$37 for a basic family membership to the Austin Children's museum

Half-off a basic family membership to the Austin Children's museum!

Only $37 for admission for a family of 4 for one year

see Groupon

After you buy it, you can update to a premiere membership for an additional $50 (by contacting bfiger@austinkids.org with your certificate number). This allows for a family of 6 and for entrance into many other children's museums across the country.

$ .75 cent movie Mondays

Several Cinemark theatres offer Reel Family Time, $.75 movies for groups of 3 or more.

check listings for one near you!

Austinites, we have one in Round Rock!

FREE Children's Movies

Regal Entertainment Group - free summer movies in Texas

This is our favorite fun indoor activity on those hot summer days.

10 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, you may want to come early to get your seat

Here's what's showing in Austin:

Westgate Stadium 11 - 4477 South Lamar 78745

06/08/2010-06/10/2010
Wallace and Gromit (G)
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)

06/15/2010-06/17/2010
Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
The Spy Next Door (PG)

06/22/2010-06/24/2010
Charlotte's Web (G)
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)

06/29/2010-07/01/2010
Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)

07/06/2010-07/08/2010
Rugrats In Paris (G)
Astro Boy (PG)

07/13/2010-07/15/2010
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks Squeakquel (PG)

07/20/2010-07/22/2010
Doogal (G)
Aliens In The Attic (PG)

07/27/2010-07/29/2010
Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie (G)
Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)

08/03/2010-08/05/2010
Tale of Despereaux (G)
Planet 51 (PG)

Arbor Cinema @ Great Hills - 9828 Great Hills Trail 78759

06/08/2010-06/10/2010
Tale of Despereaux (G)
Planet 51 (PG)

06/15/2010-06/17/2010
Wallace and Gromit (G)
Cloudy With A Chance
Of Meatballs (PG)

06/22/2010-06/24/2010
Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
The Spy Next Door (PG)

06/29/2010-07/01/2010
Charlotte's Web (G)
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)

07/06/2010-07/08/2010
Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)

07/13/2010-07/15/2010
Rugrats In Paris (G)
Astro Boy (PG)

07/20/2010-07/22/2010
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks Squeakquel (PG)

07/27/2010-07/29/2010
Doogal (G)
Aliens In The Attic (PG)

08/03/2010-08/05/2010
Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie (G)
Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)

Kids - Games on the Go

Link to 29 games to play on the go with your child (specific baby, toddler, and child activities)

Birdfeeder

Free Kids Craft at Lakeshore Learning

11-3 on March 20

see crafts

local address: 9828 Great Hills Trail Austin, TX 78759

Raise a Reader Challenge

by Parenting Magazine

Register your children (up to 4 per household) and log the number of minutes read each day through May 31. Go to parents.com/raiseareader to enter.

50 participants will win a $50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble.

'Pot-o-gold' bank

Free Kids Craft at Lakeshore Learning

11-3 on March 13

see crafts

local address: 9828 Great Hills Trail Austin, TX 78759

Bookmark Contest

Book People is having their yearly bookmark contest for elementary-aged children! Categories: Kinder, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 grades. Winning bookmarks are printed professionally and distributed at BookPeople. Winners also get a $25 gift certificate. Here's how to enter:

Download the entry form here (pdf)

Have your child create a colorful bookmark on the theme: "Reading is . . ."

Turn it in by Saturday March 6 @ BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar

kaleidescope

Free Kids Craft at Lakeshore Learning

11-3 on March 6

see crafts

local address: 9828 Great Hills Trail Austin, TX 78759

Explore UT - Saturday, March 6

Looking for a fun (FREE) activity to do with the kids next weekend?

Explore UT - Saturday, March 6 2010

my recommendation based on past years - go in the morning!

Get Snow White on BlueRay for $10 or less

How to get Disney's Diamond Edition of Snow White on Amazon.com for $10

If you want to buy Disney's Snow white at one of your local stores (many have it for $19.99 this week) a $10 off coupon can currently be printed at http://www.snowwhiteoffer.com/or here.

There is also a $5 rebate available, so you could potentially get it for only $5!

Free Kids Summer Movies

Regal Entertainment Group - free summer movies in Texas

10 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

there's a good selection this year!

Here's what's showing in Austin:

Westgate Stadium 11 - 4477 South Lamar 78745
07/14/2009-07/16/2009 : Horton Hears A Who (G) and Inkheart (PG)
07/21/2009-07/23/2009 : Space Chimps (G) and Hotel For Dogs (PG)
07/28/2009-07/30/2009 : Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G) and Bee Movie (PG)
08/04/2009-08/06/2009 : Curious George (G) and City Of Ember (PG)

Arbor Cinema @ Great Hills - 9828 Great Hills Trail 78759
07/14/2009-07/16/2009 : Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G) and Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
07/21/2009-07/23/2009 : Horton Hears A Who (G) and Inkheart (PG)
07/28/2009-07/30/2009 : Space Chimps (G) and Hotel For Dogs (PG)
08/04/2009-08/06/2009 : Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G) and Bee Movie (PG)

check for listings in your state

Make Your own Popsicles!

Pudding is one of our favorites! Just put some in a little paper cup, pop in the stick, and freeze overnight. Enjoy! Yogurt or smoothie pops work well too.

If you decide to make it with juice, you need to let the juice partially freeze before inserting the stick, or else find a way to hold the stick in place while it freezes, such as foil, plastic wrap, or tape over the top.

Butterfly Quesadillas

presentation

Kids Earn Prizes through Summer Reading Programs

Get kids excited about reading

Here is a great post about several summer reading programs available in the coming months.
Your kids can earn free books and prizes by participating.

Resist Aggression Defensively

To help your children be prepared to resist aggression defensively. Check out the radkids website.

I heard about this on tv when watching an interview of Ed Smart. In case you do not remember the case, his daughter was kidnapped from her bedroom near Salt Lake City in 2002. She found with her kidnappers 9 months later.

Summer Camps

Registration has begun for many summer camps throughout Austin. If you are interested in enrolling your kids, here are some good ones you might consider.

Austin Children's Museum camps for ages 4-10 (scholarship forms due March 27)

Dougherty Arts School camps for ages 3 1/2 - 13 (scholarship forms due April 10)

Austin Nature and Science center camps for ages 3-14

YMCA Day Camp for ages 4-14 at various locations throughout Austin or check out their Spring Youth Sports programs

Also, in April, look for registration information on swimming lessons from the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Lessons start in May.

Go here for a more comprehensive list of camps offered in Austin.

Frog snack

Needed:

1/2 small Granny Smith Apple (cored)

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (we like PB better, but have an allergy in the family)

Raisins

• Slice Apple half lengthwise
• Spread with Peanut Butter
• layer with Raisins
• Replace top layer of apple
• dot with peanut butter and stick on raisins for raisin eyes (also can cut little dents to stick them in)

Fall Craft - Leaf Rose

Here is a fun fall project to do outside with your kids. Very young children can help by gathering leaves. 5 year olds can make these (mostly) on their own!

1. Fold leaf on one edge


2. Curl all the way around in a circle


3. Add a second leaf, wrapping around the first
4. Continue to add more leaves, staggering the points, and alternating colors when possible
5. Use larger leaves on the outside. When your leaf rose is big enough, twine a twist-tie tightly around the base to hold in place. Then you can stick in a twig for the stem if you wish.
6. Finished Product: A beautiful leaf rose