Father's Day Fun

• Dads get FREE admission into Zoo Atlanta on Sunday with the purchase of a child’s or adult’s full price ticket. 
• Take Dad for a spin around the rink. Dads get FREEadmission to Sparkles in Kennesaw from 2pm-7pm on Sunday. Admission for all others is $9 and Skate rental is $4.
• Make Dad an “Out of this World” card at Lakeshore Learning in East Cobb at 4287 Roswell Road from 11am-3pm Saturday the 18th.
• Have fun making a painted T-shirt for Dad at Family Fun Craft Time at your favorite Michael’s. Buy the shirt, and the rest of supplies are free. Saturday June 18th from 1pm-3pm. Click Here for Michael's Class Schedule 
• Grad dad a cup o' joe at Starbucks and listen to 2 special stories to honor dads and grandpas at Barnes & Noble's FREE Father's Day Storytime at Town Center Prado on Saturday at 11am. Activities will follow. There is also a Father’s Day storytime at the West Cobb Avenue location at 11am on Saturday.

Gimme 5 Friday

FIVE FUN & FREE ideas for your weekend! Click on the highlighted link to learn more.

1. Kid's Fishing Rodeo at Lost Mountain Park from 9:00am-11am Saturday.

2. Free Classes Saturday at Ben Robertson Community Center in Kennesaw to celebrate National Parks & Recreation Month:

• KidzArt Demo (Class) from 9:15 to 10 a.m.
• Jump Rope Jam (Workout) from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

3. Wear your favorite Hero Costume to the Touch-A-Truck event at Roswell Corners Chick-fil-A 4pm-7pm Saturday. (FREE)

4. Create an Olympic Torch at Lakeshore Learning Saturday from 11am-3pm to inspire your family to take part in your own Backyard Olympics (FREE)

5. Pack a picnic and enjoy an Outdoor Movie at Roswell's Riverside Park. Puss in Boots (PG) starts at dusk.

Be sure to check our website calendar for even more to do this weekend!

Gimme 5 Friday!

Five fun things to do this weekend! Click on the highlighted link to learn more.

1. Its a "Day of Discovery for Kids" at the Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Cartersville. On Saturday from 1-3pm, kids will learn what archaeology is from a professional archaeologist. Hear about history and see real artifacts. Take part in mock excavations and learn how to clean and identify treasures that you find. COST: $3.50-$5.00 770-387-3747. 813 Indian Mounds Rd., S.W., Cartersville.

2. Hear ye, Hear ye, you are invited to join the Royal Court...well, actually it's the Upper level of the JC Penney Wing at Town Center Mall but a grand event just the same! Simon Kidgits Club Prince & Princess Party is Saturday from 1pm-3pm. The festivities will include special prizes, fun activities and a DJ! Wear your favorite prince/princess costume OR your Kidgits shirt, to receive a special prize (while supplies last). COST: FREE for current Kidgits Club Members; $5 for nonmembers includes an entire year of fun activities!

3. Meet the Author Event at the Town Center Prado Barnes & Noble Saturday at 11am. Author Anthony Pearson will read his new book, Baby Bear Eats the Night. He will also sign copies for sale. COST: FREE

4. Enjoy all things butterfly this weekend at the Butterfly Festival at the Chattahoochee Nature Center on Saturday (10am-3pm) & Sunday (12pm – 5pm). Be a part of butterfly releases & encounters, crafts & face painting, sidewalk art & fairy house construction. Enjoy live entertainment, food trucks and so much more! Little ones can wear their butterfly or caterpillar costumes and take part in the Butterfly and Caterpillar Costume Parade. Go online to find schedule of the weekend activities! COST: 
$10 General Public/$8 CNC Members 

5. Get creative and leave the mess on someone else's floor!! FREE crafts for kids around town this weekend.

• Michael's Passport to Imagination is taking everyone to Japan from 1-4pm Saturday.
• Kids can make "My Pet Fish" with their handprint from 11am-3pm at Lakeshore Learning East Cobb on Saturday
• Lowe's is celebrating kid's favorite movie characters this summer. This month's project at Lowe’s Build & Grow Workshop for Kids is a "Kung Fu Panda Spinning Attack" on Saturday at 10 and Sunday at 2pm. Register online!

Looking for something else? Check our website calendar & follow us on Facebook!

Getting Crafty

Whole Kids Foundation has partnered with ScrapKins to provide a monthly project that promotes healthy eating & reusing common household materials to explore creativity. I discovered ScrapKins posted on Whole Foods Merchant's Walk Facebook page and I knew it would be a hit at my house! My son loves making something from nothing. :)

Whole Kids Foundation & Scrapkin's Hands-On Projects - Making a Bee Colony!

The ScrapKins Build-It Blog

Daily Picks for July 9-13

Our daily guide to fun! Click on the highlighted links for find out more.

MONDAY: Creative Thinking Storytime at Learning Express in Woodstock at 11am. Every Monday in July! 

• Enjoy Dinner at the Depot in Downtown Kennesaw tonight (and every Monday) from 5-8pm. Everyone can take their pick from the variety of food trucks. After dinner, burn off the last bit of energy at the Depot Playground before heading home for PJ time. Follow them on Facebook to get the scoop on what trucks will be there or weather cancellations. 

TUESDAY: Come play with food at Whole Kids Summer Camp at Harry’s Farmers Market for kids ages 5-10 from 10:30-11:30. FREE and you can drop-in but because space is limited it’s best to call ahead to let them know you are coming: 770-578-4400. Parent’s you can drop & shop – pick up what you need for dinner while the kids have fun.

• Beyond Cobb Adventure! Pack a picnic and enjoy FREE “Music at Noon” while you munch your lunch at Centennial Park. Then walk across the street to Imagine It’s Target FREE Tuesday from 1-4pm. 

WEDNESDAY: Keep it Cool with a classic! Watch Charlotte’s Web at the Central Library at 2pm.

• Just for moms! Grab your BFF's for Girl's Night Out on Wednesday at Studio Movie Grill in Alpharetta. The chick flick classic this month is Notting Hill and starts at 7:30. Tickets are only a buck! Get there early to enjoy drinks and appetizers together. 

THURSDAY: Get your Passport to Imagination and travel to Russia. Stop by your favorite Michael’s Craft Store between 2-4pm to make a fuzzy bear – a national symbol of Russia. FREE!

FRIDAY: Get Crazy as a Loom! Register by July 11 (770-427-4686) for this fun craft activity for kids using a cardboard loom & yarn at the Kennesaw Mountain Visitor Center at 10am. FREE!

Plan Ahead:
Outdoor Romping & Stomping Series: July 11, July 18th, July 30, July 31st
Family Camp at Red Top Mountain: July 16-20
Fishing Rodeo: July 21 (FREE!)

Be sure you follow us on Facebook for more summer fun ideas. Be sure to check our calendar often since we are always updating as we find fun.

Gimme 5 Friday

Five fun things to do this weekend! Click on the highlighted links to find out more.

1. Kids Karate on Saturday at 10:00am at the Ben Robertson Center. Kennesaw Parks & Recreation is celebrating Parks & Recreation Month by offering a calendar full of FREE Drop-In classes for kids & adults at the community center and their parks. Click HERE to get the calendar and try something new this month!

2. Send Dad to your neighborhood Home Depot with the kids to build a Moving Truck Saturday morning while you relax (HA- yeah right! Catch up on laundry, dishes, paperwork, vacuum, mop, change sheets…) Kids workshop is from 9am-12pm...drop-in anytime but give yourself plenty of time to finish the project. Our experience with these FREE fun workshops – the later you go, the more crowded.

3. Head to the mountains and make tasty treats that your backyard birds will love. Red Top Mountain is hosting a kid’s Pine Cone Birdfeeder Workshop from 3pm-4pm on Saturday. Meet at the park office. The cost for the workshop is $1 (plus $5 State Park Parking fee). Make a day of it and enjoy a hike on one of their trails before or after the workshop. Address for GPS: 50 Lodge Rd SE, Cartersville

4. B at the Movies is at East Cobb Park Saturday for Movie Night! Bring the family out for Rio. Music by B98.5 begins at 7:30, movie starts at dusk. Event is FREE but Friends for the East Cobb Park will  host a concession stand to benefit the park. Arrive early for a picnic & beat the crowds!

5. Insect Field Day for ages 7+ at the Chattahoochee Nature Center on Sunday from 10:30am-11:30am. Observe and identify insects you collect in nets and learn why these small creatures are vital to our world. Stick around for a guided trail hike at 1pm. Both activities are included with admission: $8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 3-12, 2 and under FREE.

Looking for something different? Check our website calendar & follow us on Facebook to find the fun!

"Dream Big" with Cobb Libraries

The 2012 Summer Reading Program "Dream Big - READ" begins on June 1 and ends on July 31, with an end-of-summer reading celebration scheduled for Saturday, August 4.  Here are 5 of Cobb Tots & Kids "Don't Miss" activities for June at the library! There are  over 700 programs and activities this summer to celebrate reading so it was a challenge to narrow it down!  I'll be back with a list for July. More information about these and even events can be found at www.cobbcat.org/calendar: 

1. Dream Big and get creative with The Art Station. The creative minds at the Art Station have come up with all sorts of fun. Open to children of all ages with caregiver. Powder Springs Library at 11am on Tuesday, June 4th

2. Learn about Frogs & Toads during a fun program about the frogs in our own backyard with Rachel Small from the Cobb Watershed Stewardship Program. Listen to a the zany story "Tuesday" by David Wiesner and Ms. Small will demonstrate the differnent sounds that frogs and toads make. Registration is required. For grades 3-6. Mountain View Library Tuesday, June 5th at 3pm

3. Summer Fun for Tweens is a weekly program at Gritters starting June 7th from 3:30-4:30. Each week the topic changes...from Calligrapghy to Soap Carving kids get to try something new while having fun. Regsitration is required so call 770-528-2524.

4.  Kids Writing Workshop at Kennesaw Library on June 12th from 1:30-3:30 with Best-selling author and Kennesaw resident Margaret Johnson-Hodge. Young writers will be presented with tools to tap into their creativity and tips tailored especially for students ages 9-12. The workshop will be hands-on, and will include handouts and on-site exercises. Participants also will learn methods for tackling the hardest part of writing - the first page!

5. Watch Joe the Magician on June 12 at 11am at the Powder Springs Library. Open to children all ages with caregiver.

Children from birth to 5th grade can participate in the Summer Reading Program at the library. Pick a folder to log the books they have read. Return the reading log anytime after July 4th to receive receive a certificate and to be eligible to win prizes. Stevi B’s has also sponsored a pizza giveaway for participants, and the first 5000 children to return their folders any time after July 4 can receive a coupon for a free kid’s buffet at any local Stevi B’s location!

Adults and Teens in grades 6-12 are also encouraged to participate in the "Dream Big" Summer Reading Program too by submitting book reviews. Forms can be picked up at the branches, downloaded from the website, or submitted online. Each person who enters a book review will be eligible to win a Sony eReader, courtesy of OverDrive, a provider of downloadable books and audiobooks.

Every person, regardless of age, who completes the library’s reading program will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad 2, courtesy of Cobb EMC. All winners will be announced at the End of Summer Reading Party, which will be held on Saturday, August 4 from 5-7 p.m. at the Central Library. Any winners not in attendance can pick up their prize at the Cobb County Public Library System branch of their choice.

Weekend Family Fun!

You don’t have to spend much money this weekend to have some family fun.

• Let their creative juices flow at Lakeshore Learning’s FREE craft on Saturday. Drop by their East Cobb location between 11am-3pm to make a Honeybee Hive.
• Barnes & Noble at Town Center Prado has their storytime at 11am on Saturday. Grab a Starbucks for yourself, sit back along with your kiddos and enjoy finding out what happens when Itsy Mitsy tries to run away!
• Get your work boots on and head to Lowe’s for their Build and Grow Kid Clinic on Saturday at 10am. Kids will have fun building and decorating their own school locker. Each participant receives a free apron, goggles, a project themed patch, and a certification of merit along with their project. Although not required, it is best to make reservations online!
• Princesses (age 3 +) will be jumping for joy if you take them to the Disney Store at Town Center Mall on Saturday for their “The Story Begins with You” craft event on Saturday. Two 30 minute sessions are offered - stop by at 10:30am or 1pm dressed up as a princess for their enchanting crafts. If your princess is anything like mine, she will love any excuse to be in costume!
• Beyond Cobb, Centennial Olympic Park has their Fourth Saturday Family Fun Day from 12pm-4pm on…Saturday! The event is full of interactive, entertaining and educational activities for children based on this month’s theme “Games & Gadgets”. Activities include educational programming, specialty workshops, touring shows, street performers, family-friendly performances, children’s crafts, life-size chess games, appearances by on-air personalities, local sports mascots, contests, prizes and more. Oh, and don’t forget bathing suits and a towel so you can splash in the Fountain of Rings!
• If you want to get away from the city, scoot north on I-75 to Red Top Mountain. Pack a picnic, hike around a bit, then stop by the Visitor Center at 3pm for a special program about “Snaaaaaakes”. Everyone will get to touch a few of Georgia’s non-venomous snakes…if you want! Program is free but you’ll have to $5 for parking.
• Our pick for family flicks this weekend is the Coca Cola Film Festival at the Fabulous Fox Theater. On Saturday, catch Mr. Popper’s Penguins at 2pm & on Sunday, Cars 2 is showing also at 2pm. Be on time so you and yours can sing-a-long with “Mighty Mo” and watch a classic cartoon before the movie! Tickets are $8 each at the box office or online but B98.5 has a “Buy One Get One FREE” ticket deal! To take advantage of it, click here!
• Do a good deed on Sunday, eat ice cream! The 7th Annual Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ is happening on the Roswell Square from 2pm-4pm. For $5 per person or $15 per family, you can eat all the ice cream you want and you will help raise money for The Drake House, a crisis center for women and children. There will be entertainment, children’s activities, contests, and loads of hand cranked ice cream!

Looking for more fun, follow us on Facebook to get daily tips, deals, and activity ideas for family fun.

Free Stuff Friday

Yes, you can have a great weekend and not spend much money! Here's the last installment of our "Top 10 Picks of Things to Do This Weekend"!

8. FREE Movies at Cobb Libraries: Family Flicks @ East Cobb Library 11am, call location for specific movie; Movie Matinee @ Central Library showing Land Before Time at 3pm

9. Make a Buzzing Bee at Lakeshore Learning at 4287 Roswell Rd., 30068; FREE on Saturday, 11-3pm
 

10. Enjoy the outdoors at your favorite playground or a Cobb County park. Pack a lunch, fly a kite, kick a ball, ride your bikes! Head to Kennesaw Mountain, ride the bus to the top and it's a short hike to the "tippy top" for great views of a great city!

Have fun, wear your sunscreen, and let us know if you did any of our Top 10! We'd love to hear about your weekend!
I'll be taking the weekend off from posting on my blog but I will continue to post on FB & Twitter what I find worthwhile of your time!