2013)

Posted on February 22, 2013 by daddyweekly

So your good friend at the office bragged about that they are going the Marbles sleepover, and how it is oh-so-sad that you didn’t secure tickets in time? (Registration closed Wednesday.) Don’t despair, Daddy Weekly to the rescue: The Museum of Life and Science has a sleepover too this weekend!

And while spending the night at Marbles in your favorite exhibit is a special treat (the money machine would be cool, or build your own big brick house for the night), going to the less familiar museum in Durham may be enticing as well. They do have a neat program, with multiple light-out times, and special activities before bedtime. Tickets are $35 (kids under 3 free), and that includes dinner and breakfast.

Canada Science and Technology Museum by cstmweb, used under the CC BY-NC-ND license. Spending the night sleeping next to a giant steam engine? Another good reason for having kids!

Foxes and Coyotes inside the beltline (Feb 2013)

Posted on February 22, 2013 by daddyweekly

I think I have seen just about every wild mammal that occurs in our region somewhere inside the beltline during one of my frequent outings. Beaver, Rabbit, Deer, Opposum, Raccoon and Fox are all quite abundant, event in the urban core. The only one I have yet to meet in person is the Coyote. They first made the news headlines in 2009, when they were sighted at RDU. (“Sighted” being a euphemism for run over by an airplane.) More recently, I’ve seen reports of coyote sightings in University Park and Cameron Park, so they are now here.

To learn about Foxes and Coyotes in a safe setting, have a look at the Nature program at the Wilkerson Nature Preserve. It takes place on Saturday from 10:30a-12p, and as of this writing, there were still a few spots available. ($3 for ages 3-5, adult required to accompany, but free.)

Coyote by Lindenbaum, used under the CC BY license (All pups are cute, even coyotes.)

Raleigh Car Show (Auto Expo) (Feb 2013)

Posted on February 15, 2013 by daddyweekly

New cars and old cars are both on display at the “2013 North Carolina International Auto Expo”. But that isn’t all: Both the GEICO gecko and Spider-Man are slated for an appearance, making the case that this is definitely intended to be a family affair. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for kids (under 6 free), and you can save another dollar by printing a coupon from the (also antique?) website.

Saturday 9-5:30, Sunday 10-5, Spiderman on Saturday 11-2.

Ford GT & 2005 Ford Mustang GT-R Concept by StanD70, on Flickr

Darwin Day (2/16/2013)

Posted on February 15, 2013 by daddyweekly

A high of 48 and a chance of rain means the weather is perfect for a visit to the museum. The Science Museum is hosting Darwin Day this Saturday, with a variety of presentations and a large number of displays from various area schools and universities. Some if sounds more geared towards adults, but then there is certainly something for the younger generation (Earthworm Race? Caterpillar Experiment?) as well. Plus, at 1:30 and 2:30, there are two Meet the Animals presentations.

Darwin Day, Sat 2/16, 8a-5p, NC Museum of Natural Sciences

Charles Darwin 1880 by Elliott & Fry [public domain] via Wikimedia Commons

Mardi Gras Warm-up Party (Feb 2013)

Posted on February 8, 2013 by daddyweekly

While the Daddy Weekly distinctly focuses on Downtown Raleigh, every once in a while, a trip to Durham is worthwhile. And when two big names – Motorco and Scrap Exchange – work together, some good usually comes out of it.

This Saturday from 4-6, Motorco in Durham is hosting a Mardi Grad costume making party. Costume making supplies are provided FREE OF CHARGE from Scrap Exchange.

The Blue Tailed Skins will play. There will be fun.

Later that day, at 8, a similar event is held for the grown-ups.

MotorCo, Durham, Saturday 4-6. With ScrapExchange.

Kids Exchange (Feb 2013)

Posted on February 8, 2013 by daddyweekly

Kids Exchange: is a massive parallel consignment sale for children’s clothes, toys and equipment (strollers, high chairs, etc.) 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.
If you sell stuff (or volunteer) you get to buy early on Thursday when only sellers are permitted.

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

First Friday at Marbles – Valentine Design (2/2/13)

Posted on February 1, 2013 by daddyweekly

With Valentine Day coming up shortly, it time to start crafting all those cards for your loved ones. Marbles is always open late on First Fridays (and has a drop-off program as well so that parents can visit a few galleries or enjoy a quiet dinner).

But if your mind more on creating art than viewing art, head over to Marbles, and use their craft stations on the second floor to create a heart-felt, hand-made card.

Valentine’s Day 2005 by Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library, used under the CC BY-NC-SA license

Daddy Daughter Dance (2/2/2013)

Posted on February 1, 2013 by daddyweekly

Preparation is everything, and with my own daughter quickly graduating from crawling to pulling up and jumping, I had to start looking into this whole Daddy Daughter Dance thing.

There are several Daddy Daughter Dances in the area, the biggest one being the Triangle Father Daughter Dance this Saturday from 6-9p. It is held at Marbles, but not directly related to or organized by the museum.

More information and tickets are available at http://www.trianglefatherdaughter.com/; it is $40 for a dad/daughter, and slightly more for dads blessed with more than one daughter. You can also make a donation so that a girl who does not have a father in her life can attend as a “Special Princess”.

The Triangle Father-Daughter Dance is not affiliated with any specific religious view and open to father/daughters of all races and ages (girls can be from 2 to adult).

Daddy Daughter Dance by Jamie Wallace, used under the CC BY-NC license

(On Jamie’s blog I learned that a Daddy Daughter Dance is “basically an hour and half of cardio in a suit” – good to know, haven’t thought of that!

Farfetched – Mad Science at the Gregg Museum (Feb 2013)

Posted on January 25, 2013 by daddyweekly

The Gregg Museum, located on the second floor of the NSCU Talley Student Center opened an excellen exhibition last week, featuring “Mad Science, Fringe Architecture and Visionary Engineering“. Some quirky sculptures and many excellent 2D pieces that cross over the boundaries of drafting and illustrating are impressive, both for the seasoned engineer and the budding apprentice. References to Tesla underscore the geek cred (this is NCSU after all), but the show is just as interesting from an artistic perspective.

Bear in mind, this is a big boy/big girl museum, full of objects that look very inviting to touch and play with; but you can’t, so holding hands recommended. Make sure to turn on the only kinetic sculpture you’re allowed to interact with. It is in the foyer next to the receptionist, and my son fondly named the piece “chicken bonkety-bonk”. You’ll see why when you go…

Farfetched: Mad Science, Fringe Architecture and Visionary Engineering. Gregg Museum at NCSU, Jan-17 through Apr-26. Free and open to the public.

African American Culture Celebration (1/26/2013)

Posted on January 25, 2013 by daddyweekly

Every year, the NC Museum of History celebrates African American Culture in its many facets. From R&B performances to craft demos and even acupuncture, everything that can trace its roots to the African continent is present.

The celebration takes place this Saturday from 10:30a to 4:30p at the NC Museum of History. For kids, there’s “a scavenger hunt, hands-on craft, and more”. On top of that, the vast selection of music performances, and the cooking demos will allow to adequately celebrate this years’ theme, Defining Freedom, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Thomas Day Statue 2 by Universal Pops, used under the CC BY-NC-SA license

The Daddy Weekly

Things to do with Kids in Raleigh, NC