Wednesday, May 30, 2012

40 Ways to Keep a Toddler Busy

With summer here, I have been finding a lot of posts about things to do with your kids, Here is another one. Enjoy :)

-M&M Momma

1. Rice/bean bins. All you need is a bin, some rice or beans, and some scoops or cups. (I use an under-the-bed storage tub because I actually store mine under a bed, and because that way it’s long enough for multiple children to use at once.) These require close supervision for really young children, so I set mine up right next to the table I’m working at so the young kids are always in sight. And may I mention that I strongly prefer beans to rice? You see, beans vacuum and sweep up easily while rice just gets blown every which way.
2. Water bins/tables. These require a nice day and a deck…smile… but are great. Again, fill up a tub with water and provide scoops, bowls, and a few fun trinkets (some that float and some that sink) and let kids play ’til their heart’s content. Add a few drops of food coloring for extra fun! Accept before you begin that each child who plays will require a full wardrobe change. I actually use this one a lot while I’m making dinner- the kids are going into the bath at that point anyway, right? Please use your best judgement when allowing young children to engage in water play and ensure close supervision at all times.
3. Paint with water books. Yes, they still exist and yes, they are still a great way to get some exploration going with less than half the mess of the full-fledged version.
4. Puzzles. Use the manufactured variety or try making your own by cutting up pictures your child (or a sibling) has drawn.
5. Special Play Boxes. The idea is that you only take these special boxes of toys out when you are homeschooling another child. These are special treats. Change them up every few weeks or so depending upon your younger child’s interests. Here, my youngest daughter is playing with matchbox cars as I work with her brother.
6. Stickers. On paper, on clothes, on favorite chairs…
7. Number Wheels. Print a color wheel and ask kids to place the corresponding clothes pin on the wheel. For details, check out Money Saving Mom’s post here. If your child isn’t ready for numbers yet, try putting colors onto the wheel and colored dots on the clothes pins for kids to match. If your child is really young, try just giving them clothes pins with a variety of things/materials to attach them to.
8. Legos and blocks. These are great all by themselves, but can also be used in conjunction with props like dolls, cars, shoeboxes and paper towel rolls. What can kids make with them?
9. Tweezers and pom poms. Provide some multi-colored craft pom poms and ask kids to sort by size or color. If the child is still very young, take away the tweezers and give them a yogurt container with a small hole cut in the top to stuff pom poms through. When they are done, open the container and start again.
10. Toddler sewing basket. For instructions on how to assemble one of these babies, go here, to Childhood 101.
11. Pipe cleaners in containers. This is a variation of the pom pom suggestion: cut several small holes in a yogurt or coffee container and ask the child to stick pipe cleaners into them. For added challenge, color hole-reinforcers (like you use in three-hole-punched documents) and ask the child to match the pipe cleaner color to the hole reinforcer color.
12. Magazine scavenger hunts. Really young kids can just rip up the pages, but slightly older toddlers can search through pages to find items you ask for, like pictures of smiles, flowers, a Mommy, etc.
13. Alphabet or picture tracing sheets. This is as easy as laminating an alphabet practice sheet and providing dry erase markers. All done? Wipe and start again.
14. Egg cartons filled with plastic colored eggs. Fill these eggs with little trinkets that will make noise in the eggs. This is enough for young kids. For slightly older kids you can ask them what they hear in the eggs, then have them open the eggs on their own to see if they were correct. (Be careful of very small items for very young children.)
15. Play-Doh filled balloons. You never know what a child is going to create with these, but the sensory experience is the major boon. For details, go here.
16. Pool Noodle Stringing. Cut up pool noodles and provide yarn for little kids to string together.
17. Magnetic Magazine Face-Making. Cut out eyes, ears, mouths, noses, etc. from magazines, laminate, and adhere to magnets. Then, provide your toddler with a magnetic surface to rearrange faces. For details from The Iowa Farmer’s Wife, go here.
18. Lacing boards. These can be made with leftover cereal boxes, or can be purchased. You punch several holes along the outline of a shape, and ask your toddler to weave shoestring in and out of the holes. Don’t expect perfection unless you are giving instructions- just let them do it on their own.
19. Felt Face-Making. Same idea as above, but you use felt to create facial features and let little hands assemble the faces as they will. This idea can be adjusted to fit any theme you’re working on in your homeschool with just a little forethought. Cupcakes, ice cream cones, firetrucks, fish… the list goes on and on. Just create one large, major shape and provide lots of smaller shapes to adorn the large one.
20. Soda bottle filled with glitter, oil, and water. Grab a two-liter and fill it with these ingredients for fun. Roll them, shake them and put them into containers. Remember to glue the cap on before you give this to your child!
21. Button Snake. Tie or sew a button onto a piece of ribbon and provide felt scraps to thread onto the “snake.” For details, go here.
22. Clothesline Play. String up a pretend clothesline and provide a few socks, some felt clothes cut-outs, a few scarves, etc. plus a few clothespins and let younger kids have fun hanging up the wash.
23. Bathtub painting. Let a squirmy toddler paint in the bathtub with tempra or other washable paint. Just strip them down and let them go to town, then use the shower head to rinse it all (including what’s on their bodies) down the drain. Use your best judgement when it comes to supervising your child in the water (which you will need to use when you’re cleaning up the masterpiece).
24. Ziplock bag painting. Fill a bag with paint and tape it up to a glass surface. For details, go here.
25. Giving babydolls a bath. This isn’t so gender-specific as you may think. You might be surprised at how many boys enjoy a small tub of water, plastic baby doll, towels and soap. This is another activity which may require a full wardrobe change, but is well-worth the effort.
26. Stamping. Ink pad, paper and a variety of stamps. Check out my tutorial on how to make foam stickers into stamps here.
27. Color scavenger hunt. Give your child a paper bag with a color scribbled on the front, or a colored bag, and ask them to run around the house until they find items of that color to put in the bag. You should also *ahem* set some limits as to what can, and cannot, go in the bag.
28. Bottles and cap matching. Take a bunch of used bottles (washed, of course) and let children match the caps to the bottles. Added bonus? This is a self-correcting activity, so when they get to the end and all the caps don’t match, they know they’ve made a mistake and can go back to find it. Want details? Click here.
29. Rubberband/shoebox guitars. These are fun to play, and fun to make. Just a couple of shoeboxes with rubber bands around them create music (but not too loud) and lots of opportunity for exploration.
30. Give them “work.” Give your younger child the same worksheet you give your older child and see what they do with it! The more authentic and identical the worksheet, the better.
31. Pudding/Yogurt fingerpainting. This is another activity which necessitates prompt bathing (boy, I have a lot of those), but gives you peace of mind while you work with another student that your child won’t be ingesting paint. Tools like spoons and paintbrushes only add to the fun.
32. Cutting practice. While themed printables are fun, you don’t need anything that fancy. Just draw some wiggly lines across a page and ask your older toddler to cut the marks you’ve made.
33. PlayDoh prints. My kids will play with Play Doh for hours anyway, but they’re especially intrigued by anything that makes a print in the soft dough (think Legos, sporks, beaded necklaces, cookie cutters and little truck wheels).
34. Sorting. Colored pasta, old keys, nuts and bolts. You name it, kids can sort it.
35. Balloons. They don’t even need helium- just blow them up and provide a pool noodle for hitting, or tie bunches of them up with a bunch of ribbon and let your kids try to keep them in the air. Try giving kids a straw and having them blow their balloons around the room.
(Please note: use your best judgement when using balloons around young children as popped balloons pose a serious choking hazard.)
36. Water transfer. This can be done with pipettes and small bowls of water, or with small pitchers. The key here is small amounts of water. Colored water is extra exciting.
37. Chalk. It’s versatile- if you have a chalkboard that’s great, but chalk can be used on black construction paper, on driveways and sidewalks if you’re outside, on rocks, on felt…
38. Masking tape obstacle course. You can tailor this to meet your child’s needs- put down a straight line and ask your child to walk/hop/skip along it. Create squares they must use to jump between, even adhere tape to the walls in a hallway and tell your child to try to go below the lines you’ve put up.
39. Pattern Blocks. The idea is to use a set of blocks and ask your child to create the same patterns with the blocks that appear on a form. This can be done by tracing blocks you already have, or by purchasing a set like this one.
40. Give up. Really. When all else fails: skip school for the time being and give your babies the attention they need. I’ve seldom regretted calling it quits on a tough school day to give us all a chance to regroup, but I have often regretted not doing so. Realize that you aren’t a superhuman and there is nothing so important that should make you ignore a young child who wants and needs you
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Monday, May 28, 2012

101 Indoor Activities 4 Kids

Found this on another blog, cute....

101 Fun, Easy, and Inexpensive Indoor Activities for Kids:

1. Have an indoor picnic.
2. Build a fort out of blankets (use chairs, couches, yarn- anything to hold up the blankets!).
3. Make sock puppets (check out our tutorials for monster puppets and sock puppets!).
4. Finger paint with pudding.
5. Playdough- use rolling pins and cookie cutters.
6. Dance PARTY–dance to your favorite songs.
7. Have a tea party.
8. Read nursery rhymes.
9. Make your own indoor hopscotch with masking tape on carpet/wood.
10. Pedicures.
11. Play school–have the child be the teacher.
12. Make a letter book. Let the kids take a picture of something that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
13. Look at photo albums.
14. Make a movie of yourselves, then watch it.
15. Paint with water colors.
16. Play Barbies.
17. Play with matchbox cars (check out our $5 Rain Gutter Race Track and Car Caddy!).
18. Play board games (my kids love Candy Land!).
19. Color with crayons. Take off the wrapper and see the different ways you can color with them.
20. Make paper bag puppets.
21. Watch a movie and eat popcorn.
22. Go on a treasure hunt.
23. Bake cookies.
24. Play dress-up.
25. Make paper hats.
26. Make a healthy snack.
27. Make a relay race or obstacle course in your house–be creative!
28. Play hide and seek.
29. Indoor snowball fight with socks.
30. Build a fort out of cardboard boxes and duct tape.
31. Make plans and invitations for a party.
32. Play tic-tac-toe.
33. Make your own puzzle out of poster board or cardstock, color and cut it out.
34. Make your own matching game.
35. Swim in the kitchen–put down a tarp, fill up a little kiddie pool with warm water and let them play for hours!
36. Make Valentine's décor.
37. Make a car track all around your house with masking tape.
38. Play "Monster in the Middle." Pillows are “safe” the carpet is the “lava.” Jump from pillow to pillow and if the monster touches you, you are in the middle.
39. Apple stamps. Cut an apple in half horizontal and use it as a stamp using washable paint.
40. Make lacing cards with their favorite cereal boxes.
41. Learn a new song.
42. Create a giant dot-to-dot with poster board.
43. Make homemade Valentine's.
44. Make a necklace with yarn, beads or Fruit Loops.
45. Have a talent show.
46. Cut paper snowflakes.
47. Make a paper countdown chain to Valentine's Day or an upcoming birthday by cutting strips of paper and stapling them together.
48. Hard noodles, Elmer’s glue, and paper… need I say more?
49. Marble racing. Take 2 of your swimming pool water noodles and prop them on the stairs. Race marbles down the middle of them. The hole is a perfect size for a marble.
50. Sculpt clay, let it dry, then paint.
51. Play paper dolls.
52. Write letters to Grandma and Grandpa.
53. Play with magnets. Cut up colorful pipe cleaners into 1 inch pieces, put them in a glass jar, put a magnet to the jar and see what happens!
54. Make an advent calendar for Valentine's Day or an upcoming holiday.
55. Make princess/king crowns (check out our Felt Crown Tutorial!).
56. Manicures.
57. Take silly pictures and e-mail them to Dad/Mom at work or other relatives.
58. Make big cars out of a cardboard box. Have the kids sit inside the boxes, cut holes for their legs and let them use their feet as wheels to move around.
59. Play red-light, green-light. Play this with #58. It is so fun!
60. Toilet paper a room in your house.
61. Make a super hero costume out of household items (check out our No-Sew T-Shirt Cape Tutorial).
62. Pillow pile. Collect all the pillows in your house and jump into them.
63. Dress up in Mom or Dad’s clothes.
64. Plan a date for your child and you (or spouse) that makes them feel special.
65. Cream painting. Put shaving cream and drops of food coloring in a cookie tray and then mix it all around with a paint brush.
66. Make a story book out of paper. Have them make it up and draw the pictures.
67. Watch old family videos.
68. Make and frost sugar cookies (try our delicious Sugar Cookies Recipe!).
69. Make paper airplanes.
70. Toilet paper trail. Give them each a roll and have them make a trail all around the house.
71. Read their favorite book to them.
72. Start a journal. If the child can’t write, have them tell you what to write.
73. Make a time capsule of their favorite things and open it next January.
74. Make flash cards (letters, sounds, addition, etc.).
75. Make homemade paper dolls (Check out these free printable paper dolls!).
76. Make cupcakes and let them do everything themselves.
77. Plan a family vacation.
78. Teach them to sew.
79. Do an exercise video with them.
80. Rearrange the furniture in their room.
81. Hot cocoa bar. Chocolate covered spoons, marshmallows, whipped cream, Andes mints. Get creative! What do you put in your hot cocoa?
82. Make a bird feeder with toilet paper rolls. Put peanut butter on it and roll it in bird seed. Hang it with yarn outside and watch the birds come.
83. Make little pizzas. Use English muffins, tomato sauce, cheese and any toppings you want. Cook at 350 degrees. Watch until cheese melts.
84. Put on a play.
85. Make an Ice Sun Catcher. Take a pie tin and fill it with water, leaves, pine cones, and yarn so it can hang. Then put it outside and let it freeze. When it is frozen, take it out and hang it on a tree.
86. Color the snow. If it isn’t too cold outside, fill squirt bottles with warm water and food
coloring. See what designs you can make in the snow.
87. Let them use your makeup to give you a makeover–this one is HILARIOUS!
88. Let them pick and print out coloring pages online–there are TONS!
89. Make a piñata and fill it with yummy (or healthy) treats.
90. Have a campout in the front room… tent and all.
91. Play doctor. We do this a lot at my house!
92. Mummy wrap. Have your kids work together to wrap you, or another child, up in toilet paper.
93. Practice your fire drill. Stop, drop, and roll. What is your plan and your meeting place?
94. Ball toss. Have a few different sized buckets and have kids throw balls into them. For
older kids, fill the buckets with water almost to the top. It is a lot harder than it seems.
95. Put lipstick on your kids and have them make a kiss Valentine for Dad or grandparents.
96. Read a book then act out the story.
97. Indoor bowling. Stuff socks into toilet paper rolls and line them up. Roll a ball into them and you have your own bowling alley!
98. Fill up the sink! Add some dish soap, cups, spoons, bowls and anything else that isn't breakable. Just make sure there are a couple of towels under their chairs.
99. Play grocery store with items from your pantry. Let them check out with plastic bags!
100. Take a bath! Put in toys you usually don’t let go in the tub (that are still waterproof) and they will play forever!
101. Chores. Kids don’t always have to LOVE what they are doing, but I think it is very important to teach what chores are at a young age.






















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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Blog Update

If you have not clicked the button to "officially" follow my blog, then please do. It is always nice to see who is reading. I have also added a button where you can follow me on Pinterest if you would like :) Thank you for keeping up with our crew & have a great night!

-M&M Momma

Sisterly Love!





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Product You'll Love-Cardboard House

Such a fun find! Discovery Kids make these cute lil' cardboard creations your kiddos can decorate & then play in. My ladies got the house because it is really big & has 2 entry ways, but there is also a spaceship & castle your kiddos might also enjoy. This is a great inside or outside project that will definitely give your kids hours of fun. The house has lots of windows, 2 doors, a chimney, & cute lil' mailboxes on both sides. It was very easy to assemble & aside from a lil' marker accidents on their hands & clothes, not messy at all. So get 1 of these kits & some washable markers & you are good 2 go!

-M&M Momma






Is there something on my face?







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Friday, May 25, 2012

Update

New website added to the bottom of "Useful Websites" page, some valuable post baby fashion tips. :)

-M&M Momma
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2 Do This Weekend

May 26, 2012

 

Body Depot Workshops. Ages 6 & up. Three different workshops to choose from: Monster Manual, Venom or Busy Bones. 11:30am Monster Manual or Venom, 1pm Busy Bones. Included with admission: $14 adults, $11 ages 3-17. Arizona Science Center, 600 E Washington St. 602-716-2028  azscience.org

Breakfast with Incredible Elephants! Ages 2-5 (with an adult). Breakfast, activities and a behind-the-scenes experience with the elephants. 8-9am. $45/pair ($25 members). Preregister. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N Galvin Pkwy. 602-914-4333 or phoenixzoo.org
Cirque de la Symphonie (Sat May 26). Acrobats, contortionists, jugglers and aerialists perform to classical and contemporary music. Performed by the Phoenix Symphony. 1:30pm pre-show activities; concert at 2:30pm. $11-$19. Symphony Hall, 75 N 2nd St. 602-495-1999 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 602-495-1999 or phoenixsymphony.org
Double the Waves, Double the Fun. All ages. Enjoy the indoor wave pool and water slide. Noon-3pm and 3:30-6:30pm. $7 adults, $5 ages 2-12. Kiwanis Recreation Center, 6111 S All America Way, Tempe. 480-350-5201 or tempe.gov/kiwanis

Emerge: Redesigning the Future (Apr 10-Aug 25). Interactive exhibition that unites artists, engineers, bioscientists, social scientists, story tellers and designers to build, draw, write and play with the future. 11am-8pm Tues, 11am-5pm Wed-Sat. Free. ASU Art Museum, southeast corner of Mill Ave & 10th St, Tempe. 480-965-2787or asuartmuseum.asu.edu

Extreme Pets (May 25-Sept 9). Learn how to adopt a pet, build pet sculptures, play pet video games and even meet various extreme pets in person (check calendar of events). 10am-4pm Tues-Sat, noon-4pm Sun, closed Mon. $7, under 1 free. Arizona Museum for Youth, 35 N Robson St, Mesa. 480-644-2467 or arizonamuseumforyouth.com

Fly Fishing 101. All ages (ages 16 & under must be accompanied by an adult). Learn fly fishing basics including fly casting and outfit rigging. Call for times. Free. Preregister. Orvis Co Store, 7012 E Greenway Pkwy #160, Scottsdale (480-905-1400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 480-905-1400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting) or Hook-Up Outfitters, 8708 W Harbor Blvd, Peoria (623-412-3474 orvis.com/ff101
Garden Flashlight Tours. All ages. Hear and feel the desert at night. Bring a flashlight. 7pm. Included with admission: $18 adults, $10 ages 13-18, $8 ages 3-12, 2 & under free. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N Galvin Pkwy. 480-941-1225 or dbg.org
Hairspray (Fri-Sun May 25-June 3). Tale of the loveable plus-size heroine with a passion for dance. Performed by Mesa Encore Theatre. Call for times. $25 adults, $20 students/seniors. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E Main St, Mesa. 480-644-6500  or mesaencoretheatre.com
Home Opener! All ages. Watch the Phoenix Mercury take on the Los Angeles Sparks. 7pm. $10 & up. US Airways Center, 201 E Jefferson St. 602-252-WNBA (9622) or comeseethemercury.com

Hot Summer Nights Concert Series (Sat May 12-26). Live entertainment and activities. 7-10pm. Free. CityCenter of CityNorth, 5415 E Deer Valley Dr. citycenterofcitynorth.com

International Jazz Day. All ages. Educational talks and live performances by local jazz musicians. 9am-5pm. Included with admission: $15 adults, $13 seniors, $10 ages 6-17, under 6 free. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E Mayo Blvd. 480-478-6000or themim.org
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Fri-Sun May 25-June 24). Colorful tale from the Bible teaches the power of forgiveness and the importance of overcoming challenges. 7:30pm Fri-Sat, 1 & 3pm Sat & Sun. $15 adults ($12 advance), $12 children. Reservations recommended. Desert Stages Theatre, 4720 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664 or desertstages.com

Memorial Day Weekend Fireworks & BBQ. All ages. Slides, attractions, fireworks and an all-you-can-eat BBQ. Park open 10am-10pm. $29.99-$36.99; BBQ additional cost. Wet 'n' Wild, 4243 W Pinnacle Peak Rd, Glendale. 623-201-2000 or wetnwildphoenix.com

Paper! (May 26-Sept 23). Challenges the viewer to look at age-old material in unexpected ways as it explores humankinds relationship with paper, across historical and cultural periods, both as medium and subject matter. 10am-9pm Wed, 10am-5pm Thur-Sat, noon-5pm Sun, closed Mon-Tues. $12 adults, $6 ages 6-17. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N Central Ave. 602-257-1880  or phxart.org

Parkinson Art Show (May 9-31). St. Joseph's Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and the Fountain Hills Parkinson Support Group will display two-dimensional art work from more than 60 artists who have Parkinson's disease or are Parkinson's caregivers. 9am-5pm Mon & Fri-Sat, 11am-9pm Tues-Thur, 1-5pm Sun. Free. Burton Barr Public Library, 2nd floor, 1221 N Central Ave. 602-406-6903  or phxlib.org
Phoenix Comicon. Film festival, costume contest, console tournaments and comic book, anime and media guests. 10:30am-11:30pm. $15-$45, ages 12 & under free with paid adult. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N 3rd St. phoenixcomicon.com

Rapunzel (Sat through June 30). Let down your hair and enjoy this magical fairytale. 11am. $12 adults, $10 children. Hale Centre Theatre, 50 W Page Ave, Gilbert. 480-497-1181 haletheatrearizona.com

Route 66 Rough Stock Stampede Rodeo (Sat-Sun May 26-27). Bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, barrel racing and a kid's rodeo. Parade on Sat at 10am; gates open at noon for the rodeo. $10, ages 7 & under free. Williams Rodeo Grounds, Williams. 928-635-8825 experiencewilliams.com
Shamrock Farms Tours. All ages. Tour a working dairy farm, see how the cows are milked and learn how your milk gets to the store. 10am, 11:15am & 1pm. $9 adults, $7.50 military/seniors, $6 ages 2-12, under 2 free. Reservations required. Shamrock Farms, 40034 W Clayton, Stanfield. 602-477-2462 or shamrockfarms.net

The Big Bug Circus (Wed-Sun May 9-27). A carnival of fun and exciting circus acts starring insect marionettes. 10am Wed-Sat, 2pm Sat-Sun. $8 adults, $6 children, under 2 free. Reservations recommended. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W Latham St. 602-262-2050 or azpuppets.org
The Color of Stars (Sat-Sun through May 27). Touching story about life in America during World War II. Presented by Childsplay.Recommended for ages 8 & up. 1 & 4pm Sat, 1pm Sun; May 5 at 4pm is Grandparents Day. $25 adults, $20 children/students/seniors. Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe. 480-350-2822  or childsplayaz.org
To Kill a Mockingbird (May 25-June 30). Story of love and friendship based on the classic novel. Please be aware that the play is set in the South during the 1930s and does deal with themes of race and intolerance. Children under the age of 12 may not understand the prejudice and issues of that time and may have questions. 7:30pm Thur-Fri, 3 & 7:30pm Sat. $22 adults, $10 ages 12-18. Hale Centre Theatre, 50 W Page Ave, Gilbert. 480-497-1181 or haletheatrearizona.com

Topia (May 2-26). World premiere production performed by Ballet Arizona combines art and the environment. 7:30pm. $39-$50 (discounts for Garden members). Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N Galvin Pkwy. 602-381-1096 or balletaz.org
Twilight Camp. Ages 5-17 (with a paying adult). Guided trail hike, activities, private train tour, a late-night snack and animal encounters. 6:15-10pm. $40 ($35 members). Preregister. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N Galvin Pkwy. 602-914-4333 or phoenixzoo.org

Wyatt Earp Days (Sat-Mon May 26-28). Gunfights, chili cook-off, reenactments of hangings, 1880s fashion show, entertainment, look-alike contests, carnival rides and more. Events begin at 10am. Free. Historic Allen St, Tombstone. 520-266-5266 or tombstonechamber.com

Salute to Our Heroes: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday through Monday, May 24-28. Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix salutes our nation's heroes and thanks them for their service by offering free admission for members and veterans of our U.S. military and first responders such as active-duty police, sheriff, highway patrol, active-duty firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. Family members pay just $19.99 each plus tax for up to six people. Veterans, military and first responders must be present and provide a valid government ID or badge to receive free admission and to get discount tickets. Tickets are valid on the day of distribution only. Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix, 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Glendale. Free for veterans and active-duty military and first responders, $19.99 each plus tax for up to six family members. 623-201-2000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 623-201-2000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. wetnwildphoenix.com/Events/Upcoming-Events-.htm.

May 27, 2012

Bark in the Park. All ages. Bring your canine companion out to the ball game. There will be a parade and Puppy Rally. Proceeds benefit the AAWL & SPCA. 11:30am events begin; game starts at 1:10pm. $18-$25, pre-registration required. Chase Field, 401 E Jefferson St. 602-273-6852

Body Depot Workshops. Ages 6 & up. Three different workshops to choose from: Monster Manual, Venom or Busy Bones. 11:30am Monster Manual or Venom, 1pm Busy Bones. Included with admission: $14 adults, $11 ages 3-17. Arizona Science Center, 600 E Washington St. 602-716-2028
Breakfast with Incredible Elephants! Ages 2-5 (with an adult). Breakfast, activities and a behind-the-scenes experience with the elephants. 8-9am. $45/pair ($25 members). Preregister. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N Galvin Pkwy. 602-914-4333
Double the Waves, Double the Fun. All ages. Enjoy the indoor wave pool and water slide. 1-5pm. $7 adults, $5 ages 2-12. Kiwanis Recreation Center, 6111 S All America Way, Tempe. 480-350-5201
Extreme Pets (May 25-Sept 9). Learn how to adopt a pet, build pet sculptures, play pet video games and even meet various extreme pets in person (check calendar of events). 10am-4pm Tues-Sat, noon-4pm Sun, closed Mon. $7, under 1 free. Arizona Museum for Youth, 35 N Robson St, Mesa. 480-644-2467

Fly Fishing 101. All ages (ages 16 & under must be accompanied by an adult). Learn fly fishing basics including fly casting and outfit rigging. Call for times. Free. Preregister. Orvis Co Store, 7012 E Greenway Pkwy #160, Scottsdale (480-905-1400 or Hook-Up Outfitters, 8708 W Harbor Blvd, Peoria (623-412-3474 
Hairspray (Fri-Sun May 25-June 3). Tale of the loveable plus-size heroine with a passion for dance. Performed by Mesa Encore Theatre. Call for times. $25 adults, $20 students/seniors. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E Main St, Mesa. 480-644-6500 
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Fri-Sun May 25-June 24). Colorful tale from the Bible teaches the power of forgiveness and the importance of overcoming challenges. 7:30pm Fri-Sat, 1 & 3pm Sat & Sun. $15 adults ($12 advance), $12 children. Reservations recommended. Desert Stages Theatre, 4720 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664

Kid's Sunday. All ages. Giveaways to the first 5,000 kids through the gate and ages 12 & under get to run the bases after the game. Game starts at 1:10pm. $5 & up. Chase Field, 401 E Jefferson St. 602-514-8400 

Memorial Day Weekend Fireworks & BBQ. All ages. Slides, attractions, fireworks and an all-you-can-eat BBQ. Park open 10am-10pm. $29.99-$36.99; BBQ additional cost. Wet 'n' Wild, 4243 W Pinnacle Peak Rd, Glendale. 623-201-2000 
Paper! (May 26-Sept 23). Challenges the viewer to look at age-old material in unexpected ways as it explores humankinds relationship with paper, across historical and cultural periods, both as medium and subject matter. 10am-9pm Wed, 10am-5pm Thur-Sat, noon-5pm Sun, closed Mon-Tues. $12 adults, $6 ages 6-17. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N Central Ave. 602-257-1880

Parkinson Art Show (May 9-31). St. Joseph's Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and the Fountain Hills Parkinson Support Group will display two-dimensional art work from more than 60 artists who have Parkinson's disease or are Parkinson's caregivers. 9am-5pm Mon & Fri-Sat, 11am-9pm Tues-Thur, 1-5pm Sun. Free. Burton Barr Public Library, 2nd floor, 1221 N Central Ave. 602-406-6903  phxlib.org

Phoenix Comicon. Film festival, costume contest, console tournaments and comic book, anime and media guests. 10:30am-5:30pm. $15-$45, ages 12 & under free with paid adult. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N 3rd St. phoenixcomicon.com

Route 66 Rough Stock Stampede Rodeo (Sat-Sun May 26-27). Bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, barrel racing and a kid's rodeo. Parade on Sat at 10am; gates open at noon for the rodeo. $10, ages 7 & under free. Williams Rodeo Grounds, Williams. 928-635-8825  or experiencewilliams.com

Scottsdale Street Fair. All ages. Farmer's market, flower market, arts & crafts vendors, family entertainment and more. 10am-4pm. Free. Pavilions Shopping Center, 9175 E Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale. 480-256-9627 or scottsdalestreetfair.com

Silent Sunday. All ages. Enjoy park ranger guided programs while the park's main roadways will be closed to motor vehicles. 5am-11pm. Free. South Mountain Park, 10919 S Central Ave. 602-495-5811 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 602-495-5811 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. phoenix.gov/parks

Sunday Night Concert Series (Sun May 6-27). Favorite local bands. Bring blankets or chairs. 7:30-9pm. Free concert; $2/train and carousel rides. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale. 480-312-2312 or therailroadpark.com
The Big Bug Circus (Wed-Sun May 9-27). A carnival of fun and exciting circus acts starring insect marionettes. 10am Wed-Sat, 2pm Sat-Sun. $8 adults, $6 children, under 2 free. Reservations recommended. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W Latham St. 602-262-2050 azpuppets.org
The Color of Stars (Sat-Sun through May 27). Touching story about life in America during World War II. Presented by Childsplay.Recommended for ages 8 & up. 1 & 4pm Sat, 1pm Sun; May 5 at 4pm is Grandparents Day. $25 adults, $20 children/students/seniors. Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe. 480-350-2822 childsplayaz.org

Visions (through Sept 9). High school art students in the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art's teen program called "Visions," showcase their works from a year's worth of workshops, lessons, artist studio visits and creative activities. 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun. Free. SMOCA's young@art Gallery is located within the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E 2nd St, Scottsdale. 480-874-4641 or smoca.org

Wyatt Earp Days (Sat-Mon May 26-28). Gunfights, chili cook-off, reenactments of hangings, 1880s fashion show, entertainment, look-alike contests, carnival rides and more. Events begin at 10am. Free. Historic Allen St, Tombstone. 520-266-5266 or tombstonechamber.com
Salute to Our Heroes: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday through Monday, May 24-28. Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix salutes our nation's heroes and thanks them for their service by offering free admission for members and veterans of our U.S. military and first responders such as active-duty police, sheriff, highway patrol, active-duty firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. Family members pay just $19.99 each plus tax for up to six people. Veterans, military and first responders must be present and provide a valid government ID or badge to receive free admission and to get discount tickets. Tickets are valid on the day of distribution only. Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix, 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Glendale. Free for veterans and active-duty military and first responders, $19.99 each plus tax for up to six family members. 623-201-2000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 623-201-2000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. wetnwildphoenix.com/Events/Upcoming-Events-.htm.

May 28, 2012

 

Summer Kids' Movie Series. All ages. Family-friendly films that are all rated G or PG. 9am doors open, 9:30am movie begins. $5 for 10 weeks of movies. UltraStar Cinemas, Scottsdale Pavilions, Loop 101 & Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale (480-278-7324) and Surprise Pointe, 13649 N Litchfield Rd, Surprise (623-584-3838). ultrastarmovies.com

Underwater Portraits. All ages. Get a great underwater photo of your child. 9am-noon. Call for prices. Preregister. SWIMkids USA, 2725 W Guadalupe, Mesa. 480-820-9109 or swimkidsusa.us

Wyatt Earp Days (Sat-Mon May 26-28). Gunfights, chili cook-off, reenactments of hangings, 1880s fashion show, entertainment, look-alike contests, carnival rides and more. Events begin at 10am. Free. Historic Allen St, Tombstone. 520-266-5266 or tombstonechamber.com

Salute to Our Heroes: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday through Monday, May 24-28. Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix salutes our nation's heroes and thanks them for their service by offering free admission for members and veterans of our U.S. military and first responders such as active-duty police, sheriff, highway patrol, active-duty firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. Family members pay just $19.99 each plus tax for up to six people. Veterans, military and first responders must be present and provide a valid government ID or badge to receive free admission and to get discount tickets. Tickets are valid on the day of distribution only. Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix, 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Glendale. Free for veterans and active-duty military and first responders, $19.99 each plus tax for up to six family members. 623-201-2000  wetnwildphoenix.com/Events/Upcoming-Events-.htm.

Memorial Day Observance: 9 a.m. May 28. Representatives of several of the Valley's historic organizations attend. Included are tours of the 1897 Smurthwaite House, self-guided tours of the cemeteries, book signings by noted authors such as Debe Branning, "Grand Canyon Ghost Stories"; Pat Grady, "Out of the Ruins: Pioneer Life in Frontier Phoenix, Arizona Territory 1867-1881"; and Lisa Schnebly Heidinger, "Arizona 100 Years Grand". Historical re-enactor Don Shields portrays George W.P. Hunt, Arizona's first governor. Light refreshments are served. Gates open at 8 a.m., the ceremony begins at 9, and gates close at noon. Presented by the Pioneers' Cemetery Association. Pioneer and Military Memorial Park, 15th Ave. and Jefferson St., Phoenix. Free. 602-534-1262 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 602-534-1262 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. azhistcemeteries.org.

Salt River Tubing & Recreation in the Tonto National Forest. For many Arizonans, a "floating picnic" on the lower Salt River is a summer tradition. Salt River Tubing provides inner tubes for rental as well as a bus ride up the river, where you will begin your 2 - 6 hour journey down the river. Be sure to bring a cooler, sunscreen, and plenty of water to drink (but leave the glass containers at home). Holiday weekends are extremely busy, so you should expect an exuberant atmosphere in addition to the beautiful mountain scenery. Salt River Tubing opens on May 3rd and operates 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information about Salt River Tubing & Recreation, visit their website (http://www.saltrivertubing.com).


VETERANS EAT FREE ON MONDAY, MAY 30TH FROM 7 AM - 10:30 AM WITH VETERANS CARD. FREE BREAKFAST INCLUDES YOUR CHOICE OF MEAL WITH COFFEE, TEA, OR SOFT DRINK INCLUDED.  

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