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

Must-See Event: The Kinetic Sculpture Race

April 27, 2009

The Kinetic Sculpture Race, one of my favorite annual events (now in its 11th year!), is coming up this Saturday, May 2.  And though I will try to describe the race with the rich, evocative detail it deserves, I will fail, because words cannot possibly do justice to what unfolds, come rain or shine, every first Saturday of May in Baltimore.

If you've ever wondered about the mobility of a massive, pink, fluffy poodle, or about the buoyancy of a "boat" constructed of otters, then this, my friend, is the event for you.  Sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum, the Kinetic Sculpture Race is a showcase of some of the best-looking--and most durable--human-powered sculptures on the East Coast . . . or anywhere.  It's also an open-air people-watching extravaganza, complete with costumed spectators and copious cheering.  If your kid digs costumes, now's the time to break out the capes, boas, masks and cowboy hats, as costume-wearing is highly encouraged and very much part of the overall scene.  Rubber chickens also figure prominently, as do paper smiles-on-sticks.  Silliness and oversized animals abound.
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Weekend Highlights, 4/24 - 4/26

April 23, 2009

Spring is HERE, baby, and the weather this weekend promises to be beautiful.  Get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and take advantage of some of these exciting activities.

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Weekend Highlights, 2/20-2/22

February 19, 2009

Well, another weekend is nearly here to divert us, and it’s time again for me to provide you with some entertainment suggestions.  Here are five widely varied activities to keep you and the kids amused all weekend long.

 

The Golden Dragon Acrobats – Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase St., Annapolis

Friday, 7:30 p.m.

If you’ve never seen a Chinese acrobatic show, you should definitely take advantage of this opportunity.  Count on amazing feats of strength and grace, as well, most likely, as improbably high stacks of spinning plates. 

 

Performing Arts Celebration of Black History Month – Pascal Center for Performing Arts, Anne Arundel Community College, 101 College Pkwy

Friday, 8-9:30 p.m.

While perhaps a little late for the littlest of little ones, this extravaganza of dance, music and theatre should prove engaging for children who can stay up past 9:30.

 

Rumplestiltskin – Pumpkin Theatre, St. Timothy’s School for Girls, 8400 Greenspring Ave., Stevenson

Saturday and Sunday, 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

It’s hard not to love the story of Rumplestiltskin, what with the crafty dwarf and the peculiar name and the trickery all around.  Enjoy this musical rendition of the classic comeuppance tale. 

 

Motion Mania Dance Company – Port Discovery Children’s Museum

Saturday, 1 & 2 p.m.

Enjoy a special performance by this excellent troupe of dancers.

 

Baltimore Chamber Orchestra with the Peabody Children’s Chorus – Goucher College, Kraushaar Auditorium

Sunday, 3 p.m.

This concert, which features pieces by Mozart and Villa-Lobos, among others, is not, per se, a children’s concert.  But watching real kids perform such beautiful music might inspire your child to indulge his musical side. 

 

And enjoy art activities this weekend at The Walters, The Creative Alliance at the Patterson and Lakeshore Learning Store. 

 

Whatever you do, have fun! 

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Weekend Highlights, 2/13-2/15

February 13, 2009

First, I'll give you the bad news:  You know that nice weather we've been enjoying all week?  That absence of ice and snow and chill that's permitted us to return, with glee, to backyards and playgrounds and walking trails?  Yeah, well, it isn't April just yet, my friend, so you'd better get accustomed to the idea of another blast of winter.  But with the bad news, luckily, comes this good news:  It's the start of the weekend-and it's a holiday weekend-and there's lots of fun stuff happening all over town.  So bundle up, warm up the car, and make the most of what this weekend in Baltimore has to offer.

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Weekend Highlights, 2/6-2/8

by Laura Stallard Petza

February 06, 2009

It's Friday, you're sick and tired of winter, and you're probably looking for fun stuff to do . Right? Well, the weather's supposed to be pretty decent this weekend, which means, unless you enjoy Seasonal Affect Disorder, lethargy and isolation, that you should make an effort to get outside with the kids. Most of the hiking trails, thanks to ice, snow and mud, are a little on the messy side  Read more...

Your Baltimore Reflection

by Laura Stallard Petza

January 13, 2009

We've been talking a lot about self-reflection at Being Savvy these past few weeks, what with it being the new year and all, and the flavor of the month, it seems, is introspection.  And as much as I appreciate the importance of looking inward, I also dig the value of looking outward , sometimes literally.  For this new year--this time of change and resolution and electricity--is as much an  Read more...

Ten Favorite Posts from Being Savvy Baltimore, 2008

by Laura Stallard Petza

December 30, 2008

Ever had to compile a "best of" list? It's hard, especially when the best-of's you're compiling are pieces of your own writing. Talk about daunting. Anyway, my fellow Savvy Sourcers and I are all mining our archives for ten of our favorite posts from 2008, and here, without further adieu, are mine: 1. Wrap up a Bit of Baltimore 2. Ha-Ha-Ha: Five Books to Make You Laugh 3.  Read more...

T'is the Season to Do Fun Stuff with Your Family

by Laura Stallard Petza

December 09, 2008

With so many holiday events to choose from this season, it can be tough, can't it, to pick just a few. And yet, given the demands on our time and our money, we simply cannot do them all, no matter how much fun they all promise to be. But with the holidays quickly, quickly approaching, it will be boring, old January before you know it, and all of the holiday magic will be gone. So why not,  Read more...

Weekend Highlights: 12/4-12/7

by Laura Stallard Petza

December 04, 2008

Everybody's looking for ways to save a little money, especially in the midst of these dicey economic times, and especially in the midst of the holiday season. So what could be more welcome than Downtown Dollar or Less Days, a program sponsored by participating attractions this weekend and designed to get you--guess where?--downtown. Visit such popular, family-friendly destinations as The  Read more...

Santa? Seriously?

by Laura Stallard Petza

November 20, 2008

So the other night, as the family and I were driving to the least festive of places--the computer supply store--we spotted Christmas lights dangling from the eaves of someone's home. And my daughter, who rarely hesitates to tell it like it is, shouted, rightfully, "Christmas lights? What? But it's not even Thanksgiving!" before settling into her booster seat in quiet disgust. And just as I was  Read more...

The Great Halloween Lantern Parade

by Laura Stallard Petza

October 23, 2008

So The Great Halloween Lantern Parade, one of my family's favorite local events, is coming up at Patterson Park on Saturday night. If you've never been, treat yourself to something special this weekend, as marchers and spectators from all over the area jockey to be part of this one-of-a-kind celebration. Bring a lantern if you've got one, and if you don't, just come costumed and ready to party.  Read more...

Your Fledgling Artist: Five Places Where She Can Hone Her Craft

by Laura Stallard Petza

October 21, 2008

If your kids are anything like my kids, chances are good that they love to draw, paint, cut and glue just about anything that crosses their paths. If there's paper in the room, my children will draw on it, even if the paper is, say, a letter from my grandmother or the water bill. And as much as I love to encourage their around-the-house projects, there are times when a little out-of-the-house  Read more...

Budding Art Critic: How to Make the BMA a Place Your Child Loves

by Laura Stallard Petza

October 16, 2008

Now that the BMA is free, there's never been a better time to culture-up those youngin's. And with all of the fun stuff to do at the museum, they won't even know that they're gettin' a culturin'; they'll just be having a really good time. Following are some great ways to get your kids excited about the BMA. Get them a BMA Fun Pack Available Thursdays through Saturdays from  Read more...

Top Ten Things That I've Been Meaning to Do (But Never Seem to Get to Because We're Always at the Zoo)

by Laura Stallard Petza

October 08, 2008

Now this, to be honest, is a little hard. Because you and I may not share the same list, and anyway, my list today is not what it would have been five years ago and is probably not, for that matter, what it will be in five years. But this morning, as I was getting these BIG kids (What happened? Weren't they both babies, like, ten minutes ago?) ready for school, it seemed important to devise  Read more...