dec07newsletter

Local Kids Events

These are a few of the events I think are extra cool - to see more events please go to our events calendar.

Saturday, Decenber 1 - 2007 Christmas Festival at Peddler's Village
5750 Upper York Road, New Hope, PA 18938 - 215.794.4047
10:00 am to 6:00 pm FREE ADMISSION & FREE PARKING Join us for our annual Christmas Parade at 1:30 sharp on Saturday. Santa arrives in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by local scout troops and heralded by the Central Bucks East marching band. The Village is beautifully decorated in Victorian-style, with fruit wreaths and greenery. Live entertainment.
Sunday, December 2 - Baby Loves Disco
At the Shampoo club in Philly (the thouroughly clean it) they have a kids disco from 2-5PM. You'll enjoy dancing with your little one at a real nightclub, check out the website. Admission is $10 for all walking humans. (non-walkers free!)
Tuesday, December 4 - Go Wild with Max! - Darlington Arts Center
977 Shavertown Rd, Boothwyn, PA 19061 - 610.358.3632
10:00 – 10:45am for ages 3 – 6 The cost is $11
An abbreviated version of our Go Wild! workshop for students who are just starting to explore the world of drama.
Friday & Saturday December 7 & 8 - (Free)A family Christmas Celebration - Branch Creek Community Church
100 South Main Street Harleysville, PA 19438
As a family you can make ornaments, see a live nativity, take a family photo and have hot coco and cookies. Dec. 7 - 7PM, Dec 8 - 2 & 6 PM
Saturday, December 8 - Breakfast With Santa - Abington
9:30-11:00 a.m. Abington YMCA, 1073 Old York Road, Abington
Featuring crafts and photo with Santa Cost: Free to members; $5/child for non-members. Reservations & Information: 215-884-9622
Sunday, December 9 - Family Bingo - William Jeanes Library
4051 Joshua Rd. Lafayette Hill, PA 19444 - 610.828-0441
We will be playing traditional bingo but the prizes will be yummy cookies, pies, and other goodies. The cost is onegrocery item per player to be donated to a local food pantry. Please sign up space is limited.
Monday, December 10 - Hanukkah Celebration - Shadybrook Farms - 931 Stony Hill Rd. Yardley, PA 19067 - 215.968.1670 6-8PM they will have live music by Susan Sacks, storytime with Judy Kozak, crafts, and more!
Wednesday, December 12 - Holiday Craft Night (free) Upper Moreland
109 Park Ave. Willow Grove, PA 19090 - 215-659-0741
Ages 6 to 12 - 7:00 PM. Crafts, holiday decorations and gifts.Registration begins November 19. (Call 215-659-0741, ext. 5.).
Thursday, December 13 - Brunch with Santa - Elmwood Park Zoo
1661 Harding Blvd. Norristown, PA 19401 - 610.277.3825
Dec. 13th, 18th and 22nd Join Santa and some special friends for a delicious brunch! Brunch time is 10- 11am and includes breakfast/lunch menu items, pictures with Santa and a special gift for all children. Call today for more details...space is limited! 610-277-3825 x 225 or x231
Friday December 14 - Fall walk and then Gingerbread houses Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
- 8480 Hagys Mill Road Philadelphia, PA 19128 - 215.482.7300
10AM-12PM On a short guided walk, enjoy our woodland grounds and the plants and animals that inhabit them. Then come indoors to create an edible wonderland together with your child! An adaptation of the traditional gingerbread house, our gingerbread houses will be small houses surrounded by an abundance of flora and fauna of the sweet variety! Bring your imaginations and prepare for a fun morning creating a woodland fairytale world with your child. $8/child, member; $12/child, non-member.
Tuesday, December 18 - Bilingual Bedtime Storytime William Jeanes Library 4051 Joshua Rd. Lafayette Hill, PA 19444 - 610.828-0441
If you want to introduce your child to Spanish this is a great and fun way. Kids ages 3-7 will get to read stories and do activities in English and Spanish. The theme is winter and wear your pajamas and bring a flashlight.
Friday, December 21 - Zoo cares babysitting - Elmwood Park Zoo
1661 Harding Blvd. Norristown, PA 19401 - 610.277.3825
The Zoo Cares Days Holiday shopping can sometimes be stressful enough without having to worry what the kids are up too. We want you to know we understand and that the "Zoo Cares", so why not drop the kids off at the Zoo to have a blast exploring while you have five hours of shopping with the peace of mind that the kids are safe and haveing fun and learning too. Dates: November 23rd, December 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. Price: Member $18 pp, Nonmember $25 pp.
Tuesday, December 25 - Being Jewish at Christmas program at the National Museum of American Jewish History. They will have music, refreshments and children's activities. 215.923.3811
Thursday, December 27 - Dinosaur Day - The Academy of Natural Science - 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 - 215.299.1000
Dinosaurs come to life with presentations in Dinosaur Hall throughout the day. Test your knowledge about dinosaurs at our science stations.Live Animal Shows at 11 am and 2:30 pm (in the Auditorium).Make a dino craft small enough to take home (on the second floor near the Panda diorama).

Weekly Events

Tuesdays - Big Al's Aquarium Store has a free shark feeding.
Saturdays - Lakeshore Learning in King of Prussia has a Free craft.
Click here to check out more reoccurring events.

Great Links

Toy Recalls - This is the official site of government toy recalls check it out before you buy toys. Also check out Toyinfo.org.
Do 2 Learn - This website created to give resources to those who have children with special needs is an amazing resource for every mom. They have safety songs to teach your kids, art projects, working on fine motor skills, and writing tools great for 3 year olds learning to write their letters. I give it 4 stars.
Goody Blog - This is a great site for those who like cool and different things on the Internet. They have cool sites, giveaways and recipes.

Holiday Presents for kids other than toys

Mark Makers - This amazing organization has found a way to make giving to a charity fun and educational. You buy a gift card for a child. Using our gift cards, kids can shop at the markmakers store for goods & services in need around the world. They can spread their funds among more than 40 needs/causes such as vaccines, medicine, & eyecare, or saving animals, rain forests & coral reefs while they learn about the need.
Kids Classes - You can buy the special chil in your life anything from a cooking class to gymnastics. Check out our kids classes page.
Memberships - There is no better gift for the whole family then a membership. You can checkout zoos, museums, and amusement parks.
Coupons - Buy your favorite child a date with you. Include the special activity, the meal, and all the other pertinent information. What they want most is your time, and hey that's what we want to.

Are you looking for some fun Holiday Websites... Here are some really cool ones I've found.
Go Elf Yourself
This free website from Office Max lets you upload pictures of you and your family and it makes dancing elves out of them. It's Hilarious.
Santa's Personalized Stories This is a great Website where you put in some information like your kids name, favorite activity, best friend etc. and then the site makes a story about it, you can print it into a little booklet, very very cute. Don't worry none of the information is saved so you don't have to worry about privacy issues.
Good Deeds Calendar - This whole year calendar has a chart of good deeds for your kids to do all year. Check out the rest of the free activities on this site its awesome.
Send Santa an email - And he'll write back to you. They have a thourough privacy statement and don't give away your email.
Hanukat - There aren't that many sites with activities for kids about Hanukkah, but this one is great, and highly reviewed. Check out the Activities section.
Santasearch - Cool activities - check out the Christmas Jukebox.

Holiday Activities

There are so many different activities that you can take your children to for the holidays here are just a few.
Places to Visit:
Macy's Holiday light show in Philly - 1300 Market St. Philadelphia, PA215.241.9000 - This annual tradition runs on the even hours.
The Byer's Choice Christmas Museum & Gift Emporium - You can go to the factory and see how the carolers are made, and every weekend they have a themed Christmas event (Italian Christmas, Irish Christmas etc)
4355 County Line Road Chalfont, PA 18914 -215.822.0150
Open Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Sunday, Noon until 5:00 p.m.; Closed major holidays.
Linvilla Orchards - 137 W. Knowlton Rd. Media, PA 19063 - 610.876.7116
Every Saturday and Sunday 1-2PM after Thanksgiving Santa will be there, and on December 8, 15 & 22 ~ 4:30 PM Visitors are treated to the tradition of wassailing, story telling and singing carols around the campfire.
Longwood Gardens - 1001 Longwood Rd. Kennett Square, PA 19348 - 610.388.1000
With every tree decorated with lights you can enter into a winter wonderland and see professional ice skaters, strolling performers, daily concerts and special events.
Shady Brook Farm Santas Village - 931 Stony Hill Rd. Yardley, PA 19067 - 215.968.1670
Take pictures with Santa, listen to Mrs. Claus tell stories, and warm up with live holiday entertainment in our heated greenhouse.Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 6-9PM in December.
Kitchen Kettle Village - Beautiful old fashion village decorated for Christmas with lots of cute shops.
Route 340 Intercourse, PA
Bethlehem, PA (Christmas City) - Only an hour north there are so many different activities and events. You can go any time of day and shop in historic Bethlehem or go during one of the main events.
Christmas in Hershey - They have attractions, events, and activities. At the center of it all is HERSHEYPARK CHRISTMAS CANDYLANE, where the magic of the holidays comes to life with a million twinkling lights, a selection of rides for all ages, festive decorations, Santa and his reindeer, and shopping in our quaint village shops!
Holiday Railway Fun:
Holiday Garden Railway - Morris Arboretum has a minature railway with all the magic of Christmas around it. 100 E. Northwestern Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19118 - 215.247.5777
Reading Terminal Holiday Train Display - is a miniature world featuring a dozen working train lines running through a wonderland of scenes, from bustling cities and towns to the tranquil, snow-covered countryside. Whether you recall your childhood train set or want to introduce your own little ones to a new holiday season tradition, this display will be one you and your family will long remember.
12th and Market St. Philadelphia, PA - 215.933.2317 - Display open 10AM-6PM
NewHope Railroad - 32 West Bridge St. New Hope, PA 18938 - 215.862.2332
Ride the rails with Santa, Mrs. Claus and a host of holiday revelers for a truly unique holiday season experience the whole family will be sure to enjoy. Children and adults of all ages are invited to ride this special holiday train. Listen to a story, have free hot cocoa and cookies while Santa visits with each child onboard and presents them with a special gift.
Things to do:
- Go on Sleigh Rides - Bee Tree Trail - Shartlesville, PA. 19554 - 484.645.3411
- Go Ice Skating
- Cut down your own Christmas Tree - Check out our website where you can find a list of all the cut your own Christmas trees in the area with a map so you can find the closest one.