Free kid-friendly structured activities are regularly held at the park. For a complete listing of September 2011 Free Skidaway Island State Park Kid-Friendly Events, visit our new Skidaway State Park children’s activities page by clicking here.

The park’s Interpretive Center (i.e. Nature Center) is surrounded by easy hiking trails including the 1-mile Avian Loop Trail, 1-mile Sandpiper Trail Loop, and the 3-mile Big Ferry Trail Loop.

The Interpretive Center includes a display of the Giant Ground Sloth replica (pictured here); wildlife exhibits; live reptiles including a terrapin turtle; and birding station.

Interpretive Center hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM at Skidaway Island State Park. Cost: $5 for parking.
52 Diamond Causeway, Savannah, 31411, 912-598-2300, http://www.gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, SC has lots of events planned for Fall 2011. Read all about them on the new Riverbanks page on SouthernMamas.com. Click here for details.

Kid-friendly events at the zoo include Animal Enrichment Day when zookeepers give animals special treats designed to encourage and stimulate natural behaviors: Boo at the Zoo, a spook-fest for costumed children 12 and younger that includes a trick-or-treat trail with candy and more; a Pumpkin Smash when the zoo’s mammals, birds, reptiles and fish enjoy their own trick-or-treats, a form of animal enrichment designed to encourage and stimulate natural behaviors; free admisison for active duty and retired military personnel on Veterans Day; Lights Before Christmas, when the Zoo shines with nearly one million twinkling lights and more than 350 handcrafted images. Take your photo with Santa, roast marshmallows at the Jingle Bell Bonfire and be sure to wear your hat – it snows nightly during the Lights Before Christmas.

Visit the SouthernMamas.com Riverbanks page here for more information.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES include Behind-the-Scenes Adventure Tours; Homeschool Mondays; Overnights and Night Howls; and two new 30 minute, 3-D movies:
TURTLE VISION
From the warm waters of the tropics to the icy Antarctic, join Sammy the sea turtle and his friends on an exciting journey through the ocean. Swim through colorful coral reefs and enjoy a dazzling ride on a fun-loving octopus. Dive into icy polar waters to meet a friendly whale and learn the importance of protecting our oceans.
DINOSAURS
If it weren’t for a series of cataclysmic events, a comet impact being first on the list, our planet could still be the domain of dinosaurs. Deeply rooted in science, the film will carry you back in time to witness these amazing beasts come to life. Meet the largest living animals to have ever walked the Earth; the titanesque plant-eating Argenitsaur and its nemesis the Gigantosaur, a bipedal carnivore that could easily challenge the T-rex!

Admission: $3 for one show, $5 for both, in addition to regular Zoo admission.

Visit the SouthernMamas.com Riverbanks page for more information. Details here.

The popular Toddler Tuesdays nature & science program will be back on September 6 at Oatland Island Wildlife Center.

Programs at 10 AM & 11 AM Tuesdays. Pre-registration required. Call 395-1500

Toddler Tuesday Program Fees for 2011-2012: General: $5 per child $5 per adult; Friends of Oatland Members: $5 per child, up to 2 adults FREE!

Program fee includes program and entrance to Oatland Island Wildlife Center and trails.

To read the Toddler Tuesday Topics September –December 2011, click here.

The Interpretive Center ( i.e. Nature Center) at Skidaway Island State Park  in Savannah is a kid-friendly educational spot that’s often overlooked.

It’s surrounded by easy hiking trails including the 1-mile Avian Loop Trail, 1-mile Sandpiper Trail Loop, and the 3-mile Big Ferry Trail Loop. The Big Ferry Loop is also open to bicycles for those kids who don’t mind bumping over tree roots.

Cool off after your hike in the air-conditioned Interpretive Center which includes a display of the Giant Ground Sloth replica (pictured here); wildlife exhibits; live reptiles including a terrapin turtle; and birding station where right now you have a good chance of seeing Painted Buntings, which are currently nesting there.

Free kid-friendly structured activities are regularly held at the park. We’ve heard great things about the evening hikes and really want to check those out.  For a complete listing of August 2011 Free Skidaway Island State Park Kid-Friendly Events, visit our new Skidaway State Park children’s activities page by clicking here.  

Interpretive Center hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM at Skidaway Island State Park. Cost: $5 for parking.
52 Diamond Causeway, Savannah, 31411, 912-598-2300, http://www.gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland

Make plans to take the kids to see Clover the Loggerhead Sea Turtle released into the Atlantic Ocean on Tybee Is. on Aug. 4

Burton 4-H Center will welcome guests all ages to the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion to join in the celebration of Clover’s release. Thanks to a successful fundraising effort netting more than $5,000, Clover will be equipped with a state-of-the-art satellite transmitter, enabling her to be tracked throughout her journey on www.seaturtle.org. The event, which is free and open to the public, will showcase live animals for viewing and a variety of other activities.

1-3 PM Thurs. Aug. 4, 2011
Clover will be released between 2-2:30 PM at Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion, 16th and the Strand

Clover hatched from a nest on Tybee Island’s north end on Aug. 13, 2008. Experts at the Burton 4-H Center have raised Clover from a hatchling to her current weight of over 24 pounds

FREE ZOO ADMISSION: 2011 Teddy Bear Affair Special Offer at Jacksonville Zoo & Garden
Sat. May 21, 2011
Join Nemours’ Children’s Clinic at the Zoo between 10 AM and 4 PM for the annual Teddy Bear Affair. Children age 12 and under who bring their teddy bears or other stuffed animal on that day will receive free admission to the Zoo. “Injured” teddy bears will receive special treatment by Nemours’ skilled staff along with Build-A-Bear, who will be assisting with the teddy bear check-ups. There will be animal encounters, prize drawings, and visits from Jazoo, the Zoo mascot and his mascot friends. More info here.

DISCOUNT ADMISSION: Memorial Day Special Offer at Jacksonville Zoo & Garden
May 28–30 2011
Get $2 off the already discounted military adult, senior, and child General Admission tickets when active or retired military ID is shown on May 28, 29, or 30 2011 Not valid with any additional discount or offer including Zoo Value Ticket. More info here.

FREE ADMISSION: Toucan Tuesdays: Bring 2 Cans, Get into the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, S.C. for the Price of 1
Begins Tues. June 7. Two can visit Riverbanks on Tuesdays in Summer 2011 for the price of one with a donation of two cans of non-perishable food to Harvest Hope.
Riverbanks visitors generated more than 5,000 pounds of food during last year’s Toucan Tuesdays drive, and those donations fed approximately 3,400 people. On Toucan Tuesdays, Riverbanks will also offer $2 ICEEs and 2-for-1 specials in the Elephant’s Trunk Gift Shop
Toucan Tuesdays will run for 13 consecutive Tuesdays throughout the summer, ending on August 30. The promotion applies to general admission rates only (purchase one admission and get the second for equal or lesser value free; Explorer wristbands and memberships are not included). Donation bins will be located at both the Zoo and Garden entrances. More information here.

FREE PASSES TO ZOO ATLANTA

Live Oak Public Libraries cardholders can obtain Zoo Atlanta Family Passes at any of the 18 library branches in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. The pass is valid for two adults and up to two children. Just check out a Zoo Atlanta DVD and return it to receive a Zoo Atlanta Family Pass. One Zoo Atlanta Family Pass is available for checkout for one week at each participating library branch. The pass is not valid for fee-based events or programs and may not be combined with other discounts or promotions. Standard general admission will apply to families with additional children; children must be accompanied by an adult. The partnership between Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Public Library Service allows adults with valid library cards access to the Zoo Atlanta Family Pass at any participating public library branch throughout the state of Georgia. For more info on Live Oak Public Libraries or to find a branch near you, click here.

Schools out for Spring Break.

Here are 10 kid-friendly places in Savannah and surrounding areas (Statesboro, Hilton Head Is., Jacksonville, Jekyll Is.) to visit during Spring Break 2011. Click here.

Live Oak Public Libraries cardholders can now obtain Zoo Atlanta Family Passes at any of the 18 library branches in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. The pass is valid for two adults and up to two children.

Just check out a Zoo Atlanta DVD and return it to receive a Zoo Atlanta Family Pass.

One Zoo Atlanta Family Pass is available for checkout for one week at each participating library branch. The pass is not valid for fee-based events or programs and may not be combined with other discounts or promotions. Standard general admission will apply to families with additional children; children must be accompanied by an adult.

The partnership between Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Public Library Service allows adults with valid library cards access to the Zoo Atlanta Family Pass at any participating public library branch throughout the state of Georgia. For more info on Live Oak Public Libraries or to find a branch near you, click here.

Add this to your list of fun and educational things-to-do with kids in the Savannah area: Take a Tybee Island Beach Ecology Trip led by marine scientist/biologist Dr. Joe Richardson.

A trip to the beach isn’t complete without your kids asking you a barrage of questions about the shells, tides and animals. Wouldn’t it be ideal to have a marine biologist along to give them some answers and make your next beach trip a valuable experience discovering and learning? Take one of Dr. Joe’s beach ecology trips. School groups from South Carolina, Georgia and Florida regularly ask Dr. Joe to lead their Tybee Island beach trips. Read a list of activities and topics the beach ecology walk covers by clicking here.

There are still some available dates and times between now and mid-summer, but contact Joe soon as he is already booking many family, scout, school and tour group trips for the next few months. Call (912) 596-5362 or email  joe@ceasurf.com to set up a beach walk.

For updates regarding what Dr. Joe is finding and doing on his ecology beach walks, check out (and “like”) the “Tybee Beach Ecology Trips” FACEBOOK page by clicking here.
Cost varies depending on group size and with age. Special family rates and small group rates are available. Read more by clicking here. 

Tybee Beach Ecology Trips is a SouthernMamas sponsor.

Pre-registration is available now for the popular Mommy and Me Thursday morning program at the newly renovated University of Georgia Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island

The program will start in March after being on hiatus during the renovation of the aquarium, which reopens with two fun public events Feb. 25-26. Registration is for FOUR Weeks March 3-March 24, 2011. The class will be Thursdays only 9- 9:45 AM and is limited to 20 children (ages 1-4). Pre-registration is required. Closed-toed, closedheel shoes are required for both kids and participating adults. Meet at the Aquarium entrance at 8:50 a.m.  The program begins promptly at 9 AM.

PRE-PAYMENT REQUIRED

Cost for Aquarium Season Pass Holders

1 class: $8/”Mommy and Me” pair ($4/extra child)

5 Classes, 15 percent discount: $28/“Mommy and Me” pair ($12/extra child)

Cost for Non-Aquarium Season Pass Holders

1 Class: $10/“Mommy and Me” pair ($5/extra child)

5 Classes, 15 percent discount: $35/“Mommy and Me” pair ($15/extra child)

 UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium , 30 Ocean Science Circle, Skidaway Island, 912-598-2496, email fish@uga.edu.

The newly renovated University of Georgia Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island will reopen later this month.
The Grand Re-Opening for the public – called a Night with the Fish – will be 6-8 PM Fri. Feb. 25, 2011.
Bring your family out to enjoy the newly renovated Aquarium, located just outside Savannah. The public program includes: marine presentations (children’s activities provided), refreshments, and viewing of the renovated aquarium. Cost: $10/person (ages 1-2 are free), and will be booked on a first come-first served basis. From 6 PM-7 PM, there will be 3 short 15 minute educational lectures. At 7 PM, the aquarium will be open for your viewing pleasure. To RSVP for this event, contact Karin Paquin (Assistant Curator) at 912-598-2356 or email kpaquin@uga.edu.

On Sat. Feb. 26, 2011 from 10 AM – 1 PM, the UGA Aquarium will run 30 minute “Behind-the-Scenes” educational tours for the public. Cost will be an additional $5/person on top of the general admission fee. General Admission fees are $4/adult, $2/child (3-12), senior, and military with active ID, and Free for children age 1-2. These tours will be on a first come-first served basis. You cannot pre-register for the Saturday event.

UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium  on Skidaway Island will be closed for renovations Dec. 6 2010 to Feb. 13 2011.

After 40 years, the aquarium will replace the glass tank fronts on the exhibits. All tanks will be drained and the fish relocated to temporary tanks elsewhere. Follow the aquarium’s progress on their Facebook page here.

During this time the Jay Wolf Nature Trail and picnic area will be open dawn to dusk. The Skidaway Interpretive Cabin will be Open Monday-Friday 9AM-4PM.

 UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium is at 30 Ocean Science Circle, Skidaway Island.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center has two baby bison which are are now on exhibit. Come visit the newest members of Oatland’s herd.

Stop by the gift show between now and Sat. Dec. 18 to submit names for Oatland’s “Name the Bison” contest. Submissions will be accepted until noon Sat. Dec. 18.

The public is invited to help Oatland select winning names by casting votes on the top 10 finalists ($1 donation per vote) Votes will be accepted be accepted between Dec. 18-Dec. 31.

On Sat. Dec. 18, Oatland invites the public to celebrate the new bison babies from 10 AM-4 PM. Events include a bison-themed scavenger hunt; vote on your favorite bison name; Bison Olympics from 11 AM-2 PM; Bison-themed snacks at 1 PM.

For more info on Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah, click here.

Toddler Tuesdays are back at Oatland Island Wildlife Center after a summer hiatus!

This season, there will be TWO Toddler Tuesdays timeslots each week, as opposed to one. Same topic and activities for each one. One program will be at 10 AM and the second at 11 AM.

Michele Mazzei, the beloved leader of the popular weekly programs, said the goal of having two sessions is to keep the classes small and intimate.

Preregistration via phone at 912.395.1500 $3 program fee per child and adults free!

The theme of Tues. Sept. 7 is Welcome Back Toddlers! and will feature a visit from Daisy, Oatland’s resident opossum.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center is located just outside Savannah. Click here for info.

We finally made it to The Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island this weekend, with the kids in tow, because we’ve heard such great reviews.

We have to say, Georgia’s first sea turtle rehab, research and education facility lives up to all the kudos. A 90-minute drive from Savannah, the center provides state-of-art emergency care to sick and injured sea turtles.

My 3-year-old’s favorite part was looking through the treatment room window and seeing staff do various procedures on the sick or injured turtles. The one-story center, open since June 2007, also has just enough interactive exhibits to hold a preschooler’s attention and teach. In the Rehab Pavilion, kids can see the patients and learn about the various reasons why the turtles are sick or hurt (Caution: Your turtle-safety savvy kids will never again let you use a plastic bag after your visit as turtles are known to mistake discarded plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them).

Certain times of the year, you can take part in guided turtle and nest walks on the beach. A guided behind-the-scences tour is also available for an extra fee (but call ahead if you are interested as the behind-the-scence tour was not available on the day of our visit). The center also hosts special events, birthday parties and holiday celebrations like Turtle-ween. Summer programs are available for children, educators and seniors. Learn more by clicking here.

The Sea Turtle Center is in Jekyll’s pristine Historic District, where you can treat the kids to an ice cream at the nearby Sweet Shoppe or have lunch outdoors at Rah Bar on the Jekyll Historic Wharf, all within walking distance of the Center. Consider timing your visit to coincide with the Jekyll Island Beach Music Festival and BBQ Bash Aug. 21 or the Shrimp & Grits: Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival on Sept. 17. For more info on those festivals, click here.

Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 214 Stable Rd, Jekyll Island. Cost: $6 for adults (13+ years); $5 for Seniors (65+ years); $4 for children (4-12 years); FREE for children 3 and under. $5 for Active Duty Military Personnel, Students and Teachers (ID required). For more info, call 912.635.4444 or click here.

Support Oatland Island Wildlife Center by helping Pack the Park!

We know SouthernMamas readers love Oatland Island Wildlife Center. Here’s your chance to show it.

Michele Mazzei, naturalist at Oatland Island Wildlife Center and star of the center’s popular Toddler Tuesdays, is offering SouthernMamas readers this fabulous offer: a FREE BIRTHDAY PARTY at Oatland Island to those who sell 20 or more Sand Gnats tickets for August 18th’s Pack the Park Fundraiser to benefit Oatland Island.

A portion of ADVANCE ticket sales will benefit Oatland.

Michele is volunteering her time for the Birthday Party to honor all the great support SouthernMamas have shown to Oatland and to her over the last few years.

At the Wed. Aug. 18 Sand Gnats game, kids can visit some of Oatland’s most popular animals. The gates open at 6 PM and the game starts at 7:05 PM.

To benefit Oatland, purchase tickets at the following locations before the game:

Oatland Island Wildlife Center
Davis Produce – Talahi Island
Sea Kayak Georgia – Tybee Island
Tubby’s on River Street

For more info on the birthday party contest, contact Michele at 912-395-1500. Good luck!

If you’re planning a trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in nearby Columbia, SC this summer, Tuesdays will be your best bet.

On Tues. June 15, Riverbanks will kick off a summer promotion called Toucan Tuesday, where two can come for the price of one…the catch: just bring two cans of food or other non-perishable food items to qualify for the deal. Each week collected food items will be donated to Harvest Hope Food Bank to help feed hungry families in South Carolina.

Buy-one, get-one admission isn’t the only perk you will receive for visiting on a Toucan Tuesday. Riverbanks will also offer $2 ICEEs, to help beat the summer heat, and 2-for-1 specials in the Elephant’s Trunk Gift Shop.

Toucan Tuesdays will run for 10 consecutive Tuesdays throughout the summer and end on August 17. Promotion applies to general admission rates only (Explorer wristbands and memberships not included). Purchase one admission and get the second of equal or lesser value free. Visitor must turn in two canned or other non-perishable food items to receive the discount.

Riverbanks is located at 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210. The Botanical Garden entrance is located at 1300 Botanical Parkway, West Columbia, SC 29169. The park is open daily from 9am to 5pm, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Admission is $9.75 for adults, $7.25 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for children 2 and under. Group rates and other discounts may apply. Rates, dates and times are subject to change. For the most current information, call Riverbanks at 803.779.8717 or visit www.riverbanks.org

 SouthernMamas reader Monica Patel emails that the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island is well worth the visit. The drive is about 1.5 hours.  Indoor exhibits are geared more towards young elementary-school-aged kids, but Monica’s 3.5 year-old loved the turtle rehabilitation area and turtle hospital, where he got to watch one of the turtles being given a multivitamin and another turtle get rubbed with ointment, to undo some of the damage caused by the recent cold weather.  She writes the staff there is very friendly and willing to answer questions.

Thanks for the recommendation, Monica!

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center  introduces you and your children to Georgia’s turtles with hands-on activities, games, crafts, and outdoor exploration.

Find out the various methods sea turtle biologists use to follow sea turtles as they migrate from the beach to the ocean. And how you too can follow sea turtles online.

Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 214 Stable Rd, Jekyll Island. Cost: $6 for adults (13+ years); $5 for Seniors (65+ years); $4 for children (4-12 years); FREE for children 3 and under. $5 for Active Duty Military Personnel, Students and Teachers (ID required). For more info, call 912.635.4444 or click here. Stay savvy with the happenings at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center via the center’s blog.

On your next trip to Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens in Columbia, S.C. make sure you stop by Koala Knockabout to catch a glimpse of Oliver, the Zoo’s newest resident, a joey (or baby koala). More info here.

The park is open daily 9am-5pm. Admission: $9.75 for adults, $7.25 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for children 2 and under. For more information, call Riverbanks at 803.779.8717.

Kids and their parents are invited to a Family Sleepover Educational Program this month @ UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium, 30 Ocean Science Circle, Skidaway Island.

Time 6 PM – 8 AM Sat-Sun. Jan. 23-24. Cost: $25/person all children must be accompanied by an adult.

The sleepover’s activities will focus on coastal development. All activities will be hands-on and exciting. There will also be a mini fishing clinic. Program includes snack and continental breakfast.

Please bring the following items: sleeping bag, pillow, hand towel, pajamas, bug spray, toothbrush and paste, flashlight, fishing pole, camera, and change of clothes.

Maximum of 25 participants. Advanced registration required. 912-598-2496 or email fish@uga.edu

You can help the Friends of Oatland “Bring Back a Bear” to the Oatland Island Wildlife Center

A campaign is under way to bring a bear to Oatland after Oatland’s bear died earlier this year. Come to a cocktail party to benefit the bear campaign Wed. Oct. 21  5:30-8 PM at First City Club, 7 East Congress Street (2nd floor)

A cash bar will be available for attendees that aren’t FCC members. Email Sandi Roth to RSVP or for more info: friendsofoatland@gmail.com

Donations will be accepted throughout the event, plus raffles, a silent auction and other prizes. To ensure your donation is tax deductible, please make your donation to Friends of Oatland Island, Inc. (FOO) – a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Summer’s end means the popular raptors flight show is back at  The Center for Wildlife Education and The Lamar Q Ball Jr. Raptor Center in Statesboro.

The raptors flight show – with falcons, owls, hawks and more – is at 3 PM Saturdays, following a 2 PM reptile show, that includes insects, tree frogs, snakes and more. The flight show was on hiatus during summer.  

Other features of the Wildlife Education Center include a Discovery Trail which includes a opossum and skunk; a Habitat Walk includes a live bald eagle in her nest; 10 displays housing several live birds; a wetland preserve with ducks and wading birds, a playground; and “Discovery Logs” where kids can crawl inside and see encased ladybugs, grasshoppers, frogs, beetles and more.

Large groups, including school field trips, moms-tot groups and homeschool groups, can request a weekday raptors show. Call 912.478.0831.

The center also offers several birthday party packages that include the reptile show or bird show. There’s also a Birthday Overnight Camping Adventure.

The center is open 1- 5 PM  Saturdays during the school year. For more info, click here or call 912.478.0831.

Only a few more chances remain for your child to get upclose and personal with an alligator, learn their habits and have pictures taken with a mouth-taped-tightly-shut gator.

We recently enjoyed the “Get to Know a Gator” program at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Plantation on Hilton Head. The program from Gatorland features a live alligator and busts several myths about gators, including the legend about running zig-zag if a gator ever chases you. Apparently, you should just run. And never feed alligators.

The program is held several times every Thursday through Aug. 13: 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM and 2 PM. For cost info, click here.
For reservations, call 843.689.6767 ext 223.

My son is still talking about the pony ride he took on “Cookie” last week at Lawton Stables on Hilton Head Island. And the goats he feed; as well as the llama, bunnies, sheep, chickens, turtles, roosters, donkeys, miniature ponies and trail horses he visited at Lawton’s FREE animal petting farm.

Pony rides for children ages 7 and younger are $10.

Kids can also pet and feed a friendly retired Clydesdale, Harley, at the stables, located inside Sea Pines Resort. Don’t let the gates at the Sea Pines entrance keep you from visiting. You don’t have to be staying at Sea Pines to visit Lawton Stables. It’s open to the public. Entrance to Sea Pines is $6 per car.

Lawton Stables also has a gift shop with horse-related items and a coin-operated horse for kids too young for the pony experience. Lawton also hosts kids’ horse-themed birthday parties and offers horse trail rides and carriage rides.

Click here for more info.