Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in pittsburgh, PA

Fun on the Web: HighlightsKids.com

by Jennifer Signore

July 27, 2009

My apologies for the long blog silence--our whole family managed to get the long-lasting cold/cough/fever combo that has been making its rounds in the city.  I hope that you are yours were spared because it seems to be the bug that won't go away {cough...cough}. 

This week at the Savvy Source, we are talking about great magazines and Web sites for kids.  A few months ago, I told you all about my love for Highlights High Five Magazine, but I didn't get a chance to go on and on about their Web site.  And since it is definitely worth mentioning (and visiting), I'd like to give you a preview of what you might find there with your child. 

The Highlights Kids Web site is full of so many games and activities that you and your child will certainly find something to entertain and educate you all at the same time.  My son's first stop on the site is always the Hidden Pictures link, which takes you to a page where you can choose to play Hidden Pictures online or print some pages for offline enjoyment.  The online pages are fun because they can be played at different levels: Level 1 shows the name and image of the hidden pictures, Level 2 shows only the name of the hidden picture, and Level 3 doesn't show the name or image, you have to scout on your own.  Also, the online games are animated, so when your child clicks on a hidden shoe, for example, it will "walk" over to the found pictures area and show that item as complete (as well as highlight the image on the main picture).  Another nice feature of the Hidden Pictures main page is that it provides the answers to the magazine-based hidden pictures puzzle for that month in case you were stumped.

Another favorite section is the Games and Giggles link.  This page is continually updated with new games, so check back periodically to see what's new.  Right now, you can use the Maze Builder to create and then play your own mazes.  Another great stop (that seems to be a more permanent game on the site) is Color Columns.  This game requires kids to click on sets of two or more blocks of the same color that are touching, clearing the board little by little.  It's almost a kiddie version of Bejeweled. You can use it to teach color matching and also game strategy, because when the blocks at the bottom disappear, the ones at the top fall down to fill the spaces, thus, rearranging the colors. 

I also like the Science in Action link, which answers the science question of the week, provides a science story of the week, and suggests an experiment of the week.  It satisfies the geek in me. 

Overall, the Highlights Kids Web site is worth a visit because it provides a great compilation of games and activities that appeal to kids for the fun and also to parents for the educational aspects.  Learning really *can* be fun, and I love when a site like this captures the combination completely.

A Day at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

by Jennifer Signore

April 06, 2009

I have mentioned the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in previous posts as a great place to spend a rainy day, learn to tell time, or hear a story.  But I haven't yet written an entire piece on that location, and, well, it's about time I did.  The Children's Museum is one of the best places in Pittsburgh for preschoolers to explore, create, imagine, and play.  If you haven't been there yet, you must go soon. 

Located on the North Side in the Allegheny Square region, the Children's Museum packs a historical punch before you even enter the building.  As you approach from the front, to your left is the Old Allegheny Post Office building, complete with a cute rotunda on top.  To your right is the old Buhl Planetarium building.  The structure connecting the two spaces makes up the entryway. 

Once inside, you can spend an entire day in one area or hop from place to place, absorbing the dizzying array of activities and exhibits.  I will share with you a few of my favorites, but it is by no means an exhaustive list of fun and fancy.

If your preschoolers are at the young end of the spectrum or you also have an infant in tow, check out the Nursery on the third floor.  The Light Wall and Table is like a Lite-Brite on steroids, which means you'll get a kick out of it, too (plus a taste of nostalgia for your own childhood).  The pegs are a bit tough for the smallest hands to push into the wall, but they'll soon master it.  Another favorite of ours is the Bubble See Saw (hint-it makes for a really cute picture if taken through the bubble wall).  And don't' forget to stop at the rice table for some sensory fun!

For older preschoolers, don't miss the Garage and Workshop.  This expansive, round room (the old planetarium room from Buhl, for those who grew up in the ‘Burgh) is all about hands-on activities.  As you enter the room, you will find a collection of deconstructed automobile pieces that demonstrate exactly how the mysterious parts under the hood make a car get up and go.  The Interactive Art Pulley takes a series of colored balls up to the top of the room and lets them roll back down on what might be described as a roller coaster of wires.  If your kids are anything like mine, this task will keep them occupied for quite some time.  Then, you can launch little parachute men from the Climbing Structure.

Before your day has ended, make sure to stop by the Studio to make a little something to take home.  The selections normally include printmaking, painting, paper making, and clay sculptures (I believe the clay sculptures cannot go home with you, but everything else can).   And, lest you think that the museum is only fun on a day that is better spent inside, then you have not experienced the new and improved Backyard (just outside the Studio).   I am partial to the musical swings, but the Waterworks are pretty cool, too. 

Overall, a day at the Children's Museum is a day well spent.

99 Things to Do With Your Kids Before They Grow Up

by Jennifer Signore

March 03, 2009

In no particular order, here are 99 things you should do with your kids before they go to kindergarten (ok, actually, it’s only 60 right now…your input welcome!):

1.  Go through the keyhole in Storybook Forest

2.  Ride the trolley in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood at Idlewild

3.  Eat warm soft pretzels at the Pretzel Shop on Carson Street

4.  Cook a meal together

5.  Visit the animals at Round Hill Park

6.  Go on a hay ride

7.  Watch a thunderstorm roll in

8.  And then splash in the puddles

9.  Get a cone at Page Dairy Mart and watch the trains

10.  Ride the rails at the Trolley Museum in Washington, PA

11.  Stop at a random playground—just because

12.  Spend a day at the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum

13.  Ride the bubble-making see-saw in the nursery

14.  Make your own paper or clay sculpture

15.  And don’t forget to run the trolley in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

16.  Have dinner at Eat n Park just for the Smile Cookie

17.  See the holiday lights at Oglebay

18.  Visit Dippy the Dinosaur in Oakland

19.  Ride the carousel at Schenley Plaza

20.  Cuddle up with a book in the children’s room of the Carnegie Library

21.  Get hands-on at the Exploration Room at the Natural History Museum

22.  Dig for dinos at the Bonehunter’s Quarry

23.  See a mummy with your Mummy

24.  Pretend to be a king or queen in the commons room at the Cathedral of Learning

25.  Go to a neighborhood carnival

26.  And eat cotton candy

27.  Spend a day at Moraine State Park

28.  Find the Smiley Van at an event and decorate your own cookie

29.  Feed the fish at the Pymatuning spillway

30.  Check to see if the ducks really walk on the fish

31.  Visit Tour-Ed Coal Mine

32.  Play in the Silver Clouds room at the Warhol Museum

33.  Wish on the first star of the night

34.  Visit the cheese counter at Penn Mac in the Strip

35.  Get creative at the Weekend Factory at the Warhol

36.  Wear a sweater for Won’t You Be My Neighbor Days

37.  See a Fiddlesticks concert

38.  See the city on the back of a duck (a Ducky Tour, that is)

39.  Visit Laurel Caverns

40.  Go to a Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater performance

41.  See a baseball game at PNC Park

42.  Enjoy a day at Kiddieland at Kennywood Park

43.  And then ride the big carousel

44.  And then ride the train

45.  Now you’re ready for a funnel cake

46.  Take a river tour on the Gateway Clipper Fleet

47.  Attend the International Children’s Festival in May

48.  Go ice skating at PPG Place

49.  And catch snowflakes on your tongue

50.  Hear a story told by the Queen of Hearts

51.  Have a picnic dinner at First Fridays at the Frick

52.  Ride the incline (one or both…just do it)

53.  Have an ice cream sundae at Sarris Candies

54.  And wander the rows of chocolate delights

55.  Go to the Blue Slide Playground

56.  See the miniature railroad at the Carnegie Science Center

57.  Go to the Three Rivers Arts Festival (bring your umbrella)

58.  Check out the fish tanks at Wholey’s

59.  Go to one of many summer outdoor concerts

60.  Go on safari at Living Treasures Animal Park

What's Happening? February 6 - 12 Edition

by Jennifer Signore

February 06, 2009

To keep you informed of the week's events, Being Savvy Pittsburgh will now feature upcoming events every Friday. Some of these events are "evergreen" (happening every week), and I will keep a section for those listings at the bottom of the post each week for your reference. If anything new pops up in the evergreen section, I'll be sure to highlight it. The other events are either short-term  Read more...

Three Days in Pittsburgh: Day Two--Children's Museum and the Strip

by Jennifer Signore

February 02, 2009

Start your day with a big breakfast at your local Eat n Park , where the breakfast buffet lets everyone eat exactly what they want (always a plus when kids are involved). Kids five and under will eat free with an adult buffet purchase and kids 10 and under eat for half price, so it's easy on the wallet. It's a family friendly place with a great cup of coffee to get a parent's day  Read more...

Indoor Play Spaces

by Jennifer Signore

January 20, 2009

The weather outside has truly been frightful, and my guess is that you and the kids are getting a bit of cabin fever. Where can you go to let the kids burn off a bit of energy? Here are a few places to consider, but please feel free to share your favorites in the comments so we can all get in on the secret. Pittsburgh Children's Museum While the Children's Museum is  Read more...

Give the Gift of Pittsburgh

by Jennifer Signore

December 16, 2008

There are so many places to go and things to do around Pittsburgh, that it won't take much effort to treat your families to one of the gifts that keeps on giving--a local membership or subscription. Here are just a few to get you started: Carnegie Museums Membership A membership to the Carnegie museums gets you into not one, but FOUR great Pittsburgh museums: the  Read more...

Holiday Gift Guide: Off the Beaten Path

by Jennifer Signore

December 11, 2008

Only 11 days from now, Hanukkah begins, and in two weeks, it's Christmas. Have you finished shopping? Are you looking for something a little different? I am always on the lookout for gifts that are a bit out of the ordinary. Here is a list of gifts and shops you may not have considered (and won't find in the weekly circulars). XO Laptop The One Laptop Per Child  Read more...

Storytimes Around Town

by Jennifer Signore

November 11, 2008

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh When I think of stories the first thing I think of is the library. So, what better place to go for a storytime with your child? The Carnegie Library has several programs that might catch your interest. The Toddler Storytime , for ages 18 to 36 months, is a 20- to 30-minute program aimed at presenting children with stories that will build their  Read more...

Books come to life at the international children's theater

by Jennifer Signore

November 10, 2008

This month, Savvy Source is focused on great books, a theme near and dear to my heart. I have been an avid reader my whole life, and my kids seem to be following in my footsteps. Perhaps your kids are bookworms, too. If not, they may still love the idea of a story that has come to life. Intrigued? Then check out the Pittsburgh International Children's Theater , which brings  Read more...

Top Five Things to Do on a Rainy Day

by Jennifer Signore

October 21, 2008

1. Go to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History !   The CMNH has become my family's new favorite place to spend an afternoon now that Dinosaurs in Their Time is complete.   Who doesn't want to walk among prehistoric behemoths as they battle it out in a forgotten time?   And don't forget to stop by the Bonehunter's Quarry !   My son can't wait to don his goggles and scrape,  Read more...