IVY + BEAN Takes Kids on a Wacky Adventure

Get ready for a musical adventure with WST for Kids production of Ivy + Bean at Walnut Street Theatre. The two unlikely best friends capture the hearts of kids of all ages in an hour-long musical about the adventures that can be discovered with the power of friendship. On Saturday, I watched Ivy + Bean with my children and some of their friends.

Ivy + Bean is based on series of novels of the same name by Anne Barrows and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Ivy and Bean could not be more different, and when these two get together the adventures are endless. In this lively musical, they form an unlikely friendship when Bean decides to get revenge on her bossy, older sister, but they really discover that their differences are what make their friendship so exciting.

WST for Kids brings families together through reading and the arts. Parents and grandparents can read the books together with their favorite kids, then watch them come to life on stage at the Walnut.

The cast of Ivy + Bean are members of The Theatre School at Walnut Street Theatre. Playing the bookish and imaginative Ivy is Mary Kate Foley. Foley is a recent graduate of Temple University and recently toured around Delaware County with the Walnut Education Department’s production of A Philly Fairytale. Her wild and goofy counterpart, Bean, is played by Amanda Spivack. Spivack returns to the Walnut after most recently being seen in Saturday Night Fever.

Ivy + Bean is live on stage at the Walnut only through June 10. Media partners for this production are Courier-Post and Mix 106.1, and the production is sponsored by PWC. For tickets and information, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available online 24/7 by visiting www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.

Image: Mary Kate Foley and Amanda Spivack in Ivy + Bean. Photo courtesy of the Walnut Street Theatre.

The 2018 Philly Flower Show Offered Indoor Break from Nor-easters

Last weekend, I visited the Philly Flower Show at the city’s convention center with family. It was a welcome respite from the recent storms that brought snow and power losses to our area. 250,000 visitors attended this year’s show, an impressive number given the recent storms. The theme was Wonders of Water, produced by the PA Horticultural Society.

The show highlighted plants that usually are found in wetter, warmer climates, with a focus on water conservation. Entering the rainforest garden was a sight to behold—water lilies, palm trees and purple and red blossoms from New Guinea wowed the large crowd.

Adjacent to the rainforest exhibit, Windows on the Watershed offered a “day in the life” of the Delaware River Watershed, a chance to learn how plants contribute to water quality. Walking through this exhibit, we saw how organisms cleanse and sustain the watershed; water is filtered by plants, animals and the ground.

Windows on the Watershed, essentially the same process as the rainforest, revealed similar ecological lessons.

The Philadelphia Cactus and Succulent Society exhibit explained to visitors that cacti and succulents survive much better without being watered. In this exhibit, we learned that cacti and succulents are self-sufficient in the proper soil or container.

This year’s show was a good chance to experience what it might be like to have water in your own yard. The Stoney Bank exhibit featured a pond, arbor wall and seating. Visitors looked through a water wall out at this show.

Some exhibits had impressive water displays, including a serenity space and the Laurel-Brook Gardens.

Next year’s theme is Flower Power, focusing on the role flowers play in bringing people together in healing and peace. If you live in the Philly area, this annual show is a must-see for inspiration and creative flower ideas.

STINKYKIDS: THE MUSICAL explores friendship and learning from mistakes

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of taking my kids and some of their friends to Walnut Street Theatre for Kids’ production of STINKYKIDS: THE MUSICAL. The children’s book is performed on stage in a fun story about friendship and learning from our mistakes. Featuring Britt and her friends from the series, STINKYKIDS: THE MUSICAL offers family-friendly matinee times at Walnut Street Theatre.

My kids were very excited to attend this performance, as it was their first time to “America’s oldest theatre,” founded in 1809. The children and their friends were entertained throughout the hour-long show—the colorful set and costumes, catchy tunes and plotline kept them tuned in.

The show ends with a positive message as the StinkyKids work hard to make the right choices and decide to donate to charity. Their motto: “Always be a leader of good” is sure to resonate with the young audience.

STINKYKIDS: THE MUSICAL is based on children’s books by Britt Menzies. When ‘StinkyKid’ Britt wakes up with a wad of gum in her hair, she knows she’s in trouble. Her friends are depending on her parents to take them to Captain Happy’s Jumpy-Fun-Super-Bouncy Indoor Palace; she knows this sticky situation could keep them from going and ruin the day. Britt enlists the help of her friends and mayhem ensues. However, they all learn from their mistakes and, along the way, discover the true value of friendship.

The Walnut Street Theatre for Kids series encourages families to read together and see the books come to life onstage. Thousands of local students attend WST for Kids performances and experience live theatre for the first time as part of school trips to the Walnut.

STINKYKIDS: THE MUSICAL is live at the Walnut through February 11. Media partners for this production are Courier-Post and Mix 106.1. For tickets, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available online at www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster. Use code SKIDS for $15 tickets anywhere in the house.

Image: Walnut Street Theatre

The Franklin Institute’s latest exhibit explores a historic archaeological discovery

Terracotta Warriors explores the science and technology used to build, bury, and excavate the Terracotta Army

The Franklin Institute has a new exhibit that is worth viewing this winter—the only east coast engagement of a two-city exhibit tour. Earlier this month, I took my kids and a friend to check it out.

In 1974, a farmer in China was digging a well when he struck upon fragments of terracotta. Buried beneath the land were thousands of life-sized statues, constructed over 2,000 years ago—guarding the tomb of China’s first emperor.

Since this discovery, archaeologists have excavated and researched these warriors—uncovering the secrets beneath our feet since 210 BCE. Questions remain about the elaborate tomb, calling scientists to continue to explore.

Ten terracotta figures from the burial complex will appear in the exhibit: a general, an armored officer, a kneeling archer, a standing archer, an armored soldier, a cavalryman, a saddled horse, a charioteer, a civil official, and a kneeling musician.

Over 170 other artifacts from the pre-Qin, Qin, and Han dynasties accompany the figures. These include weapons, jade pieces, bronze bells, ceremonial vessels, gold ornaments, coins, architectural pieces, and ornate bronze chariot replicas.

Incorporating multimedia and interactive elements, Terracotta Warriors tells the story of how a young prince conquered enemies, formed the empire of China, advanced its civilization, and prepared a burial site for his eternal reign.

Terracotta Warriors runs through March 4th, so plan your visit this Winter. https://www.fi.edu/exhibit/terracotta-warriors

Image: The Franklin Institute

Mirror Maze exhibit at the Franklin Institute explores numbers in nature

Explore math patterns in nature at the Mirror Maze exhibit

The Franklin Institute has a new educational exhibit that is worth exploring this summer—Mirror Maze, an interactive exhibit that introduces patterns and how math surrounds us everywhere. The highlight of the exhibit is a 1,700 square foot maze of mirrors that will challenge you and your children to reach the exit.

We learned that patterns are the result of nature’s forces and processes. From the rings of Saturn to sunflower seeds, patterns are present everywhere in nature. #partner

My kids both enjoy math, so numbers in nature was of interest to them. They learned of math patterns present—the spiral of seashell, ridges of mountains, and the Universe’s structure. Understanding patterns reveals why our bodies and buildings, for example, are shaped the way they are and why they function as they do.

The exhibit explores fractal patterns that are rough, irregular and jagged. The kids and their friend were curious to learn about this. As a tree grows, each branch divides into smaller limbs. Observing a mountain’s jagged peaks reveals each peak is like the whole range, just smaller. Fractal patterns reveal the simplicity that lies beneath the complexity of nature. Fascinating!

The kids were intrigued by the interactive displays, especially “musical reflection” where they could hear symmetry and “playing with proportion” where they plucked long and short strings to hear that one sounds twice as high as the other.

I found it interesting to look at the branching pattern in your eye. By looking through an eyepiece, tiny dots that are red blood cells at the back of your eye are visible. When you blink, spidery black lines appear, shadows of capillaries that bring blood to your eye lens.

A Mirror Maze runs through September 4th, so plan your visit this summer! https://www.fi.edu/exhibit/mirror-maze-numbers-nature

The 2017 Philly Flower Show Celebrated Holland’s Tulips and Dutch Wonders

Every March, I aim to visit the Philly Flower Show held at the city’s convention center. The PA Horticultural Society brings a new creative theme to the show yearly. The 2017 theme was Holland: Flowering the World.

The kids and I hit the show on Friday, which was St. Patrick’s Day, accompanied by my parents who were visiting for the weekend. Thanks to the PA Horticultural Society for the press pass to tour this lovely event.

The show celebrated tulips and introduced visitors to bulbs and blends of colors from Dutch and worldwide horticulturists. There were 30,000 tulips in the entrance garden alone! The entrance had three large windmills along with lights that played music throughout the show. Above this garden, more than 6,000 flowers hung from a canopy. Breathtaking!

Also on display were tulip fields and Dutch symbols including windmills, wooden shoes, quirky bicycles and canals.

One the highlights of the show was the Ecodome, a 3,500-square-foot exhibit shaped like an igloo which held the Netherlands’ green technologies. The walk-in dome was a floor to ceiling showcase of the future of Dutch horticulture. A fortunate addition for PHS, the Ecodome was a springboard to discussions about sustainability, climate change, the environment and agriculture.

The Gardener’s Studio is the gathering spot for gardeners seeking new ways to improve their craft. Every year, national gardening experts, authors, and horticultural pros offer their insight at the flower show. About 100 people participated as speakers, where audience members were able to ask specific questions.

Last week’s event was a priceless chance to witness natural beauty, floral design and vibrant colors with my parents and children. The Philly Flower Show never ceases to amaze me. If you are within driving distance to Philly, it’s worth a trip in the Spring. Next year’s theme is Wonders of Water.

The Franklin Institute’s Jurassic World is the closest you will get to living dinosaurs

Last week, we explored The Franklin Institute’s JURASSIC WORLD: THE EXHIBITION. The kids were off from school one day, so they were excited to get closer to dinosaurs than they ever have before! #partner

Based on the blockbuster movie, the Exhibition immerses visitors of all ages in scenes inspired by the film. Our tour group included eighth grade students from a local school. We watched the park come to life and traveled to Isla Nublar as a VIP guest to Jurassic World.

Walking into the park, the towering Brachiosaurus was a sight to behold. We got face-to-face with a Velociraptor, and witnessed the vicious dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus rex (see below), which roamed North America.

In Jurassic World, scientists were able to extract dinosaur DNA from an ancient mosquito and clone a dinosaur. How did they know they had dinosaur blood? Every person on earth has distinct genes that identify their species.

Why are dinosaurs now extinct? You will learn that dinosaurs likely went extinct 65 million years ago because of the impact of an asteroid. By hitting the earth, an asteroid would cause 60 to 70 percent of life on earth to go extinct. Most scientists believe that dust thrown up by the meteor’s impact blocked out the sun, causing plants to die and changing the global temperature for months or years.

Students can create a modern dinosaur that has evolutionary features they think a dinosaur would have needed to survive the last great extinction.

Use promo code JWMOMB* to receive $5.00 off up to 4 adult, daytime tickets to Jurassic World. To redeem the code, contact us 215-448-1200 or visit fi.edu.

*$5 off Daytime Adult Admission tickets to Jurassic World. Limit 4 tickets per person. Includes General Admission to The Franklin Institute. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Upgrades available on-site for IMAX and 3D Theater. Redeemable online, over the phone or at the Ticketing Desk. Processing fees apply when ordering tickets in advance. Excludes holidays.

Jurassic World runs through April 23, 2017. https://www.fi.edu/exhibit/jurassic-world-exhibition

Image: The Franklin Institute

A recap of A Child Grows’ First Annual Philadelphia Baby & Family Expo

Last weekend, we attended A Child Grows’ First Annual Philadelphia Baby & Family Expo in Center City. I was excited about this as I was a media sponsor; A Child Grows has run a successful Brooklyn Expo since 2012.

I ran a Family Pass giveaway on this blog, and my friend won the pass. She brought her daughter to the expo, and met me so our kids could play together.

Primp & Play and Music Monkey Jungle were co-sponsors of The Playroom. Primp & Play offered kid manicures and hands-on crafts. My girls were happy to make their own lip balm there. Music Monkey Jungle sang and danced for the crowd of children. Who knew they could play Taylor Swift upon request?

A Child Grows lined up a stellar list of speakers. I sat in on Wills, Trusts & Guardians 101 with Steven M. Zelinger, Esq. He asked: Did you know there are five Crucial Legal Documents every parent needs? No parent wants to think about death but you have to as a responsible person. Maybe you purchased life insurance, but with that, you thought you were done. Zelinger told the audience there’s more to protecting your family.

I also listened to Your Top Three Parenting Stressors Solved with Child & Family Coaching with Brandi Davis, ACC, a certified Parenting Coach, Parent Educator, and Author of O.K. I’m A Parent Now What? Brandi was just named Best of Philly’s Best Modern-Day Parenting Guru.

Davis told the crowd that being a parent comes with many stressors; some can be solved, and some just come with the territory. Being a parent is tough but there is no need to feel exhausted, spent and drained every day. Davis delved into how to lighten your load and squish those top three stressors:

My Discipline Isn’t Working; Now All I Do Is YELL!
I’m Getting Attitude, Fighting and Negotiations At Every Turn
I Can’t Get A Second For Myself

Jill Spivack, co-author of The Sleepeasy Solution, founder of Sleepy Planet Parenting and Star of hit Bravo show, There Goes the Motherhood, gave the keynote address.

Jill Spivack, LCSW is a licensed family therapist and pediatric sleep consultant who earned her master’s degree at the University of Southern California and completed a post-graduate fellowship as a psychotherapist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

I am past the baby and toddler sleep challenges, so I did not stay too long at this panel. I did not attend the afternoon panels, which were geared toward mothers of babies. Instead, I walked the expo floor and spoke to the media sponsors. We got a chance to get our hair curled by Concihairge and then take photos in front of a gorgeous floral design by Nicol Floral Designs.

From the expo, I gleaned two interview ideas and subjects I will cover for an education site. I am always looking for new interview ideas, and this was the perfect place to find them.

A Child Grows offered a wealth of insight and resources for parents, especially for mothers with babies or toddlers. I’ll be back next year for sure, and will bring the kids along so they can have fun too.

My review of the Robot Revolution exhibit at the Franklin Institute

Last weekend, we attended Opening Day to Robot Revolution at the Franklin Institute, a new exhibit supported by Google.org and The Boeing Company. Robots are changing how we live, work and play. They are poised to become a visible and vital part of our daily lives.

A neighbor and her son accompanied us, and we set off for a learning experience.

I was intrigued to witness some innovative robots that are meeting human needs. From self-driving cars to surgical assistance, from scientific research to search and rescue missions—robots are here to help improve our lives. Robot Revolution offers 40 cutting-edge robots curated from innovative global robotics companies and universities, more than half of which can be interacted with or operated. #partner

Social robots show emotions. Researchers have analyzed how humans express their emotions and use these cues to program robots that simulate human emotions.

We met a robot that held our gaze. ROBOTIS-OP first has to recognize that you have a face. It sees you through its onboard camera; its software analyzes visual data to determine if the pattern formed by your eyes and mouth is a face. When visual criteria are met, the robot meets and follows your gaze. (See photo below.) Pretty cool, right?

Police and military use the Recon Scout Throwbot XT to explore dangerous environments before sending in their teams. This rugged, remotely-operated micro-robot travels through cluttered indoor environments and over dirt, sand and rocks. Once deployed, the robot sends video of its surroundings back to its human operators so they can identify threats.

Here are some highlights of the exhibit:

• Play Tic Tac Toe
My kids enjoyed playing tic tac toe against Baxter, an industrial robot that can battle up to two guests at a game of tic-tac-toe as he showcases his agility and task versatility.

• Make a Face!
We could smile, frown, or be silly with EMYS, a robot from Poland that uses a facial action coding system to mimic facial expressions and human emotions with its head and eyes.

• Watch A Soccer Bot Match
A must see–soccer ‘bots go head to head without any human input in a competition. See what team of robots wins in this fun game of autonomy.

The kids had the most fun when they got the chance to build their own code to move a robot forward, backward, left or right. Robots only do what they have been programmed to do. The Planning for Action area offers kids the chance to advance to a higher level once they master their current programming. We found this to be the most engrossing area of the exhibit.

Use promo code MBROBOT* to receive $5.00 off up to 4 adult, daytime tickets to Robot Revolution. To redeem the code, contact us 215-448-1200 or visit fi.edu.

*$5 off Daytime Adult Admission tickets to Robot Revolution. Limit 4 tickets per person. Includes General Admission to The Franklin Institute. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Upgrades available on-site for IMAX and 3D Theater. Redeemable online, over the phone or at the Ticketing Desk. Processing fees apply when ordering tickets in advance. Excludes holidays. Valid through 12/31/16.

Robot Revolution runs through April 2, 2017. Plan your visit today! https://www.fi.edu/exhibit/robot-revolution

Giveaway for a Premium Family Pass to the First Annual Philadelphia Baby & Family Expo

Did you get your tickets to @achildgrows 1st annual #PhillyBabyFamilyExpo October 16, 2016?

We are happy to be a media partner for A Child Grows’ First Annual Philadelphia Baby & Family Expo in Center City. The expo will welcome new, expectant and seasoned parents and kiddos!

Exhibitors will showcase products and services covering all phases of life, whether you’re a new or experienced parent!

The First Annual Philadelphia Baby & Family Expo℠ will connect top local and national service providers with savvy expectant, new and experienced parents. This family-friendly event will showcase invaluable resources and products in an exciting and convenient location in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia.

The expo will have seminars, demos, crafts and awesome playroom happenings throughout the day. Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to hear the amazing details as we get closer to the event!

We are giving away a Premium Family Pass to the expo (valued at $150). Enter your contact info below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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