Society Hill Synagogue Playschool and Hanukkah Happening

Just a little plug for our beloved Society Hill Synagogue's Playschool- undoubtedly one of the best in the city! It's hard to believe, but the application process is underway for the 2012-13 school year! Jeremy has attended the two-year-old class and now is in the three-and-four-year-old class. Next year he will be in the Pre-K and Caleb will be in the two-year-old class! It's a warm, nurturing environment, with wonderful, caring teachers. The applications are now available online and must be submitted by Monday, December 12 at 1:00 PM. 

On Sunday, December 11, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, we will be  hosting our annual Hanukkah Happening and Open House. It's a super fun party for the current and prospective families with the opportunity to learn a little more about the school.  Admission is $10 per family. Enjoy delicious latkes, games, crafts, and music.

I am a co-chair of the Playschool Committee (active and involved parents), so please email if you have questions (laurelsiegel@yahoo.com).

Macy's Holiday Light Show

Recently I took both boys on a field trip to Macy's. It was the opening week of the 50+ year old Holiday Light Show so it wasn't crowded at all, and boy was it a treat. They both sat on my lap, on the red carpet, mesmerized. The show is every hour, on the hour, starting at 10AM. The last show time varies each day based on the holiday schedule (see link). We love the Julie Andrew narration, the organ accompaniment, the mix of Nutcracker aspects, snowmen, reindeer, and winter fun. It's so exciting to watch it right in the middle of Macy's! We are going back next week -- we can't get enough! The light show continues through December 31.

Continuously throughout the day, you can go upstairs to the third floor to visit "Dickens' Village." It is unbelievable how they have transformed part of Macy's into this! The exhibit tells the story of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol with the use of 100 animated figures. At the end you have the option to visit Santa and of course there are many toys for sale!

This is such a special Philadelphia tradition!

School Open Houses

Lots of options for school in the city!! Here is a listing of upcoming Open Houses from KidsinCenterCity.com/schools (where you can see a catchment map). It's never too early to plan your child's education. We went to open houses for Meredith and McCall when Jeremy was only 1 and we were planning on purchasing a new house in one of those catchments.  Would have been happy with either, but we bought in McCall. Here is a recent report of interest.

William M. Meredith School November 1 and December 6: 9 AM 725 S 5th Street 215.351.7360 meredith.phila.k12.pa.us Friends Select School November 11, December 6 and January 12, 2012 17th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway 215.561.5900 www.friends-select.org Albert M. Greenfield School November 16, December 7 and January 18, 2012: 9 AM 2200 Chestnut Street 215.299.3566

General George A. McCall School November 18, December 16 and January 20, 2012: 9:30 AM 325 S 7th Street 215.351.7351 www.phila.k12.pa.us/schools/mccall   St. Peter's School November 20 319 Lombard Street 215.925.3963 www.st-peters-school.org For information on Center City schools, visit: KidsInCentercity.com/schools

A Day out with Thomas!

We went to Strasburg a few weeks ago to partake in the Day out with Thomas festivities. It was an exciting and surprisingly organized weekend, so glad we went! We drove there on a Saturday afternoon, during both boys' naps. We checked in at the Willow Valley Inn in Lancaster, where I had stayed several times as a child. The hotel is SO child-friendly. We had a suite which included a room for Brent and me with a bathroom and a large living room with a sofabed for Jeremy and a metal crib for Caleb...and another bathroom and refrigerator! This was $159!! For a very nominal fee we could have added meals, but I wasn't up for a smorgasbord with such young children. They had a phenomenal water playground at the Double Tree next door which we were allowed to use. We walked around on the grounds and made use of the playground. We had dinner at the Willow Valley Inn's restaurant. The prices were unbelievably inexpensive and the food was surprisingly good! We were thrilled with the very child-friendly atmosphere.

The next morning we went to the historic Strasburg Rail Road for the main event. It was very well organized. We parked (for free) at the Sight and Sound Theatre (we definitely want to return and see something here -- biblical shows with special effects in a lovely theatre) and took a yellow school bus (VERY exciting for the kids!) to the Strasburg Rail Road. We enjoyed our ride on Thomas (which was really Thomas pulling the regular open car train), playing with train tables, riding on child-powered rides, riding on a mini-train, all sorts of things! It was a fun event! The next one is in November. We had lunch there, bought Jeremy a souvenir Percy train, and drove home during the afternoon naps. A very successful field trip and we will definitely be visiting Lancaster/Strasburg more!! Jeremy was very interested in the Amish, the farms, and we didn't get to visit the train museums!

Fall Festivals

A few things coming up here in Philadelphia (to be updated):

•  Pumpkinland at Headhouse Square - Saturday, October 29 from 10AM to 1PM.
• Franklin Square will be having free events on Oct 22 and 23 from 12-3PM (Pumpkin Patch with free pumpkin decorating) and on Oct 29 and 30 from 12-3PM (Trick-or-Treat Trail)
• Franklin Square will have its first PumpkinFest (fundraiser) on  Saturday, October 29 from 3-6PM.
• The Nest is going to have a Halloween event: Sunday October 30th from 10-1. The event is free for members, $10 per non member. 
• Three Bears Park Fall Festival - Sunday, October 16 -- 11AM-2PM
• Three Bears Halloween Event - Monday, October 31 at 4:30PM.
• Seger Park Halloween Event - Monday, October 31 at 4:00PM.
• St. Peter's Harvest Festival  - (rescheduled for) Sunday, October 30 from 11AM-4PM

Little Treehouse

So we finally ventured out to Little Treehouse in Chestnut Hill! We met friends there and had a lovely morning. Adults and non-crawlers are free, Jeremy was around $8 and Caleb was half. If you go after 5pm, kids are free with a $10 food purchase per child. You can also buy a ten-pack for $55.The play area is really nice -- all wooden toys and appeared very clean. Jeremy is approaching the older end of the range, but he still had a really nice time. We had lunch (you run a tab including admission, food, etc. and pay at the end). The food was good! We had paninis. Jeremy had grilled cheese and sliced apples. The tables are within view of the play area so Jeremy played a little on his own. The Little Treehouse has broadened from just a play cafe -- now they have memberships, drop-offs, classes, tumbling, concerts, and much more! We saw a birthday party and it looked like a great venue for that. We will certainly be back!

After School Arts

Well, I am biased, but I just wanted to put a little plug here for Society Hill Playschool's After School Arts! After Playschool, from 12:30-3:00, SHS hosts a fun and creative program, and you don't even have to be enrolled in the Playschool to partake in the fun!:

Monday - Cooking

Tuesday - Science

Wednesday - Art

Thursday - Movement

Friday - Music

You can "drop in" or buy a five-pack or enroll for all Mondays, for example. For more information, contact Gloria Parris, Playschool Director, at gparris@societyhillsynagogue.org or (215) 922-6590 ext. 28.

2011 Connections Festival - Y Kids Club

One thing going on for kids this weekend (Saturday, September 3) is the Y Kids Club, which is part of WHYY's Connections Festival. It takes place from 3pm to 6pm at the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing (Chestnut Street and Columbus Boulevard). Expect dancing and singing to kid-friendly music, yoga lessons, special visits from The Cat in the Hat and Clifford the Big Red Dog, and balloon crafting!

Philly Art Center

Well, we haven't actually been there yet, but the renowned Fairmount Art Center has now opened a branch in Queen Village (Queen Village Art Center) and it looks intriguing! They  have classes for both adults and children. The adult classes range from more traditional classes (still lifes, figure drawing, etc. to jewelry making and knitting)! The children's classes (six week session) include art for ages 2 and up and music for babies 3 months and up. The new studio sounds gorgeous. They also offer fairly priced summer camps (age 4 and up), vacation day camps, and after school care. Also birthday parties! We are very loyal to our music class, and art doesn't seem to be Jeremy's "thing" yet, but I would love to try it out at some point. They have various discounts for enrolling for multiple sessions, siblings, etc. I love how Queen Village is blossoming all the time!

Youth/Tot Soccer

I am trying to compile a list of soccer options for toddlers in Philadelphia. This isn't even for Jeremy (yet), but I hear a buzz about people wanting to sign toddlers up for soccer. Here is some preliminary research:

• Friends of Clark Park has a program for children 5 through 11. It appears to be spring and fall, outdoors.
• Fairmount Soccer Association has a program for children 4 and up. Registration for fall has already begun. Soccer for the young set (4 year olds) is new.
• Soccer Shots is new in Philadelphia. It accepts kids as young as 2! They have a week-long summer program, a fall program, and a winter season.
• Capitolo Youth Soccer has a blog which indicates that the new season should be beginning soon (3 to 5 year olds and 6 to 10 year olds).
• I don't know much about this, but I found the following: The South Philadelphia Soccer Club is having sign-ups for soccer, ages 4 to 6, to be played Saturdays in the fall. E-mail spsctotsoccer@yahoo.com.
• I am fairly sure that Starr Garden (6th and Lombard) has soccer for young children, but I haven't been able to find much information on it yet: 
• Finally, the brand new Nest (review to follow when we finally get a chance to check it out!) has a nice-looking non-competitive soccer program called Bend It Like Beckham which is Fridays 4:00-5:00 for 3-5 year olds.

Zoom Dance!

We discovered Zoom Dance over a year ago. It is a very interesting concept. Sarah (and the other teachers) lead an active class focused on a book. The children dance/act out the story. It's very creative and reasonably priced, too. We bought a five-pack of classes last summer/fall, but we haven't used them up yet. I love how they don't expire. Jeremy didn't take to it as well as I would have liked and then we had a busier than expected fall. I am looking forward to continuing this fall -- She plans to open Society Hill and South Philly locations. They currently have classes in Rittenhouse, Fairmount, and West Philly. The classes are geared for children 1.5 and up. She is having mini-camp sessions in August for three to four mornings each -- $90 for a three-day session ($110 for the four-day). The themes are James and the Giant Peach, The Wizard of Oz, and the Lorax. See the site for more info! They do neat birthday parties, too!

Jeremy Goes to the Movies!

We just took Jeremy to his first movie, Winnie the Pooh! This new version of Winnie the Pooh is old-fashioned animation (i.e. no Pixar, 3D, etc.) They combined several of the Winnie the Pooh stories into a quasi new one. It was funny, clever, and adorable and appealed to Jeremy and his parents! We went to Loews in Cherry Hill, where it turns out they have a stack of booster seats right outside the theater door.  Same at United Artists Riverview on Columbus Boulevard (although not my favorite theater.) It played at several times so we went at 4:50 after his nap.  Lots of children were attending their first movie! The movie was only 69 minutes and Jeremy sat very still -- he loved it and watched it very closely. During the previews he kept asking, "Is this the movie?" The next day he recapped the story for us and told us his favorite parts. After the movie we went to a very child-friendly diner, as many are! Right next to the theater is Silver City Diner. Upon entering, every child receives a colorful cardboard car (which we quickly learned how to reassemble). The menus (for children and adults) include many healthy and organic farm-to-table options. Jeremy's grilled cheese came with strawberries! The service was quick. We bought a song on the juke box for a quarter (Sesame Street) and we were in and out before it even came on! A very successful adventure and so exciting to watch Jeremy watch his first movie!

Professional Photos

We recently had our first professional family photography session...and the results are phenomonal! (Well, we had one little session at Babies R Us when Jeremy was nine months old and one at Sears when he was two years old, but this is a whole different ballgame.)This time we wanted to have outdoor, on location portraits. I found Tricia Ebarvia and boy were we lucky. She has three boys, the youngest one day older than Caleb, so she knows kids. Her business is relatively new, but she has been an amateur photographer for years. Her calendar is already nearly full for the summer --- word of Tricia must be spreading! She met us for an hour one morning in Washington Square Park and we had a field day. She works so well around naps and kid-related things, while still aiming for the best time of day photo-wise. She captured so many beautiful moments, expressions, and combinations of the four of us. We wound up purchasing the CD -- too hard to decide which prints to buy. I just ordered the professional quality prints on mpix.com. I can't wait until they arrive!

Swim Lessons

Now that Jeremy is 3 we decided we would try out swim lessons. There are a few options in the city; we enrolled him at the Christian Street Y (17th and Christian). The five-week session of thirty-minute group lessons is a bargain at $38. You also have to pay $12/month for a program membership. Another option is to join the Y annually (I think $112/year) but then the swim lesson price was a bit higher. The downside was in-person enrollment, but then you can sign up for future classes online. The parent/child classes are for 6 months to 1 year, 13 months to 3 years, and 2 to 4 years. Then they have several classes where the parent doesn't participate. I didn't attend the first class, but I heard the teacher was great. Jeremy is still "adjusting." It is a lot of singing, fun, and getting comfortable with the water. I hope he likes it! Sweat Fitness (Broad and Arch) also has an aquatics program, but much more expensive. Also, 12th Street Gym and the University of Pennsylvania offer private lessons for children. A further away option is the Aquatic and Fitness Center. Here's to happy swimming!

Lunch Box

I usually don't do a product review, but I have to say I am really happy, so far, with Jeremy new lunchbox from Pottery Barn Kids. He has the Mackenzie Classic and the bento box insert. The lunchbox is adorable and very durable. As for the insert, we no longer have to waste ziploc bags or tin foil -- so much better for the environment -- plus it's BPA and phthalate-free. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with 5 items for his lunch everyday! It isn't perfect -- the clasp isn't wonderful and I don't trust the section that closes, but so far so good! They currently have free shipping now on "gear" which includes lunchboxes.

Happy Birthday Again, Blog!

Well, this blog had its second birthday last week and I totally missed it! I haven't been keeping up as much as I would like to, and I'm sorry, but I will do better this year! I have no excuses as these boys nap simultaneously every afternoon. So, thanks for reading everybody, and stay tuned for more adventures!

KidsinCenterCity Playdate

So we finally made it it a KidsinCenterCity Playdate at the Market and Shops at Comcast Center! We went on Saturday, June 4 (11:30 AM - 1:30 PM) and the special guest was Caillou, of whom Jeremy is a huge fan. It was very nicely done. Caillou was available for photos and handshakes and a lady read stories. Many of the food vendors had specials and Termini was sponsoring cupcake decorating for $2.00. We received a bucket and a balloon. Despite being a touch scared of the "character," Jeremy had a very nice time. Caleb, as usual, had a wonderful time! I was not aware of the collection of bedtime books and pajamas for the Great Sprout Tuck-In, but good to know for next time! Future playdates will be on June 25 and July 30.

Park After Dark (Three Bears Park Fundraiser)

As mentioned in last year's post for this event, we (still) LOVE Three Bears Park and frequent it as often as we can. We are happy to support the park and will surely attend the adult-only cocktail party fundraiser on Thursday, June 2 from 7 PM to 9 PM. It was a blast last year. At least this year I won't be pregnant! I hope many of you can come and support our wonderful neighborhood playground!

Tickets are $35 per person in advance, $40 at the event.

"The Home Hero" - Our Handyman

Young families have great needs for great handymen. We were so lucky to find Peter Rose and his relatively new company, "The Home Hero." He is local and has a young son and totally understands our needs. His righthand man, Hugh, is so wonderful -- Jeremy is so excited when we have him over and he loves to watch and "help." Their work is always top-notch or if anything is not to my satisfaction he fixes it right away. We have had some creative projects this year and we are so pleased. I just wanted to give a plug to them, should anybody have need for a handyman!

Woodloch Pines

We went on a family vacation a few weeks ago and it was very successful! We went to a family-friendly, all-inclusive resort in the Poconos called Woodloch Pines. It is very Dirty Dancing meets sleepaway camp. It should have been a three-hour drive, but took four hours. We met friends from Connecticut there, so it was a perfect place to meet. Many people we met there were also either traveling with friends or with extended family. Many guests were repeat customers; it is a third-generation-owned resort and the owner greets the guests at several of the meals.When you go, you sign up for a package, so ours was Peter Cottontail Weekend (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, although we added on through Monday lunch for a nominal fee). All meals were at the same table, at a set time, with generally the same waiter/waitress, very cruise-like. We had a fabulous table for the eight of us (four adults, four kids) with a beautiful view of the lake (and sometimes deer). The food was excellent, surprisingly. Every meal had a choice of three entrees and they brought the side dishes to the table family-style. They always had ample choices for the kids. The food was healthy and abundant. Characters entertained the children at the entrance of the meals and Saturday's dinner was more formal and themed. Sunday's lunch was buffet, but the rest of the meals were not. The activities were great. For our young kids, we enjoyed the splash pool (indoors) which was 83 degrees and had little slides and fountains to play in. We also participated in arts & crafts, bumper boats, a petting zoo (special for that weekend), a large foam "indoor forest" to climb, mini-golf, and driving large motorized vehicles. It wasn't quite lake weather and was no longer winter activities weather. We had plenty to do, though. For older children, they have scavenger hunts, family feud, more complicated crafts, and tons more. It isn't the kind of place where you drop your kid off and do things without them -- it is very family-oriented and you spend all of your time together (which we liked). You can get a sitter in the evenings if you want. I attended the show with my friend one night while the dads watched the kids and it was a nice "night out" -- a competent musical revue. We stayed in a suite (two rooms and two bathrooms) in a more renovated part of the property. It was great for our purposes. Jeremy's bed had bed rails and Caleb had a full-size crib. We even had a wet bar as a bottle-washing station. The staff all over was very friendly and helpful. We took shuttle buses around sometimes which the kids loved (and the older children appeased our kids by joining in with the "Wheels on the Bus" often!) We were very happy with our experience and definitely plan to return!

Paris in Philadelphia!

Anybody been to the Kimmel Center lately? It has been taken over by Paris! We were thrilled to see a huge Eiffel Tower in the lobby with large trains running on cables across the ceiling! Jeremy was in awe! It is part of PIFA: Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. This Saturday's Parisian Street Fair looks phenomenal. It takes place Saturday, April 30 from 11:00 am - 8:00 pm on Broad Street between Chestnut and Lombard -- complete with a gigantic ferris wheel ($3), French street vendors and performers, a grass park with a children’s area, and musical entertainment all day long. The end will showcase an exciting routine by La Compagnie Transe Express performing 100 feet in the air. We look forward to it!!

Okay, the Street Fair came and went and was wonderful. See our quote in the Inquirer!

Book Festival!

We are big fans of the library and try to go when we can. Jeremy loves story hour and also playing with the child-friendly computer. This week the Free Library of Philadelphia will have its fifth annual Philadelphia Book Festival! The Festival takes place evenings form Monday, April 11 through Saturday, April 16, and all day on Saturday, April 16. Featured are talks by bestselling authors, musical performances, tours, exhibitions, and interactive programs for children and teens. Saturday will be showcase the region’s largest literary street fair...and free!! Particularly of interest to the very young include the Teddy Bear Picnic (Saturday at 10:15)the Storybook Parade (Saturday at 12:15). Click here for a pdf version of the schedule.

Children's Theatre

We haven't been to theatre for children yet (except for wonderful performances at the Please Touch Museum), but Jeremy has a wonderful attention span and I think he would really enjoy it. So far, I have found a few:

• Storybook Musical Theatre has performances for ages 3 and up. Currently they are showing "The Emperor's New Clothes" and next is "Jack and the Beanstalk." Their performances take place in Huntington Valley and at St. Joe's Universit

• Walnut Street Theatre has productions for kids; upcoming performances this season are "The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley" and "Click, Clack, Moo." They recommend grades K through 6.

• The Arden Theatre has family productions, upcoming is "The Flea and the Professor" - recommended for ages 5 and older.

• The Kimmel Center hosts the American Theatre Arts for Youth, which has two remaining productions this season: Beauty and the Beast and the Wizard of Oz.

It's so great living in Philadelphia!

Family Day at the Opera (February 12)

I just received an email from KidsInCenterCity.com about the upcoming PNC Arts Alive Family Day at the Opera. It will be on Saturday, February 12 - all day - and it's free! Registration is required. Events are created for specific age groups,; below is the most toddler-friendly one:
Magic of Opera
Rehearsal Hall/Pre-K - 5yrs/10:15 AM – 11:00 AM
Co-produced by the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Temple Music Prep, toddlers receive their first exposure to opera and will be inspired to sing, dance, and act through Mozart’s fairytale The Magic Flute. The program culminates with a live performance of the opera’s iconic coloratura soprano aria, Der Hölle Rache, sung by the Queen of the Night. Taught by Temple Music Prep's Barbara DiToro, the session features soprano Patricia Vigil and pianist Jeremy Gill.

The Dinosaur Museum

Last weekend we went to the Academy of Natural Sciences. We had last been there in August 2009 (here is that post). Jeremy was barely walking then and wow, what a difference the year and a half makes! He LOVED it! We wound up joining as we'll be returning frequently! Admission for adults is $12 (but it is buy-one-get-one free with WHYY membership). Kids over 3 are $10. We didn't pay the extra $2.00 to see the butterflies this time. The museum is a perfect size to see the whole thing in a morning. We started at the top with the "Outside In" children's room. He loved the hands-on things (fossils, shells), and looked at many live animals. The staff was very friendly and answered our questions. We worked our way down and Jeremy loved identifying the animals in the dioramas, but he couldn't wait to see the dinosaurs! We were surprised at his willingness to wear the safety goggles and participate in the "Big Dig"! He really was interested in the Dinosaur Hall and kept asking us to read all of the information on the wall about each dinosaur! On the way out we visited the live animals near the exit. So fun! We will be back soon! Even Caleb enjoyed seeing the museum from the Ergo - he barely napped he was so excited!

Happy New Year!

Again, I apologize about the gap between posts. I now have my act together and plan to post more frequently in 2011! Let's start with the wonderful annual (and FREE) New Year's event at the Kimmel Center! The Kimmel Center had free children's activities all day long - balloon artistry (see Jeremy's Elmo!), face painting, and wonderful performances! This was our second time going and I think we will go every year! Seeing the Mummer's Parade on our way and our way home was an added treat.