The Savannah Holiday tree arrives Thurs. Nov. 19 in downtown Savannah.

The giant community tree will be moved just off Ellis Square for the first time, after spending previous holidays on the waterfront and in Forsyth Park.

The tree is just one part of a Downtown Savannah holiday lineup. Broughton Street will decorated beginning 10 AM Sat. Nov. 21.

On Nov. 27 and 28, Broughton will be transformed into a winter wonderland for Savannah Holly Days, sponsored by the Savannah Convention and Visitors Bureau, which will include ice-skating, music, a wine-tasting and real snow.

Parking meters are FREE all day long every Thursday-Sunday from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

For more info on Savannah Holly Days, click here.

For more children’s holiday activities, visit the SouthernMamas Ultimate Holiday Guide here.

The Children’s Ballet Theater of the Academy of Dance is performing The Nutcracker at the Trustees Theater at 6:30 PM Sat., Dec. 5 at and 3 PM Sun. Dec. 6.

The ticket prices are $28 for adults, $18 for children and $13 for groups of 10 or more all general admission.

You can buy tickets through the SCAD website or at the door on the day of the performance. (912) 525-5050.

For more children’s holiday activities, visit the SouthernMamas Ultimate Holiday Guide here.

Santa wants to check in with your child this holiday season via the phone.

The Island Recreation Association on Hilton Head Island has arranged for the big, busy man in red to be available to call your child from the North Pole between 5-8 pm Mon. Dec. 14 or Tues. Dec. 15. Santa can call anywhere in the area, including Savannah and beyond, for a $5 North Pole connection fee.

You must register by noon Mon. Dec. 7. Call 843.681.7273 or email info@islandreccenter.org. For more info., click here.

For more children’s holiday activities, visit the SouthernMamas Ultimate Holiday Guide here.

It’s here! SouthernMamas Holidays 2009 Fun Guide: Children’s Christmas Activities in Savannah, Bluffton and beyond.

We’ve got it all: Santa visits, Christmas parades, holiday caroling, pet photos with Santa, the Polar Express. Find out when one of Savannah’s downtown squares will be filled with snow and when the holiday train rides start at Savannah Mall.  Click here and visit our guide frequently this holiday season for updates.

For your convenience, the link to the holiday guide will posted in the column to the right throughout the holiday season. Enjoy! Please share the link with all the local parents you know.

Rain, rain go away.

Check out SouthernMamas’ rainy day children’s activities for Savannah, Richmond Hill, Pooler, Hilton Head Is., Bluffton and beyond.

Click here for the list of suggestions. Tell them SouthernMamas sent you!

Historic Grayson Stadium is hosting the 7th annual Sycamore at The Stadium FREE baseball camp for boys and girls ages 8-12.

The two day camp begins Sat. Nov. 14 at 8:30 AM and goes until 1 PM; On Sunday camp will start up at 1:30 PM and end at 4:30 PM. For more info, contact Jason Rockwell: 912-631-0351 Jrockwell23@comcast.net

The winner of the Playhouse Disney Live! family-four pack of tickets is Megan Hulsey. Congrats Megan! Thank you to everyone who entered.

The winner of this week’s SouthernMamas giveaway, a free session of Savannah Celtic’s  Early Goals soccer program, is Allison Maher!

Congratulations. Allison wins a free season of toddler soccer for her little one.

 Savannah Celtic’s  Early Goals soccer program is for players ages 2, 3 & 4.

The toddler soccer session starts next week, the week of Sept. 28, and runs through Nov. 2.  

The $50 registration fee includes a 6 week program, practice t-shirt, end of the season finale with a medal and certificate.

All session will be held at the Salvation Army fields on the corner of Washington and Bee Rd. (3000 Bee Rd). All practices are approx. 30-45 minutes. Early Goal players will attend one practice session a week. Days to chose from:

5 PM Mondays
9 AM Tuesdays
5:30 PM Tuesdays
5:30 PM Thursdays

To register your toddler for Early Goals, contact Michell Laing michell@savannahceltic.com, call 912.495.9996
or click here.

Thomas the Tank Engine fans get ready. The beloved storybook character is chugging into to Cordele, Ga. for two weekends in October.

Children of all ages can take the “Day Out With Thomas Great Discovery Tour 2009″ @ SAM Shortline Excursion Train depot in Georgia Veterans State Park on Oct. 23, 24, 25 and Oct. 30, 31 & Nov. 1. Cost: $18 for ages 2 and older. Click here for more info

Take a 25-minute ride on real train that looks like Thomas the Tank Engine; meet and snap photos with Sir Topham Hatt and Fifi Forget-Me-Not; join in on storytelling and crafts; and enjoy live music, mini-golf, bouncy inflatables, food vendors, wildlife displays and more.

The train departs every hour on the hour, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Rain or shine. The park is @ 2459 U.S. Hwy. 280 West in Cordele, 9 miles west of I-75 via Exit 101.

For tickets, call 1 (866) 468-7630 or click here. For more information and directions, click here or call 1 (877) GA-RAILS.

Family picnic and carnival
Noon-3 PM Sun. Sept. 13
Hull Park in Ardsley Park
La Leche League of Savannah is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with a family picnic and carnival, free to the public. A parade will kick off the event. Kids’ activities and a silent auction with many wonderful items donated by many generous companies and individuals.
912-658-9202 or e-mail WendyCohenLLL@aim.com for more info.

Cloth Diapering 101 will be 10 AM-noon Sat., September 12 @ Just for Baby & More, 7701 Waters Ave.

Cloth Diapering 101 class is free and open to the public. Register by calling 912-355-4455 or email welshcasey@gmail.com. First 20 registrants will receive a $15 gift card.

Animal Care Day at Oatland Island Wildlife Center
11 AM-2 PM Sat. Sept 12
Find out about all of the hard work and dedication that goes into caring for the over 150 animals at Oatland Island on this special day. Oatland Island’s staff will lead presentations, activities and demonstrations and the Friends of Oatland will host a concessions stand.
912.395.1212

“Butterfly Gardening and Bee Keeping” at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum & Nature Center,
10 AM-noon Sat. Sept. 12
681 Ft. Argyle Rd. (Rt. 204)2.3 miles past I-95.
Enjoy the Butterfly Garden and get practical tips on growing your own. Learn about what”s involved in bee keeping and harvesting the honey.
Plants, honey and candles for sale.
$2 for adults, $1 for children 4-12.
912.748.8068
info@savannahogeecheecanal.com

New Exhibit Grand Opening at The Aquarium (the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium) on Skidaway Island
The theme: “Catching On To Sustainability” exhibit opens. Showcasing coastal Georgia marine species currently being studied for sustainable recreational fisheries and habitat.
10 AM-5 PM Sat. Sept. 12
General admission
Sat. Sept. 12
30 Ocean Science Circle.
912.598.3474

Bluffton area

County-Wide Tailgate and Blues Concert at Jasper County Farmer’s Market, Ridgeland
Sat. Sept 12.
The event will air the University of South Carolina vs. Georgia game at 7:30 PM in the north end of the market and the Alabama Blues Brothers, a Blues Brothers impersonators duo, at the south end at 8:30pm for a live concert.
Admission: $10 for adults and $5 for those 12 and younger.
Barbeque and seafood vendors will be on site and drink wristbands for beer are $10 (21 and over).
9935 South Jacob Smart Boulevard on Hwy 17 in South Ridgeland.
The retail Farmer’s Market is open to the public every Friday from 1-6pm.
The wholesale market is open Mondays at 3pm and Thursdays at 9am.
843.726.8126

Baby Yoga at The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum, Hilton Head Is.
10:30-11:30 AM Sat. Sept. 12
For babies 3 months of age through walking and their caregiver.
Cost: $14/class or $60 for a 5 class card and includes admission to the museum so you can stay and play. (1 adult per child.)
Advance reservations required: 843-842-7645

Bluffton Branch Library Saturday Do-Drop-In Story Time Program
10:30 AM Sat. Sept. 12
This weekly program is designed as a family story time and will include reading, rocking, singing and shaking for about 45 minutes of fun.
Registration NOT required.
Residents and visitors are welcome
120 Palmetto Way
912.757.1519

Fireworks, Lowcountry Boil & Kids’ Activities @ Old Fort Jackson
Annual Old Fort Jackson Auction
5 PM Sat. August 29.
Bring the whole family to Georgia’s oldest brick fort on the beautiful Savannah River for a silent auction, low country boil, barbeque, and fun activities for the kids. Special musical entertainment provided by The Savannah Stompers Jazz Band. The evening will conclude with cannon firings and fireworks.
Proceeds benefit the preservation and educational programs of Old Fort Jackson, National Historic Landmark Site.
(912) 232-3945.

Watch “Soccer in the Sand” on Tybee Island
8 AM-6 PM Sat. Aug. 29 & Sun. Aug. 30
Beach area between 12th & 14th St
Soccer in the Sand provides safe and fun family oriented beach soccer tournaments.
Contact: Chris Lemay, tel: 858-442-9082; email chris@soccerinthesand.com

Saturday Explorations at The Aquarium (SEA) Program at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island
This week’s theme: Mimic a hurricane on a small scale to see exactly what happens to Georgia’s coast as it approaches, then makes landfall, and finally moves away. Please call ahead.
Time: 10 AM-noon • Cost: $10 per person
Sat. Aug. 29
30 Ocean Science Circle.
To register, contact 912.598.3474 or e-mail fish@uga.edu.

Giant Yard Sale @ Calvary in Savannah
4625 Waters Ave. (at 63rd Street – Across from Memorial Hospital – Same campus as Calvary Day School)
7 AM-noon Sat. Aug. 29
Tons of great stuff for sale. Boston Butts also will be for sale.
Proceeds benefit the church’s missions in the country of Panama.

Bluffton area

Bluffton Branch Library Begins Saturday Do-Drop-In Story Time Program
10:30 AM beginning Sat. Aug. 29
This weekly program is designed as a family story time and will include reading, rocking, singing and shaking for about
45 minutes of fun.
Registration NOT required.
Residents and visitors are welcome
120 Palmetto Way
912.757.1519

The READING EXPRESS @ Roundhouse Railroad Museum
Get ready to return to school by sharpening your child’s reading and listening skills while having a lot of fun. Share books while riding the train at the Roundhouse.
10 – 11:30 AM Sat. Aug. 15
$10 per person
10– 10:30: Activities, Crafts, and Games
10:30 – 11 Train Ride and Storytime
11:00 – 11:30: Train cookies and chocolate milk in the Baggage Car.
Cards will be given out for the Reading Express Club. Each child who listens or reads enough books to fill up his/her card will be entered in a drawing to win a ride in the cab of the Reading Express Locomotive.
To register, call 651-6823 or email childrensevents@chsgeorgia.org.

“Butterfly Gardening and Bee Keeping” at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum and Nature Center
10:30 AM Sat. August 15
681 Ft. Argyle Rd. (Rt. 204) 2.3 miles past I-95.
Learn about creating a butterfly garden and find out what’s involved in bee keeping. Chica Arndt and Linda Harms will give the program.
Admission: $2 for adults, $1 for children 4-12.
(912) 748-8068 or e-mail: info@savannahogeecheecanal.com

Saturday Explorations at The Aquarium (SEA) Program at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway IslandThis week’s theme: Hurricanes: What needs to be in my hurricane supply box? What do they mean when they say have a plan? How do you track a hurricane? What is the difference between a hurricane, tropical cyclone, and typhoon? These are just some of the many questions that will be answered this Saturday.
Games will include who can pack their hurricane box fastest and who can complete the hurricane plan more quickly.
Time: 10 AM-noon Sat. Aug. 15
Cost: $10 per person
30 Ocean Science Circle.
To register, contact 912.598.3474 or e-mail fish@uga.edu.

Book signing by Doug Paul, author of middle-grade sci-fi/fantasy books including “One Wizard Place,” “Sentinel” and “Sidhe”.
2-4 PM Sun. Aug. 16
Barnes & Noble @ Oglethorpe Mall

First Saturday for Kids at Telfair’s Jepson Center for Arts
Studio art workshop “Counter Photography: Japan’s Artists Today”; storytelling; children activities in the ArtZeum; an 11 am classic family film.
Free admission. No registration required.
10 am -1 pm Sat. Aug. 1
207 W. York St., downtown Savannah
912.790.8800

Last Chance to Ride the Roundhouse Railroad Museum Train Until Fall!
The popular train rides at the Roundhouse Railroad Museum will go on a roughly one-month hiatus after this Sun. Aug. 2.
Passengers can ride behind the steam locomotive 11am, 2pm and 4pm Sat. August 1
and behind one of the diesel locomotives on Sun. Aug. 2. Regular admission rates apply.
Rides will return on Saturdays and Sundays September through November at 11am, 2pm, and 4pm, with a special Fall “Steam Days” event featuring daily rides November 6-15.
(912) 651-6823.

End-of-Camp Savannah Childrens’ Choir concert in the Jelks Auditorium at Savannah Country Day School
7 PM Fri. July 31. Free and open to the public.
Featuring music the children have learned and will also debut music some of the kids have composed, performed by professional artists.
912. 228.4758

Saturday Explorations at The Aquarium (SEA) Program at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island
This week’s theme: Horseshoe Crabs. Kids can experience horseshoe crabs and get all their questions about them answered.
10 AM-noon Sat. Aug. 1
Cost: $10 per person.
Must be 8 years old or older
30 Ocean Science Circle.
To register, contact 912.598.3474 or e-mail fish@uga.edu.

Movie & a game
Watch the movie in air-conditioned Lucas Theatre and get a ride to Historic Grayson Stadium to a Sand Gnats Game
THIS WEEK’S MOVIES:
“Field of Dreams” 3:30 PM Fri. July 31, “Angels in the Outfield (1951), 4 PM Sat. Aug. 1
Both preceded by family-friendly animated movie “How to Play Baseball” starring Goofy
Package includes movie ticket, roundtrip transportation and baseball game ticket: $17
Discounts available for military seniors and with a SCAD id
912.525.5050

Faith Night at Grayson Stadium
Sat. Aug. 1
5 PM Fish Eyed Fools concert before the Sand Gnats game. Players and coaches will give personal testimonials.
912.351.9150

Home Depot Kids Workshop
Free how-to clinics designed for children ages 5-12, available on the first Saturday of the month. Children accompanied by an adult create useful objects
9 am-noon @ all Home Depot stores.

First Saturday on the River
9 AM-7 PM Sat. Aug. 1 on River Street.
Featuring 60 regional arts and crafts exhibitors, music, food and drink. The U.S. Coast Guard does live demos.

Adult activity, but worth mentioning anyway
Open house at Savannah Mall to introduce THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH MALL to prospective shopkeepers.
The new marketplace is ideal for moms to locate their businesses at affordable rates, whether your business is jewelry, photography, yoga, gourmet food or more.
Visit customer service Fri. July 31-Aug. 2
The first 50 businesses to sign a one-year lease will receive the first month’s rent FREE.
Contact Chardell Steves chardell.steves@savannahmall.com or 912.927.7467.

Are you looking to grow your home-based business? Open another? Move to a location with heavy foot traffic? Expand to the Savannah market?

Discover the Coastal Empire’s largest, year-round indoor Marketplace: THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH MALL.

It’s a new indoor shopping destination that convenes neighborhood-style shops with dazzling and curious wares. This is a great opportunity for all of you creative moms with a cottage industry – aromatherapy, yoga, quilting, scrapbooking, gourmet foods, or monogramming. Think of this forthcoming marketplace as a live, in-person version of Etsy.

Beginning with 90,000 square feet, which formerly housed Steve and Barry’s, THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH redefines will be the Coastal Empire’s largest, year-round indoor marketplace. Your shop can be in place just in time for the holidays.

The goal is to have a shopping village, a retail square inside the mall, small shops with relatively small budgets next to a big department store.

On Fri. July 31, Savannah Mall is hosting an open house to introduce THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH MALL to prospective shopkeepers. For more info, contact Chardell Steves at Savannah Mall: chardell.steves@ savannahmall.com or 912.927.7467. Tell them SouthernMamas sent you!

Fee-free weekend at National Parks
Click here for national parks that are free this weekend. Parks in our area that are waiving the entrance fee July 18 & 19 include:
Cumberland Island National Seashore
Fort Frederica National Monument
Fort Pulaski National Monument
Fort Sumter National Monument

Kids Sunday at Sand Gnats Game
2 PM Sun July 19
Kids can run the bases and get player autographs after the game. Before the game, kids can play catch on the field.
Presented by The CW, BIG 98.3
2009 Sand Gnats Team Card Set Giveaway to the first 1,000 fans

Free showing of “Nemo” at the Market at Trustees Garden
12:30 PM Sat. July 18
Lunch & a Movie
The farmer’s market is every Sat. 9 AM-3 PM. Click here for more info.

Boating Class @ Jenkins High School, 1800 E. DeRenne Ave.
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sat July 18
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering the course, which covers boating laws, safe boat handling, basic navigation, and other topics for young people 12 and older.
Cost: $15.
912-897-7656 or go here.

Dolphin Project 20th Anniversary @ J. F. Gregory Park, Ga. 144
5 p.m. July 18
The event will feature lowcountry boil, barbecue, music, dancing and a silent auction.
Cost: $30 or $35.
For information and to make reservations call or e-mail TDP20anniversary@gmail.com or 912-727-3177

Close Encounters of the Third Kind @ Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St.
7 p.m. July 18
Presented by the SCAD Cinema Circle. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone or at the SCAD Box Office window.
Tickets: $4-$8 (additional service fees may apply).
912-525-5050 or go here.

Hikes, campfires and animals at Skidaway Island State Park
4 PM Fri. July 17 Toads & Turtles: Learn the difference between reptiles and amphibians
8:45 PM Fri. July 17 Sensory Awareness night hike: Learn about different creatures that come out at night. Then awaken your senses with experiments on this hike.
3 PM Sat. July 18 Wilderness Survival: Learn how to survive in the wild and make a survival bag to take with you.
8 PM Sat. July 18 Campfire: Make smores, sing songs, and hear stories around a campfire! Meet at the amphitheater across from picnic shelter #4
9 PM Sat. July 18: Frog Hike: Come see and hear frogs at night. Meet at the Big Ferry Trail entrance.
11 AM Sun. July 19 Button Hunt: Come hunt for buttons and win prizes- just like an Easter egg hunt!
2 PM Sun. July 19 Invasive Plants and Animals: Learn all about them!
4 PM Sun. July 19 Roving Ranger: Ask the ranger any questions and see the creature of the day.
$5 parking
912-598-2300

Family Happenings @ the Roundhouse Railroad Museum
10AM-noon Sat. July 18
Theme: Flags Around the World
Hear stories about different countries and look at their flags. See the many different flags the United States has had. Design your own flag.
$6 with an additional $4 for an optional train ride
Includes materials, snacks and museum admission
Reservations are required. 912.651.6823 or email childrensevents@chsgeorgia.org

The Wiz at the Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St.
8 PM Fri July 17, 2 PM and 8 PM Sat. July 18
Cost: $17, $12 seniors and students
912.525.5050

Hilton Head Is./Bluffton area

Tween/teen programs @ Hilton Head Island Branch Library
July Fri 17
No registration required. FREE!
2 PM: Draw along with Comic Book Artist Dave McDonald
3 PM Drum with Drummer Sam Jones

“Willy Wonka” @ Main Street Youth Theater, 3000 Main St.
Through Aug. 15.
7:30pm Wed.- Sat. and 2 PM Sunday matinees
Adults $20; students $10; group rates available
843-689-MAIN

Becoming a fan of SouthernMamas on Facebook is a great way to stay connected to SouthernMamas and stay informed about kid-friendly activities in the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry.

So please become a fan of SouthernMamas on Facebook. Click here to do so. Thanks!

Tracy Richa!

Congratulations. Tracy wins  Pee Pal stickers, adhesive stickers that  help with potty training. If you have a child that’s potty training, be sure to check out the helpful potty training tips offered by other SouthernMamas readers in the comments section under this post.

Children’s films at BLUE Ocean Film Festival
10:30-noon Sat. June 13 at Trustees Theater and throughout the day at the All About The Oceans family street fair, 10 AM-4 PM in Oglethorpe Square.
Other kid-friendly festival events include:
Screenings of “Ice Bears of the Beaufort” and “Saving Luna”
Click here for a schedule of films
912.525.5050

FREE Career Paths Insights workshops for young adults at BLUE Ocean Film Festival
Sat. June 13 at Telfair’s Jepson Center for the Arts
Featuring talks with Brian Skerry, National Geographic underwater photographer, Fabien Cousteau, ocean explorer; Paul Gasek, producer of Discovery Networks shows including “Deadliest Catch.”

Family Happenings at the Roundhouse Railroad Museum
10-noon Sat. June 13
Theme: Bugs & Butterflies. Children will make butterflies & fingerprint bug pictures. Hear stories about bugs, butterflies and their world.
Register at 912.651.6823 or email childrensevents@chsgeorgia.org

Saturday Explorations at The Aquarium (SEA) Programs, UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Is.
10 AM-noon Sat. June 13
For all ages. Maritime Forest Hike. What is a maritime forest? Wear your walking shoes for a discovery hike to see all a maritime forest has to offer.
Cost: 10 dollars per person.
Program fee includes admission to the aquarium.
Pre-registration required.
30 Ocean Science Circle
912.598.3474 or email fish@uga.edu

Tybee Children’s Fishing Tournament at Chimney Creek Fishing Camp
8:30 AM-4 PM Sat. June 13

Bluffton/Hilton Head Is area

Beaufort Water Festival
Annual event featuring water sports, golf tournament, art expo, and parade
July 10-19
Click here for an event calendar.

Allison Kelly!

Congratulations. Allison wins a $100 Gift card from Crate and Barrel and a free 1-year gift subscription to Relish!, a truly cool meal-planning service for busy parents.

Relish! helps you prepare healthy, creative meals every week. For subscriptions as low as $5 a month, you’ll end up with five complete dinners for a family of four running you less than $85.

What delicious comments everyone left to enter this week’s contest! Thanks for entering. Look for another giveaway from a different business to be announced here Monday.

BEFORE

DURING

TA-DA! FINISHED

We now officially refer to our backyard as our Staycation Destination, thanks to a new swing set/clubhouse put up by Steven Tarver of Renascent Renovation.

Renascent Renovation saved our summer. The wood playground set we bought on sale turned out to be much more complicated to assemble than my husband and I imagined.  We wanted it to be put together correctly. After all, we plan to spend a lot time in our backyard this summer in lieu of going on a big family vacation.

So instead of using up summer weekends struggling to assemble it, we called Renascent Renovation.

As licensed and insured general contractors, the guys at Renascent Renovation normally do much more complicated work such as renovating entire homes. But in this economy, Stephen’s willing do things like playground assembly. You gotta love hiring someone overqualified for the job.

Steven was an amazing worker. The man never takes a break, even for lunch.  He did a quality job and we couldn’t be happier with the decision.

Other jobs business partners Steven Tarver and Daniel Weiner of Renascent Renovation do include: flooring;  painting; fences (wood & chain link); decks; roofing; light plumbing; light electrical; cabinet installation; framing; tile; trim work; gutters; siding (wood, vinyl, concrete); doors & window installation or repair; sheetrock (new & repairs); flooring (laminate, vinyl, wood).

Steven’s also planning to build custom playhouses.

So skip the tough assembly projects, savor your summer weekends and contact Steven @ steventarver@comcast.net or renascentrenovation@gmail.com or 912.272.9523 or 912.604.0640.

First Saturday for Kids @ Telfair’s Jepson Center for Arts
Studio art workshop focuses on summer sand paintings based on the Tibetan Monks Sand Mandalas; storytelling; children activities in the ArtZeum; an 11 am classic family film.
Free admission.
10 am -1 pm Sat. June 6
207 W. York St., downtown Savannah
912.790.8800

Snakes Alive! @ @ Skidaway Island State Park
3 PM Sat. June 6
Learn about snakes. See live ones
Other park activities include a 7 PM campfire with smore’s, songs, skits, stories and more. (meet at amphitheater across from picnic Shelter 4)

Public viewing “Clusters of Stars” @ GSU planetarium
7 PM Fri. June 5
Telescopic observing outdoors following presentations.
Free moon maps, sky maps and more will be given away. FREE! For all ages.
912.478.5292

Asian Festival @ Savannah Civic Center
11 AM-4 PM
Features a full-day of live stage performances ; martial arts & dance performances. Savor exotic cuisines & browse the cultural marketplace.
Free workshops & children’s activities.
912.651.6417

Saturday Explorations @ The Aquarium (SEA) Programs, UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Is.
10 AM-noon Sat. June 6
For all ages. Understanding sharks. A talk about sharks. Shark video.
Cost: $10 per person.
Program fee includes admission to the aquarium.
Pre-registration required.
30 Ocean Science Circle
912.598.3474 or email fish@uga.edu

Narnia @ Savannah Children’s Theatre, 2160 E. Victory Drive
8 pm Fri. June 5; 3 pm & 8 pm Sat. June 6; 3 pm Sun. June 7
Cost: $10-12.
912.238.9015

Reduced admission rates for Pooler residents until June 8 @ Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum,
The museum reduced admission rates of $10 for adults and $6 for kids to $5 for adults and $3 for kids. You’ll also receive a 10 percent discount in the gift store and a free drink with the purchase of lunch in the museums’ restaurant Chef Matt Cohen’s New South Pub.
912.748.8888

Home Depot Kids Workshop
Free how-to clinics designed for children ages 5-12, available on the first Saturday of the month. Children accompanied by an adult create useful objects
9 am-noon at all Home Depot stores.

Hilton Head Is. area

Do-Drop-In-Story Time Program @ Hilton Head Library, 11 Beach City Road
10 AM every Saturday – Story times for children of all ages. Stories, songs, silliness, take-home ideas and more! Residents and visitors are welcome.
For more info, email jmorgan@bcgov.net or call 843.342.9200.

Even children as young as 2 can take part in Savannah Celtic‘s Early Goals program June 16-July 28.

The six-week soccer session is @ a new location – the fields @ the corner of Bee Rd and Washington, 3000 Bee Road across from Grayson Stadium. Practices are approx. 30-45 minutes. Session cost: $50. Fee includes the 6 week program, practice t-shirt, end of the season finale with a medal and certificate

Select from one of these days:
Tuesday 5:15 pm for 2 & 3 year olds
Tuesday 9:30 am mixture of 2 – 4
Thursday 5:15 pm for 4 year olds

Sign up for the Savannah Celtic summer session by calling 912.495.9996 or click here.

Registration is under way for the annual Savannah Children’s Choir 2009 Summer Choral Camp.

Registration materials are available online here. The camp, which is July 20-31, is designed for musically-interested rising 2nd – 8th graders and is held on the campus of Savannah Country Day School

During the two-week camp, days are filled with classes, rehearsals, playtime and afternoon enrichment (recitals provided by professional musicians). The theme of this year’s camp is rhythm.

The two-week session culminates in a free end-of-camp concert on Fri. July 31 at 7 p.m. @ Savannah Country Day School’s Jelks Auditorium, where the children present what they’ve learned to the public.

The camp is staffed by local professional educators as well as music education interns from top music colleges such as the University of Georgia, Louisiana State and Florida State. The camp serves as the primary audition into the Savannah Children’s Choir.

The SCC also offers a Mini-Choral Camp experience for 4 to 7 year olds. Each one-week session offers daily morning instruction through fun and play, and mini-campers participate in the end-of-camp concert on July 31.

Discounted early-bird registration is available and space is limited. Click here or call 912.228.4758.

Consider this a practice run for the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Take the kids to the Georgia Day Parade in downtown Savannah this Thurs. Feb. 12. While not a huge blow-out like on St. Pat’s, this much more kid-friendly parade is  an annual tradition with thousands of elementary school students joining dignitaries, costumed characters, and local citizens in a colorful parade through the squares of Bull Street.

The parade begins 10:30 am @ Forsyth Park and continues north on Bull Street, ending at City Hall with greetings from the Mayor and other dignitaries as well as Banner Competition awards presentations to the students.

Free and open to the public.

The Georgia Day Parade is part of Georgia Historical Society’s Georgia Days, a month-long commemoration of Georgia history.