Thursday, October 14, 2010

Farm Trip!


A couple of weekends ago we visited a farm. Last year we went to Linvilla Orchards, but this year we tried Johnson Corner Farm in Medford, NJ. We had a wonderful time. It was very organized -- the hayride (around $3) went to the apple orchard and then to the pumpkin patch (rather than just a scenic ride to nowhere). Jeremy enjoyed picking a few apples -- the low-hanging fruit were conveniently toddler-accessible! For an additional fee we fed the animals (each person gets an ear of corn to slide down a shoot to the animals). We didn't have time for the playground. Caleb slept through his first farm trip (and car ride for that matter)! We had lunch and bought cider donuts and had a lovely morning. I think we will return during other seasons and pick a variety of fruits and vegetables and ride the hayride! Jeremy keeps asking to go back to the farm....

Friday, October 1, 2010

News!


Sorry about the very long hiatus! We are happy to announce the birth of Caleb Max on August 17, 2010! He and Jeremy are very much in love and I promise to post again (and regularly) soon!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

World Cafe Live


Jeremy and I took Daddy to World Cafe Live for Father's Day. We had never been there before. On most Saturdays at 11:30 AM (doors open at 11:00) they have Peanut Butter and Jams (concerts for kids). The group we saw was called Shushybyes. We seemed to be the only ones in the audience who had neither seen the television program nor heard of them!

Tickets are generally $10 for adults and $7 for children over 1 (slightly cheaper if you buy them at the box office in advance). We purchased the kid-friendly all-you-can-eat lunch buffet ($10/person for adults and $7/person for kids). It was surprisingly good -- it included pizza, sandwiches, salad, hot dogs, fries, macaroni cheese, cut-up fruit (Jeremy couldn't be happier), and cookies. We ate at a a table and then moved to the floor for the rest of the concert. We had a great time and surely will go again at some point.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Sesame Place



We decided to take Jeremy to Sesame Place this summer as it is only 30 minutes away. He has never watched Sesame Street, but he LOVES the characters from his diapers and from books. We had a great deal from a coupon I picked up at Walgreens for about $33/person (children under 2 are free). The usual admission fee is $53/person, but you get two separate admissions during the season for that price. Sesame Place wasn't as big as we remembered it from our own childhoods, but it was fun!! Jeremy had a wonderful time, although he was scared of some of the attractions. He loved the parade and the shows. Unfortunately, we didn't go on any water rides -- they are at least half of the park, but it wasn't very hot the day we went. Even so, we still had plenty to keep us busy for the entire day. Eventually Jeremy napped in his stroller from 3:30-4:30. I am glad we went this summer, but I am sure he'll love it even more next summer.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Camden Children's Garden



We recently took a field trip on the RiverLink Ferry to the Camden Children's Garden. As I've said before, the Ferry is a fun, different way to venture over to Camden. It runs from May through September, leaving Philadelphia every hour on the hour beginning at 10:00 a.m. and Camden every hour on the half hour beginning at 9:30 a.m. Adults are $7.00 round trip and children under 3 are free. This was our first visit to the Camden Children's Garden (open Friday through Sunday). It is a whimsical place with beautiful landscaping. It is divided into sections such as "Storybook Gardens," "Dinosaur Garden," and "Violet Plaza" (this is the entrance, which includes spraying water jets!). The downside is that it seems a bit tired and is losing funding. Nevertheless, the boys had fun running around and exploring. They especially loved riding the lovely, scenic train for only $1.50!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Jeremy Goes to the Circus!


As a surprise birthday gift to my mom, my brother, Brent, and I took my parents and Jeremy to the circus. We went to Ringling Brothers in centrally located Trenton, NJ and we all had a wonderful time. We of course enjoyed the circus, but particularly loved watching Jeremy watch the circus. We bought Jeremy a seat as is required for children over 2, but he spent the whole time on people's laps. Oh well. A month later, he is STILL talking about it. He particularly loved (and remembers) the elephants and tigers. He watched the entire time, craning his head all around, and clapped a lot. So fun!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Happy Birthday, Blog!!


Philababy with Fun turned one this week! Thanks to everybody who reads it! Please feel free to give me comments and suggestions. Jeremy and I are having fun documenting our adventures and hope that we give other parents and youngsters good ideas, too!

This is Jeremy on his second birthday :)

JerZJump


We often are looking for centally-located places to meet north Jersey and NYC friends. We tried a new place recently called jerZjump in Monmouth Junction, NJ. It was about an hour from Philly. Admission for toddlers is $5. The toddler room kept our two-year-olds busy (lots of bright, soft mats to play on and in and an assortment of other toys, too (play kitchen, vacuum, etc.)) The facility was very clean. Smaller toddlers can play in a fifteen-foot climber (not Jeremy's thing) and taller toddlers can use more of the inflatables around the facility. They also had a snack bar and some small token-operated rides. It was the ideal rainy day activity to occupy the kids for a couple of hours while the parents caught up! Then we found the Wisdom Diner right around the corner -- perfect child-friendly lunch and then we all went home!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Please Touch Museum, Finally!


Well, we finally made it the Please Touch Museum, and boy was it great!! Parking was absolutely no problem -- we parked for free right on the street. The lot is $8. One could also visit via Phlash! Admission for adults and children over 1 is $15, but we were happy to use our reciprocal membership from the Garden State Discovery Museum. We visited on a weekend morning (on a holiday weekend) and it wasn't terribly crowded. We all LOVED it! There is a water play area on the main level as well as a section for younger children. Jeremy loved the transportation things (buses, trucks to climb on), but downstairs was even better! We visited a very realistic grocery store, hospital, and so much more! We attended a puppet show, too, and made it home in time for lunch and nap. We will definitely be back often. The museum was so clean and so entertaining for children (and parents!)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Little Explorers at Bartram's Garden

We have never been, but I just learned about the Little Explorers program at Bertram's Garden. Monthly programs designed especially for children ages 2-4 encourage curiosity about the natural world through hands-on experience with gardening, birds, insects, and more!

All programs run from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Each session includes activities, reading, snacks, and (weather permitting) a walk through the garden. RSVP required to Rose Levine, 215-729-5281 x110, rlevine@bartramsgarden.org. Admission is $10/child, I think that adults are free.

Here's what left this year:
June 2: Garden in Bloom
Walk in the garden and make some colorful flower artwork to take home.
July 7: Caterpillars, Dragonflies, and Butterflies…Oh, My!
Take a walk in the garden searching for bugs, and build an insect sculpture.
August 4: Water Wonderland
Cool off with outdoor water games and crafts.
September 1: Summer Harvest Celebration
Harvest the garden bounty and help make a delicious salad to taste.
October 6: Apple Cider, 18th Century Style
Take a turn crushing apples in an old cider press to make fresh apple cider.
November 3: Seed Collectors
How do seeds travel? Collect seeds from all over the garden and make a
mosaic.
December 1: Winter Greens
Hunt for fragrant evergreen trees and red berries and make a winter arrangement.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Park After Dark (Three Bears Park Fundraiser)

We LOVE Three Bears Park and frequent it many times a week. We are happy to support the park and will surely attend the adult-only fundraiser on Thursday, June 3. I hope many of you can come! See the flyer for more information....

Friday, May 21, 2010

More Dining Out Deals

Marathon Restaurants recently instituted a Kids' Happy Hour! Between 5:00-6:00 PM on Mondays-Fridays, children's meals are half-off. The children's menu options vary from sliders to grilled cheese to macaroni cheese and meals come with a huge bowl of fruit. Jeremy loved it and it and his meal only came to around $3.00!

We frequented IHOP this spring as children ate dinner free the whole month of April. Now April is over, but children still eat free on Friday nights! The children's menu there is huge -- from pancakes and eggs to cheeseburgers and chicken fingers. These entrees also come with fruit. Can't beat pancakes for dinner for a fun treat!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Garden State Discovery Museum



Sorry I haven't posted in a while -- we have been very busy moving, etc. We recently visited the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill. We bought a membership which allows reciprocity with other Children's Museums around the country, including the fabulous Please Touch Museum (to which we still haven't been!!) The membership (with reciprocity) was $120/year which is a touch cheaper than buying it at the PTM, but membership to the PTM includes perks like parking, etc., that I don't think we would get with our reciprocal membership.

Jeremy enjoyed the museum, particularly the stable of rocking horses. He also liked the grocery shopping opportunity, newscasting station, and was a big fan of a huge board of lights!! We will definitely return, but can't wait to go to the PTM!!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Smith Playhouse and Playground



We love Smith Playhouse and Playground ("the kids' play place in the park")! Right in Fairmount Park, Smith was created over 100 years ago to provide a safe and FREE place for inner-city kids to have fun. It includes 24,000 square foot playhouse full of old-school toys (play kitchen, large wooden train, numerous ride-on toys -- on three levels!) and a gorgeous outdoor playground complete with a BRAND NEW tot lot for the toddlers!! Only children under 5 may go in the Playhouse, while the Playground is for children under 10. Of course, kids love the 13 foot-wide wooden slide!

The first Wednesday of the month is story hour at 10:30. Crafts are the third Friday of the month at 10:30. We haven't been to either yet.

The parking lot is big and free.

What a great place for kids, rain or shine!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Franklin Square


Franklin Square just opened for the season and we went the other day to spend a fun-filled morning. The park is so nice and includes a beautiful fountain in the middle, a gorgeous playground with a special tot lot, a carousel ($3, children under 2 are free but must ride with an adult), and an adorable Philly-themed mini-golf course. We had Jeremy's first birthday at Franklin Square last May. SquareBurger, Steven Starr's snack shop, has been around since last summer and offers many treats (burgers, hot dogs, salads, fries, milkshakes) and makes for a fun picnic!! The Square has many events through out the season (Easter Egg Hunt, Mother's and Father's Day Activities, and events for Labor Day, Halloween, Christmas, and New Year's Eve). Check it out!!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

First Picnic of the Season!


A bunch of us went to Washington Square Park for the first picnic of the season! The kids had so much fun running around in the (empty) fountain and then we had a nice picnic lunch. Here's another plug for the JJ Cole Blanket which is waterproof on both sides and folds into a nice carrying bag. We get so much use out of it. Even active toddlers like to stop and sit down for lunch. It is available at Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby, and many other places. Here's to a great new season of outdoor fun!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Phileo


We finally made our first visit to the self-serve frozen yogurt place: Phileo Yogurt (416 South Street)! Jeremy enjoyed the fun treat at Philadelphia's own version of Pinkberry. The yogurt is 49 cents/ounce and you can test flavors before you fill your cup. Yogurt flavors range from expected to unusual: red velvet cake, green tea, and taro. Toppings range from healthy fruits (Jeremy's "choice") to all sorts of sweets. No high chairs, but we managed. I'm sure we'll be back this summer for a special treat!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

KidsInCenterCity Playdate

I received a few emails today announcing the KidsInCenterCity Saturday Play Date. It looks like fun and a nice escape of this weekend's rainy weather, plus it's always fun to check out the Comcast Wall. The following comes directly from the email:

Event: KidsInCenterCity.com Saturday Playdate
Date: March 13, 10:30am-1pm
Location: Comcast Center, 17th Street and JFK Boulevard

Meet one of the hosts and Chica the Chicken from 24-hour preschool network Sprout's LIVE morning show The Sunny Side Up Show. They will be at the Comcast Center Market on March 13, from 10:30am-1pm, reading stories and taking photos - don't forget to bring your camera.

On hand with fun projects for the kids and information about their programs will be:

  • The Franklin Institute
  • Walnut Street Theatre
  • Philadelphia Art Alliance
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
  • Academy of Natural Sciences

Kids can color, learn how to make slime, bring home a balloon and even see live animals. Market Merchants will have fun kid-themed specials. Parents should stop first to watch The Comcast Experience screen show before descending to the lower level Market area where the event will be held.

Want to be in the know on events like this? Sign up for our email newsletter at kidsincentercity.com/signup and be the first to learn about kid friendly events and resources.

This event is sponsored by KidsInCenterCity.com, a brand new family-oriented website with everything that parents in Center City Philadelphia need to know about schools, events, shopping, dining and more.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Philadelphia Flower Show


Yesterday a group of us went with our toddlers in tow to the breath-taking Philadelphia International Flower Show, what a treat! Tickets are $24 for adults and children under 2 are free. The show, titled "Passport to the World," continues through Saturday, March 6. The children were mesmerized by the exhibits, particularly India and Africa. They loved the giant hot air balloon, elephant, giraffe, and explosive color everywhere! It is amazing to see such a beautiful and diverse collection of flowers thriving -- indoors! A real benefit for families is the Family Lounge sponsored by Fisher Price. Our children enjoyed playing with just-marketed toys and we made pretty foam flower as free souvenirs. This was such a wonderful field trip, good for all ages!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Jeremy Goes to Florida!




Well, we took our first family vacation and Jeremy survived his first flight. I am not sure the other passengers on our flight did, but so be it. We purposely booked the flight during his nap, bought him a seat and brought the carseat along (FAA recommends children under 40 pounds fly with a car seat). Brent lugged the carseat through the airport on his shoulder, secured with an old luggage strap. Unfortunately, he cried through most of the flight, but this does not deter us. The rest of the trip was great and we shall of course travel again!

We went to Clearwater Beach, FL (flying into Tampa). We stayed at Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites on Sand Key. We had a great deal -- free night with points and the other nights were $167 and $175. All rooms were suites -- ideal for traveling with a toddler -- Jeremy had his own "room" complete with a free crib. The hotel was very child-friendly and Jeremy particularly loved the brightly-colored macaw in the lobby named Lisa. Now that we're home, he imitates Lisa's talking all the time! We didn't have the best weather, but we enjoyed collecting shells on the beautiful beach, visited the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, and played at the fabulous Common Ground Park (gorgeous playground with various play zones designed for children 2-12) in Lakeland while visiting friends. Clearwater Beach had many nice playgrounds (on the beach), but it was way too windy. Jeremy greatly enjoyed the trip to Publix to stock up on snacks and fruit. Our shopping carts in Philadelphia DO NOT have a set of double steering wheels!! In fact, we don't use carts in here; we enter the store in a stroller and that's how we shop!!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

All Aboard!


We recently took Jeremy on his first train ride and it was a success! We have lots of Amtrak points so we thought that would be a good way to visit our newest baby friends in New York City. Apparently, 30th Street Station no longer has non-valet, on-site parking, but luckily we had left enough time to find a local lot near the station.

The train ride was a fun adventure! Jeremy sat on the seat the whole time and read books and admired the scenery. The only problem we had during the weekend was that we planned to walk 40 blocks uptown in order for him to nap, but he was so stimulated by the exciting walk through the city that he didn't nap at all! On the way back we took the subway, which was an adventure in itself.

I highly recommend the very family-friendly Milburn Hotel on 76th and Broadway. We had a suite (separate bedroom and living room) and a very mini kitchen (fridge, microwave, sink) for $199/night. This included a crib that rolled between the rooms (so we visited with friends while Jeremy slept in our bedroom and when the friends left we rolled him into the living room, sound asleep). It also included continental breakfast.

All in all, we had a great weekend and have a new way to travel!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Constructing Play


Jeremy and I went on a solo field trip last week to the Philadelphia Center for Architecture at 1218 Arch Street. They have a special exhibit called "Constructing Play" and it continues through January 29. This free exhibit includes a hands-on section and then a short walk through the history of classic building toys (ie: Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, Erector Sets). We were glad we stopped by.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

SEPTA Fun!

I'm back, sorry about the hiatus. Jeremy and I went to SEPTA headquarters at 1234 Market Street on Monday. To sate Jeremy's obsession with "choo choos," we were hoping to visit the SEPTA Transit Store to admire the train items and play with the Thomas train table. Unfortunately, it was closed for MLK Day. Instead, we took the elevator down (a fun adventure in itself) and climbed aboard the retired trolley car. The seats are low and the driver seat is accessible -- Jeremy had lots of fun! We'll be sure to return (when the store is open and when my camera is charged)!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Teeth Tips!

We have been having problems brushing Jeremy's teeth (he is not interested and tries to squirm all over the place). This result occurred despite cleaning his gums with a washcloth beginning at four months as instructed. Up until now, we have only been using water because toothpaste isn't necessary at his age. We didn't love the ingredients found in some of the toddler toothpastes, but were happy to find that JASON/Earth's Best (as well as several other brands) makes a more natural toddler toothpaste, which we bought on Diapers.com. We also now alternate between a regular toddler toothbrush and a GUM Crayola Power Toothbrush (purchased in Rite Aid). This is for slightly older children, but we help him, and it works for us! He likes having his miniature Sonicare. Here's to a lifetime of health teeth!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Lands' End


Just another little plug for Lands' End. I bought Jeremy his winter coat and adorable polar bear snow boots from Lands' End (online) this year. (Also got him $10 snow pants, but we haven't been able to play in the snow yet!) The Toddler Squall Jacket is great because it's warm enough for -10 degrees, but isn't too bulky to wear in the carseat according to the very strict carseat installation inspectors. The quality and prices are excellent, free shipping is always able to be found, customer service on the telephone is so helpful, and the return policy is great because you can return items to Sears with no time limit! I make most of my purchases through the "overstock section." It is very easy to search by size, price, etc. Also, if I notice a price has been reduced shortly after I order something, they refund the difference. (Unrelated, but his summer 2009 bathing suit collection came from Lands' End -$5 each!)

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!


I am definitely going to post more frequently in 2010; that is one of my goals. Happy New Year, everybody! Today we saw a bit of the Mummers Parade which is always a very Philadelphia and fun thing to do. Jeremy didn't know what to make of it. Then we attended one of the free (monthly) PNC Grow up Great concerts at the Kimmel Center. This was our first concert (the schedule is on a previous posting). We had a wonderful time and I highly recommend this. Today's performance was World Music with Daria and she was excellent. The Kimmel Center had free balloon creatures and face painting and was a perfect New Year's start!