Welcome to philly parent circle, the premier resource guide for parents and parents-to-be in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. All of our information is search-able by age, cost, location, type, and more so you can find exactly what you want quickly. Or you can take your time and browse all the wonderful things to do in our area! Join our community to find nannies, playgroups, and an expanded section of preschools and camps... and visit the discussion board to share what's on your mind!
Around the Web - Volume 8
Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go!
The season of road trips is upon us. Where will you be heading this summer? Whether it is the shore, across county lines or across the country, here a a few tips to make the ride more pleasant for kids and parents!
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Make a visual time line, so the kids can keep track of where they are in the trip! - Road Trip Bingo - good for preschoolers and bigger kids
- Consider getting crafty and putting together a road trip pillow to help with naps and to store toys/books.
- Have a chronically car sick child? Be sure to put together this DIY Carsick Kit.
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For older kids (6+), a ring of maps, marking dots, post cards and landmarks can make time pass by more quickly, and throw in a little learning time too! - Try this easy-peasy pulley system to make toy storage easy and fun.
- For on the go snacking, try packing individual snack boxes in a bead organizer and use disposable muffin tins to keep the mess under control!
What are your expert tips for keeping parents and kids sane and happy on road-trips?
SparkSummer Camp - Unique Fun & Inspired Learning!
SparkPark brings hands-on, fun and out-of-the-box curriculum to SparkSummer Camp 2013! With their flexible options, your kids can try out new things, get in-depth in one topic and mix-and-match activities at their desire… they can ignite new passions,
Spain to you! Kids will do all of the above, plus theatre, ethnic cooking, music and more, all in our one-of-a-kind language immersion program. Kids will learn so naturally they won’t even be aware they are speaking in a second tongue!Philly Parents (to-be!) Event: Expectant Parent Baby Shower at NEST Philly!
Calling all baby bumps! PPC favorite, The Nest, is holding an Expectant Parent Baby Shower on May 19th from 1:30-4 pm. Guests will be served delicious food from Honey Grow and Three Cat Kitchen while sampling and experiencing the newest and latest trends in baby and post-natal care! Speakers include Marisa Picarella from My Fabulous Mama as well as an "expert parent panel." Explore various vendors including Shanti Yoga Shala, Carolyn Stanish Photography, Home Hero Babyproofing, Steven Zelinger wills and trust attorney, After the Stork Post-partom doula, Confident Parenting sleep consultant, Stroller Strides, Happy Baby, Diapers Plus cloth diapering service, Philadelphia Family Magazine, Come join us for a fun afternoon with MANY giveaways including prize baskets from the Nest, Happy Baby and other vendors. It will be a really fun and exciting event! Can't wait to see you there!
Philly Kids: Spring Fairs, Festivals and Mother's Day Fun!
Happy Mother's Day Week! Whether it's breakfast in bed, home-made crafts, a special brunch, or just a regular day, we hope all the moms in our community have a wonderful Mother's Day with your families. In honor of this special day, we're giving away a special Mother's Day product every day this week on our facebook page. Head over there now to enter giveaways for Box for a Bottle, GH Cretors Popcorn Sampler Pack, and Camera Coats. Stay tuned for upcoming giveaways for Undercover Mama nursing shirts and Fracture Me, an amazing way to get your favorite photos printed directly on glass. Also today is the last day to enter to win tickets to the much awaited Cirque de Soleil Totem, headed to Philadelphia on May 30th. We are giving four tickets to the invite only preview show on May 29th at 7:30. Go to our facebook post to enter. Winner will be announced tonight!
One more giveaway: We are giving away another family four pack to Arden Theatre's production of Pinocchio! You don't want to miss this classic tale told from a slightly different point of view in a style unmatched by any other children's theater. Head to our facebook page and let us know how you teach your children not to tell tall tales!
Do you know someone who isn't part of Philly Parent Circle? In honor of Mother's Day, share code PPCMOM2013 and have them join/ renew for free! And, of course, Dads and other caregivers are welcome to use this code too. This week, enjoy more spring fairs, carnivals and Mother's Day fun! Enjoy the week!
Weekend Spotlight:
Friends School Haverford Spring Fair
Join Friends School Haverford for their not-to-be-missed annual spring fair. Enjoy carnival games, face painting, kids crafts (including a Traditional Japanese Fish Art activity), a used book sale, many artisans and vendors, live entertainment, food and more. Visitwww.friendshaverford.orgfor more information.
Saturday, May 11, 11am-3pm. $5/ person, kids 14 and under FREE.
Sister Cities Park International Festival
Celebrate Philadelphia’s 10 Sister Cities at Sister Cities Park with a day-long festival that includes dance, music, cooking demos, mini language lessons and hands-on fun for adults and kids of all ages. The event stretches the globe and brings flavors and sounds of the world including Chinese dancers, Italian musicians, Japanese Drummers, Cameroonian Fashion Show and much more.
Saturday, May 11th, 12-5pm, Free
Get the best Philly events for families emailed to you directly every Thursday by signing up here. We include what's free, fun, and uniquely Philly for every day of the upcoming week. Our weekly events newsletter is free to all!
Philly Kids Resources: A New Kind of Learning Adventure...SparkPark!
“We know three things about intelligence. One, it's diverse....We think visually...in sound... kinesthetically.... Secondly, intelligence is dynamic ...(and)...wonderfully interactive....In fact, creativity...more often than not comes about through the interaction of different disciplinary ways of seeing things,” Ken Robinson expresses in his Ted Talk on education.
Imagine an opportunity for your child where they can explore the sciences through art, and art through science, and dance while learning Spanish, and where their insatiable curiosity drives their learning. Where kids can experiment, try out new skills, where they can tinker... where they can build stilts in woodshop or discover how airplanes fly and design their own set of wings, or solve a mysteries by using multiple senses, or use watercolors to create art, not necessarily in a painting... or making their own paints and so much more! Sound intriguing? Welcome to SparkPark. A new kind of learning adventure, driven by the appetites of children to learn, invent, create.
“...Creativity in education is as important as literacy,” Ken Robinson promulgates in his Ted Talk. “And we should treat it with the same status. (But) We stigmatize mistakes....And the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities....We don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or, rather we get educated out of it.”
From the littlest ‘sparklers’ to budding teens, SparkPark is geared to igniting imaginations and encouraging a lifelong love of learning. How do they do it? –By working with kids in a mindful approach, which means that they: Engage them in the moment, direct each child individually, remove unhealthy competition in all kinds of creative ways and help each child explore their own interests to a depth and breadth not available anywhere else. Your child need only bring only their imagination, energy and spirit of discovery and fun.
Located in Narberth on the main artery, Montgomery Avenue, the “heart of the Main Line” and minutes from downtown Philly, SparkPark is currently enrolling for their spring session and summer camps. Take a look at their offerings and get excited about learning. Your kids certainly will!!
Contact info: 484-278-4634, 950 Montgomery Avenue Narberth, PA 19072, click here for more info.
Around the Web - Volume 7
A day late - but better for the anticipation, right?
We've been spending just about every waking moment outside. There have been sunburns, a few bug bites and a lot of fun! While the novelty of warm weather and getting to play on bikes, with side walk chalk and the sand table have not yet worn off, I know it won't be long before "I'm bored" creeps back into the littles vocabulary. Here are a few ideas I'm keeping up my sleeves to prolong our warm weather honeymoon!
DIY Sprinkler (that no one can grab, run away with or point at their sibling). My bigs will LOVE this hula hoop and paper airplane game, I will love setting it up in the backyard. Water balloon target practice? Um, anything with the words "water" and "balloon" is an instant hit here. Pool noodles are hitting the stores shortly and I'll be buying them....for our backyard (no pool) obstacle course! Here is the one bow and arrow I could hand the kids with confidence (that they wouldn't maim each other, shoot an eye out, etc).
Focus Point Global Wants YOU!
Focus Point Global runs focus groups to aid in product development. They are currently looking for moms and have a study in Bala Cynwyd on Food Products for mothers with kids ages 6-17. You can earn $75-$145. Go to http://bit.ly/50623CC to take the qualifying survey. They also have a bunch of other studies coming up in the next few months and you can check out www.focusgroup.com for more information on paid marketing research and other opportunities in the Philadelphia area. It’s a great way to make a little extra money and get your voice heard to help impact products that you use and more!
Philly Parents: Safe Summer from KidProteq
Ahhh…. Blue skies, warm breezes, and sunshine… all the things we look forward to when we vacation at the shore. But, we often overlook some of the hazards that come along with summer fun.
At Kidproteq, parents and grandparents contact us regularly to baby proof their shore houses. First, Jeff, our certified baby proofing expert, will come out for a home evaluation. Special attention is given to decks since much time is spent outdoors. Many customers like to put netting on the deck rails so little ones can’t stick their heads or hands through. Gates are essential at deck openings. We advise customers to fill umbrella stands with sand so they won’t tip. We also caution adults to keep children far away from outdoor grills.
Inside your home, there are many areas of concern such as kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. Every kitchen should have a fire extinguisher. Drawers, cabinets and oven doors should all be locked. Stovetops should have knob covers so Baby can’t turn on the flame. Set your water heater at 120 degrees to avoid burns and conserve energy. Toilet locks and medicine safes are good additions to any bathroom.
Since you are at the shore, you certainly want to let that ocean breeze into your home safely. Windows should be blocked from opening more than 4”. Blind and drape cords should be less than 48” off the ground since this could be a choking hazard for young toddlers and preschoolers. Drawers and doors should have appropriate locks. Stairs should be gated. TVs and oversized furniture should be secured to the wall to prevent tipping. A “Safe Space” for baby to play should be made.
These warmer months are great to share with grandkids, nieces, nephews, and newborns. But, with your Shore House baby proofed by Kidproteq, you are sure to have a fun-filled and safe summer! So, let Kidproteq take care of the most common hazards in your shore home! Contact us today at 610-688-7404 or www.Kidproteq.com to set up your home evaluation.