Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in baltimore, MD

Savor the Summer: Five Things to Do Before the Onset of Fall

August 04, 2009

Summer, much to my sadness, is waning.

And I know what you're probably saying to yourself:  Oh, for Pete's sake, Laura, please give this sentimental schlock a rest.  But even you have noticed that the fireflies, night by night, are disappearing, and even you have strolled past-with no small amount of horror-the countless back-to-school displays.  Sure, it's only the first week of August, but in a flicker of lightning, summer will be over, and think of all there will be to miss. 

Hurry, before school starts, before everything gets cold and structured and crazy, and take advantage of all that summer has to offer.

Here-sniffle-are five fun suggestions.

(And stop rolling your eyes at me.  Can I help it that I'm a sentimental fool?)

Take a dinnertime boat ride!

At Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, you can, for $35 a family, enjoy dinner and twilight on a pontoon boat.  Don't drag your heels (or your lifevests), though:  There's only one more of these "Friday Floating Feasts" this season, so if you miss the next one, on August 14, you'll have to wait ‘til next season, and that, you know, might make me cry.

Camp out in the yard!

You can camp out in the mountains or by the ocean, sure, but if you're short on time but not on outdoor enthusiasm, why not camp out in your own backyard?  Pitch the tent, roast up some wieners, and enjoy the comforts of home in a whole new way.

Go to an outdoor concert!

Dance what's left of summer away at the last of Belvedere Square's Friday concerts.  Crowded, yes, but free, family-friendly and festive. 

Hit an outdoor movie! 

I know I've pushed the outdoor movie thing before, but seriously, outdoor movies are awesome.  They're also uniquely summertime, so if you don't get on the stick, movie buffs, your next flick's going to be watched at home or in a dank, sticky, burnt popcorn-scented theatre.  Not that there's anything wrong with that (weep)!

Catch a falling star!

Or, more accurately, catch a speeding meteor during the Perseids shower on August 12 and 13.  This shower is an annual stargazers' favorite, with an average of 60 meteor sightings per hour, so keep the kids up late and enjoy this celestial summertime spectacle.

Long live summertime! 

A Maryland Menagerie: Five of Our Favorite Local Critters

July 21, 2009

Every special place on Earth, from Botswana to Baltimore, has its array of special creatures, and you need do no more than look around to see amazing beasts all over.  Maryland's home to many fascinating animals--countless more, in fact, than the ones listed here--and every kid should have a chance to meet some of her furred and feathered neighbors.  Following is a short list of animals often associated with Maryland, along with some of the places, both in the wild and in captivity, where these creatures can be found.  Get to know these animals, feel proud that you share a home with them, and encourage your kids to do all they can to protect these animals' habitats. 

All right, then.  Enough with the preaching.  Here, without further delay, are five of Maryland's most-treasured, most-mentioned animals. 

The Blue Crab

If the last crab you laid eyes on was red, unmoving and coated in a thick, tasty layer of Old Bay, it might be time to get back to nature.  Because in addition to being a delicious main course, the blue crab is a beautiful, graceful swimmer, with dark beady eyes and delightfully snappy claws.  You can find blue crabs in many waterways throughout Maryland, including in the Chesapeake Bay and in the Inner Harbor.  And if you're interested in seeing some captive crabs, check out the tank on the third floor of the Maryland Science Center, where, as we discovered during a recent visit, the crabs like to try to pinch you through the glass.

The Raven

Yes, the raven is our town's football mascot, but long before it was looking tough on helmets and jerseys, it was nevermore-ing all over Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem.  What makes the raven so mysterious, so alluring?  Perhaps it's the shiny black feathers, or possibly the throaty, echoey song.  Whatever it is, the raven is a local favorite, and you can find it in the woods around Catoctin , or anywhere where you've got a little mountainous action.  Here in town, you can see a raven at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, right across the lane from the polar bears. 

The Terrapin

Another of our state's many animal mascots, the terrapin is most famous for what it does on the University of Maryland's basketball courts and football fields, when it should be just as well known for how it navigates the local waters.  Wild terrapins can be found in brackish, marshy waters, while captive ones can be observed (try, if you can, to be there for feeding times!) at Irvine and Oregon Ridge nature centers.

The Great Blue Heron

There's something peaceful--dreamy, even--about the sight of a Great Blue Heron lolling by the shore, and I can't tell you how excited I was to find one hanging out on the beach of my backyard stream.  Pictures of Great Blue Herons, thanks to the popularity of those wonderful Chesapeake Bay Trust license plates, are all over the place these days, but real Great Blue Herons can be a bit harder to come by.  If you want to spot one, try looking in a quiet marsh or along a gently flowing stream.  I've never seen one in captivity.

The Baltimore Oriole

Yeah, I know--it's yet another local sports mascot.  But you can't make a list of Maryland animals without including this orange and black and beautiful bird, particularly given the Baltimore part of its name.  You can find Baltimore orioles up in the treetops; they like the woods, the park, and, if you're lucky, your garden.  If you want to see a Baltimore oriole in captivity, stick to the bull pen down at Camden Yards, as I've never seen a real one in any cage.

Got a local critter to add to the list?  If so, please drop me a line!   Read more...

An Outdoor Play Toolchest

March 30, 2009

As glad as I am that you are reading this post, I really want you to go outside.  Because unless it's 12 degrees, raining or four in the morning, there's no reason for you and the kids not to be outside.  So bag the laundry; forget the cleaning; turn off the computer.  And grab a few of these outdoor-play basics for a run-around, get-out-of-breath, fresh-air good time.