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

An Inner Harbor Scavenger Hunt

August 25, 2009

So the kids are antsy, and let's face it, you're antsy, and you're all looking for something fun to do.  And while you could hit the playground, because you always hit the playground, you're sort of hoping, frankly, for something different.  The thing is, you don't want to spend a lot of money, and you also don't feel like driving to the ends of the earth.  Which makes you wonder, rather desperately, if there's anything left.  But there is something left, and it's cheap (or at least as cheap as you want to make it) and it's local:  Allow me to suggest the Inner Harbor scavenger hunt.

Now here's where I have to be totally honest:  I haven't yet tried this scavenger hunt.  But I've thought it over, and it seems rock-solid, and I'm confident that it's going to be heaps of fun.  Are you ready for your list of stuff to find?  Of course you are!  Now print this list and get yourselves down to the Inner Harbor now.  Hurry! And as you find each item, check it off! 

1.  ___ real, live blue crab (because, you know, they're "old skool" scavengers)

2.  ___ "duck boat"

3.  ___  dragon

4.  ___ roof shaped like a pyramid (if your kids don't know what a pyramid is, cut 'em some slack and make it a triangle)

5.  ___ American flag

6.  ___ boat that looks like a pirate ship

7.  ___ ice cream vendor (this is so unfair, but come on--don't you think they're earning their ice cream?)

8.  ___ make-believe crab (can be sculpture, toy, part of a sign, etc.)

9.  ___ BALTIMORE (written anywhere)

10.  ___ bridge (doesn't have to be a big one)

11.  ___ dinosaur

12.  ___ giant basketball

13.  ___ giant guitar

14.  ___ water taxi

15.  ___ building with lots of rectangular windows

Best of luck to you and to your team!  And if you find everything--and even if you don't, and you're so frustrated with me that you'd like to wring my neck--give me a holler!  I'd love to hear about what you did (and didn't) find!  Read more...

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! 

Summertime Freebies

June 29, 2009

Perhaps you've heard about these super deals already--and if you have, great, because that means you've had more time to take advantage of the savings--but if you haven't, shoot, then I've got to bring you up-to-date.  You know, as much as we love being outside in the summer, in spite of the withering sun, in spite of the drenching humidity, there are times when an air-conditioned indoor activity really fits the bill.  Times when, say, it's 109 degrees and we've completely run out of ideas.  And while we're all very fond of going bowling and to the movies, it can be tough, particularly in these tight times, to justify spending a bunch of money on entertainment.  Which is why . . . wait for it . . . these deals are so awesome. 

Everybody gets excited about free stuff, right?  Well, if you like bowling or the movies, then these are the deals for you.  First, let's talk about the bowling:

Kids Bowl Free, a program sponsored by AMF Bowling Centers, allows kids to (guess what?) bowl for free all summer!  Don't believe me?  Just register for Kids Bowl Free online and begin enjoying up to two games per day every day this summer.  I know, right!  Plus, when you sign up the kids, you'll have an opportunity to purchase a Family Pass (starting at $23.95) that will allow YOU (and up to three other adults) to bowl up to two games per day, too!  Which, as far as I'm concerned, is an excellent value, because I have a hard time resisting the allure of the pins.  Anyway, can you believe it?  Summertime bowling for free!

And now, let's talk about some movie freebies:

Between now and August 19, you can catch a free kids' movie (or two) any Tuesday or Wednesday morning at Hunt Valley Stadium 12.  You heard me--it's FREE!  Following is this summer's free movie schedule:

Weekend Highlights: 5/22-5/24

May 21, 2009

Guess what?  It's almost weekend time again.  And this weekend is not just any weekend, for it's the unofficial start of the summer season.  So bust out the sunscreen, shimmy into your swimsuit and fire up the barbeque grill.  It's time to get this three-day party started! 

Baltimore Free-Wheelin': Five Great Spots to Take a Bike Ride

May 19, 2009

I learned to ride a bike in the weedy, glassy, busted-up parking lot behind the closed-down Pantry Pride.  It wasn't scenic, but grocery cart ramps and concrete barriers added interest, and I loved to ride in figure-eights around the bases of the mercury vapor lights.  The point of this story?  That kids are highly industrious creatures who, in a pinch and on their bicycles, can find bliss just about anywhere.  But the point of this post?  That some bike-riding spots are better than others, and the best of these lack abandoned plastic milk crates and giant hunks of broken glass.

Eating Out: Five Great Baltimore Picnic Spots

April 28, 2009

There's nothing much better than a picnic in the sunshine, with cold drinks and munchies and a few good friends.  And while I'd hardly call myself a picnic expert, I do make frequent use of my insulated bag and gingham blanket, and I do know some great picnic spots around town.  Following are five picnic areas that never fail us, places where we can relax, take in a nice view, and enjoy a tasty meal.

Go Fly a Kite!

March 17, 2009

I know, I know--the title really is a total cliche.  But you'll forgive me, I think, when I remind you of some of Baltimore's best kite-flying opportunities, because it is, after all, the middle of March, and you know that you do want to fly a kite.  Right?  So check out some of my favorite kite-flying locations, and please feel free to breeze in (I know!  I'm sorry!) with your own ideas! 

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