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

Check Out the National Parks Service for Unexpected Fun

by Jennifer Signore

June 08, 2009

While on our recent vacation, I learned about a great program for kids and wanted to share it with you.  The National Parks Service (NPS) has a wealth of information for families and individuals traveling to the lands they oversee, including national parks, national monuments, national historical sites...the list really does go on and on.  If you will be travelling, check out the NPS parks list to see whether your next vacation destination is in or near one of the parks.  Many of the parks have interpretive lectures and programs to enhance your park experience.  For instance, we visited the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and found a wealth of programs in their newsletter, called In The Park.  We heard a talk about pirates, explored samples of marine life, and even got to try our hand at crabbing!  

NPS also runs a Junior Ranger Program at many of its parks, which gives the kids a chance to get more involved in their parks experience.  The age range for the program varies from park to park, so check with the park you are visiting to see if your kids will qualify (the link above provides a list of parks with JR programs).  In addition, the "prize" for finishing the program will vary-some parks offer a badge, some a patch, and others offer both.  At Cape Hatteras, for instance, the program had two divisions, a program for kids ages 2 - 5 and another for kids ages 6 - 13.  Each division had an activity booklet to learn about the seashore.  Completing the booklet would earn the child a badge.  By attending two ranger-led programs, the child can also earn a patch (my four-year old got both and was thrilled).

If you won't be getting away this summer, you can also become a Web Ranger.   Through this program, kids of all ages can learn about the park and earn Web Ranger status by completing a set of activities.  Not a bad way to spend some computer time with the kids!  And if your summer is going to be a staycation, don't forget that Pittsburgh is within a short drive of places like Fort Necessity National Battlefield, which does have a Junior Ranger program (with a very cool patch, I might add).

Another neat item we picked up while in the park was a Passport to Your National Parks.  The spiral-bound booklet contains spaces for regional park stamps, which can be purchased at park visitors' centers or through the mail.  It also has space for you to put cancellations (ink stamps) to show that you have visited various national sites.  The cancellations are available at the visitor center for each park and are free (the booklet costs $7.95 but will hold lots of cancellations if you stamp carefully).  We bought one passport booklet to log family trips to the national parks and plan to use it often.  What an unexpected way to add a fun and educational twist to your travels!         

What's Happening? May 29 to June 5 Edition

by Jennifer Signore

May 29, 2009

THIS WEEK'S HAPPENINGS

This week, I have tried to capture some events that are one of a kind, so the calendar might seem a bit brief.  Don't forget that there are also lots of fun explorations at our venues in the "evergreen" section below!

SATURDAY, MAY 30

Touch-a-Truck
Does your child love big trucks and construction equipment?  Then make sure to head over to Touch-a-Truck at 15^th and Smallman in the Strip District and get a chance to explore trucks of all shapes and sizes.  The event runs from 10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. and the $5 admission benefits the Junior League of Pittsburgh.

Open House at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture
Take a look at the new August Wilson Center building and celebrate the art, culture, and history of African Americans and people of African descent worldwide.   This event runs from 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Beyond Bikes Day at the Kingsley Association
Kick off National Bicycle Month with a bike safety check and guided tours throughout the day.  The event starts at noon and is sponsored by Venture Outdoors, a non-profit seeking to make the outdoors an integral part of life in Pittsburgh.  For more information, call (412) 255-0564.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

Solar Concert Series at the Children's Museum
The summer sun will power the sound system at this green concert series held on Wednesdays at 12:15p.m. in front of the Children's Museum.  Concerts will be held weekly from June through August, so you can surely catch more than one this season!  This week's concert features Todd Burge.

Don't forget that the Three Rivers Arts Festival opens this week on Friday, June 5 and runs through Sunday, June 14!

EVERGREEN EVENTS

Children's Museum
There's always something happening at the Children's Museum.  Check out their calendar for the month for a great activity to share with the kids.  Don't forget that they have classes for kids every day.  Most are included with museum admission; check the Website for details.

Carnegie Museum of Art
CMOA has a variety of classes for all ages.  Every weekend from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., check out the ARTventures: Drop-in Family Art-Making.  You can pick up a gallery search and to explore together and then make your own masterpiece at an art station.  And don't forget about the recurring Gallery Play Dates for Preschoolers.Carnegie Museum of Natural History
CMNH has a great collection of activities for museum visitors.  On weekends, you can augment your explorations with the Discovery Carts, located throughout the museum (Saturdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and Sundays 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.).  Or, take a trek downstairs to the Discovery Room, which is open daily (check Web for exact hours).  Here, you can touch and explore the displays and materials or check out a Museum Bag to take with you as you visit other museum displays. 

Warhol Museum
The Warhol is an eclectic place with lots of bold patterns and bright colors that should appeal to the kids.  Check out Good Fridays.  While they are not necessarily geared toward the kids, admission is half price, and it's a great way to burn off some steam at the end of the week.  On Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m., check out the Weekend Factory, where everyone in the family can get hands-on with an art project, usually including a silkscreen on paper.

Carnegie Science Center
There's always something happening at the Carnegie Science Center.  Nurture your kids' curiosity at one of the many science exploration areas, see a demonstration, or just watch the miniature railroad go by.  No matter how you spend your day, it will be a trip worth taking.

Phipps Conservatory
Take a stroll back in time as you meander through lush gardens and picturesque vignettes.  Learn all about plants in 17 distinct botanical areas.  Check out the exhibit, "Tropical Forest: Headwaters of the Amazon" as well as the latest addition, "Life in the Garden: Frabel Glass at Phipps."

Eco-Friendly Clothing and Giveaway

by Jennifer Signore

April 13, 2009

This week at the Savvy Source, we are again talking about being green.  Many parents would like to find ways to incorporate eco-friendly lifestyle choices without adding to an already hectic schedule.  One choice that has become popular is wearing eco-friendly and organic clothing.  We all need to get dressed, so the only extra effort involved is finding vendors that carry items fitting the bill.

How can our choice of clothing make a difference to the environment?  Well, natural fibers that have been farmed organically do not use pesticides, thus reducing their impact on our water supply and food sources.  Another eco-friendly option is turning to domestic clothing suppliers.  In doing so, you reduce the environmental effect of shipping long distances, and you also eliminate the use of formaldehyde and other chemical preservatives.  What?  The same stuff that preserved specimens in biology class is on my clothing?  Yes.  Especially when clothing has been shipped very long distances and has to be protected from mildew and pests.  It does its job very well.  Unfortunately, it is also a carcinogen and causes a skin reaction in some individuals, especially children.   

Therefore, I was interested to learn more about suppliers of these eco-friendly clothes.  A quick Internet search will yield a wealth of information.  I have been chatting with Baby Star, one vendor that has adopted an eco-friendly way to provide completely adorable clothing for babies and young toddlers.  All of their products are formaldehyde-free, AZO-free, BPA-free and Phthalate-free, meaning that no toxic chemicals are used in production. Their new line of knit clothing is made with soy/organic cotton and a new line of organic denim is coming soon.  In addition to the clothes having a minimal carbon footprint, the company also uses recyclable packaging; prints marketing materials on FSC certified paper; and actively recycles, reuses, and renews. 

To get you excited about these eco-friendly clothing options, Baby Star has provided a discount code (20twinkle09) for 30% off retail at their site.  The code is good through December 31, 2009, giving you plenty of time to shop. 

Baby Star is also giving away their new "Rock the Tote" diaper bag to a lucky Savvy reader.  The bag is designed to hold everything you might need for the kids and can be easily repurposed into a bag for all of your essentials when the kids have outgrown the "heavy supplies" stage.  In fact, it's cute enough that you might not put the kids' stuff in it at all (added bonus: the winner gets to choose the fabric). 

To enter, leave a comment below with one eco-friendly habit that your family has recently adopted (or one that you plan to adopt soon).  For a second entry, follow me on Twitter (@savvypittsburgh) and leave me a comment with your Twitter username.  Please be sure to include a valid e-mail with all comments!  All entries will be recorded on recycled paper and drawn out of a thrift-shop hat on Monday, April 27.