We took advantage of National Free Museum Day this weekend to visit the Boston Museum of Science with some friends and our son. It was a nostalgic visit for several of us who hadn’t been to the museum since our school days. While much remains the same at the MOS, there are rotating exhibits and lots of live and interactive shows to see.
Admission to the main exhibit halls is $20.00 for adults and $17.00 for kids 3-11 years old. Omni Theatre shows cost $9.00 (adults) and $7.00 (kids) with discounts on additional shows the same day.
The Exhibit Halls
With over 700 interactive exhibits, spread across the museum’s “Science Is an Activity” floor plan, every step of your stay at the Museum of Science is chock full of fun and learning. To aid visitor’s in navigating the 33 current exhibit’s and live shows, the museum has prepared an Early Learner’s Guide. This guide lists exhibits that are especially enjoyed by kids 8 and younger and provides a suggested order to visit to minimize backtracking. We’d suggest printing this out as a guide when planning your trip through the museum. You can find this list here. http://www.mos.org/discoverycenter/elg
Below are a few of our favorite exhibits.
The Discovery Center
Designed for kids up to 8, The Discovery Center offers hands-on activities that provide children the opportunity to learn by trial and error. Some of the areas are built for smaller children and some for older children, which is great for families with multiple children; the older ones will not complain of being bored here.
The lower floor has a special section for newborns from 0-12 months of age, complete with a rocking chair. Next to it is a ramp with some dress-up clothes, such as bees and animal fur vests. Children can also crawl under the ramp, which is very exciting when others are running above. This floor also has tanks with animals (we saw a frog and millipede) and a lit-up wall with colored rods for the kids to move and make designs with (think Lite-Brite, but really big).
Mathematica
This exhibit has been around since the museum opened in 1981 and is timeless in it’s ability to engage kids and adults in learning and experimenting with math. From the huge history of math wall to the soap bubbles forming on wire shapes, Mathematica is full of hands-on activities to teach math in an interactive way.
Science In The Park
The park-like setting of this exhibit invites kids to swing, jump, see-saw, and run on playground equipment to learn about the forces that put things in motion. Your kids can run a race against others or try to keep pace with moving lights to learn about speed and acceleration. They can hop on the see-saw to learn about balance and the fulcrum or spin on a metal plate to learn about momentum.
A Bird’s World
On the lower level of the Museum, this exhibit takes you on a virtual tour of Acadia National Park and displays every species of bird in North America. Make sure you check out the “Sneaking Corridor” to see how good your stalking skills are.
Seeing Is Deceiving
From spinning wheels to M.C. Escher drawings, this exhibit features dozens of images and optical illusions that will trick your eyes and boggle your mind. Several computer work stations give you a more in depth look at how some of these illusions work into tricking our brains into seeing what we do and several of the exhibits allow you to ‘take apart’ the illusion to understand how it works. This one is for older kids and adults and is on the top level of the museum along one of the hallway walls.
Food
The food court offers several different options including Wolfgang Puck’s pizza, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, BBQ-style sandwiches, and a full salad bar. We found the prices to be reasonable considering it is a museum and the wide variety of options made it easy to please everyone in our group.
Overall Thoughts
We will always be huge fans of the Museum of Science and visit at least once a year to see what is new. Some of the exhibits are a bit dated (computer revolution), but the classic exhibits continue to deliver on their goal of educating kids and getting them excited about science. Check the website for current events and live shows as you’ll want to catch shows that interest you and are included in your admission price. We’ll cover the planetarium and Omni theatre in another post, but it’s always good to try and include a visit to either of those when you come to Museum of Science.
If you plan to visit more than once a year, think about the membership. It comes with 2 hours of free parking with each trip, which is just enough time for a quick visit, as well as passes to the planetarium and the Omni theatre.
We found ourselves near Hartford, CT, this weekend and decided to stop by Lyman Orchards to check out their Sunflower Maze. We’ve been to corn mazes before, but had never seen the sunflower variety. This place is a bit of a drive, but we think it was worth it as the sunflower maze was great and the rest of the facility made for a great afternoon. Read on for more information…
Owned and operated by the Lyman Family since 1741, Lyman Orchards has something for everyone including the Apple Barrel market, pick-your-own fruit, a corn maze, a sunflower maze, Frisbee golf, and even a 36-hole championship golf course. We arrived around lunch so parked and headed directly for the Apple Barrel market to find some nourishment.
Eating at Lyman Orchard
There were a few options to choose from: an outdoor fast food-style vendor (hot dogs, hamburgers, fried dough, etc.), a full-service deli, and wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. The deli is inside the market, so you can check out the produce and homemade pies at the same time. The deli offers fresh made sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, and a hot entree.
There are plenty of seating options available around the market. The outdoor deck has numerous picnic tables, or you can do a real picnic on any of the grassy areas throughout the area. We sat under a tree near the pond next to the market and were entertained (our son more than us) by the geese and birds begging for food.
Pick up a map at the information desk in the market to get the lay of the land. The activities are a bit spread out so make a game plan before visiting by checking out the map. You can visit the Apple Barrel market and do the corn maze with one car stop, but you have to drive to the rest of the areas. The sunflower maze isn’t on the map yet as it’s new, but is in the general vicinity of the pick-your-own area.
The Mazes
Admission to each maze is $9.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids ages 4 to 12. A combo pass for both mazes is available for $12.50 for adults and $8.00 for kids. Before entering the maze you can pick up a map and a set of trivia questions. You must choose from various categories such as American History, sports, politics, and tots and tikes. Each sheet has ten questions that will help you navigate through the maze. Each question is multiple-choice and the answer corresponds to either left or right—the direction you should take at that numbered pole in the maze. Get the question correct and you will head in the right direction. This is a great opportunity to work with your kids on some problem solving by helping them eliminate certain multiple choice answers and even letting them get a few wrong (if you know the answer).
We took a few different categories of questions and found that some, like American History, were more difficult than others, such as tots and tikes. Ask the attendant for the category that is most appropriate for your kid’s age group. This year’s corn maze theme was George Washington and Barack Obama. The aerial view of the maze is quite impressive as it does resemble the two presidents. In addition to the trivia the corn maze had additional presidential factoids throughout the maze, so if you kid is into history they’ll enjoy stopping to read up along the route.
Pick Your Own
Lyman offers one of the most diverse and largest pick your own orchard that we have been to with the following available throughout the year: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, jostaberries, peaches, pears, Asian pears, apples, and pumpkins.
You can use their containers or bring your own and get to picking. They provide nice stations to work from and store your picked fruit as well as recipes to help you come up with ideas for the fresh produce. The staff was very knowledgeable and extremely helpful during our visit. We would recommend calling before heading to Lyman to see what is ripe for picking and check out the current prices. The number is 860-349-6015.
Dad Says: The price of the maze seemed a bit high, but was worth it. Next time, I think we’d stick with the sunflower maze only. The food was great and this place is worth a visit if you are in the area.
Mom Says: Between the picnic and the sunflower maze, this was one of the most romantic family events we’ve ever done. It was so beautiful walking around the sunflowers we didn’t even care if we got lost! Note: you are in a field, so it is a bit warmer than the actual temperature.
The New Crazy Kids Boston is officially launched! Below is a video tour to help you get acquainted with what we’ve built. Login today to check it out and let us know what you think!
Labor Day Weekend comes with mixed emotions for many of us. A long weekend is always a blessing, but this weekend usually marks the beginning of the end…of summer. We had one full month of rain this summer and overall temperatures were not the best, but this weekend looks great and we’ve put together some ideas if you don’t have a trip out of town already planned.
Free Preview of Disney’s Video on Demand
Disney is starting an On Demand channel to showcase their catalog of movies. The new channel will provide unlimited access to 12-15 movies a month. These movies could be anything from the Disney catalog including classics, Pixar, and live action like the High School Musical series. Cable providers are providing a free preview of the new channel during Labor Day weekend, September 3 through September 7. I spoke with Charter and Comcast and both are offering this channel free. Find it by starting at channel 1 (video on demand).
Go Apple Picking (or just visit a family farm)
With Labor Day Weekend begins the start of Apple Picking Season in New England. While it is a little early to be picking apples, the farms are open and eager for you to visit. We’ve put together a map showing you close to 90 farms in Massachusetts. Click on a tree icon to get their phone number and some additional information. click here for a full version of this map
We are at the beginning of fair season in New England and this weekend there are plenty to choose from. Most of these are in Western Mass or Connecticut, but are worth a drive if you live near Boston. Most of these fairs can be a good half-day of entertainment, eating, and shopping.
Blandford Fair (9/4 – 9/7) – North Street, Blandford, MA
Agricultural Exhibits, Horse-Oxen-Pony Draws, Horse Show, Entertainment, Truck Pulls (Adults $10; Seniors $6, Servicemen $5; Children (7-12) $5; Under age 6 – FREE) – http://www.theblandfordfair.com
Three County Fair (9/4 – 9/6) – Bridge Street, Northampton, MA
Windham Mountain Wild West Show. Horse racing, demo derbies (Adults: $7, children $4) Carnival: Rockwell Amusements. http://www.3countyfair.com
Woodstock Fair (9/4 – 9/7) – South Woodstock, CT
(Adults: $12, Kids under 10 are Free). http://www.woodstockfair.com
King Richard’s Faire (9/5 – 10/25) – 235 Main Street, Carver, MA
At King Richard’s Faire, the New England Renaissance Festival, enjoy musicians, jugglers, acrobats, contests and games for all ages, and knights on horseback. Devour turkey legs, ears of corn, fresh baked cookies, chocolate, wine, and beer and check out a 16th-century marketplace. (Adults: $26; child age 5-11: $15; If you live in Carver; We haven’t confirmed this, but heard this is FREE on Saturday for Carver residents). http://www.kingrichardsfaire.net
Nantucket Arts Festival (through 9/7)
A week-long celebration of the cultural arts on Nantucket, featuring theatre, music, dance, visual arts and literary events. The Nantucket Arts Festival is annually organized by the Nantucket Arts Council. http://www.NantucketArtsCouncil.org
Hit The Beach
This may be one of the last weekends you have to spend at the beach, so if the weather is nice, here are some of our favorites broken down by area.
Boston Beaches
Boston Harbor Islands – This 17-island state park is part of the 34-island Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area. They are a wonderful natural resource, only 45 minutes by ferry from downtown Boston. Spectacle, Lovells, and Bumpkin island all have beaches. Website
Revere Beach – Revere Beach, the oldest public beach in America, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996. Today, this beach boasts miles of shoreline which welcomes throngs of visitors every summer. Website
Carson Beach – This sandy beach is one of the best swimming beaches in the area, with nearby public amenities and great views of the Harbor. Website
Cape Cod
Coast Guard Beach – This beach is a prime swimming beach during the summer months and was dubbed ‘The Great Beach’ by Henry David Thoreau. Website
Head of the Meadow Beach – An ocean-side beach in Truro known for towering sand dunes. Website
Marconi Beach – Up for a history lesson and some swimming? The Marconi Area obtained its name from the famous Italian inventor, Marconi. From a site here, Marconi successfully completed the first transatlantic wireless communication between the U.S. and England in 1903. Website
North Shore Beaches
Crane Beach – With its clean, inviting water, miles of shoreline, and mesmerizing views, Crane Beach has been a favorite with the ocean-loving public for generations. Website
Good Harbor Beach – A popular beach, but pricey with a parking fee is $20 during the week per car; $25, weekends and holidays. Parking is limited so plan to arrive early. Website
Nahant/Lynn Beach – 4 miles of waterfront and a boardwalk. Website
Salisbury Beach State Reservation – Salisbury Beach is one of the state’s most popular ocean beaches, stretching 3.8 miles along the Atlantic Ocean. This 521-acre park offers swimming, boating, fishing, and camping, and is very popular with trailer campers. Website
South Shore Beaches
Horseneck Beach State Reservation – Located at the western end of Buzzards Bay, the sandy, southwest-facing, 2-mile long beach is breezy all year round, providing excellent wind surfing and a dependable respite from sweltering inland temperatures every summer. Website
Nantasket Beach – The reservation encompasses 26 acres along one and a third miles of oceanfront. Website
I’m sure you can see the commercial playing in your head right now (for those that have no idea what we are talking about, here is the commercial).
For many parents, this is a joyous time of the year – finally, a quiet house! The rest of you may not be so happy. The images of your happy child climbing onto the bus in their first-day-of-school outfit, clutching their new backpack, are replaced with nightmares of paperwork and schedule changes. Fear not. We’re here to help with some tips & tricks.
Shopping
We know you have probably been busy running around for the typical items – shoes, clothes, bags, lunchboxes, etc. When it comes to the supplies the kids will need, leave it to the school to decide. Some schools send out lists ahead of time, but many do not. You may find yourself running around wasting your time and money, which no one is happy about. Chances are that your kid will come home with a list from his/her teacher of what is needed for class (unless he/she is in high school, where each teacher will give a different list!). Until then, keep the notebooks and writing utensils to a minimum.
Organization
Sure, the kids need to be organized, but so do you!
Keep a family calendar. Locate it in a central place, like the refrigerator. Mark every appointment on it for every member of the family, and encourage your kids to add their events as they come up. It will help you to avoid scheduling conflicts, and it will teach your children the invaluable lessons of independence and self-sufficiency. Instead of asking you for the answer to a question, perhaps they can reference the calendar. Want to get really creative? Use a different color pen for each member of your household.
Folders, folders everywhere! Kids come home with a lot of paperwork, so set up a folder for each child in a main area. Teach them to put anything that you need to see into that folder on a daily basis, preferably as soon as they come home. Young children will need a lot of help with this, but they will eventually catch on and it will make things easier in the future. Folders for each grade level are helpful as well. Instead of throwing their art and report cards into a box or a drawer, put them into the folder marked for that grade. At least it will be somewhat organized! Use a binder if you want to cut down on drawer space.
Those backpacks always get thrown on the floor somewhere, so set a specific location in your house for those and other school-related paraphernalia. This will cut down on you tripping over one more thing on the floor.
Routines
Changing the schedule will be tough for the family… especially mornings.
If you haven’t done so already, start waking the kids up earlier. This will be a shock to kids of any age. When they are tired, younger kids will be more whiny and the older kids just won’t talk to you (then again, they may be more whiny, too). Just remember that it is truly in their best interest to change their internal clocks before the first day.
Have the kids lay out their clothes the night before. This will cut down on the early morning fights, which no one is ever in the mood for.
Breakfast can be rushed, even skipped at times when everyone is running around. Kids burn a lot of energy and they can’t run on an empty stomach. Make it easier by setting the table the night before. This will help for the first few weeks of school.
Fun Stuff
Let your kids know you are thinking about them and love them. Sneak a card in their schoolbag or place it on the breakfast table to be found on the first day of school. Take a picture of your kid leaving the house or getting on the bus every year. Write notes and leave them in their lunchboxes; with older kids you can email or text them. Little things like these will keep the lines of communication open for years to come.
Mom Says: My favorite back-to-school tradition was going out to breakfast with my mom on the first day. Just make sure to get your kid to school on time… my homeroom teacher from senior year never forgave me.
With only a couple weekends left until the kids go back to school, it’s time to start making plans for their last big hurrah. Throw the Ultimate Sleepover for your family and you will make priceless memories that will last the rest of their lives, and yours.
Who to Invite
This is a great opportunity to bond with your kids. If they are young, they will love the idea of hanging out and doing fun stuff with their parents. If they are older they may not like the idea as much, so allow them to invite a friend or two. Sometimes more people = more fun!
Where to Sleep
The best part about a sleepover is not sleeping in your own bed, which leaves room for creativity. You can keep it simple and camp out in the living room by using the floor and the couch, or even some blow-up mattresses (parents may especially like this option!). Remember making forts when you were young? Your kids may love to sleep in one.
If you want to get really daring, sleep outside! You can pitch tents, sleep in your camper that is parked in the driveway/backyard, or even arrange some lawn chairs and sleep on those. Depending on how the night goes, you may wind up in the living room anyways.
What to do (other than sleep)
There are a million games or activities you can come up with to do with your children. Just think of something you did when you were little that was a huge treat, or just plain fun. If you need some ideas, here is a list we have come up with. Some of these are for older kids and require parental supervision:
Make your own sundaes
Tie-dye shirts. You can buy shirts at a craft store or just a package of men’s undershirts and search for directions online.
Remember your field day races from school: eggs on spoons, egg toss, sack race, tug o’ war, three-legged race, etc. Come up with your own family field day.
Play some team sports: volleyball, badminton, soccer, football, baseball, etc.
Make fried dough
Pizza party – everyone can choose their own toppings. Be sure to make it big enough so everyone can try each other’s creation.
Have a dance party. What better way for your kids to learn to dance than to do it in your living room where there are a limited number of people to judge their moves, or yours! Don’t forget a stick for a limbo contest.
Dress up. Let the kids go through your closet and try on some old dresses, suits, and shoes. Makeup and hair can be a bonus!
Paint – this can be messy, so it’s a great outdoor activity. Buy some cheap frames to hang their artwork in the house; it looks nicer than hanging it on the fridge and they’ll love that you value their work.
Hang up a sheet outside… the opportunities are endless! You can make hand puppets if you light it from behind. You can use it as a backdrop for a variety show, karaoke, or lip-synching. Rent a projector and play a movie on it. If you’re really technically savvy you can make a slideshow of pictures of your kids, which is a great surprise for them and a wonderful keepsake.
Make a fire – don’t forget the marshmallows, hot dogs, and s’mores. For a really different idea, put potatoes next to the fire for baking and make a topping bar with sour cream, broccoli, bacon bits, butter, cheese, chives, etc. You may be surprised at the toppings your kids choose! Want to spice up the boring flames? Get a copper pipe and drill holes into it, then insert a piece of garden hose equal to the length of the pipe and throw it into the fire. The reaction produces multi-colored flames that are sure to wow the kids. The fire can be used in the morning to make bacon and eggs.
Watch a movie together and make popcorn to go with it.
Live on a lake or have a pool? Go for a late-night swim under the stars.
Get a box or two of sparklers and show the kids how to write things in the air with them. If you’re good with a camera you can use a long shutter speed to catch the moment.
Make luminaries. Give your kids some paper lunch bags and let them cut out some designs on them. Put a few inches of sand or some rocks in the bottom and when night falls, put a candle in the bottom and place them around the yard for light.
Mom Says: I have great memories of dance parties with my family. It didn’t make me a better dancer, but we had a lot of fun! You don’t need to pack everything into one night – split it up and do an activity here and there to keep the fun and bonding going.
Dad Says: We all spend a lot of time looking for places to go with our kids and sometimes forget the adventures we can create in our own house or yard. Include your kids in the planning of the Ultimate Sleepover to make sure you have activities they are interested in.
We had no idea where Mendon was, but had heard great things about the Southwick Zoo and decided to try it out. With our kid and some grandparents in tow, we navigated our way down Southwick Street and were blown away by this hidden jewel. Bring your camera, some quarters (we’ll explain that), walking shoes, and love for animals to this zoo!
Planning Your Visit
Southwick Zoo is pretty big and has many different paths throughout the facility. We’d recommend either mapping out your plan before you get there using on their online map or spending some time when you first get in to plan the day. There are live shows throughout the day, so keep that in mind when planning your route. The times for these are posted on a board when you first enter (we used our digital camera to take a picture to remind us of the times throughout the day). We saw the elephant show and the live animal show and would recommend both; if you only have time for one, the elephant show would be at the top of our list. Wanderers will find it easy to walk about with no plan as well, but some of us need to be more orderly than that!
The terrain is very hilly, so wear good walking shoes and bring a stroller or wagon if you have bags, coolers, or younger kids. We were happy with the amount of natural shade provided by the trees throughout the entire zoo. We always try to get to zoos early in the day to avoid the large crowds and would recommend the same with Southwick. We arrived at 10:20 (they open at 10:00 am) and the parking lot was already half full. Despite the expected crowd, we found very few exhibits to be overcrowded, mainly due to the size of this zoo, and we hardly had to wait in line anywhere.
If you head into Deer Forest, where you can walk with the deer and feed them out of your hand, you will want to bring some quarters to buy the deer food ($0.50 for half a handful of corn). You may want to bring a bag or cup to carry it if putting corn in your pocket isn’t appealing to you. Some of the deer are skittish and may not want to come close. Be patient and you should be able to find one that does not mind eating out of your or your child’s hand.
The Animals
The animals are why we visit zoos, and Southwick does not disappoint with its variety of animals and the quality of its exhibits. Most of the exhibits provide close-up, unobstructed views of the animals, and there are opportunities to feed and play with some of them. Highlights for us were the humungous Aldabra Tortoise, leopard, rhinos, elephant, monkeys, giraffes, lemurs, and camels, to name just a few.
The Petting Zoo area is full of goats, turkeys, and sheep and lets you and your kids walk around with these animals, feeding them and petting them. This area was a little hectic, but armed with some quarters to buy food, we headed into the fenced-in area to play with the goats. Some were more aggressive than others, so if you have little ones, keep a close eye on them. Hand sanitizer was provided outside the door of the petting area.
The Food
We brought food for our son and planned to buy lunch at the zoo for our adult contingent. There are seven different food locations throughout the zoo, ranging from the Pizza & Snack Shack and the Jungle Hut (popcorn, pretzels, candy) to the more healthy Clarice’s Cupboard (fresh sandwiches, wraps, and salads). We opted for the healthy option and enjoyed our freshly made wraps along with some homemade oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies (so much for healthy!).
The Rides
There are mechanical kiddie rides, animal rides, a Sky Ride and a tire train ride. For the older kids (42” and taller) we recommend the Sky Ride, which is a 15-minute aerial tour of the zoo in a 2-person ski lift chair. This ride costs $5.00 per person, but we think it’s worth it as you get a nice break from the hilly paths and a great view of the animals and much of the zoo from above.
The Woodland Express is a tire train ride that takes you through a wooded area outside the main zoo area, giving you a view of North American animals in their natural setting. We missed this one by a couple minutes and didn’t feel like waiting the 15 minutes for the next train, but would hop on this train during our next visit.
With five circle mechanical rides, a moonbounce, and camel, pony, and elephant rides, there are plenty of options to choose from. If your kids are going to want to go on multiple rides, or if you have several kids, you will want to look into the ride ticket packages to save some money.
Final Thoughts
Southwick Zoo is one of the best zoos in Massachusetts! As a privately run zoo (no government funding), it’s more expensive than others at $18.75 for adults and $12.75 for kids 3-12 and seniors. We came across a coupon that got us four adult passes for $30.00, so look for deals before heading to this one. They also have a coupon posted on their website for $2 off per person. Even at full price this place is worth the admission, especially if you can pack a lunch. This will be a place we go year after year with our family.
Mom Says: There are tons of picnic tables, so it’s very easy to find a spot for your family to sit and eat. Even with the big crowd and eating at high noon we had no problem finding a table. If you are cold easily then bring a pullover; I was cold on an 80 degree day due to the shade throughout the zoo!
Dad Says: This place just kept going and going and rivals some of the country’s top big-city zoos. Do not worry about having to sit through a show with your kid – they are short programs designed to keep their attention.
I receive a pretty steady stream of phone calls and emails with new organizations, books, movies, and TV shows that are trying to teach our kids about the environment, ecology, going green, and the issues currently facing our planet. I talked with Victoria Lauren at Blue Vision who developed the site saveplanetblue.com. Victoria’s concept of creating a virtual world where kids can learn about the environmental challenges we face intrigued me so I took a look at it the other day.
Save Planet Blue is a membership site that is currently offering free access to some of its content. Over time, the site will have a subscription model and Victoria is passionate enough about the environment that they will be giving a portion of the proceeds to various environmentally focused charities. One you sign up as a member, you get to create a weebol like avatar that lets you customize the gender, hair color, skin color and the color of your clothes.
Once created, you are propelled into the virtual world where the arrow keys move your avatar around the screen. When passing some locations on the screen, you’ll be prompted with factoids about environmental issues. There are also gates that will take you to different parts of the world. Currently, the Rain Forest is open for free playing.
Within Rain Forest, which comes with jungle like noises in the background like birds and monkeys, there are several games that entertain and teach kids. We played the following games:
Puzzle game. The Puzzle games comes with various level of difficult but provides you with various numbers of pieces that usually combine to make a rainforest animal.
Match Game. This concentration like game has you match rainforest insects. My kids was fascinated and disgusted by so many bugs in so many colors and shapes. At the end of the game, factoids regarding insects pop up.
Recycle It. This game was high action and stress. As garbage flies down a conveyor belt you need to put it in the correct recycling bin (paper, plastic, glass, metal) or risk filling up a landfill. At the end of the game, you are reminded with different facts about how much waste is produced and the impact on the environment.
Petey’s Repeat. This game brought me back to the days of Simon (that multi-colored sound game from the 70/80’s). Except the noises were various plants and animals from the rain forest. My kid concentrated hard to remember the pattern and giggled when he lost.
Banana Toss. Definitely our most favorite game was throwing bananas at the monkey. If you hit the monkey it makes a good squash sound and if you throw at a different animal you lose points.
Overall, I think Save Planet Blue has the right idea. Like many of these children’s sites, the graphics are very intense and can put a lot of strain on the computer. I also think the games and the world can be even more educational with more learning opportunities than just at the end of the game. But in general, it did a good job of entertaining a four year old while sneaking in some education about the planet. Look for this site to expand quickly with new features and possibly even expand into TV or on-line videos.
We featured this event in our list of things to do last weekend, so we thought we would check out a show and report back. If you are looking for a high energy, action-packed show that will keep your kids talking for days, this is worth checking out! If you can’t make one this year, don’t worry; they tour throughout New England every summer with a new storyline.
This “Big Top” is actually a “Little Top”: it’s a 750-seat, one ring circus that is performed entirely by children 18 years old and younger. Risers surround the ring with only 6 or so rows, so there are no bad seats and you are up close to the action. Small children get the best seats in the house – they can sit on the ground around the ring itself. These seats are limited, so you will want to get there early. Novelties and food are sold in concession tents and there are vendors selling popcorn and drinks inside the main tent. Who doesn’t have room for popcorn at a circus?
This year’s theme is Smirkus Ever After and is set to various fairy tales including the ‘Three Little Pigs’, ‘The Tortoise and the Hare,’ ‘Little Red Riding Hood,’ and many more. Characters from these stories, played by Smirkus troupers, weave together this 2 hour show with a 15 minutes intermission accompanied by original music performed by a two-man band. The show is full of juggling, acrobatics, various trapeze acts, clowning around, and many more amazing feats.
The show itself is very entertaining, but it is much more interesting when you know a little about the company. Circus Smirkus was founded in 1987 and is based in Greensboro, VT. They are a non-profit organization that raises money for other groups, like a non-profit youth or community organization. The one we attended was in Lawrence, MA, and was presented by the Lawrence Sons of Italy.
The purpose of Circus Smirkus, as stated on their website, is “to give kids the chance to run away to their own circus.” The troupers in the circus are kids!! Many of them begin their careers in a Circus Residency at their school. In cooperation with your child’s school, this program can run for one to two weeks and introduce the students to the skills used in the circus. A professional from Smirkus works with the students every day during the residency. The next step is to attend a summer camp, which is held at Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. There are different programs for children ages 6 to 18 and these are also one or two weeks long.
Auditions are held to choose the troupers that get to be part of the circus tour. The kids in the tour come from the Circus Smirkus camps as well as similar programs, and they have to audition every summer to be part of the tour. The circus also boasts performers from foreign circus schools! Many troupers have gone on to work for such prestigious companies as Ringling Bros., Cirque du Soleil, and the Big Apple Circus.
Mom Says: I want to give major props to all of the kids in the show – they were awesome!!! I can’t believe the tricks and stunts they were performing at such a young age! It’s nice to be young and have no fear
Dad Says: This is a different experience than the larger circus and gives your kids a great chance to see other kids performing. We’ll check this one out when it comes around next year for sure!
We were visiting some friends recently when the two dads found themselves needing some entertainment for 2 young boys. We decided that it was model rocket launching time! It had been quite a few years since both dads had launched rockets, but we felt confident in our memory and ability to follow instructions, so we headed right out to Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies on the way to the field. We’ll cover how to go about this activity with your kids and offer up some tips along the way.
Where can I get model rockets?
The first thing you will need to launch rockets is the actual rockets (pretty obvious, we know). There are many different stores that carry model rockets. Hobby stores offer the greatest variety of rockets if you are looking for something special, while the main discounters (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) carry rockets, launch kits, and engines as well nowadays. If you head to one of the discount stores, your best bet is to look in the toy section where they keep model airplanes and helicopters.
What type of rocket should I get?
We found that Wal-Mart offered one launch kit option, which had the launch pad, remote controller ignition system, and a rocket to assemble. They also carried two other single rockets that were pre-assembled. Depending on the age of your kids and your level of skill with assembling potentially complex models, decide whether you want the Ready-to-Fly rockets or the more advanced rockets that require assembly. Many model rockets require more than one day to assemble as you must glue them together, then paint them or apply decals. We tried both types, and would recommend starting with the Ready-to-Fly models before investing in the more complex types. The Ready-to-Fly version took a couple of minutes to attach the fins and the parachute, while the other one took at least 25 minutes to work through the assembly instructions. If your kid enjoys building things, then making the entire rocket would be a great activity on its own. Most rockets come with decals so your kid can decorate it as well.
The launch kit that we purchased came with the launch pad itself, which is a tripod-type stand with a long metal rod that guides the direction of the rocket when launching. This kit also came with the electrical ignition controller, which provides the electrical charge to ignite the engine and blast the rockets off. Look for controllers that have a safety key to ensure no accidental launches occur while you are prepping the rocket.
Engines are typically sold separately from the rockets and come in many different sizes and power ratings. Each rocket will have documentation on the box explaining which engine sizes are compatible. We went for the largest engine size that would fit in our rockets to maximize how far into the sky they would go. When buying engines consider how many launches you will want to do and account for the fact that some may not work correctly. We had two rockets and brought along 9 engines, all of which worked. If you want to teach your kids how the engines actually work, this site provides a good visual of the process.
Safety
Safety is very important with this activity as you are dealing with powerful engines. We felt it was OK to have our kids help place the rocket on the launch pad, but we made sure they were 15 to 20 feet away when we were connecting the controller clips to the engine and when actually launching. We always held the controller and allowed the kids to hit the button. With older kids they could start to do some of these things on their own…with supervision, of course.
Preparing for Launch
For each launch you have to prepare the engine as well as the parachute and nose cone. For the parachute you fold and roll it up per the instructions, wrap the cords around the parachute, stuff several sheets of wadding into the fuselage (this is to protect the parachute from burning), insert the parachute, and then secure the nose cone in place.
Launching
For the engine, an igniter is placed into the hole of the engine and secured in place with a plastic plug. The engine is then inserted into the rear end of the rocket and secured in place by the metal clips on the rocket body. Once ready, the rocket is placed on the launch rod and from a safe distance (the ignition controller usually has a 15-20 foot cord), a safety key is inserted, a countdown is done, and your kid presses the launch button.
Rocket Flight
Our rockets went 800-1200 feet in the air and were pretty hard to see at their highest point. One of the most exciting parts was tracking the descent of the rocket and trying to get to where it was going to land. This is easier if there is little wind and the parachute system works correctly, of course.
Dad Says: I’m not sure if the dads had more fun or the kids with this activity. It brought back some great childhood memories and once you’ve invested in the launch pad, controller, and some rockets, you just need to buy new engines every time.
Dad’s Friend Says: Get at least two rockets and plan on losing one of them unless you have a very large field and no wind. I’ll definitely be getting some more engines to bring the kids out again.
What will I do with my Kids today is on the lips of every parent, every day. Once you get past breakfast, the grueling decisions start. Crazy Kids is the cure.
Mom Says: My favorite back-to-school tradition was going out to breakfast with my mom on the first day. Just make sure to get your kid to school on time… my homeroom teacher from senior year never forgave me.
Dad Says: We all spend a lot of time looking for places to go with our kids and sometimes forget the adventures we can create in our own house or yard. Include your kids in the planning of the Ultimate Sleepover to make sure you have activities they are interested in.
