cooking demonstrations, exercise, music, exhibits, face painting, magic, music, meet-and-greet, arts and crafts and more!  The concert seating begins at 2pm, and the opening act for LBB, Hip-Hop-Harry, starts at 2:35pm.  Special guests, including Winston Justice and David Akers of the Philadelphia Eagles, Ryan Madson of the Phillies, and Councilwoman Reynolds Brown will be on hand to motivate kids to be healthy.


WHAT: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Healthy Kids Day
WHEN: May 22nd  from 12-4 pm  Laurie Berkner Band 3pm
WHERE: The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
5201 Parkside Ave.
Philadelphia, PA                                            

FREE tickets available by pre-registering online at CHOP.
For more information call 267.426.6904.

You MUST pre-register to obtain a ticket to this event! 

Smith is Open!

If you're getting tired of your neighborhood playground, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Smith's playground is opening for the season today! I know this is late notice to catch their "Play-a-Palooza" grand opening (10am-1pm today), but don't fret. Here are their seasonal hours:
Playground
(for children 10 and under)

10am – 4pm Tuesday-Friday

10am – 7pm Saturdays and Sundays

Playhouse
(for children 5 and under)

10am – 4pm Tuesday-Sunday

Make a note that they are closed on Mondays! I often forget about that and no one needs a car full of excited kids who have to be disappointed when you arrive to a "closed" sign.

The beautiful think about Smith is that there is no cost. It is donation only, even the play house, with three floors of kid-friendly fun.

And there is no food allowed on the playground. Only water is permitted. This is very annoying with little ones, so make sure to fill them up before you get there or have a picnic under the trees out front before heading in. It is a beautiful spot for a picnic. If you go in the play house, there is an area designated for eating.

If you missed it last season, make sure to check out the new addition to the playground: the tot lot. This is a huge play area for little ones that is super cute. There is a full play ship, train, and much more. And the last time I drove by, the scaffolding was finally taken down from the mansion, so you should get a peak at the results.

Big Blue Marble Bookstore's Bunch of Events for Kids!

Big Blue Marble Bookstore, Northwest Philadelphia's premiere spot for free, community events for children and adults, has a packed schedule this fall with events ranging from puppets plays to pirate parties, from excellent young adult readings to seminars teaching parents how they can pay for their child's education. Come check us out!

-Maleka Fruean, events coordinator at Big Blue Marble Bookstore


FOR KIDS:

Sunday, November 15, 11:00am and 11:45am. Waldorf Puppet Play! Join our special guest puppeteers from the Waldorf School of Philadelphia for a wonderful puppet show. One show at 11am and again at 11:45am. "The Little Boy Who Wanted To Be Carried Along All The Time" is a poem written by F.Ruckert and adapted for use as a puppet play by Suse Konig. It's a sweet tale of a boy and the adventures he encounters and how nothing is quite right until he safe in his Mother's arms. For ages 12 months to 5 years old.

Saturday, November 21, 3:00pm. Robox Reading and Robot Party! with Mark Rogalski. Join Mark Rogalski and Big Blue Marble Bookstore for a robot party and book reading celebrating the new book Robox, a robot story and build-your-own-robot kit!

Sunday, November 22, 1:00pm. Archie and the Pirates Reading and Pirate Party! with Marc Rosenthal. Join us for a pirate party and reading from Marc Rosenthal's newest picture book.

Sunday, December 6, 2:00pm. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus Reading/Kids' Event with Charles Santore. Join Big Blue Marble Bookstore in our cafe for milk and cookies and a reading by Charles Santore from his new book about all the adventures of Santa Claus. We'll have some art to color too!

FOR YOUNG ADULTS (AND ADULTS!):

Thursday, October 29, 7:00pm. Liar Conversation with Justine Larbalestier. Liar is a psychological thriller set in New York City told from the point of a compulsive liar who promises that this time there will be no more lies. Justine Larbalestier is the author of the Magic or Madness trilogy and How to Ditch Your Fairy. She is married to author Scott Westerfeld and divides her time between Sydney, Australia, and New York City. Justine blogs daily at www.justinelarbalestier.com/blog.

Friday, November 6, 7:00pm. Sugarless Reading with James Magruder. “Magruder is a writer of immense gifts, with a voice —smart, playful, lyrical, subtle, unsparing —utterly unlike anyone else’s.”—Tony Kushner, playwright of Angels in America. Things look bad for Rick Lahrem, a high school sophomore in a cookie-cutter Chicago suburb in 1976. His mother’s second husband is a licensed psychologist who eats like an ape, his stepsister is a stoner slut, and his father is engaged to a Southern belle. Rick’s only solace is his growing collection of original Broadway-cast LPs, bought on the sly at Wax Trax. After he brings two girls in speech class to tears by reading a story aloud, Rick is coaxed onto the interscholastic forensics team to perform an eight-minute dramatic interpretation of The Boys in the Band, the controversial sixties play about homosexuality. Unexpectedly successful at this oddball event, Rick begins winning tournaments and making friends with his teammates.

Thursday, November 19, 7:00pm. Big Blue Young Adult Readings and Discussion with Catherine Gilbert Murdock and Delia Sherman. Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the author of the Dairy Queen trilogy, featuring the determined D.J. Schwenk, which comes to its conclusion in the brand new Front and Center. Catherine is local to the Philly area and is also the author of the fantasy Princess Ben. Delia Sherman is the author of Changeling, the story of Neef, the official mortal changeling of Central Park, and its recently released sequel The Magic Mirror of the Mermaid Queen. She is also co-editor of the "interstitial fiction" collections Interfictions and Interfictions 2 (due out November 3).

FOR PARENTS:

Wednesday, October 28, 10:30am. Paying For Your Child's Education Financial Seminar with Edward Jones Financial Group. Parents, stop by for this free seminar from the folks at Edward Jones Financial Group that details how you can create a financial plan to pay for your children's education through the years.

Thursday, November 5, 7:00pm. Raising a Left-Brain Child in a Right-Brain World Reading with Dr. Katharine Beals. Bright, eccentric, and often socially awkward, so-called left-brain children often have talents and inclinations that lean heavily toward the logical, linear, analytical, and introverted side of the human psyche--what is commonly referred to as the "left brain"--as opposed to the "right brain" which is our emotional, holistic, intuitive, and extroverted side. Left-brain kids are often found on the margins of the classroom and the playground, the ones who tend not to fit in with their peers but have rich interior and intellectual lives. Join us for an evening with Dr. Katharine Beals whose research and interviews with parents and children, has led to a new understanding of left-brain kids and practical strategies for nurturing and supporting them, both at school and at home.

All events take place at Big Blue Marble Bookstore in our cafe, 551 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119 (right near the Weavers Way Co-op). All events are free and open to everyone.

Searching for Spring: Book-Making with Kids

Last week, during one of those gorgeous 70 degree days, we decided to head out to a favorite park and spend the afternoon there. Being a shutterbug, I grabbed my pocket camera, some snacks for the kids, and sunscreen.

We started out in the usual spot.... playing on playground equipment. But the park we chose had gorgeous scenery all around, so we decided to hike for a bit and “look for spring”. My three year old and his twenty one month old sister were up for the challenge, and when my preschooler wanted me to take a picture of his first “find”, an idea was born.

I started snapping photos of every sign of spring they discovered... from the puddles on the ground, to the gorgeous spreading tree starting to green up. Once they knew their observations were being recorded, they were really motivated to find more. It sparked great conversations about what was and what wasn’t a sign of spring (we decided the many cars in the parking lot were a sign of spring, but trash on the ground might be a bit of a stretch).

If I had planned ahead, I’d have also brought along our trusty clipboard and some drawing/writing tools... my preschooler loves to be the scientist, recording what he sees. But we relied upon our photos and memories of the day, of which there were many. We saw dogs splashing in the creek, found a worm on the sliding board, chased after some butterflies, discovered flowers and seedlings, couldn’t shake our shadows, and even tracked fish in the fast-moving stream.

Once we returned home, we put the pictures to work; my preschooler and I set about creating the photo book. Since our pictures seemed publish-wort

hy, we opted for a photo book from an online shop. Many online photo printers now have book-making options... artscow, shutterfly, picaboo, and snapfish come to mind. These companies provide software and templates (just add photos and text) that make book-making a snap. Ours took about an hour total to complete.

We went through the pictures on the computer together, sorted them into categories, and then started telling our story. My three year old was more than happy to narrate the entire book himself, but we made sure to put some quotes from our toddler in as well.... my favorite being, “yook mommy, fwowa!” (Translation: Look Mommy, a flower!). Using their words and memories really made the book come to life.

We conducted our investigations at Valley Creek Park in Malvern because it is a lovely park and we had errands to run nearby, but this is a nice portable activity you can do just about anywhere. You could even repeat for all 4 seasons... publish your own family series! The only downfall has been a certain little boy requesting photo print-outs and homemade books about virtually everything he does, at which point I promptly introduced him to the additional wonders of the homemade book.

Cost for a 20 page 8 X 8 hardback book from artscow.com = $9.99

(These make great gifts for friends too!)