Gymboree Fun!

A fun tip from my friend Jenny!

This summer Gymboree Play & Music, not the clothing store but the gym facility, is hosting "Finding Hope Fridays" a special play time for members and non-members. The last Friday of each month they will open their doors from 4-8pm for $5 a child with all money going directly to the charities listed below. This is a great opportunity to get in a little play time with your children, under age 5, and give back to some great charities. See you at the gym!

Finding Hope Friday's Dates

May 28th National Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

June 25th Leg Up Farm

July 30th Big Brother Big sister

August 27th Family-Child Resources

Sept. 24th Children's Home of York

Fairie Festival!

If you are looking for something fun and different to do this weekend think about heading down to Glen Rock to check out the 19th annual Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farms. Katie and I have gone to the F.F. the past two years we have always had a lot of fun, there are tons of things to do and children and adults are encouraged to dress the part, yes Mom's, break out those wings!

April 30th gates open at noon, May 1st and 2nd they are open at 10:00am. Admission is $15 for people over 12, $5 for those between 2-12 and free for the under 2 crowd. You can get a 3-day pass for $30, or you can volunteer, upon arrival, for a 2-hour job assignment and upon completion you will be refunded your admission fee!

Check out Spoutwood Farms website, http://www.spoutwood.org/fairie-festival for more information on this great event. As an added bonus the weather is supposed to be fabulous this weekend so being outside and celebrating nature might just be the thing to do!

Creative York

I think the universe is trying to tell me something here, every day I'm finding new and exciting things that are happening here in York, new programs, new ideas, there is a Renaissance going on in York; right here, right now!

Today I received an email from YorkArts about a new arts and cultural website called "Creative York". Talk about being blown away, this site is FANTASTIC; click on "In this Issue" at the top of the page and then click on "download Creative York NOW!" and you will be taken to a 25 page web magazine listing all of the arts, crafts, theatre, music, dance, visual arts, aldult classes, shows and more currently taking place here in York. They list the camps and classes, everything you might need to know or want to find close to home. Brilliant!

There is also a link to donate to YorkArts and if you are like me, someone who is looking toward making a positive change in our town, this might be a worthwhile cause to stand behind. Obviously I'm not soliciting for money here, but just keep them in the back of your minds if you have a present to buy and you're looking for something different.

Here is the link: http://www.creativeyork.com/index.html . Find some classes for your little ones and maybe even for yourself, great things are happening here Mom's, I hope you are all as happy about it as I am!

DreamWrights~Summer Camps

While writing the post below about DreamWrights I came across their summer camp schedule and wanted to pass it along ASAP. Again, if you need to take a moment to familiarize yourself with the fantastic programs at DreamWrights, please do so here: www.dreamwrights.org . I have a cousin who was very active in DreamWrights Theatre from a very young age and is still working in the theatre while attending Temple University, they took a once shy child and helped him blossom into a very well spoken, outgoing and fun-loving adult. I cannot speak highly enough about the wonderful work they do within the York community, I have been to many plays and all were wonderful, exciting and well attended.

Enough of my praise, find out all that they have to offer for yourself! They have camps available for children as young as 4 and even musical theatre camp available for the musician in your home. The camps are a little expensive, over $100 a week, but they are competitive for similar camps around the area. Keep in mind scholarships are available, but the deadline for applying for said scholarships is May 6th. Check out the camp schedule here http://www.dreamwrights.org/summer-camps-workshops.php and enjoy!

DreamWrights~The Wizard of Oz

If you have never heard of DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre here in York, you may want to spend some time on their website exploring their numerous programs. (www.dreamwrights.org )For the purpose of this post I am going to be writing about their current play "The Wizard of Oz", but I will blog about DreamWrights later!

DreamWrights theatre is currently putting on "The Wizard of Oz", there are still ticket left for the regular shows but what I wanted to pass along was information on their Playlet & Breakfast

May 1st at 9:00am. The Playlet is designed to introduce the 3-6 year-olds to live theatre. While at DreamWrights your children will be able to have some breakfast, do a craft, watch some of the play and have the opportunity to walk on stage and meet the characters from the show! Tickets are $10 and it sounds like a fantastic deal to me.

DreamWrights has the schedules for the other Playlet's they run, but this is the last one until October, so take advantage if this sounds like something your child might enjoy! Click here for more information and to register online: http://www.dreamwrights.org/wizard-oz.php . Also, keep in mind that DreamWrights is a great organization and kids come from all over the area for a chance to be in their plays, in fact over 235 people auditioned for "The Wizard of Oz", so be prepared to be impressed!

The "Baby and Kids Expo"

A well organized, fun and free event every spring is the "Baby and Kids Expo" brought to you by Memorial Hospital at the York Expo Center, AKA Fairgrounds, on May 8th, 2010 from 9am-4pm. Like I said before it's FREE and geared towards families with young children and those that have one on the way. The full schedule is available on the event website: http://www.mhyork.org/Community-Wellness/Baby-Kids-Expo.aspx but keep in mind that the main event, in my mind, the Diaper Derby does require pre-registration, which you can also do right online.

Some of the things you can look forward to are art and activities with the Gymboree crew, meeting Elmo and Dora the Explorer (bring your camera for this one!), story time, a dance presentation from Greater York Dance, a magic show, bounce houses, face painting and so much more that I could go on for at least another paragraph! This is a wonderful,annual, community event that has grown into a full fledged day of fun, seriously look at the line-up on the website, we might be there all day! Mark your calendars and get ready for some FREE family fun!

Keep An Eye Out!

Brown's Orchard's Emigsville

This just in!!! (Copied email)

Brown's Orchards in Emigsville

We're celebrating ONE YEAR at our North location. And we're pretty darn happy that it's Spring too. So we're having a Spring Fling event ! Bring the entire family!

May 1st and 2nd (11am-4pm each day)

Pony rides (fee)
Live Alpacas
York County Beekeepers Association
Dover HS "Dominants" Jazz Band (Sat 1-3pm) - bring a lawn chair!
Ray Owen children's entertainer (Sun 1-3pm) - bring a lawn chair!
Real Helicopter by Faith Flyers - kids can climb inside!
Manchester Township Fire Dept with fire trucks
Northern Regional Police with Officer Dorothy
Face Painting
Balloon Animals (limited hours)
Children's craft
Cooking Demos for kids and adults (Sat around noon)
York Little Theatre with costumed characters from "Alice in Wonderland" (Sat noon-2pm)

COW PATTY BINGO!! Benefits Farm & Natural Lands Trust on Sat, and York County Food Bank on Sun (more details to follow)

Food includes Sausage Sandwiches, Bricker's Fries, Ice Cream and much more!!

Specials in the market, in the greenhouse, and in the courtyard! Get your Mother's Day shopping done and save!

Most activities rain or shine. Concerts are weather permitting.

York City Ice Arena

This past Friday my husband took an impromptu Friday off from work, a rare occasion in our house, so we decided to try something different. Ever since the winter Olympics Katie has been asking to try ice skating and I really didn't want to try this one on my own, so with Nat being home from work I figured that I would take advantage!

First let me start by saying that the York City Ice Arena is way, way better than I remembered it. The old ice skating rink is now the rollerskating rink and the new ice rink is in the giant building directly across the street (next to York Catholic High School). Many of you probably already know this (I didn't but am catching up) but York County now has a high school ice hockey league so the double rinks, yes there are two in this building, come in handy over the winter. York also hosts the Keystone State Games, the PA Skating Championships, plus the rink supports a men's league, a women's league, countless kids teams and lessons including hockey and figure skating. Needless to say the arena is a busy place and I'm upset that this was my first trip!

Back to our visit, I had checked on "free skate" times on the rinks website, http://www.yorkskate.com/ and knew that Wednesday and Friday were my two mid-day opportunities to take Katie. (click on Public Skating for more times) We went right around noon on Friday and for admission and skate rental, for Katie and I, it was $7.00 total. We went into the rink to get our skates on and immediately realized two things, first it was COLD, so dress as if it were snowing outside, they have to maintain the freeze for the ice and secondly, it was empty, I think I counted 6 other people on the ice! Luckily I had dressed Katie in a winter jacket, I only brought myself a sweatshirt so I was freezing, but as fate would have it we weren't there too long!

With the rink being empty it really was the best opportunity to "try" skating. Katie is 3.5, keep this in mind, and quickly figured out how to walk on land in the skates, which I thought was pretty impressive. We walked over to the entrance to the rink and with her first step onto the ice she was frustrated. Having not skated in a LONG time, like 15 years or so, I had to reorient myself with the ice as well and after a lap around the rink and feeling like I wasn't going to make the situation worse, I took Katie's hands and started out. Like I said skating was confusing to her, she couldn't get her feet to stay under her body, and with most things that 3 year olds can't figure out she got frustrated. We tried extra encouragement, praise and all of the lovin' we could but after 7 minutes, yep 7, we decided to bail and try again later.

Even though my little one didn't have the patience doesn't mean yours won't, I have a friend whose 4 year old LOVED skating lessons and even though I didn't do well with Kate doesn't mean I don't think she would love lessons. She's been telling me ever since our attempt on Friday that she wants to try again and when I ask her about lessons with a big person who is a good skater (she knows I'm not that good!) she says "yeah that would be fun". They offer a wide variety of lessons, starting with 3 year-olds, at comparable prices with other activities that kids take lessons for ($70 for 7 sessions). Also make sure you check out the open skating times, besides the Wednesday and Friday afternoon skate they also offer Family Skate night every Wednesday night from 7-8:30pm with FREE skate rentals.

The theme of our visit, make sure you check out the York City Ice Arena, it really is an impressive facility for our area. The woman that helped us check in and lace up was very friendly, the place was clean, there were changing rooms available, an arena employee was on the ice the entire time we were there (to monitor activities on and off of the ice) and there was ample parking. Oh and if you are a city resident you get 50% off of everything, so my $7 would have cost you $3.50! Have fun and enjoy!!

Most Livable Cities

This was just an interesting article I came across while doing some research. Last April (2009)Forbes magazine ranked the top 15 most livable cities in the US. The study compared income growth, crime data, leisure activities, cost of living and unemployment statistics against all cities in the USA with a population of over 500,000. Would it surprise you to know that both Baltimore and Harrisburg make the top 15? Yes, that's right, York is smack dab in the middle of two GREAT American cities! I keep telling you, York is a FANTASTIC place to live, there are a exciting things happening all of the time both in and around our town!

Here are the Top 15 from Forbes article "America's Most Livable Cities"

http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/01/cities-city-ten-lifestyle-real-estate-livable-cities.html

1. Portland, Maine
2. Bethesda, Maryland
3. Des Moines, Iowa
4. Stamford, Connecticut
5. Tulsa, Oklahoma
6. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
7. Cambridge, Massachusetts
8. Baltimore, Maryland
9. Worcester, Massachusetts
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
11. Denver, Colorado
12. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
13. Madison, Wisconsin
14. Peabody, Massachusetts
15. Little Rock, Arkansas

Go Green In The City

Sounds like fun........plus I have to plug the Mark DeRose Band whenever I can!!

The Shops of Beaver Street present
Go Green in the City
Saturday April 17th from 10 am to 4 pm
On Beaver Street
between Philadelphia and Market Street
in York PA

The Shops on Beaver Street present Go Green in the City!
Promoting buying fresh, buying local, and being Green!

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Thank you to our sponsors: White Rose Bar & Grill, The Watchmaker’s Daughter, YorkArts, Just Brenda Art Studio Gallery, The Camera Center of York, The Studio and Art Bar, Charles E Smith & Son Florist, Central Market House, Essan, Sunrise Soap, Sweet Melissa’s Dream, and Kimman’s.

Thank you to our friends from Aspen Dental for volunteering their time for this event.

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Informational Businesses and Non-Profit Booths

First Capital Credit Union- First Capital FCU is a full-service financial institution not only focused on helping our members achieve good financial health, but focused on the health of the environment as well. First Capital offers Green Loans for our environmentally-conscious members.

Penn-Mar Construction- Replacement window company using locally crafted windows and recycles every part of your old windows.

Breathe Studio– Breathe The Studio Alternative Fitness, Prides it's self in offering more innovative type of fitness classes. We have Yoga, Core & Strength, Belly Dance, Cardio Tease & Chair Core. Movement is the most important key to Staying Healthy and Feeling great about your well being. Come join us. Get fit, have fun, let loose. www.breathethestudio.comand see for yourself.

Codorus Creek Watershed Assoc- all volunteer group dedicated to improving water quality, habitat & biodiversity in the Codorus Watershed. We use grant money to do stream restoration which removes high,bare, eroding banks & stabilizes the streams. We also plant buffer zones of trees & shrubs along stream banks. We have public displays & educate as many groups as we can.

Friends Meeting House– Quaker crafts: artful hand made boxes, needlework and other crafts, and delectible Dutch Stroopwafel by members of the York Friends Meeting. A portion of the proceeds go to support their planned Peace Building and other activities.

Codo Apartments- Sherman Property Management, Inc. is a full service property management firm based in York, Pennsylvania. We have worked closely with architects and contractors to incorporate as many green features into our residential complexes as possible. We currently manage the Codo apartments in the Downtown area.

Susquehanna Photography– Susquehanna Photographic is a photography studio based in Downtown York that regularly features happenings downtown on their photo blog (www.susquehannaphoto.com/blog). Philip and Allison are big supporters of using local businesses and products and are active in this movement. They will be handing out "I Love York City" stickers and taking street portraits of visitors that stop by.

Eight Stones Yoga Studio– Yoga and Meditation classes.

Green Party of York County– York County chapter of the Green Party of USA.

Re-Source York– Open to the public non-profit home improvement store with a mission of keeping usable items out of the waste system .

Murphy and Dittenhafer Architects, Inc. – Architecture firm with focus on adaptive reuse and revitalizing towns to create sustainable communities.
Salvaging Creativity– Metal fabrications with salvages materials.
Greenline Paper Company– provider of Environmental Paper/Recycled paper products for Office & home as well as Recycled envelopes.
SSBN-Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network is growing a local economy that promotes social, environmental and financial sustainability in Lancaster and York Counties.

Spoutwood Farm- Spoutwood Farm Center, home of the May Day Fairie Festival, The Mother Earth Harvest Fair, Spoutwood Observatory, Spoutwood Education Program and CSA.

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Vendors

Happiness Jewelry– Handmade jewelry of glass, stones, crystals, sterling silver and recycled vintage beads.

Chi Studios– Art prints, handmade accessories, postcards and cards

Painted Spring Farm Alpacas– Handspun and milled spun yarns from our fiber. Hand knit, crocheted items and woven items. Visit with the Alpacas.

Organix Hair Salon- selling organic hair products,ie, shampoos, conditioners, and styling products.We will also have brochures about our Organix Hair Salon, where organichair colors and perms are offered. We will also have an organic line of make-up and will be doing mini make-overs that day.

Fearless Knitting, Karen Paust and Suchamuch, Susan McDaniel– Handmade items; hand painted cards with orginal designs on recycled paper. Cards with orginal photos. Handmade wearable art, aprons, rings, necklaces and scarves.

Teri's Fiber Design– Handwoven, scarves, placemats, towels and shawls.

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Central Market House Vendors

Central Market House– Lots of different foods to try inside Central Market House.

Dietz Produce– Organic and natural produce.

Cherie Anne Designs– Specializing in hand-dyed and handspun yarns, hand knits, crocheted items, handmade jewelry and gifts.

Nuts about Granola– Fresh all natural granola from local ingredients.

Plant Lady of Central Market– Herbs, natives, annuals, perennials, vegetable plants and rain barrels.

Butterfly Baby Sweaters– Knitted and handcrafted baby sweaters by Tamara Aviles.

Under One Sun– Organic fruit smoothies and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

Just Cupcakes– Handmade cupcakes.

Chilly Dilly's– Ice cream, shaved ice and slushies.

Two Pup's Pastries- Dog and cat treats and toys.

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Food

King and Beaver Street Coffee Co.- Selling Fair trade, organically grown coffee in compostable/disposable cups and lids.

Lafayette Club– Smoothies, sandwiches and sodas.

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Musical Performances

10:00 - American Britches: folk, rock and Americana
11:00 - Posie the Fairie: Fairie Stories and songs
12:00 - The New Streakers II: Tennessee stomp blues to spacey Indian-tinged jams
1:00 - Mark DeRose Band: Feel good music
2:00 - Lilam: Tribal fusion bellydance troupe

Strolling performer - Janet Spar: hang drum

* Schedule subject to change.

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For more information contact:
Caroline Morris of Kimman's at info@kimmans.com / 854.0440,
or Melissa Grove of Sweet Melissa's Dream atmelissa@sweetmelissasdream.com / 854.2608

Strasburg Railroad

As an adult there are certain childhood memories that are still fresh in my mind, fun experiences in which I can recall sights, sounds and smells even 25 years later. One such memory was getting together with my Grandmother and cousins every spring and heading over to Strasburg Railroad for a train ride and picnic lunch and playing outside all day long. It was a summer tradition, one that I always looked forward too, and luckily it's a tradition that I can continue with my daughter.

Strasburg Railroad is a short 25-40 minute drive, depending where you are in York, east on Route 30, just past the outlets. The station was founded in 1832 and in 2007 celebrated the 175th anniversary of it's charter. Much of the original train station has been preserved and while the station itself is unique, the cars themselves are the main attraction and the meticulous restoration is immediately evident.

There are four different options for a regular train ride, a first class car that has been restored to its original Victorian charm with velvet seats and chandeliers, a bit fancy for the little kids to appreciate. The dining car is where you can eat while you ride, I've never tried the dining car but I'm sure the bigger kids might think it would be cool and it might be a way to stave off the boredom of a 45 minute train ride with mom and dad! The coach car has a boiler in the car to keep you nice and toasty on cool days and open-able windows so in spring and summer you can feel the breeze, also cool old fashion seats that make a squeaky sound as you bounce along the track (certain young ones might like this feature). Our family favorite is the Open-air car, it is only available in Summer, that is exactly what it sounds like it would be, a totally open car that allows for great panoramic viewing of Lancaster County and all of the farms, animals and people that includes.

The train runs most days, with special themes on and off all summer. Today, for example, the train runs at noon, 1pm, and 2pm, but make sure you check the schedule for the day you want to travel, we have gone at the wrong time before and having to wait for too long can cause tears! Also make sure you make a plan for the entire day, there are a few other activites at Strasburg Railroad that you might want to take advantage of, like trying out an old fashion pump car, the mini train and the crank cars. Also you can still take advantage of packing a picinic lunch and stopping during the trip at Groff's Grove, you just have to tell your conductor you would like to stop, and if packing a picnic sounds like a hastle you can order a lunch at the station and bring it along with you.

Finally, and most importantly to some of us mom's, Thomas the Train makes special visits to Strasburg all year long. Currently there are three weeks scheduled for 2010, June 12-20th, September 11-19th and November 19-21st. These events are very cute but extremely packed, if you have a little Thomas fan that might be just as excited to see any train, you might want to skip the mayhem that comes with Thomas's visit. If you have kids that are tried and true Thomas fans than maybe this event is for you. Make sure you order your tickets early, and plan out your trip, get there early and let your children know that they will most likely have to wait in line to try all of the activities. Don't let me scare you away, it's great to see all of those little faces light up when they see that Thomas came to see them, just be smart and prepared to handle the masses.

For prices, activities and other fun things to do at Strasburg Railroad visit http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/index.php and check out the special Thomas the Train fun coming our way this weekend (post below)!

Thomas the Train

Join Thomas the Train this Saturday at Toys R' Us from 11am-1pm for some FREE fun, stories and games! (Thanks Abbey!)

Little Red Riding Hood

While I'm busy working on a few other posts I wanted to pass along a FREE show at Penn State York's Pullo Center. I just got the email that they are putting on "Little Red Riding Hood" Tuesday May 4th at 10:00am. The show is "filled with silly songs and dances, that will keep your toes tappin' all the way to Grandma's house"! Even though the show is free you need to make reservations either by calling, 717-505-8935 or by registering online at http://pullocenter.yk.psu.edu/. Gotta love FREE shows!!

Baltimore Museum of Art

For older kids, I would say Kindergarten and up, the Baltimore Museum of Art is offering FREE Family Sundays! Every Sunday, beginning at 2pm, the BMA is featuring a variety of interactive activities for your artsy kids, including sketching tours, hands-on art workshops, tours and more. The museum currently has a list of activities through the month of April posted, this Sunday is "Sensational Still Life Paintings" where your children build their own still life model from everyday "found" objects and then paint it. Fun, educational, and FREE!

Like I said before, I think this is for older children, but check back every week to see if there might be something geared towards the younger crowd. If you haven't been to the BMA before it's a great art museum and it's FREE, always and all of the time! It's a very easy drive, under an hour, and located about 3 miles from the Inner Harbor. Place this one on your "To-do" list, it's worth your time!

http://www.artbma.org/index.html click on Calendar and then Family Programs for more on FREE Family Sundays.

The North Museum

This is very last minute, but if you have a 3-5 year old that wants some bonding time with Grandma or Grandpa, tomorrow is Grands are Grand day at The North Museum in Lancaster. It sounds like some very cute activities, with stories, crafts and hands on fun! Check it out :http://www.northmuseum.org/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/Mid/394/ItemID/67/Default.aspx?selecteddate=4/10/2010

Governor's Awards for the Arts in Pennsylvania

Tomorrow is a big day for the art community here in York and chances are you might not even know it, I know I almost missed it. The Governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, and his wife will be in York tomorrow to hand out awards to six Pennsylvania natives for their achievements within the art community and philanthropy dedicated towards the arts and three are from York County; just to hype this up one is a Grammy winner and another has his work currently displayed at the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art)! This is a big deal for York and a well deserved pat on the back goes to The Cultural Alliance of York County who is doing great work sustaining art and artists within the county.

Now, how this all applies to our kids (I was getting there). They are shutting down George Street tomorrow from the Square north to the new courthouse to have all sorts of live music, art projects, dress ups and an instrument "petting zoo" for the kids. Fun,fun,fun and FREE! All of this fun starts at 3pm and runs until 7pm at which point the focus turns to the actual award ceremony taking place at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center.

This looks to be a great afternoon of fun for the whole family and the support for local artist and artisans is always a HUGE plus! To learn more about tomorrows events visit the official blog for the event: http://2009pagaa.blogspot.com/ or check out this article from the York Dispatch: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/local/ci_14822591.

Oh and did I mention that ELMO is going to be there.................

Roll R' Way Toddler Time

Every Tuesday between 12pm-2pm Roll R'Way opens it's doors to the toddler set and for $2.50 it's a heck of a deal. You can bring bikes, scooters, ride-on toys, I've even seen little girls pushing baby doll strollers and let the kids loose on a nice flat surface. We got Katie one of those plasma cars, that's her on it in the picture above, and it's super cool but in our hilly neighborhood it was virtually unusable, but not at Roll'R'Way! It's great, she rode that thing for almost an hour and then came home and took an awesome 2 hour nap, a benefit I had to add.

Also if you have older kids that might not want to ride or scoot around, they can use the roller skates for FREE! I saw a bunch of kids trying skating for the first time, some took to it, others (like my daughter) bailed on it almost instantly, but for FREE it was worth the try. I didn't see adult skate so if you plan on skating with your kids you might have to rent them, but your admission is free, so it's still not a bad deal. They also had the concession stand and game room open and a bouncy house in the corner which was a great distraction when the kids got frustrated, hungry or bored.

The last thing that caught my attention was that they played kids music, mostly Nickelodeon theme songs, and the kids were all singing while rolling along. It was pretty cute even if I had already heard most of those songs earlier in the morning! Around 1pm, about half-way through the skating session, they dimmed the lights and turned on the disco ball and the little ones got a taste of what it was like when we were young. (Think couples skate to the theme of Spongebob Squarepants).

For more information on the Toddler Skate visit http://rollrway.net/web/index.php and click on "session times". It really is a great deal and a lot of fun for the kids, not to mention a great form of exercise for them and us! See you there!

York County Parks Summer Camps

Summer camps are just around the corner, can you believe it?! I will be posting the local summer camps as they are announced and I'm sure within the next two weeks you will be getting a lot of information. Many of the "big" camps and sleepover camps are already posted, YMCA, YWCA, JCC and Church camps can be found on their websites, but the library, parks and local townships wait until Spring to get everything online. Keep in mind that Vacation Bible Schools will also start popping up soon, if that was a priority for your family you might want to see if your church has already set aside the week they will be running VBS so you don't miss it. Here is the York County Parks and Recreation schedule, space is limited so make sure you register ASAP.

The York County Department of Parks and Recreation has announced its popular summer youth Nature Discovery Programs summer schedule. The specialty weeks combine recreation and education. The following classes are available:

For ages 3-4: Small Wonders Series, 10-11:15 a.m. June 16 and 30, July 14 and 28 and Aug. 18 at Nixon County Park. This series is a time for young learners and their parents to spend time learning about nature together. In this indoor-outdoor class, children will role play, imitate, experiment, question and imagine with the help of an adult. Each class will have a different topic. Cost: $20.

For ages 5-6: Nature Discovery Program 1, 9-11:30 a.m. or 1-3:30 p.m. June 22-25 at Nixon County Park. Program includes hikes, hands-on and project activities and guest presenters. Cost: $60.

For ages 7-8: Nature Discovery Program 2, 9-11:30 a.m. or 1-3:30 p.m. Aug. 3-6 at Nixon County Park. Program includes hikes, hands-on and project activities and guest presenters. Cost: $60.

For ages 9-12: Nature Discovery Program 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 20-23 at Nixon and Kain parks, the Rail Trail and Shank's Mare Outfitters. Program includes biking, boating and hiking. Cost: $130.

For ages 9-12: Archaeology Week I, July 5-9, and Archaeology Week II, Aug. 9-13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Nixon County Park and an archaeological site. Co-sponsored with York County Heritage Trust, students conduct a real archaeological excavation, learn to identify artifacts and interperate the history. Cost: $135

For more information or to register, call the parks department at 840-7440 or visit www.yorkcountyparks.org. Space is limited; early registration is suggested.

A Revolutionary Night at The Museum

If you have a child 8-12 years old, maybe a history buff in the making, this could be a great bonding evening with them. The York County Heritage Trust is sponsoring a family overnight, or Night At The Museum, April 17-18. The theme this year is Revolutionary Era Pennsylvania and you and your child/children will spend the night learning what it was like living in York during the 18th century by visiting and doing hands-on exploration at The Gates House, Plough Tavern, the Colonial Court House and The Bobb Log House. If you know me than you know that this is an event right up my alley, of course my 3 year old won't qualify me, but in 5 years I'm so there!

If this sounds like a fun night for your family be sure and reserve your spot now, this event sells out every year. I couldn't find the information about the overnight on the YCHT website, but you can email education@yorkheritage.org or contact the Coordinator of Educational Programming at 717-845-2951. If you are a YCHT member the cost is $7 for adults and $17 for kids, non-members $10 for adults and $20 for kids. York played a big role in American history wouldn't it be great to share that with your kids? Have Fun!

Downtown York First-Friday's!

I know by Friday most of us Mom's are ready to have a quiet moment to ourselves, collapse in bed and fall asleep by 8pm, this coming from a mom with 1 child! But....if you are feeling adventurous, or maybe you are a more energetic mom than myself, than how about checking out downtown York for First-Fridays? Downtown York has partnered with Bring On Play (BOP) to sponsor all sorts of fun activities for the kids including bounce houses, scavenger hunts, face painting and tomorrow a visit from the Easter Bunny! Events kick off at 4pm on Beaver Street, between Philly and Market, and for those of you that don't know street names it's the block that Central Market is on. Check out this link for more information:http://downtownyorkpa.com/first-fridays/ plus other offers from downtown shops that sponsor First-Friday events! (Sounds like it would be fun without the kids too!)