Search Results for: blog take your kids to the theater

“Planes” Flying to Theaters in August

We can’t escape “Cars.”  The film, my least favorite of Pixar’s (well, technically “Cars 2” would win that dubious honor), continues to be so popular, mostly through merchandising, that Disney keeps putting it front and center.  The latest way in which the company is doing so is with a new movie, due out this August. The new film isn’t really a sequel or prequel to “Cars.”  It’s more of a related film in the same general universe.  The primary difference in “Planes” is evident in the title.  “Planes” will be about the world that goes on above that of the … Continue reading →

Is Your Child Ready For Overnight Camp?

For home – based professional parents, summer can pose a challenge as far as balancing your work schedule with family activities and things for the kids to do on their own. For many home – based professional parents, camps are an important part of summer. They provide your child with a fun and interesting experience while providing you with a block of time in which you can get a bunch of work done. There are so many types of camps available, from sports to theater and everything in between including the classic outdoorsy type complete with cabins or tents and … Continue reading →

Enter Amtrak’s “Happy Feet Two” Sweepstakes

Are you ready for more adorable, dancing, singing, penguins? Enter the Amtrak “Happy Feet Two” Sweepstakes. You could win a trip for four to the “Happy Feet Two” premiere in Los Angeles, California. The first “Happy Feet” movie featured a cartoon penguin named Mumble. The little guy was born dancing, which made him quite different from the rest of the penguins. This is definitely a kids movie, and it involves lots of musical numbers, songs, and penguins who either sing, dance, or do both. The sequel to the “Happy Feet” is called “Happy Feet Two”, (which makes it easy to … Continue reading →

Halloween Thrills for Older Kids

I’ve always been a bit wary of teenage trick-or-treaters. Then again, Halloween is a time when older kids should have fun too. So what do you do if your older children want to have a ball on All Hallows’ Eve, but you want to keep an eye on them while they do so? The answer: Host a Halloween party with age appropriate activities, such as: Costume Contest: This easy event is great fun for kids of all ages. Let your teenage guests select winners in a variety of categories, from scariest costume to cutest and most creative. Then, hand prizes … Continue reading →

Summer Fun for Kids With Autism

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Summer vacation can be challenging for children who are on the autism spectrum. They lose the routine that they had gotten used to while school was in session. Many will have sensory issues that make it difficult for to enjoy activities that are too loud, or too crowded. Parents of children who have autism can still find a lot of fun things for their children to do this Summer. AMC theaters have been hosting “sensory friendly” films for quite some time now. They select movies that are fairly new, appropriate for children, and entertaining. The lights in the theater are … Continue reading →

Is Your Toddler Destined to be a Troublemaker?

He is if his name is: Alec Ernest Garland Ivan Kareem Luke Malcolm Preston Tyrell Walter Ah, so, now we finally know what’s in a name… trouble, trouble, and trouble. At least that’s what the experts maintain. And by experts I mean a professor from Shippensburg University named David Kalist. Writing in Social Science Quarterly, Kalist insists that giving your boy any of the aforementioned names could land him in jail later in life. Why? Kalist believes that giving newborn males odd, girly or strange first names it “increases the tendency toward juvenile delinquency.” Kalist based his conclusions on a … Continue reading →

Get Your Wiggle on at Six Flags

My preschool daughter has never been a huge Wiggles fan. What’s more, she screams like a banchee every time I try to put her on an amusement park ride. And I’m not talking about those baby roller coasters that travel on a flat track, or those crazy toddler swings that spin around with modified reckless abandon. For the past three years my child has unleashed glass shattering, ear splitting, high-pitched shrieks each time I’ve tried to place her on merry-go-round horses (the paralyzed ones that don’t move up and down), baby boats (that barely move in a pool no bigger … Continue reading →

Who’s Teaching Your Child How to Drive?

Some parents (mine included) would rather navigate their way out of the Congo before having to sit helplessly next to their teen as he/she learned how to maneuver the family car into a parallel parking spot. Teaching your kid to drive can be a scary proposition. Few things are as frightening as allowing an anxious teen to get behind the wheel of your vehicle as you sit petrified in the passenger’s seat. Most moms and dads feebly watch the action through slits in the finger mask they have pasted to their countenances. Others like to do their worrying with eyes … Continue reading →

Ideas for keeping homeschooling fun: Prioritize your field trips

Homeschoolers know that the word “home” in homeschooling is hardly descriptive. We spend a great deal of time driving around to different activities for sports, enrichment activities, co-ops and more. To our surprise, we sometimes become focussed on creating a wealth of well rounded classes and activities, that we actually forget to schedule field trips. In my case, you would think that seeing my daughters interest in theater that we would have seen several plays. We have not. This past year she has participated in two plays, and that and her academics have taken up so much time that we … Continue reading →

Homeschoolers take back the mall

As I walked through the mall today I noticed several things. The first thing I noticed was that there were numerous school age kids in the mall with their parents. I realized they were homeschoolers, not because of dress, not because of mannerisms, but because of the way they took their time shopping and enjoying the after Christmas clearance sales. They weren’t hurried, or frazzled as shoppers have inhabited the mall for the last month or so. They were just intently examining clothing and other items and making purchasing decisions. (Experienced homeschoolers know the best time to shop is after … Continue reading →