Showing posts with label kids activities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids activities. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Summer '19 “Dream! Explore! Do!”

This post in partnership with United Way's Allegheny Partners for Out-of- School Time (APOST).

Well, school has been out for a few weeks and my kids have already proved they can't exist in the same room because SOMEONE MIGHT BREATHE THEIR AIR. 😲 One of the best ways I've found to combat conflict and stress in the summer is LISTS. My kids have a list of things they have to do every morning. It includes cleaning their room, doing chores and daily reading. It helps them feel like they know what to do and accomplished when they've completed their morning list. Kids thrive on structure and knowing what is expected of them. Summer days can be really hard when routine looks different each day. So we try to keep on track with morning routine and then plan something fun for the afternoons!


A list that is even more fun for your family to create is a Summer Bucket List

Some of the things on our family list this summer:

✅Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
✅cooling off at Sandcastle
✅free summer night movie with Cinema in the Park
✅family bike ride

Print off the Bucket List below and have fun with your kids checking various activities off the list!

Once again this summer, I am partnering with Mayor William Peduto, Allegheny Executive Rich Fitzgerald, the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania's Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) and various child-serving organizations are teaming up for Summer19 Dream! Explore! Do! The youth-centered campaign will provide thousands of local children, grades K-12, with fun, educational learning activities. 


Summer19 partners hope to boost academic performance, promote physical health and provide a safe, structured environment for youth through meaningful summer learning programming. Research shows that participation in summer activities can improve classroom behavior, school attendance, academic aspirations and reduce the summer learning slide. So while summer is a fun way to break away from our typical routines, it also provides opportunities to learn in new and creative environments.  

Bottom line, we as parents know that education continues through the summer, but that doesn't keep us from having FUN while continuing to learn. 

One of the best resources we in the Pittsburgh region is the Summer19 website. It gives you thousands of opportunities all around our region. As soon as your kids offer those famous summer words "I'm bored", you'll know exactly where to look for some fun! Check the Summer19 website throughout the summer for opportunities around the city. 



This summer, as you and your kids are out exploring and completing your Summer Bucket List, share your photos with us and tag #APOST on Facebook & Twitter

Join with us this summer as we......

Dream! Explore! Do!

#PGHSummer19 


Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Summer fun in Pittsburgh

This post in partnership with Kidsburgh and The Motherhood. All opinions remain my own and I don't promote venues that my family doesn't love!

Alright friends, summer is almost here! My kids are dragging through their final days of school (anyone else unmotivated to give any more spelling words? 💁😆)

We are starting to put together our summer bucket list! One of our favorite activities to do at the beginning of the summer is to sit down together and talk about specific places that my kids want to visit over their summer break. 



Some of our favorites that we plan to do this summer:

As a parent, I am always looking for new and fun experiences for my kids. And with 4 kids, things that are either free or don't cost a small fortune. 😳 This summer, I am partnering with Kidsburgh to help you find the best local fun in the Pittsburgh region! Kidsburgh is an awesome go-to resource focusing on the people and and ideas making Pittsburgh a great place to raise kids. And I think we have a pretty fantastic city in which to raise kids!


Kidsburgh has put together some great family guides in helping you find the best sources for local fun with kids summer activities!
Also stay turned to their website for more guides coming soon as well!
  • Three River Arts Festival
  • Summer Movies – where to watch and the deals
  • Water Fun - the best places around the city to cool off (will include free options as well!)



Check out Kidsburgh's Maker Mondays!
  • Every Monday, Kidsburgh editors share a fun, educational project for kids to create (some with adult supervision, of course!)
  • For more Maker Monday projects and other fun stuff for kids, visit the Kidsburgh Activities page
Kidsburgh.org also features a robust calendar for Pittsburgh family fun that lists kid-friendly events throughout the region and a directory of child-serving organizations.

Follow Kidsburgh on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and checkout Kidsburgh.org for all the
happenings in and around Pittsburgh!


Whatever your kids ages and whatever your kids interests, you are sure to find lots of summer fun in the 'Burgh! 

SO......LET'S BRING ON SUMMER! 


 #Kidsburgh, #SummerFun, #SummerInPittsburgh

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Children's Theater Festival + Ticket Giveaway

It's almost May (yay!) which also means one our of very FAVORITE festivals of the year is almost here! The EQT Children's Theater Festival is one of the most unique family events around and you don't want to miss it! We've seen some really cool and interesting shows since our family started attending 5 years ago. 


EQT Children’s Theater Festival 
May 16-19 
Downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District


There are featured performances for kids and teens of all ages in Cultural District theaters and tickets start at only $12. In addition to featured performances, the Festival grounds are filled with FREE activities, performances, and experiences for families.


The awesome shows coming this year:
  • FLY: A poetic journey into a circus universe with strange characters, big emotions and captivating puppet imagery.
  • Emily Brown & The Thing: Emily Brown and Stanley set off on incredible adventures to the Dark and Scary Wood, the Whirling Wastes and beyond, to find the Thing’s cuddly, his bedtime milk and his medicine.
  • Murikamification: The magical, surrealistic stories of Haruki Murakami come to life with the intensely physical and absurd performance throughout Pittsburgh’s own Cultural District.
  • Sky & Stone:  A stone falls from the sky and sparks curiosity, exploration, and play for babies and toddlers.
  • Air Play: Flying umbrellas, larger-than-life balloons, giant kites floating over the audience, and the biggest snow glove you’ve ever seen will make you gasp in wonder and laugh until it hurts.
  • Sons of Mystro: Use their violins to interpret reggae classics, American pop songs and their own creations accompanied by beats, and sometimes a DJ & guitarist.
  • Circle, Circle, Circle: Immerse yourself in a larger-than-life cube of colors. A 3D rainbow of circles create a 15-foot high maze that’s as fun to gaze at as it is to adventure inside.
Go here to get tickets, starting at just $12!



There are friendly, helpful Festival Guides stationed throughout the Cultural District to help families find their Festival destinations, get show and activity recommendations, and more! Be sure to visit this link to help plan your visit with parking, restrooms, food options & event information. 

GIVEAWAY
.
We're going to make it extra fun for two families by giving away {two} family 4-packs of tickets to the show of your choice! Enter below!



Thanks to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust for sponsoring this great family festival and this post. All opinions remain my own. I don't endorse venues that my family doesn't love!

Monday, October 8, 2018

Discount offer for Kennywood Park's Happy Hauntings

This past weekend our family headed to Kennywood Park for their family-friendly Happy Hauntings! If my kids can combine two of their favorites - candy + rides - they call that a pretty great day. 😊
Near the entrance, you will see a sign for the trick-or-treat trail where your kids will be given a bag and follow the trail for goodies. There are some skeletons, but overall, it is not scary. (Although, your husband may or may not be jumping out from behind bushes to try to scare them. 😉)


Not all rides were open, but my kids were excited to see the Jackrabbit, Paratrooper, Merry-Go-Round, Auto Racers + the Turtle Coaster were all operating. Kiddieland is also open as well as the brand new Thomas Town! Thomas Town was pretty cool, my kids really love this bigger version of the Mousetrap.



This was the first time we had been there that the new indoor play area in Thomas Town was open. How great is this?! An indoor, air conditioned play area on a hot day?  I think that's a big YES from parents and kids!



Happy Hauntings will be running Saturdays and Sundays in October from noon - 4:00pm. (Admission is free for kids 3 & under.)

DEAL ALERT! 👉 We have a deal to save you $3 per ticket......purchase your discount tickets here.

Add this tradition to your family memories for October and......Happy Hauntings!


This post sponsored by Kennywood Park. I have received tickets or compensation in exchange for my review. All opinions remain my own. 

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Win tickets for Junie B. Jones in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!

When my kids first started reading chapter books, Junie B. Jones is one of the first series to which they gravitated. She's always seems to be in some sort of mix up that delights as she stumbles her way to a solution. We are pretty excited about the chance to see a Junie B. Jones show live and in person!




Enter: Junie B. Jones in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!
Junie B. Jones, First-Grader, is super-excited about the upcoming Holiday Sing-Along and Secret Santa gift exchange at her school. Too bad tattletale May keeps ruining all of Junie B.'s fun. So, when Junie B. draws May's name for Secret Santa, she comes up with the perfect plan to teach her nemesis a lesson! But will the Christmas spirit of peace and goodwill interfere before she can give you-know-who what she deserves? A hilarious and endearing tale based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park.






Fri, Nov 23 - Sat, Nov 24, 2018


  • Byham Theater
  • 101 6th Street 
    Pittsburgh PA 15222

  • Run Time: 60 minutes
    Child Policy

    • This post sponsored in partnership with Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. I may have received tickets or compensation in exchange for promotion. I don't promote venues that my family doesn't love! 
      Photos courtesy of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

    Wednesday, October 3, 2018

    $10 off at Idlewild's Hallowboo!

    After our first visit in 2010, Idlewild quickly became a favorite yearly tradition for our family. With an amazing kiddieland, it's endless fun for our little people. They seem to have endless energy in enjoying Jumpin' Jungle. 😲 My kids became extra excited about the idea of a 2nd yearly visit when we were introduced to Hallowboo! All the fun of Idlewild, but with candy + extra treats? They were in!


    Trick or Treat through Story Book Forest
    A stroll through Story Book Forest is always a beloved experience for families visiting Idlewild. Featuring a winding path through a real forest, guests visit cottages and other character scenes from fairy tales and nursery rhymes. During HALLOWBOO, kids 12 and under are provided with a complimentary trick-or-treat bag that they can use to collect delicious treats from Goldilocks, Captain Candy, Little Red Riding Hood and many more! Treats provided by Snyder of Berlin and other candy favorites.
    Ride the HALLOWBOO Express Railroad
    The Loyalhanna Limited Rail Road transforms to the HALLOWBOO Express, featuring an 8 minute train ride through a not-too-scary Halloween themed adventure!
    HALLOWBOO Shows
    Shake out your bones and get ready to dance! Our deadly dance captains are going to cast a spell on you and make you Jack-O-Lantern Jive all night long! These classic dance hits will have you bouncing through the pumpkin patch as Idlewild presents the JACK-O-LANTERN JIVE! (4:00 and 5:00 PM)
    As your spooky day comes to a close, be sure to join your favorite characters for an end of the day spooktacular celebration! We’ll be highlighting some of your favorite moments here at Hallowboo, and we need the help of all of our little monsters at Idlewild! Join us for a ghoulish good time as we end the day with a MONSTER MASH! (Following the 6:00 PM Jukebox Saturday Fright Show)
    It’s a beautiful day in Daniel Tiger’s neighborhood and you’re invited to be a part of the fun! Join Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat for DANIEL TIGER’S GRR-IFIC DAY - a show full of make believe and good feelings as we learn how to share, try new things, and use our imaginations.

    It’s the Idlewild you know and love, with a FUN, family-oriented, Happy Halloween Twist! Enjoy the rides and attractions of Olde Idlewild, Story Book Forest, Jumpin’ Jungle, Hootin’ Holler, Raccoon Lagoon kiddieland, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Plus, Trick-or-Treating through Story Book Forest, Live Entertainment, Costumed Characters, Themed Attractions and more! 




    SAVE BIG!

    We have discount tickets for admission to Idlewild's HALLOWBOO event on any (1) of the following dates: 

    October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 ,27, 28, 2018. (Children Age 2 and under are always FREE!)

    Gates & Story Book Forest open at 11:30 am | Rides & Attractions* operate 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

    Go here to purchase your discount tickets -  https://www.idlewild.com/Hallowbooblog

    *SoakZone, Wild Mouse, Loggin’ Toboggan and Ricky’s Racers do not open for HALLOWBOO! Select other rides, attractions, small food stands and games may be closed.



    Go get your tickets and have an amazing family day making memories!


    ABOUT IDLEWILD & SOAKZONE - Founded in 1878 as a picnic ground along the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, Idlewild & SoakZone (Idlewild.com) is the oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania and third-oldest in America. Idlewild is recognized as the world’s best amusement park for children per Amusement Today magazine (http://www.amusementtoday.com). 



    Twitter: @Idlewildpark
    Instagram: @Idlewildpark
    #HALLOWBOO

    This post is sponsored by Idlewild, so I received compensation or products in exchange for my promotion. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse companies that my family doesn't love!

    Wednesday, August 8, 2018

    Our summer travel adventures

    I've been quiet on the blog this summer because...kids. :) They are now 9, 7, 6 & 5 which is still a very full time job! 
    Summer. It's an awesome thing. It's a frightening thing. My kids don't do great with extended periods of time without a consistent routine. So summer can be a challenge at times. This summer I started a new experiment.....travel! Although most of the time I lament that our extended families all live far away, the one advantage is that travel to see them gives us some new adventures + a free place to stay! So this summer's agenda became visits to family in 4 states:

    North Carolina
    New York
    Minnesota
    Colorado

    The first two states were individual trips, the second two states were put together in a 55 hour road trip! Our saving grace? Kid's podcasts! (More on that later.)


    First stop was The Outer Banks in North Carolina. 9 cousins + surf + sand = win win!



    Our next trip was to NYC. We had a very special reason for our trip there! As you can see, two of our children joined our family through adoption. But we have worked hard to maintain personal connection with their first family and so it was a joy to travel there and spend some time with some of them, including their sister.


    Governor's Island was an awesome find! It's a $3 ferry ride (free for kids) to a car-free island with playgrounds, slides, a 30-park hammock, food vendors + a great view of the Statue of Liberty.


    Maintaining connection with their first family is a whole blog in itself, but it is a beautiful gift to see these siblings spend time together!


    Next it was off to Minnesota! I grew up in Minneapolis and my siblings all still live there. My kids had a great time with all their aunts & uncles. Also, travel tip....scooters are great! They fold compactly, but are great for saving little legs on treks. 


    One more 15 hour car ride and we arrived in Denver, where my parents now live. The beauty of the mountains is so spectacular!


    We did tons of biking and hiking in Colorado....it was the best!



    My husband was able to fly out and join us in Denver, just in time for the 25 hour ride home. :) Which we stretched out into a 5 day drive to make it less difficult.

    Riding the street car in Kansas City, you never know what creatures you'll run into!


    Our next stop was St. Louis which had lots of fun options. I think if we do this drive again, we would definitely stay longer in this city. The City Museum was highly recommended!


    Our final destination on the way home was the Ark Encounter. It's a life-sized ark according to the Biblical record and wow, it was big! They also have a small zoo outside, restaurants, zip line tour + more. Tickets are a lot for adults ($48!), kids are more reasonable at $15. But overall, it was an interesting experience!


     So, a 55 hour car trip....how does everyone keep their sanity? 😉 That is the question! We definitely had our moments of insanity. The biggest difference in our travels now is simply that our kids are getting easier in travel as they get older.
    We try not to rely on screen time, but we did get a kindle for each of our kids in traveling. The thing I love about kindles is that you can do a variety of activities on them - movies, music, books & podcasts. So we would rotate activities on them. Our kids really fell in love with podcast listening this summer - and actually learned some cool stuff! Their favorite podcasts are:

    Brains On
    Wow in the World
    Smash Boom Best 
    Story Pirates
    Storynory
    Short & Curly
    Fierce Girls
    Stories Podcast
    Chompers
    Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian
    This Podcast Has Fleas
    Highlights Hangouts 
    Eleanor Amplified 

    Travel is one of my favorite things to do with kids. I know that my travels throughout high school and college really helped expand my world view and I want my kids to experience the same. We don't have unlimited funds and often look for free things to do in the places we visit. We try to pack a lot of our food or stop at grocery stores. We're definitely always looking for ways to cut costs and save money. The more we are able to do this, the more places we'll be able to travel. Everyone had their own rolling suitcase which they were able to manage on their own. The nice thing about summer travel is that summer clothes don't take up as much space as bulky winter items!

    So, till next summer, when I hope we'll be able to experience more travel adventures!


    Thursday, July 19, 2018

    Kennywood Adventures + Discount

    We've hit a big milestone in our family.....that's right, our kids are out growing Kiddieland! 😅 I love that my kids are getting older and bigger and ready for new adventures. So this year, Kennywood was a different experience as we didn't even enter the kids area. It's a little bit tricky, because they're not all tall enough or ready for some of the big rides, but we found a balance with the "medium-sized" ones. :) 

    As my kids get older and into faster rides, I'm also getting older and into much slower rides. 😰 This was my one and only time on this one. 😂


     Um, no thank you. But this ride does provide the best photos!!


     My kids loved, loved this ride!!


    This is a classic!



    The brand new Thomas the Train exhibit wasn't open for us, but I'm hearing it's going to be great! (Opening at the end of July.) We've got a discount on tickets for anyone that is looking for a family fun day this summer. Go here to purchase!


    My family received tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain my own as I don't promote venues that my family doesn't love!