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

What's Happening? Apr 17 - 23 Edition

by Jennifer Signore

April 16, 2009

THIS WEEK'S HAPPENINGS

Earth Day is April 22, but you can start the celebration this weekend.  Check it out!

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

Party for the Planet at the Pittsburgh Zoo
Participate in green activities and shop at a green marketplace
11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.

Art in Bloom at the Carnegie Museum of Art
Experience the galleries as art is paired with fresh floral arrangements.
Special guided tours and children's programs available.
For details, call the museum 412-622-3131

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

Earth Day at the Natural History Museum
Celebrate Earth day with various activities throughout the day

Art in Bloom at the Carnegie Museum of Art
Experience the galleries as art is paired with fresh floral arrangements.
Special guided tours and children's programs available.
For details, call the museum 412-622-3131

Earth Day at the Children's Museum
Various activities throughout the day-check it out!

Saturday Light Brigade Live Broadcast at the Children's Museum
10:00 to noon

Hard Head Helmet Fittings in Sheraden
Make sure your child's safety helmet is fitted properly
Kiwanis Club of Sheraden, 10:00a.m. to 1:00p.m.
Follow the link for the full schedule-coming soon to a location near you!

Beginner's Origami at the Carnegie Library Squirrel Hill
Learn to fold paper into fabulous shapes; noon

Spanish Fun at the Carnegie Library in Oakland
Sing some songs in Spanish-all levels welcome
Registration required (follow link above)

Jazz for Tots at the Carnegie Library in Homewood
Saturdays from noon to 1:00p.m. in April
Music, dance, and sing-along for ages 3-5

"If You Were a Penguin" Celebration at the Carnegie Library
Come to a special family storytime at various locations:
Hill District @ 11:30a.m.
South Side @ 11:30a.m.
Beechview @ 2:00p.m.
Hazelwood @ 2:00p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

Kidtoons "Celebrate Earth Day" Movie at Showcase Cinemas North
Join Super Why and the cast of Word World in some cinematic fun!
Noon; tickets $3.50

Once Upon a Toon at the Children's Museum
Zany storytelling and live illustrations
1:00, 2:00, and 3:00p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22

Happy Earth Day!

Blue, Gold, and Green at the University of Pittsburgh
Music, food, eco-friendly displays and information--all in one place
Free and open to the public; 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.

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 newest exhibit, "Tropical Forest: Headwaters of the Amazon."

Dino Hunt! Oakland

by Jennifer Signore

February 24, 2009

Now that DinoMite Days are long behind us, many of the dinosaurs created for that event were purchased by individuals or organizations and are housed in various locations around the city. Because our house is currently going through a dinosaur phase (and I suspect a lot of yours are, too), I thought I'd assemble a dino hunt for you and your little adventurers. All but one of these dinos is in the Oakland area and could be made into a walking tour if the weather cooperates. The last one is a bit farther away, but you'll build an appetite finding the first four, so it's a great final destination. Enjoy the hunt!

Dippy the Dinosaur
Installed in 1999 in honor of the 100^th anniversary of the expedition that discovered Diplodocus fossils in Wyoming, Dippy has become a Pittsburgh landmark. At 22 feet tall and 84 feet long, Dippy is a life-size replica of Diplodocus carnegii, a dinosaur named after Andrew Carnegie, the man who funded the expedition. Depending on the time of year, Dippy might be sporting a scarf (black and gold, of course!). A path leads straight to Dippy and you are welcome to touch him-always a plus with the kids! 

Alphabetasaurus
At the corner of Bellefield and Forbes, the Alphabetasaurus is a playful take on a triceratops. His bright colors and bold letters will amuse all in the preschool set. And, appropriately, he stands on the grounds of the headquarters for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Go letters!

Seymour Sparklesaurus
At the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, on the corner of Bellefield and Bayard, you will find Seymour Sparklesaurus . Sparky was decorated by children at the School for the Blind and features golden handprints from students, teachers, and sponsors along it's sides. You can also find the word "stegosaurus" spelled out in Braille using bottle caps.  

Fredosaurus Rex Friday XIII
This dinosaur created as a tribute to Fred Rogers stands outside the WQED studios on Fifth Avenue between Neville and Morewood Avenues. You won't be able to stop along Fifth to see this dino, but if you park along one of the side streets opposite his location, you can either check him out from a distance or *carefully* cross the street for an up close visit. My son sings to him every time we pass with a little song he made up to the tune of Frere Jacques (Fred-a-saur-us, Fred-a-saur-us...).

Pittsburghius Architectaurus
You've had a great day, so why not collect your just desserts. Or just eat dessert. At Eat n Park. (Get it?  Desserts?  Ok, I admit that's a bad one.)  At the entrance to the Homestead Waterfront's Eat n Park restaurant, you will find the last dino of the quest. This figure features Pittsburgh's buildings both past (left side) and present (on the right). See if the kids can figure out which side is which!  

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...

Reflecting on Pittsburgh

by Jennifer Signore

January 13, 2009

With a history in glass making, today's list of places where your child can see his/her reflection is quite appropriate for Pittsburgh.  What places do you like to visit?  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...

Best Burgh Books

by Jennifer Signore

November 25, 2008

Today's theme brings us to books that are essential for any kid growing up in Pittsburgh. Heck, maybe some adults who didn't grow up here will enjoy them, too. These are just my choices for the top five. What books would you add to the list? Pittsburgh A to Z An obvious choice for this list, Pittsburgh A to Z contains 26 great places and things around town. You can use it as  Read more...

Holiday Help: Five Must-Have books

by Jennifer Signore

November 24, 2008

Where the Wild Things Are I want to laugh every time I read this book to my son and he puts his "claws" up and roars like the monsters. I don't, of course, because this is very serious monster business. :-) The vivid imagery combined with the simple, repeating text, make it ideal for every preschooler. Go, dog! Go! This book is fantastic for early reading because of the  Read more...

Books About Monsters

by Jennifer Signore

October 28, 2008

Where the Wild Things Are This is the classic monster book that is a must read for every kid. The writing gives lots of room for playful interpretation and the illustrations are simply gorgeous. I can't say enough positive things about this book that was a favorite of mine and is now a favorite of my son's. Check out a Savvy review of this classic. The Gruffalo Come  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...