Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Frogz,

by Cecily Kellogg

February 26, 2009

So we're having another warm up this weekend; what will you do with the kids to keep them entertained and expand their hearts and minds this weekend? Here are a few suggestions.

Friday

7:30pm: If you are in the western burbs, you do not want to miss the local stop of the national tour of Imago Theatre's Frogz at West Chester University. This crazy surreal adventure is offering a family show performance on Friday night. Admission ranges from $10 to $20.

Saturday

10am: Shine the Spotlight on Music and Literacy. The Philadelphia Free Library (Central Branch) joins with a principal from the Philadelphia Orchestra to bring a book to life. Free.

11am: The African American History Museum in Philadelphia is offering the last of its Family Fun Days for Black History Month. There will crafts, stories, balloons, history lessons and more at this awesome event. Free with admission ($8 for adults, $6 for children).

11am: If you missed Friday's theater event, be sure to check out the Snow Queen at the Hedgerow Theater in Media. This hour-long performance is ideal for the little ones you are just introducing to live performances. $11 for adults, $9 for children.

Music With The Little Ones

by Cecily Kellogg

February 23, 2009

There was no way my daughter wouldn't become a singer. My maternal family are all singers. My grandfather was a professor of music (and a lovely baritone) as well as his church's choir director, my grandmother sang all the solos at church, and my mother actually supported our family when I was little as a singer-songwriter (although back then she was known as a folk singer). I sing all the time, both to the radio and in my church choir, and while my husband claims to not be musical, he sings almost as a nervous tick (mostly songs from the depression era--oddly apropos these days). My daughter usually joins me for choir rehearsal on Sunday mornings before she goes off to Sunday School, and has been known to hold a board book as if it's sheet music and sing along with us.

I also sing songs I make up for Tori, well -- more honestly -- songs that I adapt FOR my daughter. She usually requests at least three lullabies to get to sleep each night, and we do a rendition of Good Night Irene that's a bit sanatized (we go live with "Jim" and jump in the river to "swim" rather than say "town" and "drown"), a version of Lullaby and Goodnight (that has recently been adapted to be a "mermaid" song), as well as that old staple Hush Little Baby.

In the last few weeks my daughter has started to sing these songs with me at night (with binky in her mouth, natch) and I have a hard time standing as I melt from the cuteness. But even more adorable is the fact that she has started to make up songs for whatever situation we're currently in; she'll sing the clean-up song, the "we're going to the store" song, the "mommy" song, and can be found humming away at any moment of the day.

We're also lucky enough to own a piano, which we give her unrestricted access to (I know, I see people cringing at the very idea). She often plucks out melodies (she's not much of a banger) that startle us, and we're eager to foster her musical development. BUT. We are also eager to not squelch it. I'd like her to love the piano and not hate it, and to love singing and not hate it, so we're avoiding any sort of lessons for now (er, and because she's not quite three). But we applaud mightily whenever she sings or plays, and that seems to be encouragement enough.

What are you doing to build a love of music in your kids? I'm curious how other families are doing it. Comment below!

Jazz, Trout, Prisons & More: This Weekend's Events

by Cecily Kellogg

February 20, 2009

It's supposed to be another cold and possibly snowy weekend again. What to do with the kiddos? Luckily I'll be gloating in sunny and warm Houston while you all suffer (heh) but if you need a place to go this weekend, I've got the buzz. Plus these are all the places I'm sending my husband and kid to while I'm gone. Heh.

Friday

3pm: Please Touch Museum is hosting a jazzy theater show with Scat Cat's Junior Jazz Jamboree. Along with everything else Please Touch has to offer, this is a win/win. Plus, all day long on Friday is the Please Touch Museum's annual Jazz Festival so there will be plenty of fun music for both kids AND grownups.

Saturday

11:30 & 1:30pm: One of the greatest things about living in Philadelphia is the awesomeness that is the radio show Kid's Corner on WXPN every evening at 7pm. Kid's Corner is proudly hosting one of their favorite bands, Trout Fishing In America, at the World Cafe Live Venue today! Don't miss this chance to see this fun band in person.

Sunday

All Day: Learn some history, spook the kids, and have some hot chocolate at the Eastern State Penitentiary with their winter tours. This historic prison is creepy even when it's not all decked out for Halloween.

6pm: The Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill, NJ offers a special open play time for families with children with Autism. Not only is the after-hours event closed to non-Autistic children, it's also FREE. Please check link and email to register.

Learning To Tell Time

by Cecily Kellogg

February 18, 2009

When I was a child, I had a great toy. Do you all remember this? It was this crazy doll with zippers, buttons, pockets, and in its belly a CLOCK. The hands were soft and moved around so that I could practice telling time.

Now, just to give you some context, I'm 40 (41 this April! Goody.). So that means that the toy I'm talking about was before the digital time era, back when clocks had these crazy things called hands and watches had to be wound. 

The dark ages, I know.

Today teaching my daughter to tell time is a very different prospect. We have digital clocks all over the house; the cable television box has the time, as does the stove and the microwave. We do have a 'traditional' clock in our kitchen so she sees something with hands on it regularly, plus my husband happens to collect antique clocks so the clock in her bedroom has hands.

We haven't really started practicing telling time with our daughter -- she is only two and a half, mostly she's content with "dark" and "not dark." But Philadelphia has several excellent landmarks with clocks that will be excellent for when the time comes to teach her "Look, honey, it's too early to wake mommy up." Here are a few of my favorites.

The clock on the tower of City Hall. Once the tallest thing in Philadelphia (up until the mid-80's, no one built any buildings taller than the tower on City Hall -- about 32 stories tall), this bright yellow clock can be seen for nearly a mile down both Market and Broad Streets. At Broad & Market.

The clock on Independence Hall. This is a given; not only can you give a history lesson, you have a great opportunity to also teach about telling time! At 6th & Chestnut.

The clock in the ground outside of Daffy's. This is a fun one! In the sidewalk outside of this store is a clock with hands embedded right in the ground. Sadly, it doesn't always work, but when it is it would be PERFECT because it's right at kid level! At 17th & Chestnut.

The clock at the Gallery/Market East. This massive clock is visible from far away as well. At 12th & Market.

The digital readout on the PECO building. I know, I know, this one is digital, but it is very fun. The tallest digital clock in Philadelphia! At 20th & Market, but visible for miles around.

Celebrating a Snowy Weekend

by Cecily Kellogg

February 05, 2009

We were lucky enough to get some snow this week (okay, some of you might find that not good news, but I love snow). So what to do? It's not the right kind of snow for snowmen, alas, but we can still have some fun out there if you dress warmly and plan ahead.

Go sledding! There are lots of great spots to enjoy some sledding, no matter what part of Philadelphia you live in. Check out my great list of sledding spots here.

Go for a walk! I know I just mentioned the area around the Wissahickon Creek the other day, but the great thing about walking there is that if you park near the Valley Green Inn, there is an excellent snack bar that sells yummy hot chocolate, the perfect thing to warm you up after a nice snowy stroll.

Go Cross-Country Skiing! Want to burn some serious calories and really tire your kids out? Check out this list of our best local state parks that permit cross country skiing.

Go REAL skiing (or Tubing)! Blue Mountain, just a short drive away, offers several great skiing and tubing options. In 90 minutes you can be on the slopes.

Go shovel a neighbor's walk and impart good karma! If you live near someone that is older or maybe has a newborn, teach your kids great neighborly behavior by getting them to help you shovel their walkway and driveway. Another great way to bond, and burn some extra energy!