Win a $30 gift certificate to Coastal Kids Market, a seasonal children’s consignment sale specializing in high-end, gently-used boutique & trunk show clothing (similar to this cute dress pictured here) at a fraction of the cost.

The spring sale is March 11-13 @ The Shops at Godley Station, Pooler Parkway.

Here are the rules on how to win the $30 gift certificate.

Coastal Kids Market will donate a portion of this season’s sale to Haiti relief through the Presbyterian Mission in Haiti. This ministry aids orphans by providing hot meals, school uniforms, school supplies, and meeting other basic needs.

Sign up to be a consignor and turn your children’s outgrown items into cash! Learn how to sell your kids clothes by clicking here. Consignors can earn more based on volunteer hours. Consignors earn 60 percent of their item’s selling price, but can earn up to 75 percent based on how many volunteer shifts you work.

Anyone can volunteer to help, you don’t have to be a consignor. Non-consigning volunteers who work two shifts may shop the preview sale along with the consignors.

SPRING 2010 Sale Dates:
Thurs., March 11 6-8 PM
Fri., March 12, 9 AM – 5 PM
Sat., March 13, 9 AM– noon
*Select items will be half price on Saturday

Coastal Kids Market, March 11-13, The Shops at Godley Station, Pooler Parkway, Suite 202; 912.312.5800 or email contact@coastalkidsmarket.com

NOTE:  Visitors’ Center and Café is now open at Forsyth Park’s renovated fort.
The new cafe next to the playgrounds has Starbucks coffee, breakfast, lunch, desserts, ice cream, even wine and beer!
Finally, indoor bathrooms - complete with a baby-changing station and oodles of hand sanitizer - at the park’s two playgrounds! Read more here.

BEST BET THIS WEEK:

Storytime at the Roundhouse Railroad Museum
10-11 AM Wed. Feb. 10
Children will hear stories about Valentine’s Day and make Valentine’s Day-themed crafts.
$4 per child with regular adult admission
Reservations are appreciated, but not required.
For more information or to reserve your spot, call 912.651.6823 x203 or email childrensevents@chsgeorgia.orgSavannah-area activities.

Savannah-area kids’ activities

1. 2010 Savannah Irish Festival @ the Savannah Civic Center
Fri-Sun. Feb. 12-14
The festival begins with a Ceili, 6:30-9 PM Fri, Feb. 12 in the Civic Center Ballroom. Those who attend the Ceili will be taught how to Irish folk dance in large groups.
Festival continues:
10:30 AM-8 PM Sat. Feb. 13
Noon-7 PM Sun. Feb. 14
Events include dancing, music, crafts, magic show by Silly Dilly the Clown, face painting, moonbounce.
Click here for a schedule of events.

2. 2010 Georgia Day Parade
10:30 AM Fri. Feb. 12
Bull Street from Forsyth Park to City Hall. Beginning at Forsyth Park and continuing around all five squares of Bull Street, the procession culminates with a program in front of City Hall.
Thousands of costumed schoolchildren commemorate the founding of Georgia.
Free and open to the public.

3. Mardi Gras Parade on Tybee Island
3 PM Sat. Feb. 13 on Butler Avenue
Followed by a street party with music and festivities on Tybrisa Street. Admission to the street party and parade viewing is free.

4. Valentine’s Events at Skidaway Island State Park.
Sat. Feb 13 events include 11 AM Valentine Crafts; 3 PM Sweethearts Nature Hike to learn about the plants and animals that inhabit the marsh; 7 PM Be My Nature Valentine where you can find out how crazy animals get to attract mates.
Sun. Feb. 14
11 AM Fire Building: Learn to build a fire using different fire starting techniques; 2 PM Valentine’s crafts
$5 parking
52 Diamond Cswy.
912.598.2300

5. The Great Backyard Bird Count this week from Feb. 12-15 is a great way to teach kids about birds. Learn more here.

6. Diesel train rides at the Roundhouse Railroad Museum
Train rides return for February weekends. Catch a ride in the passenger car.
Sat. and Sun. Feb. 13 and 14
Call for times.
912.651.6823

7. Mommy and Me program Tuesdays and Thursdays @ UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium, 30 Ocean Science Circle, Skidaway Island.
Every Tuesday & Thursday from 9-9:45 AM (NOTE THE TIME CHANGE. Thanks to reader Kelly for that info) for children between the ages of 1 and 4. Hands-on experiences with different animals, arts and crafts, a story time, and a game.
Maximum of 15 participants. Cost: $6/child for non-member; $4/child for members. Adults get in free with a paid child. To register, call 912-598-2496, email fish@uga.edu or click here.

8. FREE storytimes at Live Oak library branches. Click here.

9. Toddler Tuesdays @ Oatland Island Wildlife Center
10:30-11:15 AM Tuesdays
This week’s theme: Be My Purr-fect Valentine. Celebrate Valentines Day by showing love for Oatland’s Cougars. Take a walk and give cougars Taleka and Comanche a special treat. Program participants will also receive a snack and a fuzzy program favor to take home and love.
Tues. Feb. 9
Free with Oatland Island admission.
912.395.1212

10. Savannah Youth Chess Club for ages 8-18. All levels welcome.
Meeting 6 PM Thursday nights. See the full event details, including location, by clicking here

Hilton Head Is/Bluffton area kids’  activities

11. Music, dance and stories at Hilton Head Branch Library
Marlena Smalls, founder of the Hallelujah Singers, entertains and educates with music, dance, language and stories of the West African heritage. Her Juba program celebrates Gullah culture.
For ages 3-8.
FREE, 45-minute program.
Seating is limited, so come early.
11 AM Sat. Feb. 13
11 Beach City Road
843.342.9200

12. Imagination Hour at The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum, HHI
Every Thursday, 10:30-11:30 AM
Features a fun story time followed by a creative arts and crafts project.
The weekly program is included with regular admission
18-A Pope Avenue, next to St. Andrew’s by the Sea United Methodist Church.
Hilton Head Island
843-842-7645

13. Parents Night Out, Kids Night In at The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum, HHI
6-9 PM Sat. Feb. 13
Let The Sandbox take care of the kids so you can enjoy an evening with your sweetheart. Drop the kids off for a “sweet” time too!
Kids can let their imaginations run wild playing with the fun exhibits and activity areas. Plus staff supervised play, fun arts and crafts, dinner (pizza, drink & dessert – they get to decorate their own heart cookie) and a take home toy. Geared for children 3-9; children must be potty trained.
$30 per child; additional siblings and Sandbox Members only $25 per child. ($1/minute per child late pick up fee.) Reservations 24-hours in advance are appreciated.
843.842.7645 or cpfeffer@thesandbox.org.
18-A Pope Avenue, next to St. Andrew’s by the Sea United Methodist Church.

The Great Backyard Bird Count this week from Feb. 12-15 is a fun way to teach kids about birds.

All kids have to do is watch birds in your yard, a nearby park, or maybe at their school. Then kids tell what they saw by entering their bird list online. Info is collected from people all over the United States and Canada so scientists can learn what kind of birds are being seen in the winter and whether there are more or fewer of them than before.

Learn more about how your kids can participate by clicking here.

Tickle Bellies is a fun and whimsical stationery company that includes birth announcements, stickers, notepads, labels, luggage tags, invitations and bookmarks.

Check out their new line of notepads, vinyl labels and bookmarks. Free shipping on orders $75 or more.

Each notepad is 100 sheets of high quality paper in vibrant designs.

Tickle Bellies also has round address labels, big and just perfect for the back of envelope flaps. If you’re tired of rectangle address labels then give these a try.

The Visitors’ Center and Café is now open at Forsyth Park’s renovated fort, next to the park’s two playgrounds.

That means Starbucks coffee, breakfast, lunch, desserts, juices, ice cream, even wine and beer! Even better: finally the park has indoor bathrooms - complete with a baby-changing station and oodles of hand sanitizer. The Mansion-run cafe and center are a welcome addition to Forsyth Park. All that’s missing are high-chairs!

Read more here.

Missy Cleland wins a $25 gift certificate to The Polkadot Patch Boutique, which specializes in unique baby clothes and unique baby gifts. Congratulations, Missy!

Thanks to everyone who entered. Look for another giveaway to be announced here Monday.

The Silhouette Man is coming to the Lowcountry.

Tim Arnold, who has been cutting silhouettes professionally for over 30 years and considered one of America’s premier silhouette artists, will be available to do your child’s silhouette this month at the Island Child boutique store  in the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Is.

Known for his accuracy and interior detailing, Arnold’s silhouettes are famous for their delicate inside cuts referred to as “European embellished style”. He’ll be doing silhouettes at Island Child Fri & Sat. Feb. 19-20 by appointment. Book an appointment through Island Child by calling 843.686.5437 or 843.785.5437

Learn more about the nationally-renowned artist known as the “Silhouette Man” by clicking here.

Reduce! Reuse! Recycle - including your children’s outgrown items. And make some money, too!

The Wee Ones Seasonal Children’s Consignment Sale in Rincon can help you clean out your closets. Don’t hassle with a yard sale. Sell children’s clothing, shoes, toys, baby gear, books, even hairbows at this upscale sale and they’ll do the work for you. Even better, 70 profit goes to the consignor (i.e. you!).

Plus, consignors get first dibs on the sale items. The Wee Ones sale is March 3-6 and includes a SPECIAL pre-shop/pre-sale time for consignors ONLY 4-6 PM Wed. March 3. To find out how to prepare your items for sale and to learn more about becoming a consignor, click here.

At the sale, expect to find speciality boutique items, smocked Easter dresses, a large selection of infant-12mths clothing and select quality maternity clothing as well as a rare find at consignment sales - cute boys items.

Sale dates:
11 AM-6 PM March 4-5
8 AM-noon March 6 when select items will be 1/2 off

Wee Ones Resale, 135 Goshen Road, next to Verizon and Baibry’s (next to Studio 21), Rincon
912-826-7019, email weeonessale@hotmail.com

You’re trying to keep your kids healthy this flu season by stuffing them with nutrient-rich meals.

But what to do with veggie-phobic tots? Convince them to take on what writer and mom Charlotte Hume calls
the World’s First Great Big Vegetable Challenge.

Charlotte convinced her 7-year-old son Freddie to take a vegetable journey of a lifetime, getting him to eat through the ABCs of veggies, trying each vegetable from asparagus to zucchini in alphabetical order.

Freddie had to try at least two recipes with each. His mom found recipes that she thought would appeal to her finicky eater’s appetite. The challenge resulted in Charlotte’s extremely helpful blog full of kid-friendly veggie recipes. Think
zucchini turkey burgers and a canneloni recipe with butternut squash.

Join the Great Big Veg Challenge here.

A thank-you to Urban Baby Daily Picks for letting us know about such a useful kid-friendly recipe blog.

Savannah-based photographer and natural-light aficionado LeeAnn Ritch is one of this city’s go-to shutterbugs for warm, candid images.

LeeAnn Ritch specializes in newborn, baby, child, and family photography with a modern, fresh aesthetic.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out examples LeeAnn’s work pictured here and in her blog and her Web site.

After you do, you’ll be thrilled to learn that  LeeAnn Ritch Photography is offering a winter special: a photo session, online proofing and an 11 x 14, two 8 x 10s and 20 wallets for $300.

It’s enough to make winter feel downright sunny.

 LeeAnn Ritch Photography, 912.308.9327 or email leeann@leeannritchphotography.com