Kid Baltimore | Family Activities with Children in Baltimore, Maryland

D.I.Y. Kids at aMuse Toys

WHAT: Book signing and hands-on crafting event

WHEN: Sunday, May 16th, 2010, 1-3 PM

WHERE: aMuse Toys - Quarry Lake Location

COST: Free (please rsvp@amusetoys.com with number of children and adults)

Join Ellen Lupton, co-author of D.I.Y. Kids, for a book signing and hands-on crafting event at aMuse Toys. Ellen's contributions to the design community are many: curator of contemporary design at the Cooper-Hewitt, director the the Graphic Design MFA program at MICA, author and frequent lecturer. But in this book, co-authored with her twin sister Julia Lupton, design-world and mom-world collide.

Published by Princeton Architectural Press, D.I.Y. Kids features real artwork, by real children and "aims to trigger imaginative play, without requiring fees, teams, or a minivan."

Tooth Fairy Day at the National Museum of Dentistry

WHAT: Tooth Fairy Day

WHEN: Sunday, May 16, from 1-4 p.m.

WHERE: National Museum of Dentistry

COST: Free with regular museum admission ($7 for adults, $5 for seniors, & $3 for children, or $1 for kids in fairy costumes)

Apparently, the tooth fairy is fickle. It turns out, she doesn't show up everywhere. In Mexico, according to Beth Cooper, Director of Education at the National Museum of Dentisty, "a mouse takes your tooth away in the middle of the night." Creepy. But I like it. Here are the details:

Meet the Tooth Fairy, learn how to take care of your teeth, and make toothy creations to take home based on traditions from around the world. Call 410-706-0600 or visit www.smile-experience.org for more information.
 
The Tooth Fairy herself will make a special appearance during Tooth Fairy Day, then kids can make their own magic wands and wings, and find out how the tooth fairy is different in other countries. Learn how to take care of your smile and make a toothy souvenir based on traditions from around the world.

Sculpture Exhibition at Evergreen

 

We were feeling rather genteel, as we strolled along the grounds of Evergreen, a Gilded Age mansion on Charles Street. And hey, that's quite an accomplishment with our entourage of kids in tow. The Evergreen's new exhibit Simultaneous Presence explores the work of 10 sculptors. Each was asked to explore the "simultaneous presence of past and present." It's a theme that works very well here. The Evergreen mansion is quite an impressive backdrop, and you can't ignore the mix of past and present here, so why not embrace it.

Throughout the Italian style gardens are plenty of ivy covered walls, water fountains, and open spaces to explore. The exhibit is free, and on view throughout the museum grounds. It runs through September 26, 2010, Tuesday - Sunday, 9am - 5pm. Admission to the museum is additional.

410-516-0341

Evergreen
4545 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21210

[Map It]

Laurie Berkner Band at Pier Six

WHAT: The Laurie Berkner Band - A Birthday Party Concert

WHERE: Pier Six Pavilion

WHEN: May 1, 2010 at 2pm

COST: $20 (lawn), $25, $35, and $50

Children’s music superstars and Nick Jr. channel favorites The Laurie Berkner Band invite families to celebrate with them at “Birthday Party Concerts” along the East Coast this year.

Kids can wear a favorite party hat and bring their own birthday cake artwork (visit www.laurieberkner.com to download a picture to color).  Families are encouraged to bring new children’s books to the venues, where they will be collected and donated to Kids Care Clubs (www.kidscare.org).  The organization’s “Parties With A Purpose” program promotes the idea of kids giving back to their communities in lieu of receiving gifts at birthday parties. The items collected at the venues will go directly to children in need in each city.  Says Laurie, “It’s important for us to give back to the communities we perform in.”
(photo © Todd Owyoung)

Tape-o-rama at AVAM

When: Saturday, January 30, 10 am–noon

Tape is a hot commodity at our house. My son is obsessed with it, so much so that I am guilty of hiding tape dispensers from his greedy little paws. Hey, I need tape too. His general belief that tape can fix anything means we go through a lot of rolls of the stuff. Needless to say, I think this event sounds like a great way to work out some of those pent-up frustrations he probably has from trying to figure out where I hid my last roll.

Here are the details:

Join Nana Projects (of Great Halloween Lantern Parade fame) for an adhesively fun workshop. Learn to use packing tape in a way you never knew you could! In this two-hour workshop, Nana Projects artists will lead you through designing and building a magnificent one-of-a-kind hat, headdress or costume piece made entirely out of packing tape! You will complete a lightweight and easy to decorate hat ready to wear anywhere! Children should "stick" with an adult who can help them. Please call AVAM at 410.244.1900 to pre-register. Cost: $10 members/ $15 non-members.

Alice in Wonderland at Theatre Project

WHEN: Dec. 18 at Noon; Dec. 19, & 20 at 3pm; Dec. 18, 19 at 7pm  

COST: Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and artists and $10 for students.

WHERE: Theatre Project, 45 West Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (tel 410-752-8558)

Holiday Family Fun offer: For adults who bring a child, your ticket is $15. Groups Discounts available. Home schoolers or schools groups can get $5 tickets for the Friday, Dec. 18th show at Noon.

I love Alice in Wonderland, more for its pure quirkiness than its story. There are so many great characters along the way: the Caterpillar, the Mock Turtle, The Cheshire Cat, and the deck of cards who repaint the Queen's rosebushes. Pure madness. Although any story that ends as a dream loses me, I still love the journey of Alice.

For my younger kids, we constantly read Robert Sabuda's pop-up version. For older kids, who can read the whole text, I recommend any edition with illustrations by John Tenniel. John Tenniel was the original illustrator, and although many other illustrators have done a great job, I can't help but think that the original paring of illustrator and author is worth some study.

I also love Theatre Project. Dave has been designing their posters for years, but on top of that, the productions we have seen there are always top notch.

So of course we wouldn't dream of missing Theatre Project's production of Alice in Wonderland, choreographed and directed by Scott Rink, and performed by danceRink. It is adapted from a vintage 1950 radio-play starring Dinah Shore as the voice of Alice and with additional music by the composer Raymond Scott. Hope to see you there!