Ann Arbor Hands On Museum Visit

This last week I was given the opportunity to re-visit the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum. I had the week off and was looking for fun activities to do with the kids and even got to connect with an out of town friend. The museum was busy but it was a ton of fun in one of the special exhibits and exploring the many hands on displays throughout the museum.

As a parent of two very active kids, I especially appreciate the how the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum encourages kids to interact, climb-on, run through and otherwise EXPLORE the many displays. Of course they ARE a "hands on" museum so one would expect this, however that's not always the case. The museum would be the perfect escape from this week's frigid weather!

For those of you who already know about the museum, you know it's a great place to visit. Perhaps you took your preschool aged child to explore. But there is so much more for older kids too. On the day we visited my kids created bookmarks using shaving cream and paint, created film canister rockets, made ice candles and even made some goop! I of course had to confiscate their goop so it did not end up in a mess somewhere at home. It's now at my desk at work - I mean who does not like to play with goop?!?

We had to drag the kids away from this exhibit, the way
that the magnets reacted in the fluid was just fascinating!

Learning at the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum though becomes an adventure for older kids too. I was excited to see that my kids took more time to read the displays, and spent more time exploring many of the exhibits. When they were younger it was all about the preschool displays and simply running a-muck! The additional time this trip made for a nice get-away.

Favorites on this trip included playing with the giant water table in the H2Oh! exhibit where they explored complex concepts about fluid motion. Of course they got wet, however we love that there are handy wall dryers so that kids can get warm and dry after their water fun.

Another big hit was in the DTE Energy Foundation Light and Optics area, where the kids enjoyed the stringless Laser Harp, the many great experiments and especially dancing around like crazy people to see how the shapes changed on the projected image. We seriously spent 45 minutes in that room. Oddly enough the other parents must not have gone that deep into the museum, however my friend and I got to dance with the kids then sit on the bench in the room and just chat! Our kids had a blast. They also spent much time using the green screen in the MediaWorks area. I think my daughter would make an excellent weather girl, don't you? My son preferred to play in traffic or interact with the giant spiders.

She made it. The giant bubble did not pop
until it was over her head!

My kids and their friends also spent a significant amount of time in the World Around You exhibit. Any time you can play with and make giant bubbles kids of all ages get tuned in. They also enjoyed making various sounds, climbing on the climbing wall and generally exploring the area. For some reason there was a tuning fork that got there attention this time too!

Of course at this point, my friend and I were exhausted. We had gone up and down the stairs to the museum several times and wandered all over. I think our best idea came when we sat down together in the Concourse. The kids spent at least an hour building "forts" with the huge foam blocks. There may have been a war after that, but so long as they were aware of the "littles" in the area, we let them play! 

For those of you with toddlers and pre-school aged children, know that there is much to do for your kids too. There is an entire area dedicated to that age and there are many story-time programs available too. A big hit for that audience seems to be the All About You are where kids can was riding in the ambulance and even climb a fire pole. My kids LOVED the fire pole!

My son sending a secret message that was received
by his other friend.

I appreciate too that the museum keeps things fresh with new exhibits, a pop-up maker space, little scientist club and so much more. Before you go, be sure to check the calendar of events. Know though, that no matter what age of child you have, you and your kids will enjoy a visit to the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum. There is always something to do! Bring out-of-town guests, relax inside with your parent and simply stop in to get away from the weather - Booking a trip to the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum is the perfect stay-cation this January!








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Make a Scarf at the Library [Free Event]

The chill is back! Fear not, your kids can be nice and cozy though after making their own fleece scarf. Best thing about this program is that they make their scarf at the library so you don't have the mess at home AND it's a free event for the kids!

The event will be held on Saturday, January 10 at the Ypsilanti District Library (Whittaker Branch) at 2:00 p.m. These easy scarves don't typically take long to create but are super cute. Your kids will get a kick out of making their OWN project!

Free Safety Day at Goldfish Swim School

Swim safely this summer after attending the Safety Day at
Goldfish Swim School Ann Arbor, May 10, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Swim season will be here before you know it, which means parents everywhere will get nervous when their children get near the water. This Saturday, May 10, the Goldfish Swim School (2107 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor) will help parents breathe a sigh of relief as the third annual Safety Day happens.
Saturday May 10th from 2pm-4pm is Safety Day! The event includes open swim, a bounce house, hot dogs, snow cones, airbrush tattoos, and MUCH more!

This is a FREE event for the public. From 2:00-4:00 p.m. parents can take their kids to a free safety day that will include open swim, The Washtenaw County Marine Safety Division, a bounce house, airbrush tattoos, and much more fun.

"Dive-In" Movie is Good Clean Fun

Be sure to check out Despicable Me 2 as it is shown during the Dive-In Movie at the Mack Indoor Pool (715 Brooks St, Ann Arbor) on Saturday, February 1. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. for just $5/adults, $4 youth with kids under 3 getting free admission!

Mack Indoor Pool Family Splash Days This Winter

A great way to enjoy special time with the kids is during Mack Indoor Pool Family Splash Days.

Splash Days at Mack Indoor Pool (715 Brooks St., Ann Arbor) are on select Sunday afternoons throughout the winter. Families will enjoy special games, activities, prizes and of course swimming! Activities are from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on December 15, 29; January 12, 26; February 9, 23; March 16, 30; April 13, 27; and May 18.

For more information call 734.794.6237 or visit the Mack Pool Website. All activities and prizes are covered with paid admission. Adult: $5, Youth under 17 & Senior 55+: $4. Children ages 3 and under receive free admission.  During Mack Indoor Pool Family Splash Days bring one child and receive 50% off admission for a second child!

Summer Bounce Times at Pump It Up Canton

Kids can bounce their cares away during summer bounce sessions at Pump It Up in Canton

No matter what happens, during summer vacation there are always times when you just need  to find something for the kids to do. Perhaps sitting with a book in hand as they bounce themselves silly sounds appealing. If that's the case, then possibly exploring summer bounce times at Pump It Up (46090 Michigan Ave., Canton) is the thing to do.

From June 1 through August 31 kids can get all that extra energy out jumping, sliding, climbing and playing in fun-filled  Pump It Up bounce arenas for only $7. Summer open bounce times hours of operation are:

Monday 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Tuesday 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Wednesday 11:30 a.m. - 1: 00 p.m.
Thursday 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Friday 5:30-7:00 p.m.

The Pump It Up website also wants readers to know that we should all watch for bonus bounce times to be added throughout each week and weekend as scheduling permits!

Find Winter Wonders at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Nature provides beautiful and elaborate patterns everywhere you look including in the plants that suround us. Don't let the fallen leaves disappoint you, instead take the kids to the Matthaei Botanical Gardens (1800 North Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor)  to experience Winter Wonder and learn how to find the patterns in the night sky, in nature and celebrate the Winter Solstice. The program, December 17, 10:00 a.m. - noon, allows kids to create beautiful decorations from natural materials. Anticipate them making snowflakes, pine cone ornaments, winter gift bags, and evergreen decorations to bring home to you!

Cost of the program is $7 per child. To register call 734.647.7600.

Mack Pool Splash Days: Family Fun Swimming Indoors!

What can you do when the weather is turning outside but you want to spend some quality family time indoors? How about spending a day at the pool? The Mack Pool (715 Brooks St., Ann Arbor) has fun family Splash Days 1:00-3:00 p.m. the second Sunday of each month, September through May. Come for the fun and games and your family will thank you! The cost for the family activity is $4/adults, $3.50/children 4-17 and  seniors, with free admission for children 3 and under.

Splash Days 2011-2012:

September 11

October 9

November 13

December 11

January 8

February 12

March 11

April 8

May 13

Monthly Sensory Sensitive Cinemas at Rave Ann Arbor

On the fourth Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m., Rave Mothion Pictures (4100 Carpenter Rd., Ypsilanti) will be hosting a series of films aimed at families who have children with disabilities or are on some stage of the Autism Spectrum. The features will always be family friendly, and will be rated either G or PG.

"We realize that bringing children with autism to the theater can be quite a challenge. Each child reacts differently to the normal conditions of the theater, darkened theaters, and loud sound systems. These shows are shown at a light and sound level which will be more inviting for these families. We also realize that the normal standards of theater etiquette of “please sit and be quiet” can also be challenging."

During the viewing, the lighting in the theatre will be left on high, the sound will be turned down, and our patrons are free to talk, sing, or move around the theater during the show. The purpose of Sensory Sensitive Cinema is to control the environment and provide an atmosphere where the children will feel comfortable and the parents will not have to worry about the noise their kids are making.

Movie admission is $7.50 for adults and $7.25 for children. Families with children with strict dietary concerns, are encouraged to bring in your own snacks that are gluten-free or casein-free. Call the theatre at 734-973-4823 for information of which movie is playing.

Mom it's hot, what can we do?

It's hot, hot, hot - So why not stay cool by visiting some of the great
pools, waterparks, splashparks and beaches near Ann Arbor!

With temperatures soaring in Ann Arbor this week, folks everywhere are thinking about how to stay cool. Here are some great local water parks, pools, beaches, parks and splash parks that are sure to dial it down a notch!

Splash Parks:

For the youngest family members, splash parks, sprayscapes, sprinkler parks and splash playgrounds are a great way to cool off. These sprinkler parks are often free although sometimes with limited hours allowing local camps and day care centers access by the bus loads. Always check the websites for current available times of operation.

Canton's Heritage Park Splash Park - Canton | free
Township Park Sprayscape - Plymouth Township | free 
Kensington Metropark - Milford | free with vehicle admission 
Farmington's Heritage Park Splash Park - Farmington | free 
Spray-scape at Independence Lake - Whitmore Lake | free with vehicle admission 

Water Parks:

Waterparks offer the entire family the best opportunity to swim or play on the waterslides or in the wave pool! To save money, many offer a discounted rate during twilight hours, which also happens to be after the hottest parts of the day when children easily get sunburns.

Rolling Hills - Ypsilanti Township | $2.50+ | M-F 11-7, S-S 11-8
Indoor Waterpark Splash Universe - Dundee | $24.95+ | 9-10
Lower Huron Metropark - Belleville | vehicle entry fee plus $5+ | 11-7

Beaches:

Because the Huron River sweeps throughout Washtenaw County, there are many metroparks that offer beaches and the opportunity to play in the water. Ann Arbor is also convenient to several state recreation areas with beaches which offer free entry to families who opted to add the fee to the licence plate tabs! If your family will go to a park more than once, consider purchasing a yearly permit to save money.

Independence Lake - Whitmore Lake
Van Buren Park - Belleville
Island Lake Recreation Area - Brighton
Pinckney Recreation Area - Pinckney
Waterloo Recreation Area - Howell
Brighton Recreation Area - Brighton
Stoney Creek Metropark - Shelby Township
Lower Huron Metropark - Belleville

Pools:

If your family prefers to swim in a pool to cool off, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have several convenient pools with family swim times and tot swim times.

Buhr Park Pool - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | M-F 3:30-7, S&S noon-7, additional tot swim times available
Fuller Park Pool and Waterslide - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | M-F 1-8, S&S 1-8, additional tot swim times available
Mack Indoor Pool - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | T&Th 7-8:30, Sat 1-4, Sun 1-3, additional tot swim times available
Veterans Memorial Park Pool - Ann Arbor | $3.50+ | M-F 1-4:45 & 6:30-8, S-S 12-4:45 & 6:30-8
Rutherford Pool - Ypsilanti | $1.75+ | 1-5 & 6-8, additional tot swim times available
Lincoln Consolidated School Indoor Pool - Ypsilanti Township | $3+ | T&Th 7:30-9

Other Places to Cool Off:

There are many great places along the Huron River to cool off. Take the family out in a canoe, kayak or even tube the river with your own inner tubes or party islands.

Island Park - Ann Arbor | free
Gallup Park - Ann Arbor | fee based boat rentals
Dexter Huron Metropark - Dexter | vehicle entry fee plus fee based boat rentals
Delhi Metropark - Ann Arbor | vehicle entry fee plus fee based boat rentals
Hudson Mills Metropark - Dexter | vehicle entry fee plus fee based boat rentals

As the temps near 100-degrees, remember to drink plenty of fluids and stay cool. With the many great pools, beaches and waterparks near Ann Arbor, that shouldn't be hard to do!

If you have any great photos of your family staying cool this week, please feel free to send them to me at tmayrend (at) gmail dot com for submission in the blog!

Tree Town Toys Provides Free and Low-Cost Craft Classes

If you decide to wander out and about this week, there are a couple of fun kids activities happening at Tree Town Toys tomorrow. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., kids ages 2 and over can create their own butterfly ring for only $1. After school, from 4:00-5:00 p.m., the older kid's can get into the act for a free class to create their own Australian aboriginal "Dot Paintings."

Skatin Station and Extreme Bounce Open Extended Hours on Monday MLK Day!

I heard of a couple more opportunities for kids to have fun on MLK Day, these are low-cost activities for older children and teens.

When exercise or physical fitness is on your mind, consider taking the kids to Extreme Bounce Zone (82 Aprill Drive, Suite C, Ann Arbor) for their extended hours 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. for bouncing when they're off school - Admission is $7/child (kids 5 & under receive the discounted price of $5/child). Another fun idea is to take the kids for roller skating at Skatin' Station II (8611 Ronda Dr., Canton) from 1:00-4:00 p.m. for some good exercise - Admission is $6 with a $2 skate rental fee.

Family Fun on a Snow Day - Making Snow Cream!

With our first snow day of the year, (actually my son's first snow day EVER) my family and I crammed a lot of activities in - We went sledding, shoveled, played in the snow, hooked the dog to the sled to create a fun "dog sled" activity (the dog was NOT thrilled with that!), had snow cones AND made snow cream. What's snow cream you ask? Why snow ICE cream... It's easy, it's yummy and it's fun.

Here is a simple recipe for making snow ice cream - I also posted a fun video entry of my children making snow cream.

OLD-FASHIONED SNOW CREAM

Basic Recipe:

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Large bowl of clean snow

Before beginning make sure all ingredients are available and nearby, then make sure the children wash their hands. I had gone out to scoop the clean snow, and made sure the bowl was handy by the back door too.

First, measure the sugar into a bowl and add the milk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved. Next add the snow and mix until it resembles ice cream - You may need to cut the snow into the mixture vs. "mixing" it.

If you would like other flavors, replace the vanilla with chocolate syrup, puree some bananas or strawberries and add them, or add any flavor you and your family will enjoy, the sky is the limit!

Eat and enjoy!!!