Sea turtles fascinate kids. Fortunately, we have several sea turtle walks or talks offered by various nearby museums/marine science centers including:

Evening Turtle Talks and Walks by Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Is.
8 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 5 2012 through August 2012.
Location given out at time of reservation
An evening lecture and beach walk to educate participants about the threatened loggerhead sea turtle. Presentation given to entire group, then 2 groups of 10 proceed to the beach to examine the nesting habitat and nest sites. No guarantee of turtle sightings. Adult $20/Child $15 (no children younger than 4).
Reservations are required and may be made by calling 843-689-6767 ext 223.

Evening Turtle Walks at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Is.
TURTLE WALK RESERVATIONS CAN BE MADE BY CALLING (912) 635-4444
Explore the beach at night, and learn about the amazing journey of loggerhead sea turtles nesting along the Georgia Coast. These popular programs begin with a 30-45 minute presentation at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center about the natural history of sea turtles, followed by a guided beach tour in search of a nesting turtle.
May 29 – July 31* (*Except July 4th) with two nightly programs at 8:30 and 9:30 P.M. Reservations are required as group size is limited by DNR permit restrictions (25 per group maximum) and programs fill quickly.
FEES
Walk Only:
$6 per person (Members)
$12 per person (Non-members**)
**Price does not include general admission into the Georgia Sea Turtle Center)
COMBO TICKETS:
$16 per person
Includes 1 day general admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center & 1 Turtle Walk. Turtle Walks are based on availability and reservations are required due to space limitations.
Additional Information:
* Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Due to the time and nature of these walks,  children be at least 4 years of age.
* During the Turtle Walk presentation the Sea Turtle Center’s hospital area will not be accessible. However, you are welcome to visit the Center during its normal visiting hours with a general admission purchase or combo ticket!
* Seeing a nesting turtle on the beach is not guaranteed. More info here.

Morning Nest Walks by Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island
Offered during hatching season 7-9 AM Sundays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
$6 per person (Members); $12 per person (Non-Members**).
**Price does not include general admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
More info here.

Congratulations Savannah Arts Academy, named No. 1 Georgia public high school by US News & World Report in the 2012 U.S. News Best High Schools.

Top Ranked GA Schools
To be eligible for a state ranking, a school must be awarded a national gold or silver medal.
#1
Savannah Arts Academy
500 WASHINGTON AVE, SAVANNAH, GA 31405

#2
Davidson Fine Arts
615 12TH ST, AUGUSTA, GA 30901

#3
Walton High School
1590 BILL MURDOCK RD, MARIETTA, GA 30062

#4
Northview High School
10625 PARSONS RD, DULUTH, GA 30097

#5
Riverwood International Charter School
5900 HEARDS DR NW, ATLANTA, GA 30328

#6
Columbus High School
1700 CHEROKEE AVE, COLUMBUS, GA 31906

#7
Lassiter High School
2600 SHALLOWFORD RD, MARIETTA, GA 30066

#8
Chamblee Charter High School
3688 CHAMBLEE DUNWOODY RD, CHAMBLEE, GA 30341

#9
Lakeside High School
3801 BRIARCLIFF RD NE, ATLANTA, GA 30345

#10
Duluth High School
3737 BROCK RD, DULUTH, GA 30096

Click here to read the article.

Are you a full-time or part-time at home MOM? Do you want to meet other MOMS like you? Are you looking for kid-friendly activities?

Are you a full-time or part-time at home MOM? Do you want to meet other MOMS like you? Are you looking for kid-friendly activities??

MOMS Club of Bluffton & Hilton Head is hosting an Open House on Tuesday May 15th, 10am- 2pm at Jarvis Park.

Join us and learn about what our club has to offer. Playgroups, Lunch Bunch, Park Days, and MOMS Night Out.

For more information email momsclubofbhh@gmail.com

A.S.P.I.R.E (Achieving Success-Pursuing Inspiration- Reaching Excellence)  – an I-Youth program for ages 10-17 – is offering the following deal on Series 1 June 18 through July 13.

The program designed to help students to develop portfolios through the application of skills aquired. Located at 309 Hwy 80 in Pooler, GA near Fitness Witness.

Students will enjoy special guest appearances, networking events, and much more! Apply online
•Goal Setting ,
•Social Media Etiquette,
•Oral Communication Development,
•Leadership,
•Decision Making
•Community Service

Apply online by clicking here. Don’t forgot to use the code PROMO to receive the $40/wk deal!

I-Youth program is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Celebrate Children’s Book Week with Lynnae Weller as she presents an imaginative balloon art program featuring several popular children’s books such as “Where the Wild Things Are,” Green Eggs and Ham” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Ages 3 and up.

Thunderbolt Library, Tuesday, May 15, 11 a.m.
West Broad Library, Wednesday, May 16, 11 a.m.

Still trying to work out your summer schedule?

Be sure to check out our Summer Camps 2012 page for a variety of local camps – art, sports, science & more. Click here to read the page & start your summer planning.

The Savannah Arts Association presents the 3rd Annual Sketchcrawl on Sat. May 12

The event starts at 10 AM at the Jepson Center for the Arts and goes until 4 PM.

FREE.

More info here.

Jepson Center, 207 W York St, Savannah, GA 31401

SketchCrawl is an international series of events where artists of all skills get together & walk around their city doing sketches.

Bopping Heads Dance & Entertainment Videos  – a new type of entertainment for children’s birthdays in Savannah – is offering a May 2012 special: any party booked in the month of May will get 15% off their booking and 10% will get donated to Hope for Savannah, which provides hope and comfort to cancer patients and their families.

Bopping Heads uses “Green Screen” technology to superimpose the participants heads onto professional dancing bodies, up to four people at a time sit infront of the camera as they “Bop” their heads to hundreds of available songs!

The exclusive Bopping Heads Digital system can also capture the performance, which is then transferred to a DVD instantly with NO wait time ! Bopping Heads Videos are a Great Party Favor and the Birthday Girl/Boy gets a master DVD with all their friends videos included!

Bopping Heads s local and are proud to serve Southeast Georgia and the Lowcountry!

Mention SouthernMamas at the time of booking and 10% of your party booking will be donated to Hope for Savannah!

Having a FUNDRAISER? Give Bopping Heads a call! 912-704-7803 or email info@boppingheadsofsavannah.com.

Bopping Heads looks forward to making your next Party Super Fun with Non-Stop Laughter Guaranteed!

www.Boppingheadsofsavannah.com Please “Like” Bopping heads on Facebook here to stay connected & updated about birthday deals, Bopping Heads is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Bamboo Farm & Coastal Gardens have added a new venue to their showing of the film, Mother Nature’s Child. You are invited to the showing of the film Mother Nature’s Child, which explores the essential ways contact with the natural world promotes children’s health and well-being. In addition to the moving expressions of the children themselves, the film includes interviews with Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods; tracker Jon Young; authors Stephen Kellert and David Sobel; outdoor educators Brother Yusuf Burgess, Misha Golfman and Amy Beam; Nancy Bell of The Conservation Fund; and teachers of every age group.
Friday, May 25th, 8:00 PM
The Sentient Bean Coffee House
13 East Park Avenue, Savannah, GA. 31401 (on Forsyth Park)
Please call to RSVP (912) 921-5460
$8.00 per person

The film is also showing:
Friday, June 1st, 6:30 PM
Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens
2 Canebrake Road,
Savannah, GA. 31419
Please call to RSVP (912) 921-5460
$8.00 per person

Here’s a way to donate to Mom’s Lemonade Fund, which supports Ovarian Cancer awareness & receive a truly lifestyle changing service at the same time.

In honor of Mother’s Day, The Mosquito Authority in Savannah is offering a great deal this upcoming Mother’s Day weekend: they are selling a one-time barrier spray treatment, which normally costs $79, for a $25 contribution to Mom’s Lemonade Fund. That means 100% of the $25 you pay to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard will go toward Mom’s Lemonade Fund.  (The Mosquito Authority is picking up the processing fees).

Talk about the perfect Mother’s Day special!

Mom’s Lemonade Fund supports local women and their families struggling with ovarian cancer in the Savannah area. The fund’s mission is to provide medications, testing, wigs, as well as comfort care items for the patients and their families.

The Mosquito Authority’s barrier spray treatment makes a tremendous difference in your quality of life in the yard, and they do it in a safe and effective way. Lean more about the service by clicking here.

This deal will run from noon Friday May 11 through the end of the day Sunday May 13. Click here for the one time $25 donation for a treatment. The coupon code is MOMS in all caps.  Questions? Call The Mosquito Authority at 912-414-2681

About Mom’s Lemonade Fund:
Mom’s Lemonade Fund supports local women and their families struggling with ovarian cancer in the Savannah area. The foundation’s purpose is to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, assist with emotional and medical needs and to provide comfort care items for patients, their family members, and caregivers battling the disease.
Mom’s Lemonade Fund was created in August 2009 by the families of Mary Anne Feist Mahfet and Ellen McAlpin Hogan to honor their memory by proactively helping women and their families struggling with ovarian cancer.
Find Mom’s Lemonade Fund on Facebook here.

The Mosquito Authority, serving Coastal Georgia and The South Carolina Lowcountry
PO Box 2153, Savannah, 31402, email justin@themosquitoauthority.com , 912-414-2681, www.bugsbite.com/coastal The Mosquito Authority is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

We love learning about new mom-run businesses opening in Savannah like J&P General , an Art Exchange supporting emerging artists, crafters and vintage collectors. J&P General offers online retail and a monthly showcase of work at various venues both locally and regionally.

You’re invited to J&P General’s first EXCHANGE on Tuesday, May, 8th. J&P General will be filling the studio with works, wares, and goodies from all of their artists. It is a chance to hear more about what J&P offers as well as meet new people. There will be music, food, drinks and conversation.

Tuesday, May, 8th, 5-8 @ J&P General-Art Exchange 518 E. 41st St. Sav., Ga. 31401. Check out J&P General on Facebook here or www.jpgeneralarts.com.

J&P General is seeking new work from emerging artists, crafters and vintage collectors. J&P General supports you, from Savannah to Park City and all the way down to Tallahassee.

The Southern Mama behind J&P General

Katie Culler is a Southern Mama. Raised in North Carolina, graduated from SCAD, she has remained in Savannah. She is the mother of two fantastic daughters, Wilhelmina and Lucia. J&P General-Art Exchange is a project that has been brewing for years. Katie has always wanted to offer a place where working artists could come to sell and show their work. She wants to be their voice, get their name out there. Being able to offer online retail allows Katie to also work on relationships with venues both locally and regionally. Katie also needed to create a venture that would allow her to raise her children how she saw fit, having them included in the daily doings, they are as much a part of this company and its decisions as Katie is. They ARE J&P. June and Pearl, their middle names.

J&P General-Art Exchange 518 E. 41st St. Sav., Ga. 31401. Check out J&P General on Facebook here or www.jpgeneralarts.com.

We love learning about new mom-run businesses opening in Savannah like J&P General , an Art Exchange supporting emerging artists, crafters and vintage collectors. J&P General offers online retail and a monthly showcase of work at various venues both locally and regionally.

Check out J&P General on Facebook here or www.jpgeneralarts.com.

J&P General is seeking new work from emerging artists, crafters and vintage collectors. J&P General supports you, from Savannah to Park City and all the way down to Tallahassee.

The Southern Mama behind J&P General

Katie Culler is a Southern Mama. Raised in North Carolina, graduated from SCAD, she has remained in Savannah. She is the mother of two fantastic daughters, Wilhelmina and Lucia. J&P General-Art Exchange is a project that has been brewing for years. Katie has always wanted to offer a place where working artists could come to sell and show their work. She wants to be their voice, get their name out there. Being able to offer online retail allows Katie to also work on relationships with venues both locally and regionally. Katie also needed to create a venture that would allow her to raise her children how she saw fit, having them included in the daily doings, they are as much a part of this company and its decisions as Katie is. They ARE J&P. June and Pearl, their middle names.

J&P General-Art Exchange 518 E. 41st St. Sav., Ga. 31401. Check out J&P General on Facebook here or www.jpgeneralarts.com.

Do you have has a summer league swimmer or a child who would like to brush up on their strokes? The national championship SCAD swim team – along with their coach – is teaching a swim clinic starting Monday night (May 7 2012) at the Chatham Aquatic Center, 7240 Sallie Mood Drive Savannah, 31406. The clinic is a community outreach/fundraiser for the team. If you can’t start Monday you can pay by the night and start on Wednesday.

Ganesha’s Place, Savannah’s new therapeutic yoga studio offers the following June workshops:

Dream Circle Workshop
Come and learn to by-pass the chatter around core issues which occur in your dreams.
Understand the language of your dreams.
Discover what recurring dreams mean.
Join Kate Jacobson RYT, LISW-CP
Ganesha’s Place
2323 Barnard St. Savannah
Saturday, June 23, 2012 – 1-3:30pm
$25
Kate@ganeshasplace.com  to register

Flow Into iRest®
A workshop geared to balance body & mind
ONLY at Ganesha’s Place!
Sunday, June 3
10:00-12:30
$20 . .
10-11 AM
Empowerment Yoga: Release tension during this 60 minute practice. Youwill move with your breath, stretch and
strengthen your body while cultivating balance in your mind. This practice will help to release any
tension while enhancing your clarity and focus. Prior yoga experience is not necessary,
Sue Finkle, RYf 200 .
11:15-12:30pm
Integrative Restoration or iRest@
‘This modern adaptation of yoga nidra will flow you into a form of meditative self-inquiry.
iRest is a research based practice that transforms you to develop thought patterns that
will assist you to be able to meet any and all circumstances that you may encounter in
your life. A brief history and overview will be given about the iRest protocol to prepare
you for this rich practice. Prior meditation or yoga experience is not necessary.
Stepbanie Moon ERYT2oo/ Level II iRest Teacher

To register or for more info, call 912-665-4199 or click here. 

Ganesha’s Place, at the corner of Barnard & 40th St. @ 2323 Barnard St., 912-665-4199, http://ganeshasplace.com/ Ganesha’s Place is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Brandy Williams of Savannah, who lost her leg while texting & driving, poses with her team of therapists at Memorial Health University Medical Center.

No text is worth losing a life or limb over.

Just ask Brandy Williams. A year ago this month, Brandy, 21, of Savannah lost her left leg and suffered a stroke after her Chevy Malibu veered off the road and into a tree. She was texting a friend at the time of the wreck.

Brandy is the focus of my Savannah Morning News column this week. She hopes sharing her story will help you see that texting while driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving. Brandy’s story is definitely one worth sharing with any teen drivers you know or drivers who regularly text while at the wheel. Read Brandy’s story here.

Learn more about distracted driving dangers at www.distraction.gov.

 For more information, contact artist Carrie Christian at 912-323-0123 or email ScribbleArtStudio@hotmail.com . Click here for more info. Scribble Art Studio a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

It’s coming soon, Southern Mamas: OUR DAY to celebrate! Put the word in with your husbands or surprise your own mama with beautiful, ever lasting photos for Mother’s Day.

Savannah photographer LeeAnn Ritch is offering a fabulous Mother’s Day special: A photography session, online proofing and high-resolution CD of the best images for $400 plus tax (Regular cost is $575)!

The Savannah family portrait photographer and mother of two specializes in newborn, baby, child, and family photography. LeeAnn is known for shooting warm, candid portraits like these pictured here.

Check out more of her work by clicking here.

Click here to book a session.

Be sure to mention SouthernMamas to take advantage of this Spring deal.

To follow LeeAnn Ritch’s work and stay updated on her specials, be sure to “like” her Facebook page by clicking here.

LeeAnn Ritch Photography, 912.308.9327 or email leeann@leeannritchphotography.com , www.leeannritchphotography.com LeeAnn Ritch Photography is a SouthernMamas.com sponsor

Telfair Museums announces the opening of four new exhibits especially designed for preschool children and families.

You are invited! Telfair Museums opening celebration will take place on Saturday, May 19 beginning at 11 am, with activities in the ArtZeum and museum studios continuing through 2 pm.

Admission is free to families during this event, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Telfair Academy Guild.

The ArtZeum is in the Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center, 207 W York St, Savannah GA 31401 More info here.  Telfair Museums are a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Looking for active summer classes for your little one?

Coach Val’s Tumblegym has just the thing in a safe, air conditioned, bug-free environment! Their experienced staff will keep your little one moving while having a great time.

Coach Val’s Tumblegym  provides fun, imaginative exercise programs for children walking through 10 yr olds. Their curriculum integrates physical skill acquisition with social and cognitive learning concepts. Basic gymnastics and tumbling, ball handling skills, strength, balance, and all around coordination activities part of every class.

Children “Build More Than Muscles” through group games, obstacle courses, music activities and more.

Testimonial:
“Coach Val,
You’re doing a WONDERFUL job with the kids! I did a lot of gymnastics and music classes with my boys when they were little, and your class is by far the best one I’ve seen. You do a great job of engaging the little ones while throwing in plenty of creative learning exercises. Ella absolutely loves the class, and I agree, she’s gained lots of skills in a short time!”
– Misty H. from Savannah

Please “like” Coach Val’s Tumblegym on Facebook here to keep up with latest news and specials.

Gift Certificates available: What great way for grandparents and family members to give child gift that invests in child’s future and development.

Classes available this summer:
Wiggle Worms: 30min classes ages walking – 2yrs
This “Parent and Me class” is designed to incorporate the earliest aspects of physical fitness, enhance fine and gross motor skills, body awareness, and muscle coordination while promoting physical, mental and social development. Music, basic gymnastics movements, and games create a fun and healthy atmosphere for you and your child.

Grasshoppers: 45 min classes ages 2-3yrs
This toddler class is open to children who enjoy having parents close by and are ready to learn to follow instructions from another adult. We ask parent/guardian to assist until their child is ready to participate on their own. This class continues to enhance your child’s fine and gross motor skills, social skills, strength and coordination through the activities and obstacle courses that emphasize eye-hand coordination, climbing, hanging, jumping, running, and rolling in a fun and safe environment.

Bumble Bees : 60 min classes ages 3-4yrs
This class continues to enhance and challenge your child’s physical, social and cognitive development. Basic tumbling and gymnastics skills, ball handling skills and preschool concepts are taught. Group activities, teamwork, and fun theme-based curriculum keep your child engaged and excited to participate.

See website here for schedule and rates. Registration online available by clicking here.  

Additional Programs Available for Summer (see website here for details)
Cartwheel basics: ages 5-8yr olds. Skills, drills, and strengthening to learn how to do a cartwheel! (Several other basic tumbling skills will also be practiced)
Sport Readiness Training: ages 6-10yr olds. This class is a perfect opportunity for your child to increase strength, speed and agility with this age-appropriate circuit training course. Ideal for kids who play (or want to join) football, soccer, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, and baseball.
Inclusion class: Adult, child with special needs (ages 5 – 10), and siblings – Contact for more information.

FREE TRIAL CLASSES available. Unsure your child will participate? Want to see Coach Val in action before you commit to class time? Fill out our free trial form here and try out a class at no cost.

Mention you saw on SouthernMamas.com site, and annual registration fee of $25 will be waived. New customers – register with a friend and both receive additional $10 off class or camp.

Coach Val’s Tumblegym, 310 Johnny Mercer Blvd in the Wilmington Island Shopping Center (with Dollar Tree, Ace Hardware, and Goodwill) Tel: 912-268-6003, www.coachvals.com, On Facebook here. Coach Val’s Tumblegym is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Starting Sat. May 5, the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston will have a special exhibit about Madagascar, the world’s most biodiverse island. Guests can see lemurs, chameleons and colorful fish.

The exhibit, Madagascar Journey, opens for a three-year run on Saturday. It features creatures from Madagascar including ring-tailed lemurs, a Nile crocodile, giant geckos, boa constrictors stingrays and parrots. The island of Madagascar is home to 250,000 species, but today less than 15 percent of the original native forest remains due to burning and cattle grazing.

The aquarium has just completed a 15-year master plan that includes, among other things, moving its sea turtle hospital from behind the scenes to the public galleries.

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401, (843) 720-1990 Hours
March-August Open Daily 9 AM-5PM (building closes at 6 PM); September-February Open Daily 9 AM-4 PM (building closes at 5 PM) Closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and half day Dec. 24)

What do Japanese Taiko Drumming, Cortes and the Aztecs, African Cave Drawings, Spoken Word Poetry have in common?

These are just some of the activities youth will be able to participate in at The Salvation Army Summer Arts Program. The Summer Arts program will be held June 11-August 17, M-F 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The sessions will be broken up into two week periods, covering arts performance, history and other knowledge from four different regions of the world (Asia, Africa, Latin America/Carribbean, United States). Campers will have various activities in music, dance, writing, visual arts, and drama.

Breakfast, lunch, and snack will be provided. Experience the world at the low price of $85/wk. A non-refundable registration fee of $45 is due no later than May 25. Please call 352-7584 for more information.

For a listing of summer camps in Savannah & Hilton Head Is., visit the SouthernMamas.com Summer Camps 2012 page here.

Do you have has a summer league swimmer or a child who would like to brush up on their strokes? The national championship SCAD swim team – along with their coach – is teaching a swim clinic starting Monday night (May 7) at the Chatham Aquatic Center, 7240 Sallie Mood Drive Savannah, 31406. The clinic is a community outreach/fundraiser for the team. If you can’t start Monday you can pay by the night and start on Wednesday.