Indoor Fun
Local Reads: Your Preschooler's Summer Reading List, Part One
July 14, 2009
It's Tuesday, and that means it's List Day here at Savvy Source. For today's List, in honor of summer, reading locally and keeping you and your preschoolers occupied indoors to escape the 100+ degree temps, I have compiled a list of books written for preschoolers by members of the Austin Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. I found a dozen books, so today I'll introduce you to the first six, along with their descriptions (written by reviewers or publishers):
Read more...Beat the Heat and the Crowds at the Texas Memorial Museum
July 13, 2009
If the thought of another day running after your preschooler/s drenched in sweat does not appeal to you, I wanted to introduce you to (or perhaps reminder you about) an indoor option: the Texas Memorial Museum.
Other than having AC, here are some reasons to visit:
Mixing Business & Pleasure at First Texas Honda
July 05, 2009
Running errands. Getting a haircut. Going to the dentist. These are things that I always do first thing in the morning or at night, when my husband can watch our son. They can be done with a preschooler in tow, but I find are SO much easier solo.
Read more...Keep Your Cool This Summer With These Activities
June 30, 2009
I remember living outside of Washington, DC and how small talk revolved around traffic. How long your commute was that day, how long you waited for the Metro, how late the buses were running.
In Austin this time of year, you talk about the HEAT. How your car's temperature compared to the reading at Camp Mabry, or how warm it was at 9am...or how you were still sweating at 9 at night. So in utter empathy, today's List is Everything I Can Think of To Do in Austin To Escape the Heat (in no particular order):
Read more...
Finding Fish in Austin
June 23, 2009
Yes, it's Tuesday, so that must mean it's List Day here at Savvy Source. Today I'm going to suggest places to see fish in Austin. Unfortunately, we don't have an aquarium per se, but that just means we have to get creative!
Read more...
"C" Is For Cookie, That's Good Enough For Me
June 22, 2009
I love desserts, but I must admit I'm partial to cookies. What's not to love? Easy to make, not too messy and fit in the palm of your hand. For my son, I feel better giving him a cookie for "special treat" than candy aka high fructose corn syrup and chemicals.
With this in mind, a friend had mentioned that the Austin Cookie Lounge had started what they called Little Baker Workshops for Easter. I had gone with some friends over the holidays to the Cookie Lounge and I loved it - choose your own cookie dough and toppings and they bake it right there for you! You can even order a flavored milk or milkshake on the side and there is NOTHING quite like a cookie (or two or even three) right out of the oven.
Making Music at Heartsong
June 15, 2009
It's hard to believe it's not even "officially" summer yet. Outdoor playdates which don't involve being submerged in water suddenly lose their appeal, and activities involving air conditioning sound incredibly appealing. With this in mind, I took my three year old son to Heartsong Music last week to attend one of their preview classes.
Read more...You've Got Mail: A Trip to the Post Office
June 07, 2009
I think it's fair to say I've been bitten by the field trip bug. Field trips are chances to see new places (or learn new things about familiar places), hang out with a group of friends, take a break from the routine and give our little ones practice with observing rules, listening, paying attention and asking questions.
Read more...
What's On the Big Screen This Summer
May 17, 2009
The mercury is rising, and summer will be here before we know it! Thinking about summer got me thinking about summer movies, and how my three year old just MIGHT be old enough this year to try one (several of his friends have already been to a few). There are indoor and outdoor options, and many are relatively inexpensive, in case your outing doesn't go as planned. There is considerable overlap between the movies shown at the bigger theaters, so check the links to see the complete schedules. Here is what I have heard about:
Read more...
Where Mamas of Two Get Four Thumbs Up
April 21, 2009
Tuesday is List Day here at Savvy Source, and for today I compiled a list of places to go where two kiddos can be entertained. That said, as you might have gathered, I only have one child, so I relied on my awesome mama friends for suggestions. Thanks to Lori, Heidi and you others (you know who you are!) for sharing these great tips! Here goes...
Read more...Twice the Fun!
March 17, 2009
Wow, talk about a 180 in terms of the weather, huh? Hope you are enjoying your Spring Break so far! For ideas of things to do around town this week, you can check my Monday post.
Tuesday is List Day here at Savvy Source, and today I'm bringing you some ideas for "two-fers": two places relatively closeby you can visit in the course of a morning or afternoon.
Read more...
Do, Re, Mi: Exploring Links Between Music and Math
February 16, 2009
Music. It is what we use to soothe a baby, teach a growing child his ABCs, and a creative outlet to express ourselves as kids and adults.
This month's theme here at Savvy Source is early math skills. I have always heard that children who were exposed to music fared better in math later on, so I thought I would take this opportunity to speak to an expert in the field of music education for this month's guest post.
Petra Soltis is the Early Childhood Coordinator at the Austin Lyric Opera's Armstrong School of Music,
Read more...Mixing, Measuring, and Munching Your Way to Early Math Skills
February 10, 2009
Don't you love our new look here at Savvy Source!?
The theme for February is pre-math skills, and my assignment for today's list is to suggest local activities which spark math learning. Perhaps too much daydreaming about Valentine's sweets had me thinking about how cooking teaches your little one about counting, measuring, volume, and temperatures. So here are some opportunities for your budding sous chef:
Read more...
Birthday Party Venues: Part One
February 02, 2009
This is the first in what I hope will be an occasional series of reviews of birthday party venues - both to help parents plan fun places to go, and to reveal how these venues stand the test as a party venue.
This weekend we were excited to be invited to two birthday parties, at two places we hadn't been before: Texas Jumping Beans and Jungle Java, both in Round Rock. For one reason or another, we don't have much experience at indoor playgrounds since Radijazz closed, and my almost three-year old son had a blast at both.
Read more...
99 Things To Do With Your Little One in Austin Before Kindergarten
January 27, 2009
As you may be noticing, Tuesday is List Day here at Savvy Source. In keeping with the month's theme of Resolutions and Reflections, here are 99 Things To Do with Your Preschooler before Kindergarten (in no particular order): Hike to the top of Enchanted Rock Pick strawberries at Sweet Berry Farm Go to a UT game (try soccer, basketball, or baseball if you don't want to shell out the dough Read more...
Bienvenidos, Presidente Obama
January 15, 2009
As a political science major in college, I was excited to talk about the presidential election - albeit in SIMPLE terms - with my two year old son. He could identify both the Obama and McCain yard signs around our neighborhood, and is surprisingly good at recognizing Obama's photo in magazines and the newspaper. I happen to be the "host" parent at our Spanish co-operative preschool on Read more...
Free Fun Every Day of the Week in Austin
January 08, 2009
Everyone is watching their wallets these days, and if you stay at home with your little ones, it's easy for a $5 admission "every once in a while" to add up. Also, if you are like me, credit card bills are now arriving, documenting how much you REALLY spent this holiday season. But we are lucky here in Austin, as there are lots of free family-friendly options right in our own backyard. Read more...
Fun in a box
December 29, 2008
We have completed Round One of Christmas present opening here in Virginia (when we return to Austin, we will commence Round Two), and so far one of the favorites has been the Crazy Creatures Balloon Modeling Fun Kit . Apparently, this kit includes everything you need to keep a house full of adults and parents entertained: an instruction kit on how to make everything from a dog to a Read more...
Pass the dog biscuits
December 18, 2008
First, congrats to Veronica for winning the Austin Events 2009 calendar giveaway ! I have one of those days ahead of me that I dread: too chilly to want to play outside, my son is borderline sick and so I don't want him around other kids, I'm not feeling 100%, and I want to stay far away from any holiday shoppers. Oh, and I don't think I can stay in the house all day... On days like Read more...
Last day of giveaway and ingredients for a cookie playdate
December 15, 2008
First, I want to say today is the LAST DAY for our Austin Events 2009 calendar giveaway - enter a comment here by midnight Austin time to be entered (odds are GREAT right now!) If the holidays have snuck up on you too, don't worry - it's not too late for a cookie playdate! Library storytimes, schools, and some other activities are cancelled for the holidays, so you can use a free Read more...
Peace on Earth
December 11, 2008
The hardest part about the holidays for me this year is being "present" during our family time. It seems nearly impossible to sit down for a meal or to help my almost-three-year old son with an activity without shifting my attention, and instead thinking about the gifts I need to make & send, how I still need to get that flu shot, or that I MUST renew my drivers license before our Read more...
O Radijazz, how we loved thee....
December 01, 2008
The economic downturn has led to the demise of our favorite locally-owned place to run Will ragged on those (perhaps rare, at least in Austin) days when it's too cold or rainy to go outside. Radijazz , the indoor "playnasium" in Lincoln Village near Highland Mall, closed its doors on November 10. One of the nicest parts about Radijazz was that it was limited to younger kids, so you weren't Read more...
From hats to shoes: how to create a top-notch dress-up bin
October 06, 2008
When I was a kid, I loved to play dress-up. Doesn't every girl? Or boy, for that matter? Johanna hasn't gotten into it yet, though that might be because I haven't provided her with a dress-up bin. Bad mommy! So this weekend I rectified the situation. First thing you need is a bin, of course! Her toychest currently holds a bunch of cast-off toys, so I dumped those and loaded in the following Read more...
Learning to share...or not
September 04, 2008
One of the biggest struggles during the toddler years and beyond, I know all too well by now, is the long, steep learning curve that leads from self-centered newborn to gracious kindergartener. That's not too ambitious, is it? Graciousness by age five? It is this issue, almost more than anything, that prompted us to place Johanna in a Mother's Day Out program this fall. Since she's going to be a Read more...
Kid-friendly coffee shops
June 30, 2008
Exhaustion -- one of the parenting experiences that, as far as I can tell, is universal. Chasing after children can be daunting task sometimes, particularly as you're probably doing it on no sleep. So, while we'd all like to be on the go, hitting the town, showing your toddler ever the wonder the world has to offer, occasionally we need a coffee break. While most of Austin's many laid-back, Read more...
Get out of the house this weekend!
June 27, 2008
It's really, really hot -- so I can understand the temptation to stay cooped-up inside with the air conditioning. But chances are, by the end of Saturday morning cartoons the cabin fever will set in and you'll be looking for ways to escape the madness. Fortunately there's plenty going on this weekend -- something, I think, for every disposition. Here's a few of the highlights: The Watermelon Read more...
Top 5 Things to do on a Rainy Day
May 27, 2008
1. Radijazz : It's big, it's padded, and it's designed for children to run around like screaming lunatics without injuring themselves or driving anyone nuts. Hooray! My daughter begs me to take her every time she feels a rain drop. 2. Blanton Museum of Art : This is the complete opposite of Radijazz. No running, no screaming, and far fewer children. But it has a nice mix of Read more...
History Lessons: Texas
May 16, 2008
I'm not a native Texan. But after a few years of living in the Lone Star Republic , I can safely say that people here are serious about their state. Most adults took Texas history at least once in grade school, and nearly anyone worthy of wearing cowboy boots will tell you that this is the only state legally allowed to succeed from the Union -- you know, if push really comes to shove. Read more...
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Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune
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Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet
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