The wonderful Grand Cinema, our local non-profit “art-house” cinema at 6th & Fawcett downtown, is partnering with Click Cable to offer FREE family movies every 3rd Saturday from March 21, 2009 to August 15, 2009, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM.
How’s that for great local support in the current economy?!!
They start March 21st with the Princess Bride. Here’s what’s showing subsequent months.
And if you missed Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, it’s playing there now. Support the grand!
If you are hitting the stores early for holiday shopping this year, here’s one not to miss: Childtrek Natural Toys, which opened in Freighthouse Square last summer.
They specialize in “unique, natural and eco-friendly toys for babies and toddlers … made of natural, biodegradable, recyclable, and/or recycled materials.” They have all the great brands — lots of beautiful wooden toys from Haba and Plan toys, as well as a fun new discovery for us … Automoblox cars, which are beautiful little high-performance race cars with interchangeable parts. (All the neighbor kids are getting these from us for birthdays! My husband even got one for his 40th.) They also have my absolute favorite, Barefoot Books! (I love these so much I sell them … see ad at right). (more…)
The School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA), which is based in Seattle, is now offering classes in the Tacoma area — this sounds like real fun!
In class students will learn to walk on a tight wire, balance on a rolling globe, juggle, and tumble. We have not actually tried this, but have a friend who has been wanting to get her daughter into this for the longest time. Hopefully this will take off and they will expand their schedule in the future. Definitely something different!
Classes take place on Wednesdays in the Safety First Protective Personal Strategies space at 8307 27th Street W, University Place, WA 98466. (more…)
Garfield Book Company at Pacific Lutheran University has story times every Saturday at 11 a.m. If you have not ever been to this bookstore, it has a small but complete children’s section with a small slide/play structure in the middle and a neat store attached that sells cool goods from all over the world.
The following titles will be featured at upcoming Story times: (more…)
Well, it looked like many of the rest of you kid-totin’ gritty Tacomans were already there, but if you missed it, the new 6th Ave Farmer’s Market started yesterday on Pine Street off of 6th Ave, and it’s a good one!
We weren’t sure what to expect, with two already thriving Farmers markets going in/near the North End (Proctor and Downtown), but this little 2 block extravaganza is my new favorite. OK, it’s closest to home, so I’m a little biased, but it did not hurt that we could have a beer at Engine House #9 (one of our old favorites) and fill Reilly up on mini corn dogs and fries before heading home, either.
There were LOTS of great plant/nursery vendors, several flower stands, berry, produce and cheese stands, AND a really rockin’ girls (like 12 year-old) band! I did not catch the band’s name, because I was too busy shopping and chasing Reilly — but I wish I had because they were GREAT. (If anyone knows who these girls were, please post a comment. I’d like to find out more about any gigs and give them a little formal recognition. They were cool.)
The market is Tuesday afternoons (3:30 to 7:30) July 15 to September 30. The space is tight and it was a little hard to navigate with a big stroller (we had our jumbo jogger), so travel light if possible. See you there!
I found a neat blog recently: Tacoma Green Families. It’s run by Melissa, who runs Kindermusik classes at the Minuet Studio, and it’s worth checking out.
I signed up for the mailing list and just got an e-vite to an event they are hosting at Jefferson Park next week to make your own home cleaner. Bring a bottle for some home cleaner and bring any other natural home cleaning ideas and recipes you have to share. It’s Thursday, June 26 4:30 at Jefferson Park, 3920 N 9th, Tacoma WA 98406.
The organizers suggested bringing suits for the kids to play at the Sprayground, and bringing a picnic dinner and having working parents join later. We are planning to attend and look forward to meeting other members of this group!
As part of their “Dinner Under the Stars” fundraising event, the Tacoma Children’s museum will host a “play lane tour” this Saturday, June 21, from 2:00 – 4:00pm, FREE, at Pierce Transit Park, across from the Children’s Museum of Tacoma at 936 Broadway.
This event includes tours of the whimsical playhouse and structures, a hands-on make-and-take activity and refreshments. Come check out the Fire House, Dog House, Fort with slide and more!
A contractor at the museum who has attended the dinner event in the past tells me that the playhouses are spectacular. Kids will be able to play in them during the tour, but they need to be supervised: the houses will be auctioned that night so they need to limit wear and tear.
Reservations are requested: www.ChildrensMuseumofTacoma.org
Playhouses will be auctioned off that night at the Playing Under the Stars event. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.childrensmuseumoftacoma.org or by phone at 253.627.6031 ext. 223.
This sounds like it’s going to be neat! Here’s their blurb:
Tacoma-Pierce County’s Livable Communities Fair
Saturday May 17, 2008
9:00am - 4:00pm
Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall
It’s Free, Fun and Informative
The fair is a county-wide effort aimed at raising awareness about projects and programs that make communities more livable.
Like a garden or home show, the fair provides interactive displays on a wide range of topics including energy conservation, carpooling, recycling, neighborhood emergency preparedness, affordable housing, water quality, public safety, clean environment, agriculture, recreation, health, education, community involvement, children’s activities, and much more.
For more information: www.livablepiercecounty.org or 253-798-7477
Here’s the schedule of events, and check out the long list of exhibitors. See you there!
Although we have many friends who are members and go regularly, the Children’s Museum has been a special destination for daddy & son bonding for our family, so I never realized before that the Children’s Museum offers free admission on the first Friday of each month. If you have never been in before, mark your calendar for the first Friday and check it out. March 7 is the next free admission day!
They will also offer free admission Thursdays in June, July and August in conjunction with the Farmers Market, and they offer half-price admission 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
All that fun and great deals too! Check out their website for more info: www.childrensmuseumoftacoma.org
Tacoma Art Museum is offering some cool sounding summer art camps for kids ages 9-14; the information from their press release is printed below. We love the museum and have braved it with Reilly for the Eric Carle exhibit and a few other short visits with lots of adults to help monitor “Mr. Touchy-Hands.” We look forward to Reilly being old enough to take part in more of these kinds of things — these camps look fun!
For a list of more family/kids events at the museum, visit the Families & Children link under the Events and Programs tab on the website.
Would love to hear some feedback from any who attend! Press Release follows: (more…)