This Weekend... food, with dessert. and art.

marshmallows and sprinkles and gummies, oh my!

Sniff, sniff... this Friday marks the last Decorate-a-Cupcake night at Bredenbeck's Bakery.  Unless, of course, they extend it again.  (hint, hint!) 6-8pm... free for kids.

Friday and Saturday you can feast at the Wyck Food Festival and Symposium.  Friday from 4-7pm, it's festival time, as the Wyck hosts "local and heirloom food tastings, cooking demonstrations from Slow Food Philly, historic recipes prepared today, Capogiro gelato, Whole Foods brick-oven pizza, live music from Riverside bluegrass band, children’s activities, raffle of local treats, and much more."  Saturday seems slated more for grown-ups, but if you're a foodie or a locavore (that one will freshen up your etymology skills), definitely check out the Saturday Symposium:
http://www.wyck.org/#!__programsevents

check out this beautiful creation from lil' fishy... this weekend in Manayunk

This weekend is also the Manayunk Art Festival.  Not super kid-oriented, but a feast for the eyes and plenty to keep the purse or wallet busy.  Plus, a great spot to score genuinely unique and artsy stuff for yourself or your little ones.  Lots of food, music, and well... art.  Textiles, glass, jewelry, photography, paintings, and sculptures and WAY more.  Saturday 11-7 and Sunday 11-6.  

Arts Festival Link

This Weekend... jazz, juneteenth, and free cupcakes.

The West Oak Lane Jazz Festival runs from Friday through Sunday, but Saturday is the first ever Children's Day from 10-1pm.  Be sure to check out....

1. Central High's Jazz Band kicking things off for the kids at 10am on OARC stage.
2. The Persuasions making jazz out of Shirley Temple and then switching things up with a little Dylan.
3. Audience participation of the youngest sort... little ones creating their own acapella tunes.
4. Video games.  Yes, gaming and jazz = a natural marriage.  Xbox, Wii, Playstation... all your favorite hits in one buzzing arcade.
5. Times and days for some serious headliners to please the parents... Chaka Khan, Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson and more.

Picnics and coolers and strollers welcome.  Saturday looks like the best weather day too!
http://www.westoaklanefestival.com/Default.aspx

Why not plan a kids' night out on the Hill?  Check out the new barbecue dinner menu and local jazz out on the patio at the Little Treehouse Cafe.  Follow it up with FREE Decorate-a-Cupcake night at Bredenbeck's from 6-8pm.  If you can't swing Friday night, Saturday is a kids rock concert at the Treehouse with Mama Mac... reservations required!

Saturday you can celebrate one of the coolest holidays EVER.  The Johnson House (one of the coolest historical sites EVER) is hosting a Juneteenth celebration!  Juneteenth goes all the way back to 1865, marking the passage of the 13th amendment and commemorating the end of slavery.  This outdoor block party will highlight the rich history in "freedom's backyard" and include wonderful historic events, music, food and vendors.  Definitely not to be missed!  6300 block of Germantown Ave.
http://johnsonhousehistoricsite.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/juneteenth-flier.jpg

This Weekend...

After the recent heat we've experienced, my first bit of advice would be to stick by a pool, ocean, or at least a some large water fountain.  I personally recommend the Swann Memorial Fountain downtown in Logan's Circle.  Love that place!

no swimming or wading allowed.  oops.

Speaking of fountains, and also fitting in under our "worth the drive" category, Sunday night is Longwood Garden's Firework and Fountain Show.  If you've never been to Longwood, it makes for a fabulous day trip.  It's a bit less than an hour's drive.  Once there, you'll find over 1000 acres of gardens and inviting children's spaces, with fireworks and fountain light shows that have long been crowd pleasers for my crew:
http://www.longwoodgardens.org/FireworksandFountains.html

And another one "worth the drive" (if you like horses and/or carnival rides): The Devon Horse Show runs all weekend and is only a 30-45 minute drive away.  Horses, carnival rides, yummy treats, clothing and household item booths.  The show runs from 8am-10pm all weekend long (and for another week after that).  This Saturday, the first 700 kids twelve and under are free!  http://www.thedevonhorseshow.org/country-fair-hours.php

And sadly, this is the last Friday night to grab and decorate a free cupcake from Bredenbeck's Bakery in CH.  From 6-8pm, weather permitting, though last week they were cool enough to still be serving in the rain- maybe the rainbow inspired them?

But when one door closes, another opens, right?  This weekend is the start of the Morris Arboretum's Garden Railway exhibit.  The theme for 2011 is Painted Ladies, replicas of Victorian Homes.  Why fight the shore traffic to see Cape May's beauties when you can spot some right here in GAP's backyard?  Saturday is the Grand Opening of the exhibit with free ice cream and crafts for kids starting at 1pm.  Included with membership or admission.
http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/gardens_railway.shtml

This Weekend: EVERYbody. must. get...

to one of these events:

cute kids.  messy cupcakes. good fun.

Start the weekend off right with a FREE decorate-your-cupcake night at Bredenbeck's.  Cupcakes are free to children under 10 years old, and $1 donation for everyone else.  Friday night, May 20th from 6-8pm in Chestnut Hill.

Saturday is a chance for prospective Henry families and soon-to-be Henry kindergartners to join in a potluck get-together on the grounds of Henry's kindergarten playground. 2pm until 4pm.  Families are asked to bring folding chairs or a blanket, as well as one shared item (entrée, salad, dessert, drinks, or paper products).  Rain date is Sunday from 2-4, C.W. Henry School in Mt. Airy.


Saturday also brings a new dance studio to Germantown!  Free to Be Dance (I LOVE that name) is hosting its Grand Opening  from noon to 4pm.  45 E. Church Lane in Germantown: check out their upcoming opportunities for all sorts of dance classes and camps!

And Saturday night, you can check out the Little Treehouse Cafe's outdoor dining.  Live music on the terrace and a new barbecue menu!  Sidewalk chalk and bubbles to keep the littles entertained.

Sunday is the Fresh and Local Fair at all THREE Weaver's Way Locations!  Grilling and live music, with lots of samples to try from local vendors and farmers.  Noon-4pm.
http://www.weaversway.coop/

On Sunday afternoon, get all tangled up in blue when you celebrate Bob Dylan's 70th birthday at the FREE Tribute Concert.  3pm at Christ Ascension Lutheran Church, 8300 Germantown Ave.  Freewill donations also accepted.

This Weekend: a very GREEN kinda weekend.

A brief run-down of possibilities.  Gorgeous weather included!

Saturday April 30 is Arbor Day at the Morris Arboretum.  What a BEAUTIFUL time of year to go and celebrate.  Enjoy a treasure hunt starting all the way in the treetops in the "Out on  Limb" exhibit.  Interactive activities, a treasure map to follow, and completers get a seedling to take home!  Free with admission or membership.  1-3pm
Arbor Day Link

The 15th Annual Chestnut Hill Home and Garden Festival is Sunday May 1 from 11am to 5pm.  A perfect day to get your green on and enjoy amusement rides, face painting, balloon art, maypole dances, and a free kiddie train ride!  But that's just the kid-friendly stuff... you'll also find exhibits, vendors, outdoor dining, and plenty of things to do for the grownups tagging along.
CH Festival Link

Check out this previous post for a listing of two thrifty sales happening this weekend.  (and just in case you were wondering, this fits in with the "green" theme because you'll be recycling goods).

This Weekend... Get SMART! (Subjects covered: history, science, reading)

Saturday will be a great day indeed!  The Johnson House will be part of “A Great Day on the Great Road”.  This is an annual community festival in Vernon Park and Historic Germantown, a collaborative of 15 historic and cultural landmark sites.  Look for family oriented activities, music, reenactments, food, games, and crafts.  Germantown High drumline will perform.  1-4pm.
http://www.freedomsbackyard.com/pdf/Great_Day_Flyer2011.pdf

Kick off the 13 day Philadelphia Science Festival with a Science Carnival on the Ben Franklin Parkway.  More than 80 exhibitors offering non-stop family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, and a packed line-up of live entertainment. Enjoy liquid nitrogen ice cream, make gak, meet live zoo animals, check out the inner-workings of robots, take a tour of a helicopter, extract DNA from a strawberry, test a “crime scene” for forensic evidence, and so much more!  Saturday 10am-5pm.  If you miss this event, don't worry... there are a SLEW of other science events during the festival.
http://www.philasciencefestival.org/events/2011/04/science-carnival-ben-franklin-parkway#map

And the parkway will also be buzzing with the Philadelphia Book Festival Street Fair with more than 90 Authors and Literary Exhibitors. This is a free, open-air event held at the Parkway Central Library on Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Interactive exhibits, family-friendly events, and programming on multiple outdoor stages. Buy books, discover new authors, and connect with the literary community, while you enjoy music, food, and fun at our fifth annual Festival Street Fair!
http://libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival/program_exhibitors.cfm

This Weekend... the arts have it!

Chestnut Hill College music students will be performing "Once Upon a Mattress".  This Princess and the Pea musical runs on Friday, April 8, 2011 at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 9 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 10 at 2 p.m. in the College Auditorium.  $10 adult tickets, $5 for children and $3 for students.
http://www.chc.edu/News/2011/April/College_Music_Department_Presents_Once_Upon_a_Mattress/

Tickets still remain for this weekend's Treehouse Rocks! concert.  6pm on Saturday night with Meg's Melodies.  A singer-songwriter, she's known for charming audiences with the personalization and interactive nature of her songs.  Tickets for kids are $15 and include a meal.  Adult admission is just $5.
http://www.treehouseplaycafe.com/

Hopefully, you caught the longer post here about the Mt. Airy Kids Literary Festival going on at the Big Blue Marble all weekend.  Tons of fun to be had, authors to meet, and books to enjoy.  Check it out!
http://www.bigbluemarblebooks.com/kidslit11.html

Petrushka is playing at the Annenberg Center downtown:
"Known the world over for his astonishingly innovative puppet shows, master puppeteer Basil Twist makes his Philadelphia debut withPetrushka and breathes new magic into the legendary 1911 Ballets Russes production. Delight your eyes and ears as puppets fly, dance and float in midair and tell the tale of the tragic love triangle between three magical puppets whose stories emerge amidst the swirl of the Russian carnival. Russian identical twin pianists, Julia and Irina Elkina, perform a special two piano version of Stravinsky’s masterpiece and nine hidden puppeteers combine Czech and Japanese puppetry traditions in a tour-de-force of puppetry technique. It’s a true spectacle of wonder and fantasy perfect for adults and children alike!"
I've heard it's well worth the trip, and using the code FUNSAVERS, you can get $10 tickets for several performances:
Friday, April 8 @ 8 pm 
Tuesday, April 12 @ 7:30 pm 
Wednesday, April 13 @ 7:30 pm 
Thursday, April 14 @ 7:30 pm 
 http://www.annenbergcenter.org/tickets/?id=124

Petrushka is only one of the amazing events happening as part of the Philadelphia International Children's Festival.  From music, theater, and dance to a fun zone with face-painting or a show with John Lithgow.... you'll find plenty to keep the kiddies engaged and maybe even amazed:
http://www.annenbergcenter.org/tickets/childfest.php

And last in the line up, but first in beauty, the Morris Arboretum celebrates the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival with a variety of activities on Saturday. The events are for both children and adults, and will celebrate the art, culture and gardens inspired by the 35 varieties of cherry trees that grace the Arboretum with their blossoms each spring.
http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/events_JapaneseCherryBlossom.shtml

This Weekend... cook-off, open skate and bus tour

Friday: Public Skating at the Wissahickon Skate Club

8:30 PM to 10:30 PM 

Cost: $9.00 admission   

$1.00 guest card    

$3.00 skate rental

http://www.wissskating.com/skating-for-the-public/

Sunday: Chili Cookoff hosted by the Chestnut Hill Rotary

Held at the Brossman Center at the Lutheran Seminary

at 7301 Germantown Ave

2-6pm.

16 restaurants and caterers from Chestnut Hill/Mt Airy will be competing with the Fire Commissioner as judge.  Tickets are $10/person, children 5 and under are free.  Activities include: Face painting, Make your own Icecream (using liquid nitrogen), microbrew sampling, and shopping from 16 Chestnut Hill vendors.  

www.chestnuthillrotary.org

Saturday: Wingohocking bus tour hosted by the Wyck House 9am-1pm.  

Explore the historic watersheds of Philadelphia as historian Adam Levine leads this exciting bus tour along the Wingohocking Creek. Philadelphia was once laced with a complex system of streams and their tributaries, until city engineers in the 19th and 20th centuries re-channeled most of these waterways into massive sewers that now run far beneath the streets. The Wingohocking now runs in a sewer draining several neighborhoods, including Mt. Airy and Germantown. Tour stops include the Awbury Arboretum and Belfield, home of Charles Wilson Peale. Adam will also share ways you can help protect the streams in your neighborhoods. Tour is co-sponsored with the Philadelphia Water Department.  Pack a lunch or snack, water will be provided. Cost: $15 members, $17 non-members.  

http://www.wyck.org/#!__programsevents

This Weekend...

The Second Annual Cheltenham Jazz Festival kicks off this Saturday with ten of the area’s top high school jazz bands featuring more than 300 performers.  The Cavalcade of Bands begins at 5pm in Cheltenham High School’s Stretton Hall with performances by bands from Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia County high schools. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students.  

Yosi and the Super Dad's are the headliners at this Saturday night's Treehouse Rocks! concert.  Yosi’s shows are "whimsical and imaginative, featuring an enthusiasm that is both magical and infectious". Yosi has four multi-award-winning CDs and his music can be heard nationally on WXPN - Kids Corner, and Sirius and XM Satellite Radios.  You must call ahead to make reservations... previous shows have sold out!  Performance is from 6:00-6:45pm.  Tickets include a RESERVED dinner seating either before or after the show! Call 215-247-3637.

Speaking of treehouses, the Wissahickon Center's tree house Open House is open on the second Saturday of each month from 10-4.  Visit the center to see the native fish aquarium, naturalistic mural, bird feeders and discover the children's activity center.   The center is located in:
The Andorra Natural Area:
300 Northwestern Ave
Philadelphia PA 19118
Warning: for directions use Google Maps.  Do not use GPS or Map Quest.

And the second Saturday of the month also means Cooking Class at the Project Learn School. This class is for children from 5-14 from 10am-12pm.  Free AND yummy!

Matt Paul Basketball is hosting a FREE Three-on-Three Basketball Tournament for girls in middle school on Saturday from 10:30am – 1:30pm at Springside School in Chestnut Hill.   Girls are invited to join the spirit of March Madness and enjoy competitive games in a fun and exciting atmosphere.  The tournament begins with a one-hour drills clinic, followed by three-on-three games and a three-point shooting competition.  A pizza party ends the fun event!    Players can register as individuals or they can make up their own teams.  For more information or to register, visit www.mpbb.net.

Also this weekend... there's lots of cool big-ticket fun to be had in town: The Harlem Globetrotters, Sesame Street Live (Elmo's Green Thumb), and The Flower Show are all running through the weekend!
http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/schedule/full/
http://sesamestreetlive.com/tickets-0
http://www.theflowershow.com/home/index.html

This LONG weekend...

This Saturday night, 6pm: Treehouse Rocks! Concert with Two of a Kind!  Reservations REQUIRED.  Award-winning musicians delight families with music that’s both upbeat and heart-warming.
Be cool.  Be there.
http://www.treehouseplaycafe.com/events

Open Skate at the Wissahickon Skating Club.  Monday 2-4pm.

Admission $9.00
Skate rental $3.00
Season Guest Card $1.00

WSC Link

Or if you're more of an outdoor ice skater, you can head down to the Blue Cross River Rink at Penn's Landing.   There will be extended hours for President’s Day Weekend. (How cool is it to skate outside in blissfully sunny weather?)

Sunday skate times: 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Monday skate times: 12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.- 9:00.
Admission is $8
Parking is $10
Skate Rental is $3
Discount coupons available in the C.H. McDonald's
http://www.riverrink.com/

Want to bring some of their favorite books to life and introduce them to the theater at the same time?  Try Theatreworks USA's musical review at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center.  The show includes If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (favorite in our house), Amazing Grace (breaking down racial and gender stereotypes one kindergartner at a time), Owen (with his well loved and much maligned blanket), Martha Speaks and Imgene's Antlers.


Friday Feb. 18th
7:30pm
Tickets $6-9 each
http://www.udpac.org/performances/2011_02_mouse.php

Want to make President's Day or Black History Month a bit more meaningful?  Head down to the National Constitution Center for programming all weekend on how to be a president, the role of the first lady, the white house, and beyond.  There are also events around breaking barriers, the Emancipation Proclamation, and a variety of self-guided tours focusing on important events in black history.
http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_calen_Landing.aspx?code=3833


Or for the younger set, stop by O'Doodle's Toystore in Chestnut Hill this Saturday & Sunday from 11 am - 3pm to "Craft a Log Cabin".  This is a free activity with cookies and juice.

This Weekend...

Feb. 12... be there for the inaugural Treehouse Rocks Concert!  This Saturday night, the Cat's Pajamas will rock the house.  Details about Treehouse Rocks! are available here.  Reservations REQUIRED. Show starts at 6pm.
http://www.treehouseplaycafe.com/events

New this Year... Manayunk on Ice. February 11-13.  Ice sculptures, bonfires, and performance sculpting.  Embrace winter!
http://www.manayunk.com/manayunk-on-ice-visitor-info

Treehouse Open House at the Wissahickon Environmental Center.  10am-4pm on Saturday.  See the native fish aquarium, naturalistic mural, bird feeders and discover the children's activity center. 300 Northwestern Ave Philadelphia PA 19118.  The center is located in the Andorra Natural Area. For directions use Google Maps.  Do not use GPS or Map Quest!
http://www.fairmountpark.org/WissahickonEC.asp

Make a Music Box as part of Lowe's Build & Grow series. Lowe's in Plymouth Meeting (and other Lowe's locations... click link to check and register.  Saturday from 10am-111am.  Free! http://lowesbuildandgrow.com/

Eureka! at the Abington Art Center.  Eureka! is a fun workshop for families to play and make art together. The art activity is always inspired by artwork in AAC’s galleries or Sculpture Park. Create 3D flowers, birds, bees and trees. Anytime between 11am and 3pm. No Reservations Required. $5 per person; AAC Members FREE!

Second Saturday Cooking Class at Project Learn!  Learn to cook dishes from around the world, eat them up (yum!) and take home the recipes.   Saturday from 10am-12pm.  Free for children ages 5 -12.

picture credit: http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/01/13/20-beautiful-snow-and-ice-sculptures/

This Weekend...

This should keep you busy for at least a little while...

Eat!  Pancake Breakfast & Maple Sugaring Celebration at TYLER Arboretum
Saturday Feb. 5th 8am-1pm.  Try tree-tapping; learn how sap becomes syrup; enjoy a breakfast of flap jacks, sausage, hot cocoa and steaming hot coffee. Snow date: Sat., Feb. 12
$10 Fee for members   $10 Fee for non-members
http://www.tylerarboretum.org/

Rev!  Philadelphia International Auto Show (see last weekend's rundown for more information).  Runs through Sunday, and on Sunday, kids under 12 are free!
http://www.phillyautoshow.com/

Create! Project Learn's First Saturday Art Class.  Open to all children ages 5-14. Parents may stay or drop kids off. No pre-registration required. Drop ins are welcome.  Come be a Saturday Artist! Painting, Drawing, Ceramics and more! 10-12 a.m
http://www.projectlearnschool.org/content/free-saturday-classes

Plan! Camp Fair 
Chestnut Hill Academy
Saturday Feb, 11am-2pm

Held in CHA's Woodward/Kingsley gymnasium complex located near the intersection of Willow Grove Avenue and Cherokee Street in Chestnut Hill. Open to the Public-Admission and Parking are Free. 75 local, regional, and national camps for kids from prek-12th grade.
http://www.chestnuthillacademy.org/podium/default.aspx?t=127696

Celebrate! Temple University Athletics presents Hooter the Owl's Birthday Party!
Be a part of the festivities when the Temple Owls Men’s Basketball team battles Rhode Island on Saturday, February 5th at 2 p.m. at the Liacouras Center!  It’s Hooter the Owl’s birthday at the game. Meet local sports team mascots, enjoy games on the concourse, and the first 1,500 fans ages 14 and younger receive a Temple Basketball replica jersey – sponsored by the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union.  Plus, don’t miss the picture-taking and autograph session with the Temple players after the game. Call 1-800-298-4200 or visit www.owlstix.com today!

Enjoy! Little Shop of Horrors runs through Saturday at Chestnut Hill College. Friday, February 5 at 8 p.m., and Saturday, February 6 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the College Auditorium located at 9601 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia.
http://www.chc.edu/News/2011/February/Student_Run_Musical_Little_Shop_of_Horrors/


Swim!  Save!  Rubber Duckie Days at O'doodles this weekend.  On Feb. 5 & Feb. 6, kids can take a free turn flipping a rubber duckie for prizes, discounts, and even two secret GRAND PRIZES...ALL FOR FREE! Kids only.  And while there, if you see something you like, say the phrase, "MIGHTY DUCKS" to get $5 off of purchases $25 or more.  

Dance! Chinese New Year Lion Dance!  Sunday Feb 6th at 11:00am.
Chinese Lion Dance Parade with the Philadelphia Suns.  Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit!  Festivities start at 10th and Race Streets.  

This Weekend...

The real "Doc Hudson"

The Philadelphia International Auto Show starts on Saturday and runs through Sunday February 6.  The show has everything from a 1927 bentley to the Hudson Hornet (how cool is that, Cars fans?) to the newest Porches, Corvettes and Lamborghinis.  Or, if you just want to see the new Volvo, that'll be there too.  And reports are that the "Dub Show" is the coolest thing ever.  Kids under 6 are always free, but if you wait until Kids Day on Feb. 6, all kids under 12 can enter free.


Box Office Tickets:
Adults (13 and over): $10 (weekdays), $12 (weekends)
Children (7-12): $6 (FREE on Kids Day, Sunday, February 6)
Children (6 and under): FREE
Senior Citizens (62 +, weekdays only): $6

Online Tickets:
Adults (13 and over): $10 (Good any day)
Children (7-12): $6
http://www.phillyautoshow.com/

Both Saturday and Sunday are DJ Days at O'Doodles!  Visit O'Doodles on Saturday & Sunday, January 29 & January 30 for free Karaoke and Cookies! 12-3pm.

And this Sunday is the Tu B'Shevat Family Day at Morris Arboretum from 1-3pm: "Before spring arrives, learn what trees need to survive and how to care for them (in your yard and neighborhoods). Everyone will take home a tree seedling and a nametag for their “tree buddy.” Learn why some trees grow well in Israel but can’t grow in Pennsylvania.  The event will feature Andi Joseph ~ The Musical Mommy. Andi serves as a Jewish music specialist and leads musical and educational Shabbat programs."
Arboretum Link

And Sunday from 1-4pm is also the Salvation Army Kroc Center's Open House.  Come and see this amazing facility: check out the pools, the 2 story fitness center, the dance and workout classrooms, the gym, the childcare facilities, the worship center, and the cafe.  Members can bring 2 guests free during the open house.  Still no enrollment fee through 2/13.
Kroc Center LInk

This Weekend...

Teens, Inc. in Chestnut Hill has games, movies, live music, and open mics on Friday nights for local teens aged 12 to 15.  Teens must become a member at $25/year, after which admission to the center is free.  Guest teens may attend for a $5 fee.
7:30-10:30pm
Teen Center Link

Inaugural Swimming Lessons start up at the Salvation Army Kroc Center this Saturday... lots of weekend and weekday classes available for mommy & me, preschoolers, school age kids and adults.  Swim lessons are $45 with membership, and membership enrollment fee is still being waived through Feb. 13! 

Kroc Center Link

New: Sweet Beats! at the Abington Art Center, Sunday January 23, 1pm.  This family music program features Lori Scherling, music educator, singer-songwriter and family entertainer, leading both children and parents with lively, interactive, family music in the Art Center galleries. Sweet Beats costs $5 per person/AAC Members and infants are free. For more info: 215-887-4882
Sweet Beats Link

Worth the Drive?  Benji at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute this Saturday at 11am.  Who didn't love Benji as a kid?  Now you get to share the love with your own kids.  Adults $5, kids $4.  Sponsored by Main Line Animal Rescue.
http://www.brynmawrfilm.org/films/?id=170

The Plymouth Meeting Lowe's has a Build & Grow Workshop this Saturday at 10am... kids ages 5 and up can build a Ball Toss game.  For more information and registration:
http://lowesbuildandgrow.com/Home.aspx

The Special Parents of Exceptional Children monthly meeting meets in the Chestnut Hill Library on Saturday at 1pm.  This month's meeting features Sonia Voynow, of Surviving and Thriving, a resource for parents and family members struggling with the challenges of raising a child on the autism spectrum. For more information, email jean.McCoubrey@gmail.com.

This Weekend... why not give the theater a try?

I've heard rave reviews about both of these shows...

The Borrowers

Arden Theater

"Meet Arrietty. She’s your typical tween yearning to experience the grown-up world. Only difference? She and her tiny family live on doll house furniture under the floorboards. When their home is discovered, they are forced into the giant universe outside and Arrietty gets a bigger adventure than she bargained for."

12 and 4pm Satuday and Sunday

Recommended ages 5 and up

Adults $32, Teen $18, Children 12 and under $18

http://www.ardentheatre.org/2011/borrowers.html

Snow White 

Bluett Theater at St. Joseph's University

A Storybook Musical Theater Production

11 am Saturday 

Recommended for ages 3 and up

Tickets $12 for adults, $10 for children

http://www.storybookmusical.org/

This Weekend... art, science, and swimming!

Mama's Art Time

Sunday, 1/9/2011

10:30am-noon

Big Blue Marble's Community Room/Big Blue Marble Boostore

A free creative activity time just for mothers; no kids, but pre-crawling babies ok. Free coffee and yummy treats. 

http://www.bigbluemarblebooks.com/

Free Art Class: Project Learn School

10am-12pm

Open to all children ages 5-14. Parents may stay or drop kids off. No pre-registration required. Drop ins are welcome.    First Saturday Art - Come be a Saturday Artist! Painting, Drawing, Ceramics and more! 

Swim Team Tryouts: Kroc Center

Here's a chance to swim in a world class facility under the coaching of legendary coach Jim Ellis (the inspiration for the movie Pride).  Swimmers must be able to swim 50 yards of freestyle with rotary breathing and 25 yards of backstroke.

Saturday, January 8th

Girls Tryouts: 9:00am-10:30am

Boys Trouts: 10:30am-12:00pm

Link

Tree House Open House/Wissahickon Environmental Center

Where: Thomas Rd & W Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118

Date: January 8, 2011 

Time: 10:00am–4:00pm

The tree house is open on the second Saturday of each month from 10-4. See the native fish aquarium, naturalistic mural, bird feeders and discover the children's activity center.
Wissahickon Environmental Center
300 Northwestern Ave Philadelphia PA 19118.

The center is located in the Andorra Natural Area. 
N.B.: For directions use Google Maps... do not use GPS or Map Quest.

This Weekend... New Year's activities for the littles

There are some pretty fun options to ring in the new year a few hours early with the little ones... perfect if you're heading out yourself later that night.


The Little Treehouse Play Cafe in Chestnut Hill

Friday, December 31st
11:00am - 1:00pm
Count-down to 2011 along with Bangkok, Thailand, welcoming the New Year at 12:00 noon Philadelphia time.


Join Miss. Danielle for tumbling games, crafts, traditional New Year's festivities and party favors!

$15 per child includes admission, activities, favors and a Treehouse Kids Meal (entree, side, drink).  No entry charge for adults. Reservations are preferred, but not required.
http://www.treehouseplaycafe.com/


O'Doodle's in Chestnut Hill
FREE Unplugged NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY
Friday, Dec. 31, 2010
11 am - 1pm

Entertainment by ToyDad Fran O'Donnell and his  "Royal Accordion"
Sing in the New Year! FREE Party Hats and Noise Makers.  Count Down BALL (Stuffed Pinata) descends at NOON!  Take Home bags provided!

Cocktail Franks - Chicken Nuggets
Cookies - Snacks, Complimentary Sparkling Cider for Toasting  in the New Year!
www.odoodles.com  

If you want to venture into the city, there are some fun/historical ways to ring in the new year...

The Please Touch Museum hosts a New Year's Eve bash with countdowns at noon and 1pm.

The Betsy Ross Birthday Bash runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m on New Year's Eve at the Betsy Ross House.  Celebrate the famous flagmaker's January 1, 1752 birth with crafts games and, of course, cake!  Audio guides will be free with admission all day long and the birthday lady, herself will be on hand to meet visitors and share stories.  The Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on December 31.  Admission is $3 for adults; $2 for childen 12 & under.

When Betsy's celebration wraps up, the fun at Franklin Square is just getting started!  Visit the Square 5-9 p.m. on New Year's Eve .  The evening's highlight will be a Kids' Countdown to 6 p.m., complete with a ball drop.  Then, we invite you to enjoy the view of the Penn's Landing fireworks and enjoy yummy treats from SquareBurger's holiday menu.  Don't leave without taking a spin on the carousel and playing a wintry round of Philly Mini Golf.
Link

And the second day of the new year will be the FINAL day for the amazing Cleopatra exhibit at the Franklin Institute, with free parking on New Year's Day.
http://www2.fi.edu/

This Weekend....

Saturday
Project Learn Second Saturday Cooking School:
Free to children ages 5-14.  Make a yummy December holiday treat to take home.
10am-12pm

Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas Jazz Concert & Light Show
Mennonite Church at the Germantown Mennonite Church
By the Rhinoceri Trio at 7:30om
$5 admission

Sunday
Pennsylvania Girl Choir
3:30 and 6pm performances
Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
Tickets $15
Ticket Link

This Weekend....

Anyone a fan of the world's most famous furry red monster?  Stay local and bring your little one for their ELMO fix at O'Doodle's Unplugged Fun Zone... with Free Open-ended play this Saturday.  Character Visits between 12:30 and 2:30pm.

Cranky Pants?  No, we're not trying to insult your kid, we're inviting you to a reading of this clever book this Saturday at the Big Blue Marble.  Lucia Gunzel, a local author, will read from her new children's book at 11am.

Tired of the kitchen?  Let the kids try their hand in the culinary arts!  Project Learn School offers a free cooking class on the second Saturday of each month.  10am-12pm for children ages 5 and up.

Want something a bit fancier?  Head downtown to the Art Museum's Every Family Party.   This year’s theme is “opposites,” a perfect complement to Pistoletto’s "Love Difference."  Come celebrate art, education, and the publication of the museum's newest children’s book, Art Museum Opposites.

Every Family Party

Saturday, November 13, 2010

5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Tickets will be available for purchase at the event.

$30 per single ticket; $25 per person for a group of four or more.

Weekend Addition... Latin American Fest!

Come join All Around This World to celebrate Latin American arts!

When: On Sunday, November 7, from 3-5:30 p.m. to dance, sing, and hear stories and music of Latin America on “the strip” at Carpenter Lane. 

Where: The Nesting House, High Point Café, Weavers Way Coop and Big Blue Marble Books will all host participating artists doing workshops for you and your kids ages 1-8. 

Who: The Artists!

Minas, Brazilian music group, will delight your ears with their Brazilian sounds! Minas has played venues as diverse as the Lincoln Center and Emeril Live. (www.minasmusic.com)

Monica Rodrigo, Peruvian storyteller, will enchant you with her tales…We hear she might be coming as a coyote!

Anna Drozdowski, tango dancer, will teach you and your child the Argentine tango (or the salsa, or the jarana!)…Prepare for the drama!

Amy Pickard, All Around This World music teacher, will sing the Latin American kids’ songs featured in the fall session of AATW classes. Cachumbambe! (www.allaroundthisworld.com/mtairy.html)

  …and for the adults…Free at Big Blue Marble!

Lorrin Thomas, professor of history, will read and celebrate the release of her new book Puerto Rican Citizen, which explores the complex meaning of citizenship for Puerto Ricans in the United States. 

Starting Point: Weavers Way members’ meeting room, 555 Carpenter Lane. When you arrive, check in at 555 Carpenter Lane for a hand stamp, a schedule and festival information.

Cost: $8 for the first child, $6 sibling, parents/caregivers free

Entrance fee includes access to all workshops. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. 

All proceeds go to compensating the artists.