2013)

Posted on December 28, 2012 by daddyweekly

Classical music for kids. While I don’t subscribe to the theory that listening to Classical Music makes kids smarter, I do believe that exposure to this art form is a good idea at any age. (Plus, will Symphony Orchestras still be around when our kids reach our age?)

So whichever reason you choose, plan on taking your kids to Meymandi Hall, ideally for one for the “Young People’s Concerts”. The first one was on Halloween, and the second one, Tales of Enchantment is scheduled for Saturday in a week, January-5, 2013. For this performance, the symphony is joined onstage by Enchantment Theatre Company, performing “puppetry, masked actors, magic, dance, and pantomime” to music from Maurice Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite.

Tickets are going fast, so I’m writing about this a wee bit early. There are two shows, at 1pm and at 4pm, and the recommended age is 4-12. (IF you can’t make it, a third (and different) concert is scheduled for March 9.

NC Symphony Conductor William Henry Curry

GirlTalk at CAM Raleigh (Jan 2013)

Posted on December 28, 2012 by daddyweekly

While CAM is not the place to go on a rainy day to release some energy, it is well worth a visit with a well-behaved, relaxed child, and you might be surprised how they react to contemporary art that some adults have a hard time appreciating.

GirlTalk has been up for a while and will close in about two weeks, on 1/14/2013. So this is your chance to see it, and a perfect one-parent-one-child outing. On a grown-up level, GirlTalk features works of nine women, who are all using text in their pieces to convey a message. I like the textile art by Lisa Anne Auerbach, seeing some small pieces by Jenny Holzer, a video (excerpts also available here) by Marily Minter, as well as the large dominant piece by Kay Rosen.

And while you ponder the works and messages on an abstract level, your budding reader will be happy to find big fat letters everywhere, and even some sight words.

If you’re done upstairs, and want to expose your little one to some truly fragile and beautiful sculptures, head downstairs for the Angel Otero exhibit. Handholding strongly recommended!

The image is CAM – Contemporary Art Museum by Suzie Tremmel, used under the CC BY license

Indoor Fun I (Winter 2012)

Posted on December 14, 2012 by daddyweekly

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” That’s what I heard a lot as a kid, especially during, um, bad weather. But as the temperature drops and more and more people start talking about snow, I say it is perfect timing to consider some indoor activity options that drop further down the list during the nine months of summer we have around here.

With this post I am introducing the “Indoor Fun” page, a list (to grow in the future) of places where kids can play nice when the weather doesn’t.

Family Fun Day at Artspace (8/18/2012)

Posted on August 17, 2012 by daddyweekly

Labor Day is approaching, and summer camps are coming to an end. Among them, the Summer Arts Program at ArtSpace. Since art is made to be seen, the program (week-long half-day classes for over 600 kids) ends with a large exhibition.

Family Fun Day is the conclusion of the the exhibition (and the summer program). See what the kids have created this summer, and look what your own kids are drawn towards. Acrylic painting? Clay? Large sculptures? Keep in mind for next year’s classes, and perhaps their work will be on display in 2013.

painting time by Ernst Vikne, used under the CC BY-SA license

2nd Annual Family Science Olympiad (7/28/2012)

Posted on July 27, 2012 by daddyweekly

I’ve added some tips to get away from the 100 degree weather in previous posts, with one recommendation notably absent: Marbles. Marbles is cool, in many ways; cool things to do, and of course cool enough even in the heat of summer.

This Saturday, for all those who didn’t quite make it to London, they are hosting a Family Science Olympiad where you can prove your science skills in direct use for what I would call “competitive crafts projects”. (Drop an egg without breaking it; launch rockets; …) This designed to be completed as a family team, so you’ll have a good bonding opportunity over shared problem solving and shared success – or the lack thereof!

Marbles Kids Museum; 1pm-4pm; free (with admission)

Science Olympiad by Art Jessen, used under the CC BY-NC license

Kids Exchange (7/20/2012-7/22/2012)

Posted on July 20, 2012 by daddyweekly

Kids Exchange is not something to do with your kids (please don’t!), but for your kids. If you haven’t been, you have to see it: A massive parallel consignment sale for children’s clothes, toys and equipment (strollers, high chairs, etc.) As a geek, I’m impressed with their simple yet effective logistics that handles the 3,000 sellers and 30,000 buyers with ease. If you buy 20 items you pay just once like at the grocery store, and their software magically distributes the money to the sellers; a dollar here, and dollar there. Very easy for buyers (and sellers), presumably a headache for the programmer behind it. But enough geeking out, here some practical tips:

How many Elmo eyeballs in this picture? (from KidsExchange 1/2012)

Check their guidelines and hours. 30,000 buyers in one giant room. You don’t want to be there at peak hours, and you want to understand the system. Consider your first visit a trial run.
Bring a stroller or radio flyer cart. Without the kids. (They have shopping carts, but often run out.)
Almost everything gets automatically marked down 50% on Sunday. Plan accordingly.
Have a plan of what you need, or it can be overwhelming. First time we went (while expecting our first one), all we bought was a bag with 17 baby socks for a $1 total. Can’t go wrong with that! Everything else was too overwhelming. (See next point.)
Don’t go looking for “a stroller”. There are hundreds of them for sale there. You can do research, decide that you probably want a Britax B-Ready, and pick from the 25 available one that matches your idea of price and condition.
I know people sell stuff (or volunteer) just so they get to buy early on Thursday when only sellers are permitted. (Can’t give tips on that yet.)

Finally, don’t think this is just for families with budget constraints. Yes, it is typically cheap (but check carefully), but I also value the huge selection when compared to baby stores and the ease of shopping; twice a year everything in a location. And as a parent, you should have no problem putting up with the head-spinning craziness of it all.

Finally, if you do go and are impressed by the massiveness of the event: Yes, it is the largest consignment event in the nation, and they have now started franchising the concept. But Raleigh is – you guessed it – number one!

Friday 9-6, Saturday/Sunday 9-5. NC State Fairgrounds. kidsexchange.net

Explore Rhythm (7/14/2012)

Posted on July 13, 2012 by daddyweekly

Drums are probably the oldest musical instrument that humans use. (Maybe even older than voice!) Likewise, only of the earliest childhood experiences is the cause-effect relationship of hitting something and the resulting “bang”-sounds. Hit, hit, hit – bang-bang-bang, and you got music; at least in some people’s ears.

Music Explorium takes these ideas a step further and allows kids and adults to explore music in a variety of ways, from kids birthday parties to corporate retreat drum cycles. Every second Saturday, they are hosting a Family Rhythm Jam. Kids (3+) can explore the feeling of rhythm with a variety of percussion instruments and drums.

Music Explorium is less than half an hour from downtown Raleigh on Hwy 40. (One exit before Southpoint.) I haven’t been myself, but I’m looking forward to checking it out when my boy turns three.

5314 Hwy 55, Suite 107 Durham, NC 27713
919-484-9090 http://www.musicexplorium.com

Family Rhythm Jams take place every second Saturday of the month from 10-11. Kids 3 and older only.

The Daddy Weekly

Things to do with Kids in Raleigh, NC

Category Archives: Indoors