Labor Day Festivals

Here's what's going on during the long weekend in the Atlanta area! It's a weekend of arts and books, and almost everything is free. I'm hoping to go to the Decatur Book Festival on Sunday.

Arts on the Creek Festival. Perimeter Church, Johns Creek. Food, live entertainment, children’s activities, art exhibits featuring over 100 vendors. Sept. 4-5. Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m. 9500 Medlock Bridge Rd., Johns Creek. 678-405-2000. Free.

Love the Lake Festival. Cauble Park, Acworth. Art and craft vendors, parade, food, live entertainment, children’s activities, and a tropical bird show. Sept. 4-5. Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-6 p.m. 2293 Beach St., Acworth. 770-423-1330. Free.

Marietta Art in the Park. Glover Park, Marietta. Fine art vendors, children’s activities and demonstration area. Sept. 4-6. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Downtown Marietta. 770-429-1115. Free.

U.S. 10K Classic Family Festival. Cobb Galleria Center. Family festival centered around the 10K road race on Labor Day. Live music, kids’ activities, batting cages, clowns, pony rides and more. Sept. 4-5. Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. Two Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta. Free.


Decatur Book Festival. Downtown Decatur, GA. Book festival for adults and children - famous authors include Jonathan Franzen, Joyce Maynard, and Anna Dewdney, author of the Llama Llama books. Sept. 3-5. Check website for schedule/activities.

Sun Print T-Shirts

When we went away this summer with our extended family, we had some projects and activities for the boys to do with their cousins - we called it "cousin camp." One thing we did was decorate t-shirts. The instructions are here on the Family Fun website.

You'll need washed t-shirts, flour, water, a squeeze bottle, fabric spray paint, and sun.

Make a mixture of flour and water about the consistency of mustard and stir it until smooth. Put it in the squeeze bottle, and let kids make a design. The four kids had different approaches: a spiral sun, a flower, a turtle, and three monster faces. Try not to make the design too thick or it will be hard to remove.

Dry the t-shirts in the sun until the paste is hardened.

When it's dry, put a piece of paper or a plastic bag inside the shirt so the color doesn't run to the back. Spray the front with fabric spray paint. You can use multiple colors if you like, but don't spray too heavily. One bottle would do two entire shirts. I brought a contrasting fabric marker so the kids could add details; a Sharpie would work fine, too. Let the shirts dry in the sun.

Remove the dried paste - you may need to use a spoon to help you peel it off. This took a while! Once it's gone, you'll see the image in white.

The boys have worn their t-shirts a lot! They chose their designs from Ed Emberley books, and they were surprisingly easy to create with paste and a squeeze bottle.

Movies in the Park - Tonight, August 21, at Polo Club in Cumming

If it doesn't rain tonight, head over to the Polo Club of Atlanta, 5890 Polo Club Drive, Cumming, GA for Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The movie starts at 8:30, and it's free! Family activities start at 7:00.

Don't forget bug spray!

Fun in Roswell - Puppets and Sprayground

It's not too late to catch a puppet show at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. This week's show is Rumplestiltskin, and next week's is Sleeping Beauty. The puppet shows are fairly short and quite casual - often the puppeteers will invite the children up to see the puppets after the show.

From the website: "Show times are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. Puppet-making workshops will be offered after the shows Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. only. Cost for children ages 2-12 is $4, $5 for adults and $3 for the workshop, ages 5 and over only."

After the puppet show, take your swimsuits and a picnic lunch and head over to the Riverside Park Sprayground.
It costs $1 to play, and the park has a concession stand, covered picnic areas, and a playground next to the fountain. Note that the fountain is closed for maintenance on Tuesdays.

Atlanta Area Fourth of July Activities

Atlanta Parent has an overview of the 4th of July celebrations around Atlanta. Click here to see the .pdf. The Unicoi and Vogel State Park festivals sound especially fun - watermelon seed spitting contests, paddle boat races, and live music!

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Since the 4th of July falls on a Sunday this year, the activites are spread out over the entire weekend. In Cumming, for example, you can see fireworks on the 2nd; watch the parade on the 3rd; and still have time for your cookout on the 4th.

New Exhibit at Fernbank - Geckos!

Geckos: Tails to Toepads is Fernbank's latest special exhibit, and it's a great one. There is something so endearing about these big-eyed, harmless reptiles, and you'll see all different kinds at Fernbank. Much of the fun is finding them - many are experts of camouflage. Interspersed among the habitats are hands-on educational kiosks and displays, including a really interesting one about "designer" leopard geckos. You'll exit through the gift store, so be prepared!

Even though Fernbank is a natural history museum, I always like their "life science" exhibitions the best. And their reptile habitats put Zoo Atlanta's Reptile House to shame!

You may want to visit on Saturday, July 10, for Reptile Day. You can meet a variety of live reptiles and make a blue tongued skink hat to take home.

Good to know: The exhibit runs through September 6, and the price is included with admission. Remember that Fernbank's family dual membership is great: for $85, you can take 2 adults and four children, even if they are not part of your family. Just don't include a second name on the membership. You'll get lots of great discounts and a reciprocal program with science museums around the country.

Fernbank has a cafeteria, but you can also bring a lunch bags and leave them in a locker until you are ready to eat.

The IMAX movie through September 30 is Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure. My boys loved this, of course! It was a fascinating overview of bugs in Malaysia's rainforest, with a special focus on a caterpillar and a praying mantis. Very sensitive children might not like it - should be rated PG-13 for mild mating situations and graphic carnivorous violence. Overheard from the preschool teacher behind us: "If that boy beetle defeats the other boy beetle in their wrestling match, then he gets to have the girl beetle as his girlfriend." Overheard from the child sitting next to me: "Wow! That butterfly has two heads!".

Splash Fountains

This is an updated post from last summer.
There's no question that Atlanta is a hot place to live. Fortunately, most neighborhoods have pools, and many counties have aquatic centers. But one of our favorite ways to cool off in the summer is to visit one of the many splash fountains around town.

Here's a round-up of Atlanta's play fountains. Click on the names for more information!

Big Splash Fountain - Suwanee
Suwanee's Town Center Park hosts this fountain, which is our favorite. It's big and has geysers of varying heights, which means that everyone from one-year-olds to teens can have fun. It also has a great location - surrounded by the restaurants of Town Center Park, the amphitheater, and a large grassy field. You can ride bikes or walk dogs on the trails around the fountain, and there are a couple of good choices for ice cream as well.

Big Splash Fountain is open from 10:30-9:30 daily, from April 1 - October 1. Admission is free.

Duluth Town Green - Duluth
Town Green in Duluth is a lovely place surrounded by grassy terraces and porch swings. They also have an amphitheater and a few restaurants, including an ice cream shop. The splash fountain in the middle is circular with a large center geyser.

Admission is free, and the hours are 9-10 every day.

Village Pavilion Fountain at Mall of Georgia - Buford
This fountain is basically a big circle - but hey, you are at the second largest mall in the southeast, and there's a lot going on. The food court and many other restaurants are close by.

Admission is free, and the hours are 10-9 M-Sa and 12-6 on Sunday.

Sunflower Fountain at Atlanta Botanical Garden - Atlanta
The Botanical Garden is great for kids! You might think it's just a nice place to take your mom, but many exhibits have appeal for children (carnivorous plants, anyone?), and they have a separate children's garden. Furthermore, they realize that people visiting the garden in the summer will be braving the heat, and they provide misters throughout. Best of all, at the entrance to the children's garden, there is a small splash fountain area. It's very charming and sunflower themed. There are bathrooms located conveniently next door.

Admission to the Botanical Garden is $15 for adults and $12 for children 3 and above. They are closed on Mondays.

Centennial Olympic Park Fountain of Rings - Atlanta
The Olympic Park Fountain is undoubtedly the most famous fountain in Atlanta, but I have to admit I haven't been there yet! Plenty of parking surrounds the park, and many musical, film, and family events take place there. You'll also find a children's playground.

Daily music shows at the fountain occur at 12:30, 3:30, 6:30, and 9:00. The park is open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and admission is free.

Laurel Park Sprayground - Gainesville
Laurel Park Sprayground is a huge. lovely park that, in addition to ball fields, playgrounds, and lake views, also has a water playground for kids. It only costs $1.00, and it's very well designed. The variety of sprinklers and water sprayers will keep children playing for hours. The outer edge of the fenced-in sprayground has benches and picnic tables, and the floor slopes in toward the center, so you don't have to get wet if you don't want to!

Open late May - Sept. 1. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; Noon-5 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Admission: $1. Recommended for children 11 and younger.

Riverside Sprayground - Roswell
Roswell's Riverside Park has a new sprayground. It costs $1 per child and $1 per accompanying adult. The park's playground is close by.

Monday – Sunday (excludes Tuesdays): 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
May and September: Weekends only 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Free (or Cheap!) Summer Movies

Wow, it's hot already! If you want to enjoy an air-conditioned theater this summer, there are plenty of ways to do it on the cheap. Even if you aren't from Atlanta, many of these programs are nationwide, so check them out! Note: get there early; these films sell out quickly!

Regal Cinema's Free Family Film Festival shows two different free movies at 10:00 a.m on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Click the link to search for your state; here are the movies showing at the North Point Parkway location.

06/08/2010-06/10/2010 Tale of Despereaux (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks Squeakquel (PG)

06/15/2010-06/17/2010 Charlotte's Web (G)
Night At The Museum II (PG)

06/22/2010-06/24/2010 Wallace and Gromit (G)
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)

06/29/2010-07/01/2010 Polar Express (G)
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)

07/06/2010-07/08/2010 Doogal (G)
Planet 51 (PG)

07/13/2010-07/15/2010 Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G)
Imagine That (PG)

07/20/2010-07/22/2010 March Of The Penguins (G)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)

07/27/2010-07/29/2010 Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
Hotel For Dogs (PG)

08/03/2010-08/05/2010 ARCTIC TALE (G)
Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)

AMC Theaters Summer MovieCamp shows movies for $1.00 on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. with reduced concession prices. All proceeds benefit children's charities.

June 15 Shrek the Third
June 22 Imagine That
June 29 Monsters vs. Aliens
July 6 Madagascar
July 13 Madagascar 2
July 20 Hotel for Dogs
July 27 Kung Fu Panda
August 3 The Spiderwick Chronicles
August 10 Surprise Mystery Movie!

MNM Theaters: This Georgia chain has locations in Cumming (Movies 400), Hiram and Atlanta. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., they show G and PG movies for free. They also offer $1.00 popcorn and $1.00 drinks. If you bring a can of food for a food bank, your popcorn is free! Here's the schedule:

6/8 & 6/10 Princess and the Frog
6/15 & 6/17 Night at the Museum 2
6/22 & 6/24 Fantastic Mr. Fox
6/29 & 7/1 Ice Age 3
7/6 & 7/8 Aliens in the Attic
7/13 & 7/15 Alvin and the Chipmunks 2
7/20 & 7/22 The Tooth Fairy
7/27 & 7/29 Diary of a Wimpy Kid
8/3 & 8/5 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
8/10 & 8/12 Furry Vengeance

Strawberry Picking

It's time to get your strawberries! We went this week and they were plentiful and delicious. You have until June, but we always go in May. You may not save a ton of money - we paid $12.00 per gallon. I weighed the gallon buckets, and they weighed about 6 lbs. So it works out to roughly $2.00 for 16 oz., which would be a good price at the grocery store.

But these strawberries are so much better than the ones trucked in from California, and it's fun to go with kids. The farms I've been to don't mind when children eat as they pick. I've taken the boys since they were babies. We have a tradition in our family to have strawberry shortcake for dinner the night we pick strawberries - that's definitely something the boys remember from year to year!

I make lots of freezer jam with the rest of the strawberries. I try to make enough to last until the next year, but I haven't quite made it yet.

You can search here to find a strawberry patch near you. We've been to two different farms and like them both.

Dahlonega Vegetable Farm is my favorite. It's the closest one to us. Surrounded by mountains and bordered by a creek, the location is lovely. They don't have a website (!), but here is the address and phone number: 2650 Highway 19
Dahlonega, GA 30533;(706) 867-9794.

Washington Farms
The berries here are more affordable - $10 per gallon. They have a very helpful website that you can reach by clicking the name above. We've always gone to their Loganville location, but they have a smaller farm in Watkinsville as well. They are open 8:00-8:oo and closed on Sundays, but on beautiful days, they may be pretty picked out by early afternoon, so you may want to call first.

Good to know: I have some very important caveats about strawberry picking. 1. Always call first to be sure they have abundant berries. 2. Drought years produce better berries than rainy years. 3. Most farms only take checks or cash. 4. If you don't want to pay $1 for buckets, bring your own or at least bring tupperware to transfer your berries into for the ride home.

Kids Bowl Free - All Summer Long!

Once again this summer, your kids can bowl free every day! You sign up on the website, and each week you'll be emailed coupons for your children to bowl two free games every day. You can even purchase a family pass for parents or teens.

According to the Kids Bowl Free site, here's how it works:

1.All of the participating bowling centers are listed at http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/all_centers.php. Here's the link to Georgia's centers.

2.Select a bowling center near you.

3.Register directly on the bowling center page (The registration is valid only at the bowling center where you register and cannot be used at any other bowling center unless otherwise noted.)

4.Once you register, you will have the opportunity to purchase the family pass. The Family Pass was created to allow for adult family members to enjoy bowling throughout the summer as well.

The Family Pass starts from $24.95 and includes 2 GAMES PER PERSON PER DAY. The Family Pass covers up to 4 adult family members. You may have 1, 2, 3, or 4 adults on the family pass.
This low one-time payment covers up to 4 adults for the entire summer and is a tremendous value.

Muffin Tin Lunch

I saw the idea for serving lunch in a muffin tin on another blog, and it was much cuter (think sandwiches cut with cookie cutters) than what I have here. But I started doing it every now and then for the boys, and they really like it. I don't know what it is about the muffin tin, but Ben will eat just about anything from it!

In this version, I have sliced yellow bell peppers, yogurt with blueberries, roast chicken, pasta with parmesan, ketchup, and a piece of Rolo candy. I put the pan in between the boys for them to eat. I like that it keeps the portions relatively equal, instead of the pasta dominating the plate.

Art Portfolio

If your children are anything like mine, they end up with a lot of artwork! School, church, rainy afternoons - it can get out of control. I don't save everything, of course, but I want them to be able to save paintings and drawings they really like. I saw this idea on a blog, and I'm really happy with it.

Supplies

2 pieces heavy-duty posterboard (I got mine for $0.75 at WalMart)

coordinating duct tape (WalMart and Target have lots of fun colors)

coordinating grosgrain ribbon

Punch holes about four inches apart, an inch or so from the top of the posterboard in the center. Tape the posterboard together with duct tape on three sides. Tie the ribbon in the holes to make a handle.

I cut out names with my Cricut, but you can use stickers or stencils as well. You won't believe how many papers can fit in this portfolio!

Easter Events

With the weather we are having, it should be one of the most beautiful Easter weekends in years!

The Atlanta Parent website has a lot of great Easter activities. Here are some of the events planned for this weekend.

Dinosaur Egg Hunt. Fernbank Museum of Natural History. They may be larger than the typical Easter egg, but dino eggs are just as fun to find! Fernbank offers three age-appropriate egg hunts, including a special area just for toddlers. The event also includes a scavEGGer hunt inside the museum, music and games. April 3. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 767 Clifton Rd., Atlanta. 404-929-6300. Adults, $15; children 3-12, $13; under 2, free.

Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt. Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Bring your basket and camera for an Easter egg hunt, live performances, Atlanta Braves games and prizes, and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. April 3. 10 a.m.-noon. 980 Briarcliff Rd., Atlanta. 404-872-5338. Adults, free; children, $10.

Simon Kidigits Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Mall of Georgia. Hunt for eggs and win fun prizes. Located in The Village. April 3. 9:30-10 a.m. 3333 Buford Dr., Buford. 678-482-8788. Free.

Natural Egg Dyeing. Atlanta Botanical Garden. Drop-in for this interactive class where children decorate eggs using vibrant colors contained in dyes from certain plants. March 27 and April 3. 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. 1345 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta. 404-876-5859. $6/child in addition to admission.

Easter Sunrise Service. Stone Mountain Park. Two simultaneous, non-denominational Easter services at the top and base of the mountain, on Memorial Lawn. April 4. 6:15-7 a.m. Park gates open at 4 a.m. Hwy. 78, Stone Mountain. 770-498-5690. Parking, $10; sky-ride: adults, $9; children 3-11, $7.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta. Enjoy a reading of “The Story of the Easter Bunny” by Katherine Tegan and create a magic color scratch giant Easter egg. April 3. Noon. 275 Centennial Olympic Park Dr., Atlanta. 404-659-5437. Adults and children 2 and up, $12.50.

Eggstrvaganza Egg Hunt. Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Bring your basket and camera for an Easter egg hunt, live performances and a chance to meet the Easter bunny. April 3. 10 a.m.-noon. 980 Briarcliff Rd., Atlanta. 404-872-5338. Adults, free; children, $10.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History. April 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Participate in three age-appropriate egg hunts for kids, ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Each hunt will feature a grand prize dinosaur egg containing a one-year family/dual membership, a set of six IMAX tickets and a Radio Disney prize pack. This fun-filled event will also include a dinosaur egg balancing challenge, a dinosaur memory game and balloon animals. 767 Clifton Rd., Atlanta. 404-929-6300. Adults, $15; children 3-12, $13; 2 and under, free.

Giant Easter Egg Hunt. Malibu Grand Prix. Enjoy the giant Easter egg hunt, take photos with the bunny himself, prizes and more. April 3. Kids 5 and younger, 11:15 a.m.; ages 6 and older, 11:45 a.m. Event lasts until 4 p.m. 5400 Brook Hollow Pkwy., Norcross. 770-416-7630. Free.

Natural Easter Egg Dyeing. Habersham Gardens. Dye your own eggs with teas, spices, fruits and vegetables. April 3. 11 a.m. 2067 Manchester St., Atlanta. 404-873-2484. Free.

Quick Saturday Ideas

Looking for a fun activity that won't take up your whole Saturday? Here are some ideas!

1. The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History has make-and-take crafts each Saturday. Here's the upcoming schedule:

Mar. 20: Design-A-Quilt; Mar. 27: Drawing With Scissors; April 10: Build a Bridge; April 17: Painting With Dots; May 8: Honoring Mothers.

10 a.m.-noon. 2829 Cherokee St., Kennesaw. 770-427-2117. Adults, $7.50; children 4-12; $5.50; 3 and under, free.

2. Lakeshore Learning Store in Marietta has Crafts for Kids. And they're free!

March 20: Bird Feeder; March 27: My Puppet Pal; April 3: Silly Bunny Puppet; April 10: Personalized Door Hanger; April 17: Earth Day Bag; April 24: Spring Picket Fence.

You can check their website to see pictures of the crafts. It's a great store, too!

3. Want to get outside? Panola Mountain State Park in Stockbridge has guided hikes (10 a.m.) and introductory tree climbing (1 p.m.) on the third Saturday of each month. Both events are for people in good physical condition.

4. Aurora Theater in Lawrenceville has a children's theater series on Saturdays. All performances are at 10 a.m., unless otherwise noted. Tickets are $7.00, but you can buy a 10-show pass for $50.00. Call 678.226.6222 for reservations. Below is a list of the upcoming shows.

Note: Tomorrow's show (3/20) is great - we saw it a couple of years ago, and the kids laughed their heads off.

3/20/2010
The Big Bad, Little Red, Pig Show
That Puppet Guy

3/27/2010
Cinderella
Wendy Bennett

5/15/2010
The Circus King
Storymaker - Sean Driscol

5/22/2010
Quite a Catch
Ron Anglin

Atlanta Fair

When our kids complain that something isn't fair, we always say, "The fair comes in October," because in our town, it does! But it also comes in March to Turner Field in the form of the Atlanta Fair.

From March 4 - April 4, you can get out and enjoy carnival rides, games, and elephant ears on the midway. It's a bit spendy: $1.00 admission for kids and $5.00 for adults on the weekends, and rides are extra. But if you go Saturday afternoon between 1:00-6:00, an unlimited ride ticket is $20. Click here for more specials - weekdays have unlimited rides, too.

Monday Reviews: Purple Hippo

The Purple Hippo is funky, cool art studio in Dunwoody. They have camps, birthday parties, and classes, but from 10-6 T-Sa and 12-6 Su they have open studio time. For $13 your child has two hours to paint, color, draw, glue, and create, using the "salad bar" of supplies along the wall.


When we went, it was a rainy day, and we had the place to ourselves. The boys used diecuts, stamps, popsicle sticks, ribbons, paints, markers, glitter, and stickers to make their own creations or copy some great ideas they saw on the wall. They were completely engrossed the entire time, and midway through my youngest son said, "I wish this was my house!". They loved the freedom to make whatever they wanted, using recyclables and art supplies in equal measure. I loved not having to worry about paint on the table!


The owner is a former art teacher; she is personable and warm. The supplies are definitely used, but there is plenty of everything, and if you don't see it, just ask. Whether your kids are artistic or not, I highly recommend open studio at the Purple Hippo!


Good to know: There is a great New York-style deli just around the corner on Chamblee-Dunwoody. It's called Goldberg's Deli and Bagels.

Southeastern Flower Show

It's looking like another rainy weekend! Remind yourself that spring will eventually come with a visit to the Southeastern Flower Show on Saturday, 2/5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. There's a full day of activities planned for kids, from storytelling to workshops to environmental exhibits by young gardeners.

Here's a list of tomorrow's activities for children:

10:30 Chicken Talk, Kyla Zaro-Moore, D Stage
11:30 Home Depot Activity
12:30 Worm activity, Ruth Kitchen, Greening Youth, Youth Area
1:30 Bees, Youth Area, Jim Quick,
2:30 Home Depot Activity
3:30 Puppet Show, Puppatoons, D Stage
(2-6 ongoing: Monarch life cycle activity with Cindy Wolfe and Youth Area volunteers)

Tickets are $18 for adults; $8 for high school students; $6 for 1st-8th grades; and free for kindergarten and under. It's too late to buy tickets online, but you can buy them at the door.

Repticon - January 30-31

If you are looking for something to do indoors on a cold and rainy weekend, and your kids like reptiles, head over to the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds for Repticon - the Reptile and Exotic Animal Show. You can see demonstrations and even buy your very own yucky pet to take home! There will be a number of shows and demonstrations, from arachnids to local venomous snakes to dart frogs.

Here are the times and prices:

Saturday: 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am-4:00pm

Admission: $8.00 - Adults $5.00 - Children (5-12) Four and under free

Cheap Dates

Pay a buck to see a buck! Tomorrow (1/18/10), the Yellow River Game Ranch will charge only $1.00 for admission. A family of 4 would save about $26.00! Tomorrow should be a nice day, so why not head out to the ranch? You can read my review of YRGR here.

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Through 2/28/10, admission to Calloway Gardens is free! Granted, January and February are not peak months for visiting a botanical garden, but if we have a nice day and you don't mind a drive, take advantage of a great savings: admission is usually $15 for adults and $7.50 for kids 6-12.

10 Atlanta Attractions for 2010

The AJC had an article today about upcoming exhibits at some of the best attractions in Atlanta. The picture above from the Atlanta Botanical Garden's new 600-foot canopy walk that opens in May. You can read the article here, but here are some of the highlights that are kid-friendly:

1. Fernbank Museum of Natural History's new exhibit will be “Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters." Starting February 6, kids can learn about volcanoes, tornadoes, earthquakes and watch an IMAX called "Forces of Nature."

2. In addition to the cool canopy walk, the Atlanta Botanical Garden will add an edible garden and a cascading tropical garden, as well as allowing visitors into the 15 acre hardwood Storza forest.

3. Zoo Atlanta is keeping the pandas! They are also building a new habitat for the leopards and tigers, as well as new sun bears. The habitat should open this summer, with other smaller carnivores making their home at the zoo as well.

4. In November the Georgia Aquarium will open the $110 million dolphin exhibit. It sounds amazing!