Art, food trucks, crafts, games, trail hikes. grab a bite from a food truck, create a masterpiece, play a game, or even hike a trail @ the Spring Art Festival 2019 @ Skidaway Island State Park, Savannah.

Pet-friendly, kid-friendly event

Cost: $5 Park pass
To register as a Food Truck or Vendor email: SkidawayIslandStatePark@yahoo.com or call 912.598.2300

Spring Art Festival
Sun. March 31, 2019, 11AM-3PM
Skidaway Island State Park
52 Diamond Cswy,
Savannah 31411

You & your family are invited to get a first-hand glimpse of all the amazing opportunities available for students in Pre-K through 12th grade @ a March 3 2019 open house @ Calvary Day School in Savannah 

Calvary Day School open houses are the perfect chance to see what today’s learners are doing to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Learn more here

Open House @ Calvary Day School, 4625 Waters Ave, Savannah

Sun. March 3 2019, 2-4PM

Register online here for the March 3 open house.

____________________________

Private Tours

Private tours are also available throughout the school year from 9AM-2PM. To schedule your private tour, call Calvary admissions department at (912) 351-2299 or email admissions@calvarydayschool.com to schedule your tour.

To learn more about Calvary Day School, visit their website at www.calvarydayschool.com.

__________________________

You’re invited to a FREE lively annual celebration of acclaimed author and Savannah native Flannery O’Connor – the Flannery O’Connor Annual Birthday Parade & Street Fair – Sun. 1-4PM March 24 2019 in LaFayette Square in Savannah’s Historic District.

Free family fun, live music and more near the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home, located at 207 E. Charlton St. Featuring live music, a wacky parade, coffee/tea/cake, and more. Local authors will present their writings and vendors will share vintage, custom, a creatively crafted wares. Another favorite: chicken-poop bingo for kids.

The parade starts at 3PM.

Attendees are invited to walk in the parade, bring handmade signs and sing along. Live music throughout the event will be provided by a cavalcade of singer-songwriters and musicians from some of Savannah’s finest local bands. Music for the parade will be played by an all-star line up of the Sweet Thunder Strolling Band.

Costumes inspired by Flannery O’Connor characters, settings or the author’s life are encouraged but optional.

You’ll also be welcomed to visit the Flannery O’Connor Home free to get a sense for our Flannery’s Depression-era childhood. Photo-ops with a gorilla, a peacock bandshell, and throughout the home will be available.

The event is free and open to the public.

Learn more here. 

ABOUT THE FLANNERY O’CONNOR CHILDHOOD HOME:
The Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home, located at 207 E. Charlton Street in the heart of Savannah, Georgia, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of the South’s greatest writers. An established 501 3(C) nonprofit organization, the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home has been meticulously restored to reflect the authentic period furnishings of a Depression-Era Savannah rowhouse and to offer insight into the years that O’Connor lived in Savannah, from 1925 to 1938. The Home proudly presents a series of free lectures each spring and fall as well as other events throughout the year. For more information, please visit www.flanneryoconnorhome.org or call 912.233.60

Savannah Ogeechee Canal Spring Festival 2019
Sat. March 30 2019, 10AM-3PM
Featuring games, scavenger hunt, Native American Indian Heritage, Gopher Tortoise Education, Recycle Program with Beauregard Treefrog and Connie The Canoe Lady Live Show

Savannah–Ogeechee Canal
681 Fort Argyle Rd
Savannah, Georgia 31419

Come to the Fairy & Gnome Festival 2019 @ Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah for a day of enchantment, Sat. May 4, 2019, 10AM-2PM

This family-themed festival is all about the “wee folk” getting up close with the natural world and encouraging imaginative play. Dress in costume and flaunt your wings in our fashion show; mine for magic gems; frolic in the enchanted forest for a fairy surprise; construct a fairy village; enjoy games and crafts inspired by the natural world.

Bring the whole family and stroll through Oatland’s magical trails and maybe you will catch a glimpse of a fairy or gnome looking for a place to call home. Additional fees may apply. All proceeds go to feeding our magical animal kingdom.

Cost: regular admission to Oatland Island Wildlife Center as well as some extra fundraising activities during the event. Find admission costs here.

Fairy & Gnome Festival 2019
Oatland Island Wildlife Center
711 Sandown Rd.
Savannah, 31410
(912) 395-1500

The SCAD School of Entertainment Arts presents “Sense and Sensibility,” Kate Hamill’s inventive adaptation of the classic novel. Directed by SCAD performing arts professor Victoria Mack, Hamill’s reimagining of the romantic tale is not your mother’s Jane Austen. Fans of the novel will be swept away by the faithful spirit of the play, while theatergoers who have never read Austen’s novel will be amazed at the fun and irreverence in the SCAD performing arts department’s wacky production.

Set in gossipy late 18th-century England — and guided by a fresh female voice — the play is full of humor, emotional depth and bold theatricality. “Sense and Sensibility” examines our reactions, both reasonable and ridiculous, to societal pressures. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?

Showtimes:
Feb. 28–March 2 2019, 8 p.m.
March 3 2019, 3 p.m.

The Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, performance is free with a valid SCAD Card. Tickets for remaining performances are $5 for SCAD Card holders; $8 for non-SCAD students, seniors and military; and $10 for the general public.

Tickets are available online here and in person at the Savannah Box Office, 216 E. Broughton St., or at the door one hour before the production.

The 2019 Savannah Earth Day Festival marks the first year the festival will be in Savannah’s Daffin Park

Learn more here. 

2019 Savannah Earth Day Festival
April 20 2019
Daffin Park, Savannah GA

___________________________________

Find more local, kid-friendly events here. 

FREE SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival 2019
Sat. April 27 2019, 11AM-5PM
Forsyth Park, between Drayton and Whitaker streets

Watch as talented SCAD artists bring a splash of color to scenic Forsyth Park at the 36th annual Sidewalk Arts Festival. SCAD students, alumni and high school students create colorful chalk masterpieces and compete for coveted prizes in this tradition that’s nearly as old as the university itself.
Chalk drawings, music and food
Share your experience and follow the action with #scadchalk.

_____________________________________

Find more free kid-friendly Spring Savannah events here.

FREE SCAD Sand Arts Festival 2019

SCAD Sand Arts Festival
Fri. May 3 2019
Tybee Island, GA
South Beach by Tybee pier (note the new location that’s different from previous years)

See SCAD students, alumni, faculty & staff create elaborate sand creations on Tybee’s beach. Participants vie for awards and prizes, including the coveted top prize for SCAD Spirit.

See the 2017 winners here.

The public is invited to enjoy SCAD Sand Arts Festival.

___________________________________

Find more kid-friendly local events here.

The 2019 Savannah Scottish Games – Sat. May 4 2019 at Bethesda Academy – are the fourth oldest Scottish Games in the southeastern United States.

The Savannah Scottish Games are a celebration of Scottish heritage and music, the Games truly have something for everyone to enjoy including entertainment by City Hotel and the Savannah Ceili Band, a Highland dancing competition, traditional heavy athletics, Celtic ale from Asheville, NC’s Highland Brewery, and a wide variety of Scottish art available for purchase.

The games will also feature the very popular traditional heavy athletic events including the caber toss and hammer throw, children’s activities, and border collie skill demonstrations.

Gates will open at 9AM and closing ceremonies will take place at 4:30PM Sat. May 4 2019.

Cost

Tickets free for children 10 and younger. Find adult & senior ticket prices here.

To purchase tickets and for more information on the 43rd Annual Savannah Scottish Games, please visit www.savannahscottishgames.com.

43rd Annual Savannah Scottish Games
Sat. May 4, 2019
Opens at 9AM to the public | Closing ceremonies at 4:30PM
WHERE: Bethesda Academy
9520 Ferguson Ave.
Savannah, Georgia
CONTACT: Savannah.scottish.games@gmail.com

___________________________________

Find more local, kid-friendly events here. 

Spring 2019 is a fun time to visit Coastal Heritage Society sites in Savannah.

Upcoming CHS Special Events:

Feb. 23 2019: Seuss Fest 10AM-4PM @ Savannah Children’s Museum. Details here. 

March 2 2019: Sensory Soft Saturday, 9AM-10AM @ Savannah Children’s Museum.  The museum will open their doors early, so families with children with special needs or autism can explore & enjoy the space with less concern regarding crowds (weather permitting).

March 8 2019: Family Camp Out at Old Fort Jackson. REGISTER ONLINE HERE.

March 18-19: Special Open Days at Savannah Children’s Museum

March 30: STEAM Fest @ Georgia State Railroad Museum

Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

OPEN HOUSE

JEA Preschool Savannah will host an open house Sun. Feb. 24 at 11AM for prospective families.

Don’t miss this opportunity to tour JEA Preschool Savannah’s dynamic learning spaces & meet their wonderful staff.

Come get a peek @ Savannah’s premier early childhood education program.

Please RSVP: 912-355-8111

JEA Preschool Savannah 
5111 Abercorn St.
Savannah, GA 31405

JEA Preschool Savannah admits students of any race, color, national, racial or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

JEA Preschool Savannah, Jewish Educational Alliance, 5111 Abercorn St. Savannah, 31405 912-355-8111. JEA Preschool Savannah is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

33rd ANNUAL BEACH BUM PARADE 2019

Fri. May 17, 2019 6:30-8PM
Come prepared to be soaked at the Annual Tybee Beach Bum Parade! This classic Tybee event is a favorite for the whole family. Equip yourself with waterguns and other water soaking paraphernalia to douse the passing by parade floats.

__________________________

FIND MORE SAVANNAH-AREA FAMILY EVENTS HERE.

Saturday classes! Join Kindermusik Savannah with 88 Keys Piano for Saturday 11AM class for ages 0-7.

Sing, dance, move, and learn with your little one through the playful, engaging avenue of music.

First class is free.

Text MUSIC to 912-432-5885.

_______________________________

Musical Play Dates for ages 0-7

February “Love Notes” musical play dates continue this week.

Ages 0-7 and their caregivers welcome! Wed. Feb. 20 2019 & Sat. Feb 23 2019 at 10AM. Each child will get an instrument, 10 Kindermusik songs and a $10 coupon for weekly classes.

Enroll online at kindermusikwith88keys.com. Spaces limited.

Kindermusik Savannah, kindermusikwith88keys.com,  email music@kindermusikwith88keys.com or info@kindermusikwith88keys.com, 912.988.KEYS (5397) Kindermusik is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Ready to tumble?

Check out one of  Crowned Elite Athletics in Savannah‘s  tumbling classes today.

Crowned Elite Athletics has Savannah tumbling classes for all ages and skill levels with new intermediate and advanced classes beginning on Thursdays.

Combine a tumbling class with one of Crowned Elite’s stunting or flexibility classes for a winning combo.

Cost: $55 monthly or $95 for any two.

Register online here. 

Crowned Elite Athletics, (912) 308-5719, crownedeliteathletics.com, 202 Bourne Blvd, Suite 160 Savannah, GA 31408, Crowned Elite Athletics is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

The Colonial Foundation and Rob Demere were presented with the John R. Chandler Award at the 2019 CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) and NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) Annual Conference in Philadelphia. The award recognizes the long-term support of a corporation or foundation toward the advancement of independent schools.

St. Andrew’s School   in Savannah nominated the Colonial Foundation and Demere for their longstanding philanthropic support to the independent school on Wilmington Island. They have given lead gifts for every major capital campaign in the 40-year history of the school, provided funding for financial assistance to qualified students through Georgia’s special tax redirection program, and have been a champion for the school in the local community.

“Over the years, the Demere family has supported many independent schools for their ability to transform our city and create meaningful progress,” said Head of School Dr. Kelley Waldron (pictured above with Rob Demere). “They also do so humbly and altruistically because it is the right thing to do. In fact, it took some convincing to get them to accept this award in honor of the tremendous impact they have had and continue to make in Savannah through the support of independent education and St. Andrew’s School.”

The award is named in honor of John R. Chandler, former assistant headmaster at the Hotchkiss School, and one of CASE’s first independent school trustees. Past recipients include American Honda Company, William Randolph Hearst Foundation and Mobil Corporation.

St. Andrew’s School  is a private, independent International Baccalaureate World School in Savannah inspiring young people age 3 through grade 12. Find more information here.

Schedule a tour.

_____________________________

Open House

Get to know St. Andrew’s School @ an Open house @ St. Andrew’s School, Wilmington Is., 9AM Thurs. March 7 2019. Registration details here. 

St. Andrew’s School, 601 Penn Waller Rd, Savannah, 31410. 912.897.4941, www.saintschool.com , email admission@saintschool.com  On Facebook here.   On Twitter here. St. Andrew’s is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Spring 2019 Youth Lacrosse registration is open in Savannah.

All are welcome. Practices for boys & girls are @ Daffin Park in Savannah.

Coastal Empire Lacrosse is a team oriented lacrosse program for beginners, intermediate and advanced players. Coaches stress the fundamentals and subtle nuances of the game over “winning at all costs”.  CE Lacrosse believes in hard work, unselfish play, and building character.

Teams will practice during the week with games on the weekends. Some travel is necessary to get more games, but teams mostly play against local teams throughout the year.

No experience necessary. Teams are for all players to learn, grow and have fun. Rental lacrosse equipment is available.

Questions? Email  charris@lowlax.com or call (912)-200-3442

Find registration info here. 

Follow Lowcountry Lacrosse Savannah on Facebook here. 

Lowcountry Lacrosse Savannah is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Tickets are now on sale for the 2019 Old Fort Jackson Family Camp-Out, a new nighttime event for families to experience historic programs and family fun in a 210-year-old National Historic Landmark in Savannah.

The event will be Fri. March 8, 6-10PM @ Old Fort Jackson, 1 Fort Jackson Rd, Savannah, 31404.

Guests will train as soldiers, make a Civil War decoder, and write secret messages. Throughout the night, attendees will be able to use their new skills and tools to uncover a spy among the soldiers.

Dinner is included in the ticket price and will be served at 6:45PM. The dinner menu is: BBQ chicken, Mac & Cheese, Green Beans and your choice of soda or water or tea. Hot coffee will also be available for adults.

Pre-registration and prepayment are required. Tickets: $25 for members & $30 for the general public.

Event tickets can be purchased online here.

FREE Family Friday Nights @ The Sandbox Children’s Museum on Hilton Head Is. are open to ALL families

March 1 2019 Family Fun Night is pirate night. Children can come dressed in pirate attire and meet Captain Jack Sparrow and participate in a scavenger hunt or walk the plank.

Depending on the weather let the kids take a bounce in the Bounce House, build big with the Big Blue Blocks or get creative and crafty. Light refreshments available.

Free Family Fun Nights are held on the first Friday of the month & are designed to bring families together, for a cost free evening of fun activities.

FREE & FUN for all ages. Learn more here. 

Upcoming Free Family Fun Nights
Fri. March 1, 5:30-7:30PM
Fri. April 5, 5:30-7:30PM
Fri. May 3, 5:30-7:30PM
Fri. Sept. 6, 5:30-7:30PM
Fri. Oct. 4, 5:30-7:30PM
Fri. Nov. 1, 5:30-7:30PM
Fri. Dec. 6, 5:30-7:30PM

Supported by The Bargain Box

_________________________________________

Sandbox Children’s Museum
The Sandbox Children’s Museum
18 Pope Ave
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

____________________________________

The Sandbox Children’s Museum is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Join Do-Re-We  for 8 weeks of singing, playing, and dancing along with the “Grandfriends” at Buckingham South!
9:30 – 10AM: Toddlers (13-24 months)
10:15 – 10:45AM: Two and Three Year Olds
11:00 – 11:30AM: Infants (0-12 months)

$120 for the 8-week session. One make-up class is offered for free (May 29).

Classes are @ Buckingham South retirement & assisted living facility, 5450 Abercorn St., Savannah. Residents of Buckingham South, lovingly referred to as “Grandfriends,” participate in these classes along with parents and children.

These 30-minute weekly sessions offers traditional musical games and songs to share together in class and at home.

Stay connected and see photos of Do Re We classes on Facebook here. 

Do Re We, www.dorewe.com, 912.398.7800 Do Re We is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

Join Crowned Elite Athletics in Savannah for a fun filled skills day on Presidents’ Day Mon. Feb. 18, 9AM-3PM.

Levels 1 – 5 skills camp, focused on perfection and progression.

Tumbling, Stunting, Jumping and Flexibility. Become the best cheerleader you can be.
Bring a lunch.
Open to the public. For ages 6 & older.
$55 ONLINE REGISTRATION / $65 AT DOOR

Crowned Elite Athletics, (912) 308-5719, crownedeliteathletics.com, 202 Bourne Blvd, Suite 160 Savannah, GA 31408, Crowned Elite Athletics is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Visionary videogame designer Keita Takahashi’s game “Alphabet,” located in the Jepson Center’s TechSpace gallery in Savannah, can be played by up to 26 people at a time.

Players work together to avoid obstacles and get the letters of the alphabet across the finish line.

Read more about this innovative game online here.

KEITA TAKAHASHI: ZOOMING OUT exhibition
Jan. 24 – to July 14, 2019
Jepson Center

The Jepson Center is open daily. See hours & admission costs here. 

____________________________________

The work of Keita Takahashi – noted for his outside-the-box approach to game development, game mechanics, aesthetics & music – will be the focus of February’s  Art Start Stroller & Toddler museum tour, a kid-focused program @ Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center in Savannah on the 3rd Thursday morning of each month.

February Art Start: Feb. 21 2019, 10:30AM / Jepson Center (207 W York St.) Learn more & register online here. 

Telfair Museums’ youngest patrons are invited to the museum for story time, a special tour, and an art activity. Strollers, crying babies, toddlers, and older siblings are all welcome here. Come play and learn.

$5 per child / adult members free / adult non-members $12

Upcoming Art Start & Toddler Tours

March 21 2019 theme: Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents. Register online here. 
April 16 2019 theme: Rembrandt. Register online here. 

Art Start Stroller & Toddler Tour
Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center
Jepson Center for the Arts
207 W York St.
Savannah, GA 31401

Learn more & register online here. 

Telfair Museums is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Give your little one a hug, kiss, and cuddle… it’s time for Kindermusik Savannah ‘s  February playdates: Love Notes!”

You’ll be singing, moving, and exploring instruments through this endearing, heartwarming theme that celebrates the love you share with your child. After all, what’s a better way to bond with someone you cherish than to make music together?
You and your child will get:

• A 40-minute class packed with learning, love, and laughter
• A Kindermusik instrument/prop to take home
• 10 digitally downloadable Kindermusik songs of YOUR choice!
• A $10 coupon for our weekly studio classes

Join Kindermusik Savannah Sat. Feb. 16; Wed.,Feb. 20, or Sat. Feb. 23 at 10AM.

Enroll online at kindermusikwith88keys.com, or call 912-988-KEYS.   Spaces are limited.

Kindermusik…where music and learning play.

Kindermusik Savannah, kindermusikwith88keys.com,  email music@kindermusikwith88keys.com or info@kindermusikwith88keys.com, 912.988.KEYS (5397) Kindermusik is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

The Rotary Club of Savannah is searching for volunteers to serve as community readers for the second annual Savannah Rotary Read-In on Wed. March 13 2019. 9-10:30AM.

The goal of the event is to promote literacy by encouraging the desire to read more.

A report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation indicates children who aren’t reading at grade level by the end of third grade are four times as likely to drop out of high school.

Read about the Read-In co-chair & Savannah public school advocate Frank Moore, Jr. in our Savannah Morning News column here.

Last year’s inaugural event drew 526 volunteer readers who read to students in 566 classrooms. This year, Savannah-Chatham public schools plans to add pre-kindergarten to the list, which means rotarians and volunteers will read to students in 600 pre-k through third-grade classrooms in 32 schools.

You don’t have to be a rotary member to participate.

Register online to volunteer here.