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

Last Chance to Visit the Three Rivers Arts Festival!

by Jennifer Signore

June 12, 2009

If you haven't been to the 2009 Three Rivers Arts Festival, there is still time.  Limited time.  The festival runs through this coming Sunday, and the rain seems to be lifting, so why not take the family out for some great art in the city?

The Arts Festival really does have something for everyone.  The music collection is amazingly diverse, and the artists' styles range from reggae to blues to folk to rock. Coming up this weekend are the Battle of the Bands winners on Saturday and to close out the festival, some fabulous reggae rhythms to get your soul moving.  The collection of art shows within the festival is staggering, and visiting all of them would keep you busy for a very long day.  I plan to check out the Artists in Action: Quilting exhibit, because I'm one of those crazy ladies that likes to cut up fabric and sew it back together again.  And since you'll have the kids along, be sure to visit some of the kids events at the Arts Festival.  Mr. McFeely will be there with a puppet show (Speedy delivery!) full of characters from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, or you can check out Shark Hats & Sidewalk Chalk for your own budding artists (speaking of which, the photo in that link is from the Fifth Avenue side of WQED studios, and it looks really cool in person-and hopefully the recent rains didn't wash it away). 

If you want to take a piece of art home with you, explore the artists' market.  There, you'll find booth after booth of wonderfully talented individuals displaying their wares and their talents (many of them will continue to work on-site).  This is a great place to teach the kids about different artistic forms.  Ask the artists about their techniques, their inspirations, how long it takes to make a piece, and so forth.  I bet the kids will jump in with a bunch of questions of their own, too.

And, of course, you'll find the usual Pittsburgh festival foods-gyros, funnel cakes, corn dogs-true, they are not the most healthy choices for the kids, but when a festival happens only once a year, it's ok to indulge a little. 

So get thee to the festival for a sensory extravaganza!

Summer Sessions at the Carnegie Museum of Art

by Jennifer Signore

May 22, 2009

I'm going to change the calendar format a bit this week because believe it or not, we are almost in the midst of summer camp season, and that means it's time to register (in fact, for some of the more involved camps and classes, it might be too late).  As a member of the Carnegie Museums, I received an e-newsletter with a layout of the summer classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art, and I liked the collection so much that I wanted to share it with you. 

Gallery Play Dates for Preschoolers
I have mentioned these events before, as they do take place throughout the year.  What you will find during the summer is four sessions, each with two classes on subsequent Tuesdays from 10:30 to 11:30a.m.  These classes are designed for ages 3 to 4 and require that a caregiver remain present with the child.  The children will use this time to explore art by observing in the museum environment and creating with a variety of materials.  The cost for each session is $20 for members and $24 for nonmembers, which includes admission for one child and adult. 

Art and Architecture Camps (Ages 4 - 5)
This camp is divided into one-week sessions that run from 9:00 to 11:30a.m., and the variety of themes should have something for everyone.  You may notice that both these classes and the Gallery Play Dates allow children age 4 to attend.  The main difference is that in the Art and Architecture Camps, the children should be able to stay at the session without a caregiver.  You will need to make that decision based on your child's exposure to independence.  How well does he or she do when you get a babysitter?  Does your child cling to your leg or run off with the temporary caregiver easily?  The camp should be a fun experience even if it is also a chance to test out the preschool waters.  Perhaps you can do one of the early summer Gallery Play Dates and if your child seems enthused by the program, talk about the possibility of attending one of the more independent sessions later in the summer.  

Art and Architecture Camps (Ages 6 - 7)
This camp is designed in a similar fashion to the one described above except that you can attend sessions in the morning (9:00 - 11:30a.m.), the afternoon (12:30 - 3:00p.m.), or enroll in both to create a full-day session.

Art and Architecture Camps (Ages 8 - 13)
In these camp sessions, which are divided by age into an 8 - 10 year old group and an 11 - 13 year old group, the sessions run from 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.

The Art and Architecture camps are $90/$100 (member/nonmember) for a half day class and $180/$200 for a full day.  In the case of full-day camps, you can also arrange for early drop-off and late pick-up for an additional fee.  You can register online, by phone, in person, or by mail.  No mater what your method, I would recommend registering soon, especially for the early-season sessions.   

So, if your budding artist is looking for something to do this summer, you might want to consider this exciting collection of classes from the Carnegie Museum of Art. 

The Horse at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History

by Jennifer Signore

March 16, 2009

On a recent trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, we visited the new exhibit, The Horse, which will be on display through May 24.  This multimedia exhibit covers so many aspects of the horse that you're sure to find something that reigns you in (so punny).  My kids enjoyed the dioramas and "What is it?" displays that slide to reveal information about a horse-related object.  Soon after you enter the exhibit, you come to a large screen with an animated cross section of a horse-the animal in the video eats some grass and you then watch the grass as it passes all the way through (and out) of the digestive system.  I thought it was pretty interesting, and kids are often fascinated with poop, so it might just keep their attention for a while.

Other displays include a hose-drawn fire engine, a large terra cotta horse, and horse-themed toys.  There are a couple of other horse video displays in the exhibit.  One that my kids sat and watched for a while featured horses in New York City-police horses and then some therapeutic horses at a stable right in the middle of the city.  I've been to NYC a few times and have to admit I never thought I could find a stable on one of those busy streets.  In Central Park, maybe, but not in the concrete jungle.  Oh, and the touch screen exhibits on horse types and colors were also a huge hit.  (Actually, the new touch screens throughout the museum have been a big draw for my kids-kudos to the museum staff for the installation.)

If you want to see a real Equustravaganza (scroll down a bit on the link for the full list of activities), come to the museum on Saturday, March 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and learn about things like shoeing, grooming, and tack; visit with a real horse; talk with competitive riders; and try on riding equipment.  All activities are included with museum admission.

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 Three--Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History

by Jennifer Signore

February 02, 2009

Hopefully by today you are not completely exhausted, because you are about to experience one of the best dinosaur collections in the world! First of all, though, is breakfast (have you noticed that we Pittsburghers love our food?). I would recommend a trip to Pamela's Restaurant (various locations), famous for pancakes and also for yummy home fries (I don't like potatoes and I just LOVE  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...

Budding Art Critic: Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights

by Jennifer Signore

November 06, 2008

The Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights is transforming buildings all over the city and surrounding area into lighted canvases. Using a technique called "light painting," several international artists , whose work has appeared in places like the Siene in Paris and the pyramids in Egypt, have draped our city's buildings with illuminated images like flowers and letters, just to name a few.  Read more...