The Water-skiing Santa
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2011, 1 p.m. FREE. This crazy fun event has a water-skiing Santa, flying elves, the Jet-skiing Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman performing on the Potomac River.  Best view of Santa and crew is from National Harbor. No matter the weather, this event is on!

Visit Santa at the Mall
Our-Kids has a comprehensive list of all the shopping spots where Santa is chilling in a comfy chair awaiting kid visitors and photographs. My personal endorsements for Santa meetings (as someone who once took her kids to City Place Mall in Silver Spring on Christmas Eve where an 18-year-old boy was playing Santa??) are:

• The Shops at Georgetown Park

• Mazza Gallerie 

• White Flint Mall (there’s a train)

• Tysons Corner Center (there’s a train)

• Westfield Wheaton (there’s a train)

• Montgomery Mall (there’s a train – check out this Facebook group, hilarious)

College Park Aviation Museum
One of the best miniature train displays is at the Aviation Museum, where the display is historically accurate and  trains, villages, tunnels and depots spark the imagination while bringing history to life. The display is on until the 23nd, but the museum is open every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day. Also, on Thursday at 10:30am experience the Peter Pan Club for preschoolers and on Friday from 2-4pm kids age five and up can be a part of the hands-on fun for Afternoon Aviators.

Christmas at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is decking the halls for a special daytime program November 25 – January 6. Holiday visitors will enjoy themed decorations (including 12 Christmas trees), a gingerbread replica of the Mansion created by former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier, chocolate making demonstrations, and a rare opportunity to tour the third floor of the Mansion. In 1787, George Washington paid 18 shillings to bring a camel to Mount Vernon for his guests’ enjoyment. During Christmas at Mount Vernon, visitors can meet Aladdin the camel. Christmas at Mount Vernon is included in general admission: $15 for adults, $7 for youth (6-11), and free for children five and younger. Mount Vernon is open every day of the year.

Seasons Greenings at the United States Botanic Garden
See the outdoor train garden, enter the Conservatory and enjoy a colorful display of poinsettias and other winter-blooming tropical plants, and the National Mall in miniature, a replica created with natural plant materials. 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC at the foot of the U.S. Capitol. Regular hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Open until 8 p.m. with live music on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout December.

Bowling
One snowy Christmas break we started the family tradition of hitting the bowling alley when the kids were off school, and it stuck. Highly recommend bowling to the holiday tunes for daytime fun.

Head to the kid-tastic St. John the Evangelist Christmas Bazaar in Silver Spring this weekend!

Did I mention it’s totally free? And that Reptiles Alive will be there on Saturday at 11am? And the incredible local musician Sasha Bondarev  will be performing with singers from his CD Sand Castle at 1pm on Saturday, as well as 11:30am on Sunday? And amongst these super shows, you and your kids can

• Shop for cool, artisan gifts featuring oodles of fabulous vendors
• Grab a yummy, reasonably-priced, kid-friendly lunch
• The kids can play games in the game room and make crafts
• Face painting!
• Peruse the on-site antique shop, The Treasure Trove
• Shop for books at rock bottom prices in the Book Shop

The Bazaar also has an Adult’s Only Night on Friday night November 12 from 6pm-9pm. There they’ll have delicious Italian food from Vicino Restaurante Italiano in Silver Spring available at discounted prices for dinner purchase, wine and beer and kid-free shopping.

The St. John’s Christmas Bazaar is where I get tons of my holiday shopping done for beautiful gifts that don’t cost me a bundle. It’s frugal-finds heaven! There are loads of vendors selling handmade handbags, hair bows, kids’ gifts, jewelry, candles, infused olive oils, stitchery, creative Christmas decorations priced waaaaay less than Smith and Hawken, and more. Other favorite areas of the bazaar are the Treasure Trove – antiques goods for thrift store prices – and the used book sale is chock full of finds for your family library.

And I always come hungry all days, because there’s breakfast, lunch, drinks, baked goods and treats! Hope to see you there!

St. John’s Christmas Bazaar
Friday November 11, Saturday November 12 and Sunday November 13
Adult Night Friday 6-9pm
Family Fun on Saturday 9am-4:30pm and Sunday 9am-2pm
10201 Woodland Avenue (in the School Auditorium)
Located right behind St. John the Evangelist Church
at 10103 Georgia Avenue at the intersection of August Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20902 blocks from the Forest Glen Metro

Charlie having a blast at the Bazaar

Saturday, November 05, 2011 1:00 PM

Madeline and the Bad Hat is a charming and entertaining musical based upon the much-loved book by Ludwig Bemelman. This gently amusing tale of enemies becoming friends traces the adventures of a resourceful young Parisian girl who eventually learns that first impressions aren’t everything. Produced by ArtsPower, an acclaimed children’s theater group celebrating its 26th year entertaining young audiences. The show is appropriate for ages 4 and up and geared towards children in grades K-2.

Tickets are $12 and available online.

Vicki Weber
It’s Too Crowded in Here!
Sunday, October 30 | 10:00 am | $10/$8 Discounted per family, includes a copy of the book

Buy Tickets

Join us for a morning of crafts, folktales and fun! Sugarman Family Award winner It’s Too Crowded in Here! is a collection of Jewish folktales and midrashic stories, enlivened by colorful illustrations. Great to read aloud or act out, the stories also provide a rich yet light-hearted resource for exploring key values such as self respect, compassion, appreciation, tolerance, and thankfulness. Best for ages 3-7.

The Sugarman Family Children’s Book Award recognizes the best recent contribution to Jewish children’s literature. The award was established in 1994 by Joan Sugarman, of blessed memory, to help thank, encourage and inspire writers and illustrators of Jewish children’s books.

Full literary festival line-up 

This week, October 16-22, is Make Your Mark Week and this Saturday October 22nd is Make a Difference Day. These celebrations are part of a national movement to inspire and mobilize youth to use their energy, ingenuity and compassion to “make their mark on the world” through hands-on service.

During the week, young people will focus on issues that matter most to them by doing small acts or service projects that add up to make a big difference. And the Points of Light Foundation has made it so easy for us to find a small community service project with our kids  – they have developed Daytabank, this handy-dandy service project finder! Go here, enter your zip and find the project that works best for your family!

I entered my zip and found for this weekend a Habitat for Humanity family build, the 2011 DC Walk Now for Autism Speaks on Saturday, and a free family fun festival on Saturday — the Family Literacy Festival in DC where storybook characters read to kids, lead them in games and help them with crafts to encourage reading.

My children and I will enjoy one of these super events this weekend, and I am visiting Make Your Mark Week on Facebook to pledge our action and join the movement.  We will also be using Daytabank to find future weekend service projects. I hope you will do the same and can use this great resource to find ways to help the community with your children.

The Make Your Mark campaign is founded by generationOn, the youth activation division of Points of Light Institute, the largest volunteer network in the nation which includes more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations answering the call to serve and creating meaningful change in their communities. Annually, the network delivers approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at about $600 million. generationOn and partner Hasbro believe in the role community service plays in helping young people enhance their education and contribute to society. 

SATURDAY – Building Bridges, Not Fences Opens at Strathmore 

Photo at left: All rights reserved Maria Magdelena Campos-Pons, “Island Treasures” via Strathmore.org.

The Building Bridges, Not Fences exhibit presents photography in all its  forms in a family-friendly setting, free and open to the public. The exhibition will be on view in the Mansion at Strathmore from September 24, 2011 to November 5, 2011. The first floor follows photography from darkroom to digital image-making with traditional black and white photographs by Bruce Barnbaum, digital photographs from Dean Kessmann and innovative digital compositions by Bruce McKaig. The second floor galleries will feature the stirring artwork of Israeli photojournalists Shay Aloni and Ammar Younis, and Cubans Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Enrique de la Uz, Pedro Abascal and Nestor Hernandez.

In conjunction with all this photographic awesome, Strathmore is hosting a number of kid-friendly events this fall. Children ages 7-11 will get the chance to develop their skills in photography in the PhotoKids: Take Your Best Shot! class series. Held for three Saturdays, beginning this Saturday September 24, October 1 and October 15, each Saturday morning from 10 a.m.-noon, photographer Lisa Murphy will provide a directed photo shoot and formal instruction on composition and lighting, as well as a slideshow exhibition for family and friends. Each child will leave the three-session course with a finished photo album of their best shots.

On Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 10:15 a.m., a Children’s Talk & Tour invites children to explore the exhibition and exercise their creativity through a hands-on arts activity. That same Saturday, October 1, at 1 p.m., adults learn about the artwork in the exhibition from curator Harriet Lesser during the Art Talk & Tour. Both events are free. Reservations are required for the Children’s Talk & Tour and can be made by calling (301) 581-5109.

For children and families, Nancy Breslin will teach a camera-less photography workshop on Saturday, October 22, 2011 from 10-11:30 a.m. Children will learn how to make pictures without a camera by creating their own cyanotype images. Breslin will also teach a more advanced class for adults on camera-less photography where students will study and create their own cyanotype and lumen prints from noon-3 p.m., also on October 22.

SUNDAY – Building Block Blitz for Habitat for Humanity

On Sunday, September 25, 2011 from 1:00pm?3:00pm join Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, MD (HFH?MC) for the 5th annual Building Block Blitz at Westfield Montgomery Mall at 7101 Democracy Blvd. in Bethesda.

Help kick?start this year’s Act! Speak! Build! Week (check out all the week’s events) by working in teams to build a building block house with 400 building blocks within an hour. Not only will you and your team have a blast, you will be raising money and awareness for Habitat! Register in advance for a discounted rate of $25 (day-of price is $30).

What a fun way to start kids’ involvement in charity events that are also enjoyable ways to spend a day!

The Walk is endorsed by faith centers, congregations, churches, mosques and temples in the DC area. Join people of all ages, backgrounds, and faiths in building respect for each other through a framework of education, compassionate leadership, and service. The 2011 Walk commemorates the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Sunday September 11, 2001 with the theme: From different walks, we serve as one.

Meet at the Washington Hebrew Congregation at 3935 Macomb Street Northwest between 12:30-1pm and walk down Embassy Row with others in solidarity. Along the walk, attend a service fair with your family and learn of ways you can volunteer together, listen to musicians, experience the Muslim call to prayer, take guided tours of houses of worship and more. Timeline of the event.

Register for the walk (choose either the free registration or the $10 donation option.)

Will it be happening if it is raining? Yes. The event website states, “The Walk will happen rain or shine, so please plan accordingly and wear weather-appropriate clothing or bring an umbrella…there will be activities both indoors and outdoors – some (but not all) of the outdoor events have indoor locations in case of bad weather.”

For a firsthand account and testimony about the learning and healing possible at this interfaith event, read the guest piece in The Washington Post‘s On Faith blog by Arsalan Iftikhar of TheMuslimGuy.com and managing editor of The Crescent Post.

Choralis Performance – In Search of Peace

Choralis, an auditioned 100-person choral ensemble with a professional core, is performing a special concert in honor of 9/11.  This choral group has been lauded for its beautiful, inspiring sound. The “In Search of Peace” concert will be held at 4 pm on Sunday, September 11 at National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Avenue, NW.

The performance will feature a new work from Washington area composer Gary Davison “in recognition of those lost, as well as the enduring spirit and sacrifice of our community.”  The concert will also include Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, the Dona Nobis Pacem from Bach’s Mass in B Minor, and “Taps,” played by nationally renowned bugler, Woodrow English.

Children 12 and under are free, and general admission for adults is $25. Tickets.

SHARK WEEK, that annual summer programming of shark-tacular documentaries and shows on Discovery Channel, begins on Sunday July 31. And since we’re all so lucky to live near Discovery headquarters, we’re invited to the local Shark Week kick-off party.

The celebration will include a free preview screening in downtown Silver Spring of the brand new show Great White Invasion. The one-hour special looks into why great white sharks are coming closer to shore, swimming among unsuspecting humans more than ever before.

(Maybe that’s a little heavy for the little ones, but your middle schoolers and teens will find fascinating! Besides, it doesn’t start until after the babes are down in bed – 8:30pm.)

Cool bonus: The Discovery shark lovers will be giving away goodies throughout the night, including Shark Week hats, shirts and DVDs.

Also on hand will be Chompie Jr., the Shark Week mascot, who will be swimming around the plaza taking pics with people, which you should immediately upload to Discovery’s Shark Week Photo Frenzy. Also, have you seen the hilarious videos in the Shark Week Video Frenzy?

What: FREE community screening of Great White Invasion, featured in Shark Week 2011
When: Friday, July 29at 8:30 PM
Where: Veterans Plaza at the Silver Spring Civic Building
What to Bring: Family, friends, lawn chairs & an appetite for jawesome entertainment

Additionally, local restaurants are getting into the Shark Week spirit next week and offering  these special restaurant deals!

• California Tortilla, all locations – “In celebration of the highly anticipated Shark Week on Discovery Channel, California Tortilla is having a special promotion featuring one of its signature items, fish tacos. Guests who purchase a fish taco on Thursday, July 28, will receive a free Discovery Channel Shark Week fin hat. Fish taco enthusiasts who return on Wednesday, August 3, wearing their distinguished Shark Week fin hat will receive a free taco with any California Tortilla purchase. These one-of-a-kind toppers are a necessity for the ultimate Shark Week viewing experience, which begins Sunday, July 31, at 9 p.m.on the Discovery Channel. Discovery Channel is giving away California Tortilla catering to 10 fans with top-rated pictures of how they celebrate in the Shark Week Photo Frenzy. California Tortilla will also award free burritos for a year to the customer who posts the best Shark Week fin hat picture to the California Tortilla Facebook page. ” – from the California Tortilla press release

• Lebanese Taverna Cafe in Silver Spring – Tuesday July 26, 2011, 11:30pm–7:00pm: Mention Shark Week at the Lebanese Taverna Cafe in Silver Spring and take a 15% bite off a SHARKwarma or Chicken SHARKwarma sandwich platter.

Disclosure: My husband works for Discovery.

Eve and Charlie backstage with puppeteer Eric Brooks

The A Parent in Silver Spring crew’s latest family-friendly performance obsession?  The Puppet Co. Playhouse in Glen Echo Park.  My seven year old son and five year old daughter are waaay into the art of puppetry these days and have thoroughly enjoyed The Puppet Co.’s latest production, Jack and the Beanstalk (this Friday, Saturday and Sunday are your last chances to see the show!).

And Charlie and Eve also cannot wait to see Snow White and the 7 Dwarves when it opens next week!

The Puppet Co. is a non-profit organization producing puppet theater, especially for children, as an art form synthesizing the visual and performing arts.  Hand puppets, rod puppets, marionettes and shadow puppets are used in the fully staged productions of the traditional and original stories that comprise its ever-growing repertory.

After checking out The Puppet Co.’s blog, The Snow White Diaries, about their work to produce this much-anticipated Snow White show, I requested a backstage tour with the kids to learn more about the puppet theatre for my own blog post for you guys. The tour was completely fascinating!

We saw firsthand how the staff create each and every puppet by hand, complete with mechanisms that allow the puppets to move in ways consistent with their personalities. In the upcoming Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, each of the dwarves puppets’ artwork and movement capabilities reflect their unique attributes.

Sliding stools backstage help the puppeteers move the puppets fluidly - Eve loved giving them a whirl!

And in order to reflect the dwarves’ smaller stature, live actors will play the roles of Snow White and her Prince (puppeteer Eric Brooks, pictured at left, will be the handsome champion).

The production will be based on the Grimm fairytale, rather than the Disney version, and one important distinction is The Puppet Co.’s use of the Tolkien spelling “dwaves”, rather than “dwarfs.”  Puppet Co. playwright Christopher Piper believes this “…implies a more magical charm to [the] characters, causing Snow White to look beyond the obvious to see how marvelous her new friends really are. ”

Of course, the play is very kid-friendly, recommended for children kindergarten-aged to sixth grade or so, and has a very traditional “happily ever after” ending.

We can’t wait to see it!

Snow White and the 7 Dwarves opens April 15, 2011 – reserve your tickets and check out the schedule here!

And you too can check out with your older children all the work that goes into crafting these puppets by hand through The Puppet Co.’s cool photos, videos and explanations. I think your kids will be intrigued by the process too!

NOTE: Please be aware that in the event of a Government shutdown, all activities in Glen Echo Park will be cancelled after 12:00 pm on Saturday, April 9th. Performances at Glen Echo venues scheduled before noon will go on as scheduled if there is a shutdown.  Be sure to check with the venue just in case.

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Tiny Tots at The Puppet Co. – Puppet Shows Especially for Children Age 0-4

Our first introduction to puppet shows at The Puppet Co. was through Tiny Tots. We saw our first show here when Charlie was two years old and Eve was an infant and the environment was perfect for the very young. We continued to be regulars at the shows until daily school and weekend sports prevented keeping our groupie status.

Tiny Tots shows always occur at 10 a.m. on select Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and are performed by puppeteer legend Bob Brown. His past gigs were The Muppets and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood!

The shows are great for little ones because they have a shorter length (30 minutes), the lights stay on low and the door remains open throughout the performance.  The gentle stories and introductions of characters engage and excite toddlers and preschoolers, and babies can coo, fuss and drink their milk in their mamas’/dads’/sitters’ arms, no prob.

Check out the schedule here for the upcoming Tiny Tots dates and show themes., and to purchase tickets which are $5 for everyone.

The Puppet Co. is a non-profit organization producing puppet theater, especially for children, as an art form synthesizing the visual and performing arts.  Hand puppets, rod puppets, marionettes and shadow puppets are used in the fully staged productions of the traditional and original stories that comprise its ever-growing repertory.

We purchased our own tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk and no compensation of any kind was provided for this post. Our family is proud to support this non-profit arts organization. We *do* think the backstage tour for the article’s research was a seriously cool perk – thanks Puppet Co.!