The Davenport House in Historic Savannah will host “Yellow Fever in Savannah 1820” on Friday and Saturday nights throughout October 2016.

In 1820, the city of Savannah experienced a widespread outbreak of yellow fever.

The Davenport House will recreate the epidemic and pay special emphasis on Savannah’s first female physician, Mary Lavinder.

Guests will walk through the candlelit house and see the fat and experiences that affected half the city first hand.

Not appropriate for children younger than 8.

These reenactments will take place Oct. 1, 7, 8, 14, 21, 22, 28, 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Admission: $22 in advance and $25 at the door. Reservations are recommended due to limited space. For more information visit, www.DavenportHouseMuseum.org.

Davenport House, 324 E State St, Savannah, 31401, (912) 236-8097, www.DavenportHouseMuseum.org.

FOR MORE SAVANNAH FALL FUN, VISIT OUR FALL FUN GUIDE 2016 HERE. 

Savannah Children’s Museum is ready for fun Fall 2016 with these daily programs

Sept. 7 2016 marks the day the museum will switch to their school year hours (Wed-Sun) and new program schedule listed above.

SCHOOL YEAR HOURS:
Wed-Sat: 10am-4pm
Sun: 11am-4pm
Mon-Tues: Closed

The museum’s new programs include Smart Start, STEAM Studio, Teddy Bear Picnic, and Young Explorers.  Daily programs are included in the purchase of your museum pass and free for members.

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Help Savannah Children’s Museum raise money for the expansion of their new programs that focus on STEAM-based learning, environmental education, health and wellness, and literacy.

Coastal Heritage Society invites the public to attend the 2016 Savannah Children’s Museum Benefit Concert, an evening of fun and musical entertainment featuring The Accomplices and Bottles & Cans.

The event will be Fri. Sept. 30 at 7 pm at Georgia State Railroad Museum, 655 Louisville Rd., Savannah, GA 31401. Doors open at 6pm.

Bottles & Cans, a blues band with musical influences including American folk, country and rock will open the event and The Accomplices, a Savannah based acoustic folk-rock band known for their modern take on folk melodies and genre-blending sound, will headline the show.

The Frankie & Flynn food truck will be on-site with sandwich options and the The Dark Shark-Taco Attack! food truck will bring an assortment of tacos. A cash bar will be available serving refreshments, including beer and wine.

Cost

Tickets to the concert: $15 per person through pre-registration at bit.ly/SCMConcert and $20 at the door. Coastal Heritage Society members will receive express check-in and a special VIP cash bar during the event. Generous support for this event has been provided by Friends of Tania Smith-Jones, Coastal Heritage Society Board of Trustees and our corporate sponsors.

Funds raised will go toward the expansion of Savannah Children’s Museums’ programs that focus on STEAM-based learning, environmental education, health and wellness, and literacy.

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

UPDATE: CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE MATTHEW RECOVERY. 

Join SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah in celebration of the museum’s fifth anniversary Sat. Oct. 15, 1–4PM with free admission for a day of drawing demonstrations, workshops & activities for the whole family.

Enjoy music & treats in the Alex Townsend Memorial Courtyard + a special appearance by SCAD mascot Art the Bee.

Sat. Oct. 15 2016
1-4PM
FREE admission
SCAD Museum of Art
601 Turner Blvd., Savannah 31401

This event is free & open to the public
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FOR MORE FREE SAVANNAH FAMILY EVENTS, CLICK HERE. 

The Tibetan Buddhist monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery return to the Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center in Savannah Sept. 13-18 to create an exquisite sand mandala painting as part of a weeklong residency.

Programs related to the monks’ residency include a variety of free activities for all ages. Their previous visits to Savannah attracted hundreds of interested onlookers & participants.

The monks undertake a spiritual art form which involves painstakingly placing millions of grains of sands on a flat platform over the course of the week. The monks have created mandala sand paintings in hundreds of museums, art centers & colleges, universities in the United States & Europe.

On Tues. Sept. 13, the mandala sand painting begins with an opening ceremony, during which the lamas consecrate the site through chanting, music & mantra recitation & draw the outline of the mandala. On the following days, they will lay down the colored sands, this year creating the Akshobya Mandala, also known as the “Unshakable Victor” for conflict resolution & peace.

Visitors may watch the monks at work during normal museum hours in the Jepson Center Atrium Wednesday through Saturday.

On Sun. Sept. 18, the mandala will be destroyed as a metaphor for the impermanence of life. The sands are placed in an urn, with half distributed to the audience at the closing ceremony. The remainder will be carried to the Savannah River then dispersed to the ocean for planetary healing.

Funding for this program is provided by the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs.

Full Schedule

Tues. Sept. 13, 5-7PM. FREE Opening ceremony: the monks begin with a ceremony and chants, after which they draw the mandala. Admission is free.

Sept. 14-17, 10AM-5PM Mandala sand painting: visitors may watch the monks create the mandala sand painting in the museum atrium during normal daytime museum hours, other than lunchtime (1-2PM). Admission is free.

Thurs. Sept. 15, 6PM FREE Lecture: “Meditation: A Tool for Conscious Living” by the Tibetan Monks of Drepung Loseling

For the first time at the Jepson Center, the monks will present a lecture on meditation as an important technique for quieting the mind and establishing an inner basis of clarity and well-being. Meditation is designed to relax and better understand the processes that make up people’s lives. The monks will discuss meditative techniques aimed at strengthening important inner qualities and eliminating inner negativities and habitual patterns. Admission is free.

Sat. Sept. 17, 1-4PM Free Family Day: Hands on activities include community sand painting sessions @ 2PM & 3PM in which children may participate in the creation of a sand painting using the tools of the monks. Admission is free.

Sun. Sept. 18, 2-3PM Closing ceremony: Chants, destruction of the mandala & procession to the river. In a moving closing event with polyphonic chants and music, the monks ritually destroy the mandala. Afterward, sand is distributed to the audience. At 3PM, the public is invited to join the monks for a procession to the Savannah River to release the mandala to the ocean to spread healing throughout the world. Admission for members is free; non-members pay $5.

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

FALL 2016 YOUTH CLASSES @ Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center

For more information on Telfair’s education programs, classes, studio workshops, and registration, call 912.790.8823 or visit telfair.org/learn

All events are located in the Jepson Center at 207 West York St. on
Telfair Square, Savannah 31401 unless otherwise noted

Portfolio Builder: Drawing I
Ages: 10–14
Thursdays, Sept. 22–Oct. 20,
4:30–6PM
Members $100 / non-members $125
Instructor: Marisa Lilje
This class is designed to help upper-elementary and middle school students improve their drawing skills. In Drawing I, students will develop a strong grasp and understanding of foundational drawing—a great class for students wishing to expand or refine their art portfolios. New students welcome!

Videogame Development
Ages: 10–16, Thursdays, Sept. 22–Oct. 20, 4:30–6PM
Members $100 / non-members $125
Instructor: Johnathan Bushnell
In this five-week class, students will build their own videogames. Students will explore, play, and develop videogames while learning the basics of computer programming using Game Maker. Suitable for beginners or intermediate-level participants with a fun-loving personality, this workshop requires no previous programming experience. All materials are provided.

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Workshops

Museum Sketch Crawl
Ages: teen to adult
Sat. Oct. 1, 2:30–5PM
Free with registration; email bradleyk@telfair.org or call 912.790.8823.
Tour One Hundred Years of Harmony, and take time to find the harmony in the objects and environments of our three museum sites. We will meet at the Jepson Center at 2:30PM to enjoy a leisurely group tour of the exhibition and sketch inside the galleries. Then, we will travel to the Telfair Academy and Owens Thomas House to explore further ideas of harmony in sketching.

Intro to Woodcarving Carve
Your Own Folk Art Cane
Ages: teen to adult
Saturday, Nov. 5, 1–5PM
Members $125 / non-members $150
Instructor: Matt Toole
In conjunction with Stick Men, this one-day workshop will provide an intro to basic woodcarving techniques. In this class, you will have the opportunity to view traditional folk art canes, learn about the various tools and woods available, and gain hands-on experience carving your own folk art cane. Students will also begin to understand how to visualize the finished work and think in three-dimensions. At the end of the session everyone will go home with their own set of carving tools and a good start on your own
personalized cane.

Learn more about Matt Toole here

Tobia Makover, Featured
Artist: Mixed Media
Photography
Ages: teen to adult
Sat. Nov. 12, 1–5PM
Members $125 / non-members $150
Some materials required
In this workshop, students will learn about the artist’s work and explore Tobia’s techniques from beginning to end while gaining hands-on experience incorporating encaustic in their own photography. Tobia will demonstrate techniques and provide advice as students have a chance to experiment with a variety of prepared surfaces. Each student will create their own personalized 6 xy6 inch photographic work based on Tobia’s process.

Learn more about Tobia Makover here. 

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For more information on Telfair’s education programs, classes, studio workshops, and registration, call 912.790.8823 or visit telfair.org/learn

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Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Hands-on edible education is coming to the Savannah Children’s Museum this Sept. 3.

Savannah Children’s Museum will host a day of workshops focused on healthy living to kick of their new Health and Wellness initiatives and celebrate becoming a nationally recognized Let’s Move! museum.

The event, called Healthy Me, is Sat  Sept 3, 9AM-2PM at Savannah Children’s Museum, 655 Louisville Rd. Savannah, GA 31401.

Highlights include:

• The Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah will be on-site with veggie relay races
• Bowling plus fitness bingo, Grow.Eat.Repeat. will share lessons about composting and using food scraps to create nutrient rich soil for plants.
• Yogi Palz will have yoga classes promoting health and balance geared for children ages 2.5 to 12 years of age.
• Healthy Savannah will also be available to provide tips on ways to stay physically fit in our community.

In addition to these partner workshops, Savannah Children’s Museum educators will lead interactive programming at several of the museum exhibits that encourage healthy living and will discuss new programs for the Fall such as Cooking Matters, the Mobile Greenhouse and the Charlie Cart.

Cost 

The Healthy Me Event is included in the cost of museum admission, $7.50 for all guests 18 months and older. This event is free for Coastal Heritage Society members.

About Let’s Move Museums and Gardens

Let’s Move is a national initiative, coordinated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to provide opportunities for millions of museum and garden visitors to learn about healthy food choices and physical activity through interactive exhibits and programs.

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Bring the family to see a large interactive installation  in the North Garden of the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum in Savannah

As part of Ships of the Sea’s fiftieth anniversary, Ships of the Sea presents a large interactive installation entitled “Gestalt” by local artist and SCAD professor Chris Nitsche.

The installation – located along the north wall in the Museum’s North Garden – will be open free to the public daily from August- December 2016.

The installation takes the shape of a ship’s hull—75 feet long, 8 feet high, and will be built in sections with access gaps to enable visitors to walk through the inside of the hull.

Great chance to pay homage to the maritime history of Savannah.

A selection of the Chris Nitsche’s preliminary sketches are on display in the Museum atrium.

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
AUG.-DEC 2016 TUES-SUN, 10AM-5PM (LAST ADMISSION 4:15)

LEARN MORE HERE.

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum
41 Martin.Luther King Jr Blvd.
Savannah, 31401
(912) 232-1511

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FOR MORE FREE SAVANNAH-AREA EVENTS, CLICK HERE. 

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Tickets are now available for Frogwarts annual Harry-Potter inspired event hosted by Coastal Heritage Society in Savannah.

Frogwarts is Sun. Oct. 16 2016, 11AM-3PM. Georgia State Railroad Museum and Savannah Children’s Museum will transform into a magical fall festival for a Harry Potter-themed day of fun

This year’s studies will incorporate STEAM (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) which helps encourage critical thinking, creative problem solving & experiential learning through each fun and engaging activity.

Guests are invited to arrive at Frogwarts School of Magic in costumes and will be assigned by the Sorting Hat into one of four houses: Croak, Hoppin, Ribbit or Slime.

Classes will include Wand Making, Potions, Symbology with Tails of the Lowcountry, Fortune Telling, Defense Against the Dark Arts: Glow-in-the-Dark Fun!, Care of Magical Creatures with Georgia Reptile Society, Herbology and an adventure through The Forbidden Forest in the Savannah Children’s Museum Maze. Visitors can also take a ride on the Frogwarts Express, our steam locomotive.

Tickets are limited, so pre-register for your chance to join the fun.

For tickets & registration, clink here. 

Some community partners will also be leading workshops, including Oatland Island with a quill writing activity, Oglethorpe Astronomical Association with an Astronomy lesson, Snapology with Harry Potter LEGO building, and Savannah Stage Company with a cast of some of our favorite Harry Potter characters. Leopold’s Ice Cream will be on site with their world famous sweet treats for event attendees.

This event is $12 per participant over 18 months old and pre-registration is required. Coastal Heritage Society members receive access to early registration, an express check-in line and priority boarding for the Frogwarts Express train ride.

A special thank you to Barnes & Noble at Oglethorpe Mall for
their generous donation of the complete Harry Potter book series. Raffle tickets to win this prize will be available for $1 at Frogwarts.

For info on how to become a CHS member, click here.

Fun for all ages
Sunday, Oct. 16 2016 @ Tricentennial Park, Savannah

For tickets & registration, clink here. 

Savannah Children’s Museum & Georgia State Railroad Museum, 655 Louisville Rd., Savannah, 31401 Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Savannah Children’s Museum will host Sensory Soft Sundays on select Sundays 9-11AM. This is a unique offering for families with children who have special needs.

Children with special needs and their families are invited to Sensory Soft Sunday. Savannah Children’s Museum will open their doors two hours early so guests can explore and enjoy the museum with less concern regarding crowds and loud noises.

The number of attendees is limited, so secure your spot today by contacting jpaterson@chsgeorgia.org.

What: Sensory Soft Sundays
When: Nov. 13 2016,  9-11AM
Where: Savannah Children’s Museum, 655 Louisville Rd, Savannah, GA 31401
Cost: $7.50 for all guests 18 months and older (FREE for CHS members!)

Tickets are $7.50 per person over the age of 18 months, free for members.

Savannah Children’s Museum, 655 Louisville Rd., Savannah, GA 31401, www.savannahchildrensmuseum.org, 912.651.6823 Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Loyalists & Liberty: A Revolutionary War Experience at Savannah History Museum & Battlefield Memorial Park.

The story of Savannah’s role in the American Revolution comes alive. This hands-on family-friendly experience starts in Savannah History Museum, where you will learn about Savannah at the time of the Revolution, conditions of a soldier in the American militia, and events leading up to the 1779 Battle of Savannah. The program concludes on Battlefield Memorial Park with musket firing demonstrations, while you join in our reenactment of the militia attack on this British fortification.

This special program offers visitors an in-depth understanding of the Revolutionary War in Savannah.

It includes a musket demonstration and a visitor reenactment on Battlefield Memorial Park.

Included with purchase of See 3 Pass and/or admission to Savannah History Museum.

Program is at 10:30AM, 12:30PM, and 2:30PM on Fridays & Saturdays,  Sundays through Oct. 2 2016.

Tours meet in the lobby behind the Visitor’s Center. (with the mural)

For more information, click here or call 912.651.6840 x 303.

Savannah History Museum, 303 MLK Jr. Blvd. Savannah, 31401, www.chsgeorgia.org/SHM Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser. 

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Train Rides @ Georgia State Railroad Museum, Savannah

Diesel train rides @ Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays during August 2016 & in October & November 2016 starting on Oct. 21 (with the exception of Nov. 11 & 12).

Steam train rides @ Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays during September 2016 (including on Mon. Sept. 5 Labor Day) & through Oct. 16 2016. (including on Mon. Oct. 10)

Located at the old Central of Georgia Railway Savannah Shops and Terminal Facilities, Georgia State Railroad Museum is a stunning National Historic Landmark that is part of a National Historic Landmark District.

Enjoy a close-up view of the fully operational turntable, learn about the many historic railcars and rolling stock on display, and experience the handcar with the help of a knowledgeable and friendly historic interpreter.

Check the schedule for train ride dates and times, which rotate between the No. 30 steam locomotive built in 1913, and the ‘modern’ No. 119 diesel locomotive built in 1947.

Diesel rides 11AM, 11:30AM, 1PM & 2PM
Steam rides 11AM, 11:30AM, 1PM, 2PM & 3PM.
All Sunday rides at 1PM & 2PM only.

Train rides will be at 11AM, 11:30AM, 1PM & 2PM Friday and Saturday.
Sunday train rides will be at 1PM & 2PM. See the train schedule here. 

Georgia State Railroad Museum, 655 Louisville Road, Savannah, GA 31401, tel: 912.651.6823, www.chsgeorgia.org, Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

“Big Summer Blowout” End of Summer Celebration @  Sandbox Children’s Museum on Hilton Head Is.

10AM-2PM Wed. Aug. 3
School is just around the corner so come for an end of summer celebration.

Special visitor “Olaf” will be there for photo op between 11AM-1PM, outside activities (weather permitting) include bounce house, building blocks, facepainting by Morgan’s Mommy Facepainting People and more.

Inside activities include all our hands on exhibits, special arts and crafts and a scavenger hunt.

A light picnic lunch is also included so don’t miss out on the dog days of the summer at The Sandbox!
Event admission is $5 for members, $10 for non-members. Military and senior discounts are available.
First come, first serve. Space and activities limited in the event of rain.
(Sorry, coupons not valid for special event)

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August 11 – FREE Countdown to Kindergarten
5-7PM

The Sandbox: An Interactive Children’s Museum invites all rising kindergartners and their families to the annual Countdown to Kindergarten Celebration. The celebration will provide parents with a helpful school readiness checklist of things children need to know before starting kindergarten. Families can connect with representatives from a variety of community organizations to learn about educational, health and local resources available to them. Children of all ages will enjoy fun games and activities, free admission to the museum and receive fun take home items to help them start the school year off right!
COST: FREE.

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The Sandbox Children’s Museum, 18-A Pope Avenue, next to St. Andrew’s by the Sea United Methodist Church, Hilton Head Is., 29928 www.thesandbox.org The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

FOR MORE LOCAL PARENT & ME ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR PRESCHOOLER, CLICK HERE. 

5th Annual Sandbox At The Stables Fundraiser on Sept 5, 2016

The Sandbox Children’s Museum and Lawton Stables , both on Hilton Head Is., invite you & your family to “Sandbox at the Stables” this Labor Day 2016.

Everyone is invited to this community celebration on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 5 2016 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. @ Lawton Stables, located inside Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Is. (about a 1 hr drive from Savannah).

Activities (some free, some require activity tickets) scheduled include:

Craft projects
Inflatable water slides and bounce houses
Pony rides
Facepainting by Morgan’s Mommy Facepainting People
Family games and activities (including Rock Climbing Wall and Bungee Jumping by Firehouse Nutz Extreme Events)
Live remotes from SC103.1 and 104.9 The Surf

The Cowpoke Caper Parade is back again at High Noon. Come dressed as your favorite cowpoke and bring your cowpoke name – creativity is key. Free bandanas to the first 50 entries.

Available for purchase: hot dogs & burgers fresh off the grill, snow cones, cotton candy.

Admission: $5 per person; tickets for concessions and activities are $1 each.

(Members:$5/person and you will receive $5 in concession tickets for each paid admission)

Guests will park at the Trolley Stop inside Sea Pines Gate ($6 per vehicle fee entrance to Sea Pines) &  ride the free trolley to Lawton Stables. (there is NO Event parking at Lawton Stables)

The Sandbox Children’s Museum on Pope Avenue will be closed on Labor Day.

Lawton Stables, 190 Greenwood Drive, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928 tel: (843) 671-2586, www.lawtonstableshhi.com/ Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

FOR MORE LOCAL KIDS’ ACTIVITIES, VISIT OUR EVENTS CALENDAR HERE.

Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center – a small, free & interesting museum that’s in Okatie, S.C. near Beaufort, SC (about a 45-minute drive from Savannah) – has Pirate Saturdays on the third Saturday of each month.

From 11AM-2PM on Sat. July 16, members of the Charles Towne Few, South Carolina’s largest pirate re-enactment group, will be swashbuckling, storytelling, plundering & telling landlubbers the true stories of pirates in the Port Royal Sound area.

Admission is FREE so bring the whole family.

Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center 
Free admission
A non-profit museum dedicated to the betterment & conservation of the waters & lands of our unique salt marsh ecosystem. Features include a 3,000 gallon aquarium; moons & tides exhibit; underwater sounds exhibit; Megalodon jaw; educational touch tanks.
Open 10AM-5PM Tues-Sat.
310 Okatie Hwy
Okatie, South Carolina
(843) 645-7774

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Things to do with kids in nearby Beaufort, SC

The Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center is near Beaufort, SC. After your visit, head into Beaufort for a visit. Click here for ideas of things to do with kids while visiting Beaufort.

Join Sandbox Children’s Museum on Hilton Head Is. to play in fake show during Christmas in July Wed. July 20 10AM-2PM.

Snow is in the forecast for frolic and fun at the 6th Annual “Christmas in July” party. Festivities include indoor and outdoor holiday games and activities, including playing in the SNOW! Visit with Santa (who just happens to be enjoying a summer vacation on the island) or decorate holiday cookies. Don’t miss out on the “coolest” day of summer.

A light picnic lunch is also included so don’t miss out on the “coolest” day of the summer!

COST: $10/person or $5/person for members

Military and senior discounts are available with proper ID
First come, first serve. (Space and activities limited in the event of inclement weather)

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More Summer 2016 Events @ The Sandbox Children’s Museum

Parents Night Out
June 22 – Aug. 4 – Parent’s Night Out
Wednesday & Thursday Evenings | 6:00 – 9:00PM
Treat yourself to a parents night out while your kid’s (imaginations) run wild! Children ages 3-9 years will enjoy playing in our hands-on exhibits and activity areas. A staff-supervised arts and crafts activity and a pizza dinner will also be provided.
COST: $30/child or $20/child for siblings & members
A late pick-up fee of $1/minute per child
24-hour advanced reservations are highly recommended.
Details here. 
Call 843-842-7645 to sign up
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August 3-Big Summer Blowout
10AM-2PM
School is just around the corner so why not join us for an end-of-summer celebration! Have your picture taken with our special visitor – “Olaf” – between 11AM and 1PM. Send summer out in style with cool face paint or jump around in our Bounce House. Don’t miss out on the final dog days of summer at The Sandbox.
COST: $10/person or $5/person for members
Military and senior discounts are available with proper ID
First come, first serve! (Space and activities limited in the event of inclement weather)

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August 11 – FREE Countdown to Kindergarten
5-7PM

The Sandbox: An Interactive Children’s Museum invites all rising kindergartners and their families to the annual Countdown to Kindergarten Celebration. The celebration will provide parents with a helpful school readiness checklist of things children need to know before starting kindergarten. Families can connect with representatives from a variety of community organizations to learn about educational, health and local resources available to them. Children of all ages will enjoy fun games and activities, free admission to the museum and receive fun take home items to help them start the school year off right!
COST: FREE.

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Summer Camps 2016 @ The Sandbox.
July 5 – 29 – SUMMER CAMP
Weekly | 8:30 – 11:30AM
For ages 3-10.
Join The Sandbox Children’s Museum for their special summer camp series for children ages 3-10 years. Attendees will enjoy supervised playtime in the museum and theme focused fun and crafts. Click here to view specific dates, weekly themes and pricing. Weekly and daily rates are available.

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The Sandbox Children’s Museum, 18-A Pope Avenue, next to St. Andrew’s by the Sea United Methodist Church, Hilton Head Is., 29928 www.thesandbox.org The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

FOR MORE LOCAL PARENT & ME ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR PRESCHOOLER, CLICK HERE. 

Savannah Children’s Museum invites you to Splash Fest, the annual Summer event for fun and educational aquatic activities.

The festival will be Sat. July 23, 9AM-2PM @ Savannah Children’s Museum, 655 Louisville Rd., Savannah, GA 31401.

Guests can see and learn about Terrapin turtles from Armstrong University; discover the marine conservation efforts in our region from The Dolphin Project; participate in water themed hands-on activities with Tails of the Lowcountry; and have fun dunking museum staff in a dunk tank.

Museum educators will also lead programming, such as a Smart Start Nutrition Workshop on why water is important for our bodies; Splash Games, building a gene “pool” out of pool noodles to educate visitors about DNA; and an oil spill cleanup activity to share the best ways to protect our environment and natural resources.

Guests are encouraged to bring water and sun protection, as the Savannah Children’s Museum site is entirely outdoors. Snacks or a packed lunch are welcome and can be enjoyed on Sugar Beet Bluff, located directly outside of the Children’s Museum.

The Naked Dog food truck will also be available for hotdogs, snacks and sodas.

This event is open to the general public. Admission to Splash Fest is included in the cost of regular admission to Savannah Children’s Museum, $7.50 for all guests 18 months and older. This event is free for Coastal Heritage Society members.

Splash Fest
Saturday, July 23 at 9AM-2 PM
Savannah Children’s Museum
655 Louisville Rd, Savannah, Georgia 31401

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

A Night in History: American Revolutionary War Exhibit Opening
Sat. July 23, 2016, 5:30-7:30PM
Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland, SC

You are invited to travel back in time at the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland, SC. Come play war games, scavenge for treasure with pirates & enjoy light refreshments while you chat with Revolutionary & Civil War soldiers.

Suggested donation: $6 per adult will help sustain the center’s educational programs. Free for children!

To RSVP call the Morris Center at 843-284-9227 ext. 0 or email info@morrisheritagecenter.org

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Reptiles of the Lowcountry
Fri. July 29, 2016, 2PM
Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland, SC

Come see the reptiles that live among us in a presentation by Jeff Culbertson. Discover the hidden lives of reptiles and learn why they are so important to the environment. In this program, you will not only be able to look at live reptiles, but also get to hold them at the end of the show.

This program is located at the Morris Center in Ridgeland, SC. Pre-registration is recommended to guarantee a seat, but walk-ins are welcome.

To register, call 843-284-9227 or email info@morrisheritagecenter.org .

Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 Jacob Smart Blvd. S. Ridgeland, SC 29936

Free Family Days at Telfair Museums in Savannah.

Remember:
– Kids 12 & younger are now free!
– Instead of single site passes, it’s $20 for all three sites, which includes daily architectural tours at the Jepson Center & Mansion to Museum tours at the Telfair Academy.
– New at Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center – daily art activities in the drop-in studio from 1-4PM. The activities are not just for kids but for all ages including adults. Learn more here. 

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FREE Family Days @ Telfair Museums

Free Family Days are held one Saturday a month from 1-4PM @ Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center (unless otherwise noted). Attend five Free Family Days & receive a 20% discount on any Telfair art class. Come to 10 Free Family Days & win a free 3D printed mini-me sculpture.

Upcoming FREE Family Days

September 2016 Free Family Day

1-4pm, September 17, Jepson Center for the Arts

In conjunction with a visit by the Tibetan Monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery, enjoy child-friendly introductions to the culture of Tibet. Learn the geography, try butter tea, and make a meditation jar. Two sessions at 2pm and 3pm will give children the opportunity to contribute to a community sand mandala using the same tools as the monks! Free Admission

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October 2016 Free Family Day

1-4pm, October 8, Jepson Center for the Arts

Celebrate Russian culture through the arts. Make your own paper Russian nesting dolls, fancy plastic picnic ware, and Faberge eggs. You can also hear a live performance of Russian music.Free Admission

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November Free Family Day

1-4pm, November 12, Jepson Center for the Arts

Take time to enjoy the annual Telfair Art Fair, explore Telfair’s modern and contemporary art collection, and apply a bit of your own creativity both inside and outside the museum! Free Admission

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December Free Family Day

1-4pm, December 10, Jepson Center for the Arts

Join us for our annual exhibition I Have Marks to Make, and enjoy hands-on activities at this opening celebration and festival. Learn about artistic empowerment, and activate your senses by creating art with different materials. Free Admission

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JEPSON CENTER
207 W. York St.

TELFAIR ACADEMY
121 Barnard St.

OWENS-THOMAS HOUSE
124 Abercorn St.

Follow Telfair Museums on Facebook here. 

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

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FOR MORE FREE SAVANNAH KIDS’ EVENTS, CLICK HERE. 

In honor of the 240th anniversary of the American Revolution, Coastal Heritage Society sites will offer special Revolutionary War programs and enhanced member benefits, including an increased 20% discount in all CHS museum gift shops, throughout July for CHS members.

Century of Sentries interactive program @ Old Fort Jackson

Learn about the many individuals and units of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War that are part of the story of a Century of Sentries at Old Fort Jackson, July 2-4.

Throughout the weekend, participate in a variety of hands on activities appropriate for all ages to learn about the daily life of the soldiers stationed at Fort Jackson, including marching, battle reenactments, heavy artillery drill, and musket and cannon demonstrations.

Museum admission is free for CHS members.

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Want more Revolution?

Loyalists and Liberty Battlefield Tours every Friday and Saturday at 10:30AM, 12:30PM and 2:30PM, beginning at Savannah History Museum.

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Fourth of July weekend

Go to Tricentennial Park for some family fun this 4th of July weekend.

Costumed interpreters at Savannah History Museum will debut new American Revolution-themed programming, complete with visitor battle reenactments, musket firing demonstrations, and live music with special guests, Three Fold Chord.

Go to Georgia State Railroad Museum for Summer Steam Days and see the 1913 coal-fired steam locomotive in action. Take a site tour by rail and learn about how this historic site helped shape Georgia’s history.

At Savannah Children’s Museum, families are welcome to participate in 4th of July-themed crafts and activities all weekend. Special July 4th activities with a Centrifugal Celebration, fireworks spin art, festive noisemakers and more.

All Family Fourth activities are included with museum admissions and are FREE for Coastal Heritage Society members.

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Membership deal

In honor of the 240th anniversary of the American Revolution, Coastal Heritage Society is offering enhanced benefits to their membership program throughout July 2016:

* New and renewing members will receive an additional 2 months added to their membership during the month of July.

* For only $20 per month for 12 months, new and renewing members may join at the Sustaining ($240) level (valid credit card required).

* New and renewing Sustaining ($240) members will receive an additional admission pass to share with a friend.

* All members will receive 20% off all gift shop purchases during the month of July.

For more information click here.

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

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The British Occupation @ Wormsloe State Historic Site

Wormsloe State Historic State in Savannah (which is separate from the Coastal Heritage Society) also has an upcoming Revolutionary War program: The British Occupation of Savannah.

Come and celebrate the Revolution @ this historical, interactive program for kids.

The British Occupation of Savannah program
@ Wormsloe State Historic State, Savannah
July 2-4
10AM-4PM
Admission: $4.50-$10
912-353-3023
7601 Skidaway Rd
Savannah, Ga 31406

Details here.

Photo credit: Copyright Girl Scouts of the USA. All rights reserved. Used with permission

We love that we’re hearing from many SouthernMamas.com readers who are taking Savannah staycations this summer.

One place to put on your Savannah staycation places to visit: The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace.

New experiences at The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace help visitors get to know Savannah’s own Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts.

Juliette was not only Girl Scouts’ founder, she was also a writer, adventurer, painter, sculptor – even a metal worker. She thrived on exploring her own capabilities and self-expression, not exactly the norm for women, when she founded the organization in 1912 with the mission to build “girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” Who could have imagined that she would create a vision so timeless that it is just as applicable today as it was over 100 years ago?

The first space that visitors can participate in the new experience is the library. Previously interpreted as “a southern gentleman’s library,” with artifacts such as a humidor, ashtray, spittoon, and a gentleman’s collection of books, the library was a mix of artifacts and props that held little sense of Juliette’s passion for learning or her inventiveness of mind and spirit.

Recently completed, the new library is now a light, playful, interactive space with historic objects, digital devices, and interpretative art installations, through which girls can connect with Juliette and other female leadership models.

It features an interactive table with audio and video content celebrating women and the spoken word through speeches, poetry, storytelling, and song. Word games on the table allow visitors to write their own inspirational messages using scrabble and word tiles.

There is an artistic installation of a “Poe-tree,” which represents Juliette’s favorite literary genre via an historic symbol of her home town – and where girls can write and read their own poem under the tree.

Another installation has a typewriter on a desk with pages of typed text that flow out and up the wall in a cascade of letters that were written to Juliette Low.

One of the bookcases reveals Juliette’s love of literature and its role in early Girl Scouting with fiction and nonfiction publications for Girl Scouts and writings by Juliette, her mother and grandmother. The collection of 19th century books previously on exhibit in the bookcases is now installed with invisible supports on the chimney breast above the mantle in a dynamic, fresh and engaging display.

Directly seeing and experiencing Juliette’s world helps visitors not only to feel that Juliette’s home is theirs, but that their dreams, just like Juliette’s, are within reach. What a great way for moms and girls to rediscover their own dreams together.

Visit the Birthplace

Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
10 East Oglethorpe Ave.
Savannah, GA 31401
Walk-in visitors welcome for tours Monday through Saturday, 10:15AM-4:15PM based on availability. On days when Girl Scout troops are visiting, the first tour begins at 12:15PM. Girl Scout programs take place in the morning.
Store Hours: 10AM-5PM (Mon-Sat)
juliettegordonlowbirthplace.org
(912) 233-4501

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FIND MORE PLACES TO VISIT WITH KIDS IN SAVANNAH HERE. 

During July 2016, steam train rides at Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah will be Wednesday-Sunday.

Train rides will be at 11AM, 11:30AM, 1PM, 2PM and 3PM Wednesday through Saturday.

Sunday train rides will be at 1PM and 2PM.

Learn more here. 

Georgia State Railroad Museum
655 Louisville Road
Savannah, GA 31401
912.651.6823
www.chsgeorgia.org

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Old Fort Jackson in Savannah will have a special Father’s Day Program: “Our Father’s Wars” on Father’s Day, June 19, 2016, 9AM-5PM

Celebrate the generations of families who defended Savannah during the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War on the site of Old Fort Jackson. Gain the perspective of soldiers and learn about their family ties and the weaponry used by their fathers during these wars.

The day will include family friendly activities to remember many of the individuals and units in the American, British, Confederate, and Union armies that served at Fort Jackson. Guests can also witness a weapons demonstration with our 32 pounder Seacoast Gun from 1824, one of the largest and oldest cannons still being fired in the U.S.

This event is open to the public with the cost of regular admission, $7 for adults and $4 for children 2 to 12 years old.

For annual free access to Old Fort Jackson and Coastal Heritage Society’s other historic sites plus early registration for special events, consider a Coastal Heritage Society membership.

Old Fort Jackson
1 Fort Jackson Road
Savannah, GA 31404
912.232.3945

Coastal Heritage Society manages Old Fort Jackson, a historic fort located on the Savannah River three miles east of downtown Savannah, www.chsgeorgia.org/, Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

“I See A Story: The Art of Eric Carle”

Planning a trip to Atlanta this summer?

We just got back from a whirlwind weekend there and highly recommend checking on the Eric Carle exhibit on display now at the High Museum of Art in a show called “I See a Story.”

Kids will enjoy getting a closer look at the beloved children’s book author and some of the original work that became treasured books like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”

“I See A Story: The Art of Eric Carle” is on display at the High Museum through Jan. 8 2017.

Learn more here. 

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“Pancakes, Pancakes” Eric Carle musical

If you take your kids to the Eric Carle exhibit, you must, must, must also go see “Pancakes, Pancakes” show inspired by the Carle children’s book of the same name at the Alliance Theater Hertz Stage (located next to the exhibit)

The original music and high-energy performances are so fun and kid-friendly in this less than an hour long tribute to Carle’s work. When we went, the audience included toddlers up to older kids. My 7 & 9 year old were particularly in awe of the music and the performance by the 14-year-old show star Matt Alea, who plays Jack.

This must-see play – presented in conjunction with the High Museum of Art exhibition I See a Story: The Art of Eric Carle – runs until July 10 2016.

Learn more here. 

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Tiovivo

My kids also didn’t want to leave Tiovivo – four, interactive large-scale whimsical outdoor sculptures at the High Museum of Art. Kids can slide and climb inside some of the installations which include a pig, Teddy bear, bell, & is-it-a-bunny? by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon.

Tiovivo: Whimsical Sculptures at the Woodruff Center on display through Nov. 27 2016

FREE Family Day June 11 @ Telfair Museums

Free Family Day,  Saturday June 11, 1-4PM @ Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center (unless otherwise noted). Attend five Free Family Days & receive a 20% discount on any Telfair art class. Come to 10 Free Family Days & win a free 3D printed mini-me sculpture.

Upcoming FREE Family Days

Sat. June 11
Juneteenth Festival
Jepson Center
Juneteenth is the oldest celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Free and open to the public, this annual festival features live performances and hands-on art activities for all ages, celebrating Savannah’s history and Gullah Geechee heritage. The festival begins with an interactive performance by Jamal Toure and other local storytellers, followed by demonstrations by traditional artists throughout the region. Children can experiment with crafts and try their hand at a variety of artmaking projects. A special highlight of the afternoon includes a live concert by reunited members of the Gospelaires, a legendary a cappella vocal group from Pin Point, offering a rare treat to the celebration.

Sat., July 9
Prints at the Telfair Academy
Telfair Museums has an incredible collection of prints, but they are not always on display. This Free Family Day gives you a chance to glimpse some of these amazing works in the historic Telfair Academy, featuring master artists such as Rembrandt and Whistler. You can also try your hand at different printmaking techniques to create masterpieces of your own!

JEPSON CENTER
207 W. York St.

TELFAIR ACADEMY
121 Barnard St.

OWENS-THOMAS HOUSE
124 Abercorn St.

Follow Telfair Museums on Facebookhere. 

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

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FOR MORE FREE FAMILY EVENTS, CLICK HERE.