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.