Family Arts Blast (FAB) at the Ordway – Saturday, April 20th

April 16, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Now THIS looks like fun! This Saturday, April 20th from 9 am – 12:30 pm is Family Arts Blast (FAB) at the Ordway in St. Paul, a morning of FREE family fun in which children of all ages can get hands-on interaction with music, dance, theater, and more.

If you’ve got a creative kiddo (aren’t they all creative in their own way?), this is a great opportunity for them to try out a bunch of different activities! Make or try an instrument, learn new dance movies, and explore technical theater with costumes and sound effects.

Every 20 minutes a new show or concert will start inside the two performance spaces. Programming is provided by the Ordway, Minnesota Opera, Schubert Club, and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Visit the Ordway website for a complete event schedule as well as other information.

Filed Under: Events, Kids, St. Paul

Minneapolis and Saint Paul Home Tour

April 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Even when we aren’t looking to relocate, I still enjoy looking at sale listings.  Mostly, I like to see the architecture and how people decorate or have remodeled. 

Another way to see the inside of some local homes, the upcoming Minneapolis Saint Paul Home Tour.  The event takes place during the weekend of April 27-28.

The event is free, no reservations needed and there will be homes to tour in all areas of Minneapolis and St Paul. 

This is a great opportunity to get ideas for your own home and see changes that home owners have made. You can find the full guide and additional information to plan your route here on the event website.

Filed Under: Events, Minneapolis, St. Paul

Urban Expedition at Landmark Center in St. Paul – Learn About the World!

April 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Just a heads up – the next and final Urban Expedition event is coming up soon (Sunday, April 14th)!

Kids and adults can learn about the world this Sunday (and four other Sundays this winter and spring) with Landmark Center’s Urban Expedition program! This is the 15th year of this popular program in St. Paul which provides authentic cultural experiences that include music, dance, crafts and traditions from different destination countries.

This year’s series will highlight the following countries on these dates:

Puerto Rico: Sunday, January 13

Palestine: Sunday, February 10

Romania: Sunday, March 3

Great Britain: Sunday, March 31

Vietnam: Sunday, April 14

These programs run from 1 – 3 pm on each of these days and are FREE and open to the public. Children and adults will receive a travel “passport” that will be stamped for each country in the series.

Landmark Center is located at 75 West 5th Street facing Rice Park and next to the Ordway and The Saint Paul Hotel. Parking is available on the street as well as in nearby Lawson, Science Museum and RiverCentre Ramps.

Filed Under: Events, St. Paul

Como Planetarium

March 16, 2019 by Leave a Comment

With Spring Break here or approaching soon, you might be looking for stay-cation ideas?   The Como Planetarium is a great idea, it’s located in St. Paul and offers some great shows, the kind that are educational but disguised as fun!

The Planetarium offers shows to the public each Tuesday evening during the school year.  It’s strongly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance, as each show only seats 55 people.  Plus at $5 per ticket for the 45 minute show, it’s an awesome thrifty price!  *They occasionally offer special events that are priced a little higher.

Dates of shows for March and April are:  Mar 19, Mar 26, Apr 2, Apr 9, Apr 16 & Apr 23,  You can also check their schedule here. 

A little more about the Planetarium:

Como Planetarium is a 55-seat planetarium that specializes in educational experiences. We have been in operation since 1975 and we operate both our ‘classic’ star ball and an updated system. We are located in Como Elementary School (we are not located in Como Park…nearby…but not in). Our state-of-the-art system provides the opportunity for visitors to take virtual trips though the solar system, as well as enjoy quality film productions on our 30 ft. diameter screen.

Astronomy is fascinating-at every age! We support learning through public educational presentations and telescope events. Attend a Tuesday evening public show during the school year $5 per ticket (free parking).

5:30 pm for Preschool age and 7:00 pm General Audiences

Filed Under: Attractions, Events, St. Paul

Hop Into Spring Weekend at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

March 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Hop Into Spring Weekend

Spring is almost here…can you feel it in the air? Show your excitement by jumping up and down…or how about hopping? This Saturday and Sunday we can celebrate spring with Hop Into Spring Weekend at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.

On Saturday, March 16th and Sunday, March 17th from 10 am – 4 pm each day, Como will be celebrating the wonders of frogs and toads during this special family-friendly environmental education weekend presented by Xcel Energy.

Hop Into Spring Weekend

Visitors will be able to create their own fun frog craft, partake in a music station for mimicking Minnesota’s amphibian chorus, experience free play for the younger ones on our pond rugs & tree log, enjoy our Noon Story Time featuring the story A Frog In The Bog and check out some interesting, rarely seen frog & toad species at our Amphibian Station. Our friends at Xcel Energy will also be on hand to teach visitors how to save themselves some “green” on their energy bills!

March 16 also marks the opening of the Spring Flower Show in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory’s Sunken Garden. This year’s Spring Flower Show will showcase red and yellow tulips, yellow daffodils yellow crocus white hydrangeas, hyacinth, asiatic and calla lilies giving this show a unique aesthetic andwill provide some color therapy to Minnesotans weary of winter.

Daily Schedule
10:30 am – Polar Bear Program at Polar Bear Odyssey
11 am – Zookeeper Talk at Visitor Center Lobby
11:30 am – Gorilla Program at Primate Building
12 pm – Story Time: Frog in a Bog at Visitor Center Lobby
12:30 pm – Snow Leopard Program at Large Cats Building
1 pm – Gardener Talk at Conservatory
2 pm – Gorilla Program at Gorilla Forest
2:30 pm – Polar Bear Program at Polar Bear Odyssey

Como Camera Challenge – look for signs of spring in the Zoo Grounds & Conservatory that show the start of spring – such as buds on the trees, birds singing, bulbs blooming (conservatory), animals shedding, etc – take a picture with your phone or camera – show your love for Spring & Como by posting your photos to Instagram, Twitter & Facebook tagged with #SpringatComo and #MyMMC

Admission is always free at Como Zoo & Conservatory, with a suggested donation of $3 per adult and $2 per child.

Filed Under: Events, Kids, St. Paul

Winter Sledding in St. Paul

March 8, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Sledding Hills in Saint Paul, Minnesota

We might not have mountains here in Minnesota but we have plenty of hills and plenty of SNOW this year.  Yes, most of you are saying too much snow right?  Well trying to make the best of it, there’s still fun winter activities.

Sledding in St Paul MN

Do you have a favorite sledding hill? I grew up in a rural area and loved our sledding hill, although it was kind of dangerous as there was a creek at the bottom. No major injuries but plenty of fun memories. The best part of sledding, you don’t need a fancy sled.  Find a cardboard box and give it a try or maybe even a paper bag.  Get creative and make your own sled!

List of St Paul Sledding Hills

St. Paul decided to make things easy for us to get out the sleds and have some fun by compiling an awesome list of sledding hills in their community.  They even rated the hills so you can decide if you want to try:  gentle, steep or medium.  Check out the full list here.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Attractions, Kids, St. Paul

Minnesota Children’s Museum Discount Admission – As Low As $9/Person!

March 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment

If you love the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul but don’t love the cost of admission, here’s a GREAT deal for you from Groupon!

Options include:

Personally, I think the Deluxe Membership offer is an especially good one as it gets you UNLIMITED admission to both the St. Paul and Rochester locations for one year for all children (under 18) in the household and two listed adults. Other benefits of the Deluxe Membership include:

  • Free admission for one flex member (e.g. a guest or caregiver)
  • Sneak peeks to St. Paul exhibits
  • Discounts at partner retailers and attractions
  • Discounted tickets for up to six guests (by $2 per ticket)
  • 10% discount at the museum café and store
  • 50% off admission for up to six people to children’s museums across the US

You’ll need to redeem your Groupon by 7/3/19, and if you choose a membership, it will expire one year after activation. The membership is valid for new members only.

There’s more than one way for kids to learn at Minnesota Children’s Museum, and none of them involve sitting at a desk and practicing their letters or multiplication skills. Here, kids learn through play as they take the lead in exploring the museum’s interactive exhibits and programs. Kids, friends, and even parents can experience the museum’s atmosphere unrestrained by screen time and strict schedules.

  • The numbers: The St. Paul museum features 10 permanent play exhibits and has a sister museum in Rochester; both locations see more than 550,000 visitors a year.
  • Climb on: The Scramble, a vertical climbing experience, soars four stories high with a netted catwalk and spiral slide for a fast, slippery ride down.
  • Our World: This exhibit puts attendees in a bite-size version of a Minnesota city, letting them explore the sandbox world and play the part of local firefighters, postal workers, grocery-store workers, and more, fostering a sense of community and teamwork.
  • Don’t miss: Super Awesome Adventures, an exhibit featuring a laser maze, a climbing wall, and a space race
  • For the family: Most exhibits aren’t child-exclusive: parents can help their children create new masterpieces in the Creativity Jam studio, stock shelves at the “local” hardware store in Our World, or help build forts at Imaginopolis.

Get your Groupon HERE!

PS – If this isn’t in your budget, don’t forget that you can get in FREE to the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul on the third Sunday of every month, or check out the Rochester location on the first Sunday of every month.

Filed Under: Attractions, Great Deals, Kids, St. Paul

First Saturday Science at Metropolitan State University

February 21, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The colleges in Minnesota are a great resource for science events. The First Saturday Science at Metropolitan State University is for sure something to check out. It’s free and geared towards kids of all ages, although kids 18 and under need to have an adult with them.

Each month has a different theme. The theme for April 6th is Saving Planet Earth.

 

April’s science theme is Saving Planet Earth!

The Earth is an amazing place with complex and vibrant ecosystems with diverse organisms. The human impact on the environment is something we all should be aware of and strive to reduce. to save planet Earth, we need our little scientist to spread the word and help keep our environment clean and healthy for all.

Kids of all ages are invited to explore science with fun laboratory experiments and activities. Free and open to the public. No RSVP needed. Youth under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Activities are designed and led by Metropolitan State University students.

Saturday, April 6, Noon to 2 p.m.
Jason R. Carter Science Education Center
664 E. Sixth Street, St. Paul, MN

First Saturday Science is a program for children of all ages to expand their exposure to science. Once a month, students are guided through an exploration of a specific field of inquiry in a hands-on laboratory at Metropolitan State University.

Filed Under: Events, Kids, St. Paul

Minnesota Parent Camp Fair

February 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Minnesota Parent Camp Fair

Summer, is it really just around the corner?  Okay well maybe not quite around the corner, but close. If you look at the school calendar you will see that most kids have about three months left, until summer vacation starts.

If you are staring at that summer calendar, and bit worried, don’t be. You can attend the upcoming Minnesota Parent Camp Fair and find some amazing ideas for the kids.  Day camps, overnight camps or if you want to send them away for the whole summer, yup there are those too.

The Camp Fair takes place Saturday, March 2nd.  From 10am-2pm at Como Zoo is where you you’ll find loads of camp info. It’s free to attend and it’s a great opportunity to gather information and talk to representatives from various camps.

Sure summer is fun but what on earth will those kids do with all those days? Do you struggle to fill up all those days with activities? Our girls are getting older, which means it’s sort of easier to figure out summer activities.

We have now moved on to some overnight camps and then fill in the rest of summer with other camps and classes. We still leave gaps to just enjoy the summer days with swimming and spur of the moment wandering as well.  The Camp Fair offers so many great ideas, you might find new ideas!

Minnesota Parent Camp Fair

Join Minnesota Parent for the 13th Annual Camp Fair. This FREE event gives parents a chance to meet one-on-one with dozens of camp representatives, who will be sharing information about their camps for kids.

Early spring is the best time to get started planning children’s summer camp adventures. Popular camps can fill up quickly!

Summer camps and activities help kids thrive with opportunities to explore their interests (and discover new ones) while making friends and developing new skills, too.

Camps range from all-season sleep-a-way camps to weeklong day camps, including art and performance programs; science, technology and academic activities; sports, horseback riding and more.

When: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2nd
Where: Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul
Cost: FREE Admission, FREE Parking, and FREE Entertainment!

Filed Under: Attractions, Events, Kids, St. Paul

Phalen Freeze Fest

February 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The annual Phalen Freeze Fest takes place this coming Saturday (Feb 23rd).  All activities take place near the Lake Phalen Activity Center in St. Paul, and are weather dependent.

It does’t appear that there’ll be a shortage of snow for the event this year!  The free event takes place from 1-4 and is for all ages. Some of the activities include:

  • Puppet pagent
  • Cooking over a fire
  • Story Stroll
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Kicksledding
  • Inside activites
  • Plus more…

Visit Phalen Freeze Fest on Facebook for more info!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Events, St. Paul
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