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Monday, August 15, 2011
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Location: Wilmington, DE (directions)
Website: http://www.delmnh.org/
Bathrooms: Yes
Eating area: YES, inside cafeteria and outdoor patio
Parking: Yes and free
Attractions: life-sized dinosaurs, sea-life and shell exhibit, nature trail and butterfly garden
Around the area: Winterthur Museum, Delaware Children's Museum, Brandywine Zoo
Fee: ONE DOLLAR every Tuesday in August!!
Last Tuesday, the day of the terrible storms and possible sighting of a funnel cloud in Wilmington, I took the kids for the first time to the Delaware Museum of Natural History. I know, that probably wasn't the best timing, but that is what you get when you don't check the weather!
Anyways, the trip to the museum was a super easy one hour drive. We arrived at the Museum just as the first drops began to fall, but were still able to find plenty of free parking in their amble parking lot. I was able to snap this picture right outside the museum before the rain became too heavy!
You enter the Museum under a replica of a giant squid and immediately come face to face with the giant head of T Rex, everyone's favorite dinosaur, right? My son squealed in delight and ran to give the "Terrible Lizard"a great big kiss!
Our first stop was the Dinosaur Gallery and Hall of Birds. The kids were amazed to see these large dinosaurs towering above them! My computer obsessed daughter (Gee, wonder who she gets that from?) played on the computers and made her own dinosaurs and my son made friends with the Parasaurolophus head!
Next, we ventured into the new special exhibit called "Turtle Travels" (available until Sept. 5th). The museum describes this as an interactive exhibit that, "offers a turtle’s-eye view of life in the slow lane. Follow a turtle’s footprints on a life-size board game and explore firsthand what it’s like to be a turtle facing habitat challenges" My kids really liked this part of the museum a lot! We viewed live turtles up close, read books on turtles, and pretended to be a turtle. Kids can run, play and touch everything in this area! It was a lot of fun!
Next, we made our way to the Shell Gallery which has a unique entrance...a simulated Australian Great Barrier Reef! It was a little intimidating to walk over glass with views of coral beneath your feet so my kids just sat and stared at the display and my son even tried to "swim" the reef! In addition, the museum boasts, "visitors can see a 500-pound Giant Clam shell, learn about scallops, nautilus, and other mollusks, and touch a variety of real shells from our collection of more than 2 million -- which ranks among the top 15 in the United States!"
Finally, our last stop was the Hall of Mammals. "Displays in this section of the Museum bring mammals together from around the world: North and South America, Antarctica, Africa – as well as animals that live in Delaware streams and marshes." Once again, my daughter loved the computers to watch videos of the animals, while my son's favorite was the dung beetle!
I really liked that the the Museum itself is not very big, which was nice because it wasn't overwhelming. It was easy to keep an eye on the two kids as they ran from one display to another.The layout of the Museum also has a very nice flow to it making it easy to go from room to room and see all there is too see! You could plan on spending at least 2 hours or more depending on the interest level of your kids.
Unfortunately, on our visit, the rain and wind really picked up and we could not go outside on the nature trail or butterfly garden. The thunderstorm was very big that all the lights went off in the museum..it was pretty cool, but the museum had to close. So, we will definitely be taking advantage of another Dollar Tuesday and will further explore the museum...but this time I will check the weather!
Tips:
- Dollar Tuesdays are in effect until the end of August, so hurry and make the trip! Regular admission is $8 for adults and $6 for kids! So this is a great deal!
- If you have a Bank of America Credit Card, ATM and/or check card,you can get FREE admission on the first full weekend of each month with the "Museums on Us Program"
- Pair your trip to the Delaware Museum of Natural History with a visit to the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library located, literally, right up the street! Winterthur also has a "Terrific Tuesday" with reduced admission of $5 per child with one free adult!
- Pack a lunch and eat at the cafeteria or sit outside! Vending machine is available in the cafeteria.
See you at the Museum!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Smith Kids' Play Place in the Park
Location: East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia
Website: http://smithkidsplayplace.org/
Bathrooms: Yes in the Mansion playhouse and Bathroom Access from the outside playground
Eating area: YES on the Mansion covered side porch
Attractions: 6 1/2 acre playground, Giant Wooden Slide, 24,000 sq. ft.Indoor Mansion Playhouse
Around the area: The Philadelphia Zoo, The Please Touch Museum, Mann Music Center
Fee: FREE (donations are appreciated)
The Smith Kids' place is an impressive mansion indoor playhouse and outdoor playground that your kids will L.O.V.E!! You must make time to visit this truly unique play area! Smith has been getting a lot of press recently and has becoming pretty popular, but this is not a new play area at all...in fact it opened in 1899 and has been a favorite play place for Philadelphia area children for over a century!
There is so much to do and so many things to play at the indoor playhouse and outdoor playground that you should plan on spending several hours at the park. At the playhouse mansion there are covered porches with picnic tables for having snack,lunch, or for a birthday party. If you need snacks, there is a vending machine available with access from the outdoor playground. One reason I love coming to the Smith Play Place is the location! It is so easy for this suburban Mom to get to, the parking is plentiful, and there are so many other attractions(The Please Touch Museum, The Mann Music Center, and the Philadelphia Zoo) within close proximity that you could easily spend the entire DAY in the Fairmount Park area.
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| Yes, THIS is the playhouse! |
The beautiful and big (24,000 sq. ft) Mansion playhouse is the first thing you will see upon entering Smith Kids's Place. The large expanse of lawn in the front of the mansion is also another great place to have a picnic. The kids can run around, toss a ball, or just enjoy the view of this historic building. The playhouse has three floors of fun and so many ways for kids to stretch their imagination! On the first floor, the kids can put on a puppet show, ride a train, and play house!
Take a flight of stairs down to the basement area to find the area set up like a street scene complete with a working traffic light and bikes for all kids to ride around and a trains to ride or climb!
On the top floor, play with building blocks, trucks, a shopping cart, puzzles, a play house with babies and more! The book room is also located on this floor. Pull a book from the shelves, sit at the tables and read or just enjoy the view!
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| A view of the outdoor playground |
Tips:
- Make sure before you make the trip to check the weather. SMITH reserves the right to close the Playground or Playhouse in the event of inclement weather, including rain, snow, excessive heat, etc. So be sure to check the forecast before making plans to play at the park.
- The park has lots of special events that go on throughout the year. Check out their events calendar and became a fan on facebook to be kept up to date!
- Bring sunscreen! The park does have some nice shade, but you will be exposed to the sun so bring the sunscreen
- To make the most of your trip to the Fairmount Park area, Visit Smith Park, then have an early dinner, and then go to the Please Touch Museum on their First Wednesday where admission is only $2! Or, go the Mann Music Center for a morning concert and then head to the park to play and have lunch!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Haddon Lake Park
Location:Haddon Heights, Audubon and Mount Ephraim
Website: http://www.camdencounty.com/parks/parks/haddon-lake
http://www.ccparks.com/events/eventsbyvenue_list.php?vnu_id=56 (special events calendar)Bathrooms: Yes (at amphitheater during special events)
Eating area: YES
Attractions: Outdoor amphitheater, playground, bike/walking/running paths, fishing, Haddon Lake
Fee: FREE
This summer, my kids and I discovered a new park...the Haddon Lake Park. We have been spending quite a few mornings there because of their wonderful variety of summer programs. We saw a reptile show, a magic show, and a theater production. All of these were located in their amphitheater called the Mc Laughlin-Norcross Dell. In addition to Camden County providing these special events, they also provided water and ice tea and we even had cookies at one show! Bathroom facilities are also available at the amphitheater location but are only opened during showtime.
Close to the amphitheater is a playground area, picnic tables, fields to run or play ball and biking/running/walking/trails. After the performances, my kids and I would take our snack and head to the playground. There are two main play areas with slides, monkey bars and lots of swings. In addition, a small creek runs in front of the playground and my son has a ball taking his shoes off and putting his toes in the water (be careful some areas of the creek are deep!). Follow the trails and you will even find a little bridge!
The whole playground is pretty much shady, which was really nice on those hot days. There are picnic tables and tables in a covered gazebo. The only bathroom facilities, however, are port-a-pots, when a show is not going on at the amphitheater. There is a small parking lot at the playground area but spots will fill up quickly on amphitheater show days.Getting to the park should have been relatively simple, however if you use Google/Mapquest for directions most will tell you to find 13th Ave. I found that when driving the 13th Ave sign is covered by a tree and it was difficult to see the sign. I was able to see the sign above it saying Mc Laughlin Ave, but of course, I wasn't looking for that street. Twice going to the park, I completely missed the turn onto 13th.
On one of those days, when I missed the 13th Ave turn, I learned just how big Haddon Lake Park was (73 acres!). I located another playground in Haddon Lake Park. When asking a Mom at the park, she notified me that I WAS in Haddon Lake Park but in the Mt. Ephraim section! That park of the park also has a playground and trails around the lake.
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| The Mt. Ephraim Playground area |
Haddon Lake Park is a wonderful park to watch a show, take a walk, and play. I wouldn't make a special trip just for the playground areas, but it is the perfect location to take the kiddos when there are shows at the amphitheater. When there are special programs, you could definitely spend a morning or an early evening at this really quaint park tucked into the town of Haddon Heights. Check out the programming calendar and we'll see you at the park!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Penny Pinching Across the United States
The Search for Penny Pinchers
Across the United States!!!!
Across the United States!!!!
My sister recently returned from visiting family in San Diego, CA and told me how she had wished she had known of a site such as the Family Penny Pincher for people in the southern California area while she was there on vacation. They were looking for fun, family oriented activities that were inexpensive to keep the kids busy.
In addition, we recently found out that we will be taking a family vacation in August to Williamsburg, VA. My husband told me that this was just a vacation to get away and not to spend a lot of money. So, I am under strict orders to find free and nearly free activities for the family while we will be away.
So, these two events gave me the idea to put together a resource page on the Family Penny Pincher blog of fellow penny pinchers who list events and activities in their state geared towards families. It is my hope to have sites for all 50 states!
Yup, that is a big undertaking and I am asking for your help! If you know of any folks across the US who are penny pinchers with websites, please email me at familypennypincher@gmail.com with the site's URL address. I would love to put together this resource but I will need the help of my followers.
I have started listing sites for the states beginning with the letter A.....do you know which states they are? Check out the link at the top of the page to find out!
Thanks for your help!
Best Weekend Fun Events!
So much to do this weekend! Here are just a FEW of my favorites. Make sure to check the Family Penny Pincher calendar for event details and for additional events happening this weekend!
Saturday, July 30th
Sunday, July 31st
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, July 30th
- Gloucester County 4-H and Peach Festival (Mullica Hill, NJ): Visitors can watch our equestrians lead their horses in exercises in precision, place an auction bid on a hog, lamb or goat raised by a 4-Her, watch the judging of our rabbit or goat shows, learn all about cows from dairy and beef club members, cheer for their favorite in the dog obedience class, learn how to raise a pet bird from members of the exotic bird club, slither around to the reptile club exhibit, and enjoy the hog costume contest. FREE Admission. $10 parking/per carload (Click on link for $1 off coupon) Runs Saturday and Sunday.
- Mercer County 4-H Fair (Howell Living History Farm, Lambertville, NJ) The fair includes 4-H animal shows and exhibits; food and homemade ice cream; hay rides; pony rides; music; farm tours and demonstrations; milking demonstrations; spinning, felting, and fiber demonstrations; egg grading demonstrations; children’s crafts and activities; and displays by the Master Gardeners of Mercer County and the Mercer County Equestrian Center. FREE Admission/FREE Parking (Please bring a canned good donation in support of Rutgers Against Hunger. Runs Saturday and Sunday.
- Wildwood Surf Fest (Wildwood, NJ): FREE surf lessons ~ surf vendors and artists ~ bbq and luau ~ after hours admissions to Raging Waters Waterpark ~ FREE concert featuring The Following, The Dan Brown Duo and more!
- Cooper River Fine Arts Festival (Cooper River Park, Cherry Hill, NJ): New Jersey's Premier Fine Arts Festival is sponsored by the Philadelphia Inquirer and will take place along the scenic Cooper River. Cooper River Park (346.55 acres) runs through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Haddon Township. Runs Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm.
- Philadelphia Dance Day 2011: All dance enthusiasts–regardless of experience or even coordination–are invited to take part in this citywide celebration of dance. There will be something for everyone, from creative movement for preschoolers to absolute beginner adult ballet to hip-hop for all ages. Participants can pick and choose as many workshops as they like. All the venues are located within three miles of each other; several within walking distance. ALL FREE
- Kids in Center City Playdate: Come to the Comcast Center for some family-friendly fun. Join Music Monkey Jungle, a live interactive musical and movement educational class for little music monkeys and their parents who love them. Don't forget to bring sturdy shoes for participation as well as a camera to capture the fun.Market merchants will offer kid-friendly treats and crafts, including fun and educational activities from the Pennsylvania Ballet. FREE from 11:30am to 1:30pm
- ART/GAGE by Magic Gardens (South Street, Philadelphia): The 1000 block of South Street will be closed off to traffic, with the festival spilling into the streets featuring more 30 art and food vendors. From noon to 6pm. To attend the performances within Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, the cost is $15 for an all-day pass, $10 for a day (1:00-5:30) or evening (5:30-10:00) pass. Visitors can purchase a Family Pass that accommodates two adults and up to three children for $25, or tickets for kids are $5. Click here for more information:
Sunday, July 31st
- Franklin Square's Birthday Party (Philadelphia): Celebrate five seasons of fun at Franklin Square this Sunday, July 31, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., at a special birthday celebration. Bring the whole family to sign a giant birthday card, eat Birthday Bonanza Sundaes at SquareBurger, enjoy face painting, birthday “craftivities” and more. The first 55 children get free rides on the carousel and free sundaes!
- 2nd Street Festival (Northern Liberties, Philadelphia): The neighborhood is closing off N. 2nd Street between Germantown and Fairmount for a (free!) supersized block party filled with six blocks of beer gardens, workshops, art, food, music and other merchandise vendors. Noon to 10pm
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Mann Music Center: Young People's Concert Series
Young People's Concert Series
2011 Season - "Crossroads to Culture"
Aug 3: Rennie Harris Presents R.H.A.W at 11am
Aug. 9: Rising Stars of Tomorrow at 11 am
Cost/Parking: Free
My family and I have visited the Mann several times for many free events, but we recently went to a performance called "Global Passages" which was part of the Young People's Concert Series. The performance was an hour and 15 minutes and my 3 and 4 yr old were glued to the stage for every minute!
This annual FREE series makes "high-quality and culturally diverse performing arts programs accessible to all children in an informal atmosphere. Performances by professional and emerging artists offer our young people a chance to experience and be inspired by the talents of others their age!"
Every week for 5 weeks the Mann presents a different cultural exploration through dance and music. On July 17th, the culture of South America was explored through "Inca Son" and on July 20th "The Rock School For Dance Education" presented a new fusion of dance.
The more recent program, "Global Passages" featured the music, songs, and dance of China from the Philadelphia Chinese Opera Society, Latin America from Saboricua: The Roots of Salsa Music and Dance, and Africa with the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble.
My 3 year old son was dancing to the music, while my 4 year old daughter was fascinated by all of the colorful costumes! It really was a very exciting and entertaining performance. Not once did my kids whine for food, the potty, or to leave! For Moms of little ones, you know that is a sign of a successful show!
This annual FREE series makes "high-quality and culturally diverse performing arts programs accessible to all children in an informal atmosphere. Performances by professional and emerging artists offer our young people a chance to experience and be inspired by the talents of others their age!"
Every week for 5 weeks the Mann presents a different cultural exploration through dance and music. On July 17th, the culture of South America was explored through "Inca Son" and on July 20th "The Rock School For Dance Education" presented a new fusion of dance.
The more recent program, "Global Passages" featured the music, songs, and dance of China from the Philadelphia Chinese Opera Society, Latin America from Saboricua: The Roots of Salsa Music and Dance, and Africa with the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble. My 3 year old son was dancing to the music, while my 4 year old daughter was fascinated by all of the colorful costumes! It really was a very exciting and entertaining performance. Not once did my kids whine for food, the potty, or to leave! For Moms of little ones, you know that is a sign of a successful show!
The Family Penny Pincher's Experiences, Tips, and Suggestions
- Location: I love the location of the Mann because it is so easy for this suburban Mom to get there! I simply get off the Philadelphia Zoo exit. Turn right at the stop sign, go through the light at the zoo and continue going straight! It is very close to the Please Touch Museum. It is also not far from the Smith Kids Play Place so this is a great place for the kids to get out their energy before or after events at the Mann and nice place for lunch or snack.
- Parking: For free events it has been the case that Parking is free as well and there always seem to be plenty of it! Once, we won tickets for a show and saw parking at their site for $15. So, instead of parking in their lot, I found parking on Parkside Ave. directly parallel to the Mann.
- Bathrooms/Food: The bathrooms are located right inside the entrance gates to the right and concession stands sell food and water right inside the gate as well.
- Seating: Tickets are not required for free concerts. Seating is general admission and first come, first serve. You only need to register for free concerts if you are in a group of 30 or more. If you want good seats, get there early!!!
- Weather: The Mann is an outdoor venue, but the concert area is covered. So make sure to get a seat inside the covered area not on the lawn.
- HAVE FUN!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Franklin Institute: Target Community Nights
Third Wednesday of the Month (Aug. 17, Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Nov. 16)
FREE ADMISSION from 5pm to 8pm
http://www2.fi.edu/
Once again, my family and I visited the Franklin Institute on its Target Community Nights and took advantage of its FREE admission from 5pm to 8pm. Thanks again to the folks at Target for sponsoring this night of free access to all of the Franklin Institute's exhibits. Just another example of how you can still visit some of the area's best museums on a budget (see previous post on The Please Touch Museum).
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| http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031764 |
If our family of four were to visit the Franklin Institute museum on a regular day BASIC admission (Science Museum exhibits, live show, and one planetarium show) it would cost us $15.50 per adult and $12.00 per child ( ages 4-11). The grand total: $55.00. That again does not include food, parking, bridge toll, gift shop and any extra special exhibits. A trip to the Franklin Institute would be totally out of budget.
Here is a hint about the Target Community Nights: some nights will gain you access to special areas of the museum! Once, we received FREE tickets to the IMAX theater, and on another visit we were able to see the Cleopatra exhibit for FREE!!!!! So of course, on those nights we took advantage of those special offers.
Tips:
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| The Heart |
- GET THERE EARLY!!! Our routine is to have an early dinner and eat before the museum or have a late lunch and grab a bite to eat after the museum
- Parking: there are parking lots and metered street parking....but we have been finding great parking (if you get there early enough) on Winter St. This past visit, we didn't get there until 6pm and had to park on 21st and Arch at a meter. So bring quarters!!
- Sign In/Register When you first arrive they will direct you to the Target registration area and give you your admission stickers and the pamphlet to special activities and shows.Check the pamphlet for areas where freebies are being handed out. This past time, we got a free Krispy Kreme doughnut!
- Target Table Check your pamphlet for the location of the Target table because they hand out some fun freebies for the kids. It differs all the time. Once we got crayons and a picture to color, sometimes its a craft, or this time it was goldfish crackers.
- Attendance Is it busy? Last summer, it was not too crowded. This past visit, it was VERY crowded. Hot and rainy days bring bigger crowds.
- Take a Walk On a nice day, take a walk across to Logan Circle and check out the Swann Memorial Fountain and park area. Great place to have a snack or picnic before or after the museum!
What are your tips for a successful trip to the Franklin Institute? Have you attended the museum on its Target Community Nights? Please share in the comments below!
Swann Memorial Fountain at Logan Circle
