Live interactive butterfly display at Savannah Mall July 4-27 2014.

During July, you and your kids can watch the magic of butterflies come alive before your eyes at the center court of the Savannah Mall

The ‘Butterflies’ exhibit features over 200 live butterflies from a variety of species tucked away inside a beautiful conservatory. Open noon-8 PM Mon.-Sat. and noon-5 PM Sun.

You can enter into the conservatory and enjoy a hands-on experience with the butterflies. Friendly, knowledgeable staff will explain the life cycle of a butterfly to attendees and everyone will be able to interact with the butterflies one-on-one.

Savannah Mall will host the butterfly event July 4-27 2014.

The goal of Butterflies is to educate in a fun and safe environment. Butterflies’ strives to educate and engage youths as well as adults.

In addition to the experience of seeing, touching and interacting with an array of butterflies, you can take home one’s very own caterpillars.

Guided tours

There are also guided tours taking place every 10-30 minutes depending on traffic. One of the staff will take the group inside the conservatory and explain the stages of life between the caterpillar and butterfly. Once the guided tour is over, participants will be able to explore the conservatory on their own; interacting with up to 200 butterflies.

Cost

Admission: $3 per person and a child 8 and younger is free with the adult purchase. In addition to the conservatory, there is also a free craft activity where participants are welcome to create their very own flapping wing butterfly.

Field trips

If you’re a teacher or group who loves butterflies, there are field trip opportunities for students and other groups to experience the program in depth. With just $4 each student, or group member, gets to enjoy a 3 section field trip. The field trip is one hour and thirty minutes long with each section being a half hour. The first section consists of the wonderful experience inside the house interacting with the butterflies. The second section is a craft where everyone can learn about the parts of the butterfly, then get to make one’s own to take home. The last section is a presentation where we teach you all about the butterflies’ life cycle, parts, and some interesting fun facts. At the end of the presentation there is also an entertaining Jeopardy type game where students are engaged to answer questions about the presentation. For more information including how to make reservations, click here. 

Butterflies Gift & Educational Shop

“Butterflies!” is a one-stop-shop for everything butterfly-related. There is a retail section which encompasses a wide variety of items, from butterfly suckers to bug houses, clothing and everything in-between. In addition, everyone is welcome to Adopt-a-butterfly. For $9, you can take home the entire experience as you watch your very own caterpillars grow and hatch into beautiful butterflies.

More information on the live, interactive butterfly display here. 

Savannah Mall, 14045 Abercorn St. Savannah, 31419, (912) 927-7467, www.savannahmall.com Savannah Mall is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Our SouthernMamas.com readers often ask for face paint or glitter tattoo artists for childrens’ birthdays and festivals.

If you are looking for kid-pleasing entertainment for your next birthday party, kid-friendly event or gathering be sure to check out Eye Candy Art Studios in Richmond Hill. They are a group of local artists that travel to local events – Savannah, Hilton Head Is., Bluffton, Pooler & beyond – to show off their creative face painting and body art talents and entertain your guests

Some of their party/festival services include but are not limited to:
Face painting
Airbrush tattoos
Glitter tattoos (popular with the kids)

Serving the Greater Savannah area as well as the Lowcountry – Hilton Head Is., Bluffton & surrounding areas.

For more information, please click here  or email GAfacepainter@gmail.com.

Stay connected to Eye Candy Art by liking their Facebook page here. 

Eye Candy Art Studios, (330) 980-6462, email be GAfacepainter@gmail.com, On Facebook here.  Eye Candy Art Studios is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Coastal Heritage Society in Savannah has the secret to educating your kids about our history.

Tricentennial Park

Visit Savannah History Museum to learn the background of the Battle of Savannah and then head out to Battlefield Memorial Park to learn about the Revolutionary battle. Learn more about Tricentennial Park by clicking here.

Savannah History Museum is at 303 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Savannah, 31401

See the various Tricentennial Park sites including Georgia State Railroad Museum by clicking here.

Georgia State Railroad Museum is at 655 Louisville Road Savannah 31401

Old Fort Jackson

Old Fort Jackson in Savannah celebrated its bicentennial in May 2008, making it the oldest standing brick fortification in Georgia! A National Historic Landmark, the fort is one of only eight Second System fortifications (a series of forts built prior to the War of 1812) still standing in the United States.

Join thousands of visitors who enjoy the fort every year, and experience military exhibits, daily cannon firing demonstrations during the summer, and a serene environment with a great view of the Savannah River.

Learn more about Old Fort Jackson by clicking here. 

Old Fort Jackson is at 1 Fort Jackson Rd. Savannah,  31404

Puppets & Pastries

Bring the kids to see a Puppet People puppet show at the Savannah Coffee Roasters in downtown Savannah. It is located at 215 W. Liberty St. We will entertain the kids while the adults enjoy some coffee and a pastry.

July 3 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Purchase your tickets early since space will be limited.

Tickets are $7 per guest and all children under 2 are free.

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW by clicking here. 

Puppet People is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Kindermusik in Savannah with 88 KEYS PIANO announces brand new July themes, starting next week, July 7th!

Babies ages 0’s and 1’s will begin “Nighty Night” on Mondays at 9:30am, while toddlers ages 2’s and 3’s will begin “Beach Days!” on Mondays at 10:20am.

This is your last chance to get into a summer Kindermusik class with your child, as Kindermusik will take August off from regular weekly classes and only holding their monthly play date! Weekly classes will begin again in September. Join in for some summer fun in the sun (and under the moon) for “Nighty Night” and “Beach Days”!

To enroll online, visit www.88keysga.com or call 912-988-KEYS (5397).

Kindermusik Savannah, email music@88keysga.com, 912.988.KEYS (5397), www.88keysga.com then click on Kindermusik link. Kindermusik is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

The Savannah Waterfront Association will host their annual Fourth of July festival all weekend long beginning on Friday, July 4 and continuing through Sunday, July 6.

Wear your best red, white, and blue, and get ready to commemorate Independence Day down on historic River Street

Rousakis Plaza will be filled with regional arts & crafts exhibitors, local entertainment, and fun for the entire family! Live music will also be featured on the Arbor Stage throughout this festive weekend!

Grab your chair and get there early to watch the sky light up for the Fireworks Extravaganza on Friday, July 4th at 9 PM. Those viewing the fireworks away from the Arbor Stage can also tune into Y100-WXYY-FM for more patriotic tunes during the fireworks display.

FREE & open to the public.

Festival Hours are Friday, July 4 from 4-10pm, Saturday, July 5 from 10am-10pm, and Sunday, July 6 from 10am-5pm.

The festivities will continue on Saturday featuring another live performance for guests to dance to from the Radio Birds at 8pm. Festival Hours are 4-10pm on Friday, 10am-10pm on Saturday, and 10am-5pm on Sunday. Regional artisans will be set up along the plaza displaying a variety of handmade works for festival goers to browse through.

July is almost here and at Leopold’s Ice Cream in downtown Savannah that means two things – National Ice Cream Month and the start of the I Pledge for Ice Cream Project!

As a way to say “Thanks for Your Patriotism,” on July 1st from 4-7PM, Leopold’s Ice Cream will give any child (age 12 and younger, accompanied by an adult) who can recite the Pledge of Allegiance from memory a free child’s scoop of their choice in a cup, cake or sugar cone!

Patriotic participants should come to Leopold’s @ 212 East Broughton Street on July 1st from 4-7PM for the I Pledge for Ice Cream kick-off event.

After the kick-off, Leopold’s Ice Cream will hold additional I Pledge for Ice Cream events each Monday in July from 4-7pm. The dates are as follows: July 7, 14, 21 & 28.

Find other participating stores at www.IPledgeForIceCream.com

FREE library kids’ performances

Live Oak Public Libraries summer reading program includes oodles of free programs at various branches throughout Summer 2014.

Programs include free Science Experiments; free Legend of King Arthur performances; free The Magic Man shows & Chad Crews Magic shows; free Cartooning & Drawing with “The Library Dragon” illustrator Michael P. White. Details here. 

FREE Legend of King Arthur performances

Wish you had a way to give your student a head start in math for the new school year?

Wish your student could review material previously learned but perhaps forgotten over the summer months? Could your student use some extra practice with the more challenging math topics?

Want to build your student’s confidence going into the new year? Back by popular demand and expanded to include new courses and grade levels, Math Masters in Savannah offers 15 different courses of math review just prior to the beginning of the new 2014-2015 school year to give your student a head start. Sessions offer content review presented in a fun environment including games, activities, and competitions.

All courses will be taught by Mrs. Jackie Wetmore, Savannah Christian Preparatory School’s Mathematics Department Head, with over twenty years experience teaching Lower, Middle, and Upper School mathematics. Please see below for descriptions of the courses offered.

Registration: Space is limited. Classes will be filled in the order that registration forms are received. Numerous courses filled and closed last year, so register immediately for best selection. Classes are open to SCPS and non-SCPS students alike.

Ages: rising 4th through rising 12th graders

Dates: July 28-August 1, mornings OR afternoons

Location: Savannah Christian Prep, 1599 Chatham Parkway, Savannah, GA

For more information and registration, please click here.

Math Masters is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Summer mini sessions are here with Photography by Julie Ann!

Choose either inside studio session or outside.

Location Mini session will be held at Fort McAllister in Richmond Hill on July 19 and the studio mini session will be on July 20.

These sessions are only $75 and you get a 30 minute session, 15 digital images, a facebook timeline and printing release!

Book now! This is a perfect time to get great images in a quick session for your little one!

Call at (912) 655-9497 or email at Julie@photographybyjulieanne.com for more information or to book your session!

Photography by Julie Anne,  email julie@photographybyjulieanne.com,  (912) 655-9497,www.photographybyjulieanne.com ; On Facebook here.  Photography by Julie Anne is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

The FREE DINING promotion at Walt Disney World is back for select dates this fall and winter. If you’ve been considering a Disney vacation, this promotion is one of the best ways to save!

For 2014, the available dates are August 31st – October 3rd, October 26th – November 1st, November 9th – November 20th, and December 12th – December 23rd. Free dining is being offered to guests for their entire length of stay as long as your arrival date is within the promotion dates!

FREE Dining Plans are available at select Walt Disney World Resorts and require a minimum 3-night stay with 2-day base tickets. Guests staying in a Value Resort will receive the Quick-Service Dining Plan and guests in Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa Resorts receive the Disney Dining Plan. You can even upgrade your dining plan by paying the cost difference between your complimentary plan and the plan you want. This is a very popular time for my clients to try out the Deluxe Dining Plan!!

Availability is extremely limited, and dining reservations are already open, so let’s get your FREE DINING vacation package secured now! Contact Two Sisters Travel now for your no-obligation vacation quote or details. And remember, Two Sisters’ travel planning services are 100% FREE!

Tara McCoy, Vacation Specialist at Two Sisters Travel

843.284.3241

Become a Facebook fan at facebook.com/twosisterstravel

Tara McCoy is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser. 

Attention parents of children ages 0-7:

Join Kindermusik in Savannah for a free trial visit on June 30! It’s a great time to try a class to see if you’d like to join the exciting July Kindermusik classes!

For ages 0 & 1: In July, babies ages 0 and 1 will be starting “Nighty Night!” It’s nighttime, but not quite bedtime yet! Babies will explore the night through music and movement…see the moon and twinkling stars, and say hello to Wee Willie Winkie and the man in the moon. Finally, it’s time to get ready for bed….with bath time, a little playtime, and then it’s time to say Nighty Night. This class meets Mondays at 9:30am and begins July 7 and will meet every Monday in July.

For toddlers: Toddlers ages 2 and 3 will begin “Beach Days”! Breathe in that salty water and take in the wide ocean rolling in and out. Crabs are scuttling, fish are swimming, toes are wiggling and bells are jingling…this unit is filled with sun, fun and musical play. This class meets Mondays at 10:20am and begins July 7 and will meet every Monday in July.

To enroll online, or sign up for a free trial class, visit the website at www.88keysga.com and click on the Kindermusik link. Or, call 912-988-KEYS (5397).

All class sizes are limited.

Kindermusik Savannah, email music@88keysga.com, 912.988.KEYS (5397), www.88keysga.com then click on Kindermusik link. Kindermusik is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

The Club at Savannah Harbor offers FREE 30-minute golf clinics for families during July 2014, which is family golf month.

Contact Paul Killgallon for more information at 912.201.2240, email paul.killgallon@westin.com or click here.

The Club at Savannah Harbor, Hutchinson Is., 2 Resort Drive, Savannah, 31421, 912.201.2240, email Golf.savannah@westin.com https://www.facebook.com/TheClubAtSavannahHarbor, www.theclubatsavannahharbor.com   The Club at Savannah Harbor is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Water Fun Day is back for one day only on Hilton Head Is.

The Island Recreation Association is proud to bring back the Water Fun Day in the Park on Tuesday July 1, 2014 from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm at Shelter Cove Community Park.

Come to Shelter Cove Park that day for a fun-filled, festive atmosphere where kids can enjoy inflatable water bounce houses and slides while SC 103’s radio personality Brad Wells will be playing the tunes. Admission is only $10 per child with adults getting in free.

Concessions sold separately and supplied by vendors from the Shelter Cove Farmers Market also going on that day (4-7 pm). All proceeds benefit our children’s scholarship fund which helps guarantee that “no child is denied” recreation opportunities.

Shelter Cove Community Park is at 39 Shelter Cove Ln Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29928

This is so worth the roadtrip to Port Poyal, near Beaufort, S.C.

The Shark Tooth Fairy, Mike Harris, invites kids to come to The Sands beach in Port Royal (a roughly 1 hr drive or less from Savannah) this Saturday June 28 2014 starting at 11 AM. Kids can look for shark teeth, Megalodon teeth and other fossilized finds and take what they find home with them. Over 200 pounds of sharks teeth and fossils donated from all over the world will be hidden on the beach for kids to find. 

Read more about Shark Tooth Fairy Mike Harris here.

FREE & open to the public.

Harris – an avid fossil and shark tooth collector (as well as an overall fun character)- will spread pounds of shark teeth and a bunch of cool bones on the beach just in time for the kids’ arrival at 11 AM.  Info on The Sands in Port Royal, S.C. near Beaufort here.

Stay updated and learn more about The Shark Tooth Fairy by friending Mike Harris on Facebook here. We attended previous shark tooth and fossil hunt and even though we didn’t find a shark tooth, we were so entertained & impressed by this guy’s enthusiasm.

Learn more here. 

SIDE TRIPS: Make a day of it and pair your visit with a trip to the lighthouse at Hunting Island near Beaufort or check out fun playgrounds in Beaufort by clicking here. Stay all day & catch a drive-in movie at the Hwy 21 Drive-In.

Tybee Island to Host July 3rd Independence Day Fireworks Celebration

Celebrate America’s birthday with a spectacular fireworks display on beautiful Tybee Island! The fireworks show can be enjoyed from the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion, the beach or anywhere on the eastern side of Tybee Island. This popular event on “Savannah’s Beach” is free and open to the public. Enjoy a laid-back Independence Day celebration at this island paradise and discover unique restaurants, sandy beaches, charming shops, outstanding accommodations and much more.

WHEN: Thursday, July 3, 2014 9:15 p.m.

WHERE: Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion or the island’s eastern beaches Tybrisa St. and Strand Ave, Tybee Island, Georgia

COST: Free

MORE INFORMATION: Call (912) 786-5444, visit www.VisitTybee.com online or check out Tybee Island, Georgia on Facebook.

We love this high-tech kids’ entertainment option: have a state-of-the art Mobile Game Theater come to your house.

That’s what GameTruck Hilton Head offers not just for Hilton Head Is. but also for Savannah, Bluffton, Pooler & the surrounding area.

JUNE 2014 SPECIAL: Mention you read about GameTruck Hilton Head Island on SouthernMamas.com & receive this deal during June! Receive GameTruck’s weekdayprice of $299 for the remainder of the month ANY DAY if you mention you read about this special on SouthernMamas.com. Just call Gametruck’s local number to receive the offer, 843-619-7FUN(7386)

GameTruck’s Original Mobile Video Game Theater™ features five flat screen TVs (yes, five!), dozens of video games, the latest consoles, climate control, two vendor doors. This video-game paradise on wheels is staffed by experienced GameCoaches. Talk about posh & fun. Just what your little gamers would love.

GameTruck isn’t just for children’s birthday parties. This kind of interactive video game entertainment is perfect for block parties, corporate events, summer events/camps, fund-raisers, school functions & more. Even better: GameTruck Hilton Head is locally owned & operated.

Book Now: GameTruck brings the excitement right to your door
888-602-GAME (4263)
843-619-7FUN (7386)

Gametruck Hilton Head, (843) 619-7386, email jason.stockwell@gametruckparty.com ,www.gametruckparty.com/HiltonHead On Facebook here.

It’s a Summer Camp Explosion @ Coastal Performing Arts Academy in Pooler.
Click here for more information
Sign up your child for Art Camp, Hip Hop and Theater Camp for all ages
Pooler Studio: Mon.-Fri. 4:30pm-8pm, Sat. 9am-1pm

Go by the studio 107 Grand Central Blvd, Suite 202/203, The Shops at Godley Station Pooler, 31322 between 9am-8pm to register or call 912-656-1744 or 912-988-1521.

Art Camp
July 7-11
Ages 3-5 – 9:30- 10:15 Cost : $60
Ages 6-11 – 10:30 – 12:30 Cost: $125
Cost includes all materials. Details here. 

Hip Hop Camp
July 14-18
Ages 4-5 – 9:30-10:30 Cost: $75
Ages 6-7 – 10:30-11:30 Cost: $75. Details here. 

Broadway Bound Camp
July 21-25 from 9am-12
Art, Dance and Theater with a show on Friday. Students will learn lines, dance steps and create all the scenery and costumes. Details here. 

Register: Go by The Coastal Performing Arts Academy studio 107 Grand Central Blvd, Suite 202/203, The Shops at Godley Station Pooler, 31322 between 9am-8pm to register or call 912-656-1744 or 912-988-1521.

Pooler Registration:

June 27 9am-2pm
July 11 4pm-8pm
July 18 4pm-8pm
Every Tuesday & Thursday in July from 4pm-8pm

Springfield Registration:
August 2nd 10am-2pm

Coastal Performing Arts Academy, 107 Grand Central Blvd, Suite 202/203, The Shops at Godley Station, Pooler, 31322 tel: (912) 988-1521 email coastalperformingartsacademy@yahoo.com, www.coastalperformingartsacademy.com/ Coastal Performing Arts Academy is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
SATURDAY JUNE 28 AT 3 PM
PRESENTED BY LUCAS THEATRE
DON’T MISS HAPPY HALF HOUR BEFORE EACH OF THE SUMMER MOVIES. FROM 2-2:30 ENJOY HALF PRICE BEER AND POPCORN SPECIALS.

An eccentric and reclusive candy maker Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) who has been hiding inside of his candy factory for years, announces a worldwide contest. Golden tickets have been distributed inside of five of his candy bar wrappers, and the children who find these tickets win a tour of the mysterious factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate. Poor, local boy Charlie has almost lost hope of being one of the lucky winners until he finds some spare change and uses it to buy one last chocolate bar. To his surprise he finds the fifth and final ticket. Once he and the other four motley children are inside the factory, the tour becomes a test of their loyalty and morality.
Written by Roald Dahl, and directed by Mel Stuart.
Rated G. 100 mins.
Tickets are $8 general admission or $5 student/senior/military/child. Also eligible for use with the Lucas Theatre Movie Pass. Available online here or by calling 912-525-5050.

Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St Savannah, 31401 tel. (912) 525-5040, email lucas@lucastheatre.com, www.lucastheatre.com

Kids can watch stock car racing for free then participate in a kids’ box car races at intermission Fri. June 20 at Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Pooler.

The box car races were rained out earlier this month and are now rescheduled for Fri. June 20, weather permitting.

Grandstand Gate opens at 6pm. Stock car racing start at 8pm. The Kid’s Box Car Races at intermission around 9 PM. More info here.

Kids are admitted free with a Box Car.

Oglethorpe Speedway Park, 200 Jesup Rd. Pooler, Georgia 31322, (912) 964-8200, email ospracing@yahoo.com, http://www.ospracing.net

Congratulations Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge nearby in South Carolina which was spotlighted in the July 2014 issue of Parents Magazine, available now.

The article ’50 Free Attractions Across America’ found a fabulous free attraction in every state that won’t cost you a dime any day of the year. In South Carolina, the destination featured is nearby Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, and in Georgia, the destination is BabyLand General Hospital in Cleveland, Ga.

Pinckney is a great daytrip from Savannah, located 1/2 miles west of Hilton Head Island off of U.S. Highway 278. Details here. Bikes are welcome. Pinckney is perfect spot to see white ibis, herons, and egrets, maybe some alligators and deer. Bathrooms and picnic spots available. Free parking.

Parents Magazine, we couldn’t agree more. Pinckney Is. is an amazing free family-friendly attraction. Check out the Land of the Free feature on page 44 in the July issue.

There are 10 miles (16.1 km) of hiking trails on the refuge and nine recommended hikes:
Ibis Pond – 1.2 miles (1.9 km), round trip; one and a half hours walking at a leisurely pace
Shell Point – 4.6 miles (7.4 km), round trip; four hours and 15 minutes
Wood Stork Pond – 2.7 miles (4.3 km), round trip; two and a half hours
Osprey Pond – 3.0 miles (4.8 km), round trip; three hours
Nini Chapin Pond – 3.6 miles (5.8 km), round trip; three and a half hours
Bull Point – 5.0 miles (8.0 km), round trip; five hours
Dick Point – 7.4 miles (11.9 km), round trip; six and a half hours
Clubhouse Pond – 6.2 miles (10.0 km), round trip; five and a half hours
White Point – 7.8 miles (12.6 km), round trip; seven hours

Savannah Yoga Center’s POOLER location is having it’s GRAND OPENING July 5-6.

Free yoga, open house, and live music. For more information, email info@savannahyoga.com or call 912-988-1320.

Savannah Yoga Center, 111 Canal St. #101, Pooler, GA. Ph: 912-988-1320 www.savannahyoga.com Savannah Yoga Center is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser