Atlanta Motor Speedway - Thunder Thursdays

I'm not what you'd call a NASCAR fan, though I have been to Talladega! Before I went, a man in our church who's a huge NASCAR fan told my father-in-law, "Oh, she is going to see things . . . things she's never seen before!". And he was right! But that's another story.

I've heard that the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton is family-friendly and a fun place to watch a race. Starting in the beginning of June, they have a weekly series on Thursday nights called "Thursday Thunder." It's short track racing, meaning that the races are a quarter-mile. Each week of "Thursday Thunder" has fun events in addition to the racing. This week (6/11) there will be an antique and vintage car show, autograph session, and a kids' candy and coin scramble in the infield. Some of the activities change from week to week. One that caught my attention is the "Faster Pastor" race, where local pastors compete to win the speed title. (To my Northern readers: no, I'm not kidding.)

It's a pretty cheap night and worth checking out. Tickets are $5 for adults and $1 for children 6-11 (ages 5 and under are free) for each evening. Gates open at 6 p.m., heat races start at 6:15 p.m. and feature races start at approximately 7:50 p.m. The ticket office number is 770-946-4211.

Go Strawberry Picking!

One of our family traditions is strawberry picking - we go every year, usually in May. Strawberry season can stretch from late April to July 4 in Georgia, with the best picking from May to mid June. Here's the best website for finding pick-your-own farms: it lists all kinds of produce, not just strawberries. Be sure to search both the Atlanta area and North Georgia.

Why pick strawberries? Lots of reasons! They are cheaper than store-bought (even frozen), though not amazingly so. They taste better than purchased ones. Unlike many berries, strawberries are easy to pick: they are big and have no thorns. They are especially easy for kids to pick, since they are low to the ground. Picking strawberries makes memories your children will always treasure. Finally, what tastes better than a just-picked strawberry, warmed by the sun?
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Though there are many strawberry patches in Georgia, we go to two favorites. Washington Farms has locations in Loganville and Watkinsville (Loganville is the main one). They have lovely fields with lots of berries to pick. They are open 8:00-8:00 and closed on Sundays.

Dahlonega Vegetable Farm has an even more idyllic mountain-ringed setting. They don't have a website, but you can Mapquest the directions: 2650 Highway 19 N, Dahlonega, GA, 30533. Their phone number is (706) 867-9794.

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Part of our strawberry picking tradition is strawberry shortcake for dinner (yes, dinner!) on the day we pick strawberries. We did this when I was growing up, and I still remember how shocking and fun it was!

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You can also make the best jam in the world with your berries! Here's the recipe. Don't forget to freeze some: wash, pat dry, hull, and freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Transfer to freezer bags.

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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.

Roswell Cultural Arts Center Puppet Shows - Summer 2009

Roswell's summer tradition of puppet shows begins June 8! Every week through July 25, you and your children can see a different puppet show at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. Show times are 10 a.m. Monday through Thursday, Fridays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

After the show, stick around for puppet-making workshops Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. only. The cost for children ages 2-12 is $4, $5 for adults and $3 for the workshop, ages 5 and over only.

Here's the list of shows:

The Wizard of Oz presented by Frisch Marionette Company June 8-13
Randel McGee and Groark presented by McGee Productions June 15-20
Pinocchio presented by Lee Bryan “That Puppet Guy” June 22-27
The Frog Prince presented by Bob Brown Puppets June 29-July 4
The Box? A Show of Feelings presented by Coad Canada Puppets July 6-11
The Legend of the Banana Kid presented by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers July 13-18
Everybody Loves Pirates presented by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers July 20-25

The puppet shows are very creative, with unusually constructed puppets and twists on familiar stories. Often, the puppeteers will pull the curtain at the end of the show to show the children how the puppet show works. Seating is general admission , so arrive early to sit up front. I've never had a problem buying tickets at the door.

Good to know: Just like any children's theater experience, these shows are loud! Children are talking, laughing, and sometimes crying. Older children may be frustrated trying to hear. All in all, though, it's a good way for children to be introduced to the theater without spending $25 on a show at the Fox that may be wasted on them.

Free Admission to Imagine It! - Tuesday, June 9, 2009

On the second Tuesday of each month this summer (June, July, and August), Target sponsors free admission at the museum from 1:00-8:00 p.m. This is a great savings, because the usual admission price is $11 each! The museum is for ages 8 and under.

Imagine It! is easy to get to - it's in the Centennial Olympic Park section of Atlanta, not far from World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium.The museum has shows and storytimes throughout the day. The storyteller at Imagine It! is great; he gets the kids involved in the story and they are mesmerized.

Other learning zones are a water table, puppets in a tree house, a complicated plastic ball rollercoaster that kids can manipulate, a food section, a garden exhibit, painting and Moon Sand, and several other exhibits/play areas. My kids have a good time when we go, but the museum is a bit small. If you've been to children's museum in other cities, you may be surprised. However, the good thing about the small, open set-up is that it's easy to watch your children, even if they are at two separate exhibits!

Good to know: There aren't any restaurants within easy walking distance of the museum, unless you want to walk a few blocks to the CNN center, which has a huge food court. You are welcome to bring food into the museum; they have a large lunch area. There are vending machines and a limited-service Chick-fil-A as well.You can park in any one of a number of lots or parking garages around the museum. Prices vary, but I've usually paid $10 or under. You can also take Marta.

What's Happening: June 6-7, 2009

Summer weekends don't usually lack for things to do: trips to the pool, boat rides on the lake, birthday parties and cookout abound. But if you are looking for some family fun, check out these ideas!

Fernbank Museum of Natural History is highlighting its temporary (and very cool) dinosaur exhibit with 90 Days of Dinosaurs, which began in late May. Every day will have a dinosaur activity. Kids can collect dinosaur coins for participating in activities to keep or bring back to the Dinosaur Birthday Bash on August 22; the coins will enter them into drawings for prizes.

Saturday's activity is a dinosaur lab, and Sunday's is a "Bag of Bones" counting contest. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for kids 3-12, and free for those 2 and under.

Georgia Aquarium is celebrating World Ocean Day with storytelling, arts and crafts, and activities throughout the aquarium. The events will continue through Monday (from June 6-8), which is actually World Ocean Day.

Admission is $26 for adults, $19.50 for kids 3-12, and free for kids under 2.

Bass Pro Shops has their Family Summer Camp from 12-6 on Saturday and Sunday. It's free!

If you'd rather be outside, check out Virginia-Highland Summerfest, which is supposed to be lots of fun. There's a music stage, artist fair, food, and Kidsfest. The festival runs from 10:00-6:30 on Saturday and 11:00-6:00 on Sunday.

Admission is free, but they take donations.

Bass Family Summer Camp

Here's something fun - and free! - to do on summer weekends! Bass Pro Shops has free family summer camps from May 30 - July 5 on Saturdays and Sundays from noon-6:00 p.m. The closest one to Atlanta is in Lawrenceville on Sugarloaf Parkway.
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Here's what the website says:

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"Every Saturday and Sunday stores will be offering FREE craft activities for the kids including decorating a fishing bobber, making key chains, designing their own birdhouse, creating plaster animal tracks and painting a souvenir wooden lure for Dad.

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The whole family will enjoy FREE outdoor workshops about hiking, camping and fishing basics. Other workshops include bird watching, archery, animal identification, plants & insects, and even how to make campfire S’mores. Kids will earn a FREE collectable pin for every workshop completed."

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Check out the summer camp link to find Bass Pro Shops' kids' website, which has games, puzzles, animal facts, and other fun stuff.

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Thanks, Debbie!

Summer Reading Programs for Kids

Reading is its own reward - but many companies offer an incentive to make summer reading all the more fun for your children. Educators say regular reading is the most important thing you can encourage to keep your kids' minds sharp. Even better, you can instill a life-long love of reading - and what's better than reading on the beach, in a hammock, or by the pool?

 
If you are interested in wonky, research side of children's reading, here's a great overview. Basically, study after study shows children from all backgrounds score higher on tests and show comprehension and vocabulary gains if they read 5-6 books during the summer. And you don't need to fill up your Amazon cart to reap the benefits: use of public libraries strongly correlates to school success and reading proficiency.

 

Libraries

  Most libraries have reading programs in the summer. Kids set a goal, track the number of books they read, and sometimes get a prize at the end. Libraries often have fun events for kids to supplement the reading programs. For example, Forsyth County's theme is "Be Creative @ Your Library." They have storytellers, puppeteers, and musicians scheduled to come, as well as special events for middle-schoolers and teens. 

  Click here to find links to Atlanta -area libraries.  

  Online Programs

Scholastic has an online program for kids ages 7-12 with quizzes, games, prizes, and competitions. Children are on teams, and the winning team at the end of the summer will get to choose which charity will recieve a donation from scholastic. Kids can earn extra points by taking quizzes and playing games, and they can enter to win books weekly.  

  There's a separate tracking program for families with children ages 0-7. 

  Don't miss the links for parents - they have great ideas about raising a reader, books kids love, parent/child book clubs, and more. 

  Sylvan's online program is a free motivational tool for kids in grades K-8. They can track their reading, take quizzes, and earn points and prizes. 

  Reading is Fundamental has a challenge that runs from April 1 -June 30. Kids log reading minutes and have the opportunity to win a trip to Disney World and other prizes. 

  Bookstore-based Programs

Barnes and Noble gives kids a free book once they have read eight books (they don't have to be purchased at B&N) and written about them in a reading journal. You can download the paperwork at the link, or you can go to Barnes and Noble to pick up a packet. The program runs from May 26 - September 7, 2009.  

  Borders/Waldenbooks has a program called Kids Reading Challenge! at their stores. Download the worksheet, track at least eight books, and bring the worksheet to Borders for a 50% off coupon. Dates for the program are May 26 - August 31, 2009. 

  Half Price Books isn't in Georgia, but I wish it were! With their Feed Your Brain promotion, kids age 12 and under can earn $3 gift cards for each week they read for 15 minutes per day. Dates are June 1 - July 31, 2007. 

  Other Incentives

Chuck E. Cheese has incentive calendars on their website, and one of them is a reading tracker. Once kids fill up the two-week calendar, they can bring it to Chuck E. Cheese for 10 free tokens. Incidentally, there are lots of other tracker calendars, including ones to help with thumb-sucking, pottytraining, manners, and homework! 

  Hebuddy is offering a free t-shirt when kids read 10 books this summer. Just track the books on the downloadable list, and mail it by August 9, 2009. In 2-3 weeks, your child receives a free t-shirt! 

  Many banks offer reading incentives; check with your local branch! 

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  Did I miss any programs that you know about? Please let me know in the comments!